Conan vs Leno

[BBC 08]

Where does everyone stand on the most pressing issue of our time? As you can see by my avatar and signature, I'm with Conan on this.

Here is Conan's statement on the issue for those wondering: link (http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs159.snc3/18651_10100134985958919_6808270_56291886_2085198_n .jpg)

Everyone else, make you're voices heard and pick a side.

[bobbiemcgee]

I never thought the guy was funny, bring back LENO!!!

[BBC 08]

Mods, is there any way we can add a poll to the top of this thread? I would love to see the numbers on this. Thanks in advance.

[BandAid]

Conan.

[FoundingFather]

Conan without hesitation. I'm ready to stop watching nbc all together

[BBC 08]

http://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/i-love-leno.jpg

[bobbiemcgee]

http://dirtywhiteblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/caricature-jay-leno.jpg

[94GRAD]

Where is the "who gives a rat's @ss" choice?

[XU05and07]

Team Conan and Team Leno...wtf is this...twilight?

[BlueX]

Conan is getting absolutely hosed by Leno and NBC. I'll guess Conan goes to Fox for a few years and when Letterman retires he takes over that show.

[bobbiemcgee]

Conan is getting absolutely hosed by Leno and NBC. I'll guess Conan goes to Fox for a few years and when Letterman retires he takes over that show.

That's cuz he ain't funny.

[golfitup]

I never thought the guy was funny, bring back LENO!!!

Who is that on your avatar?

[bobbiemcgee]

Who is that on your avatar?

Erin Burnett CNBC
http://ozabd.com.au/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/girlscnbc2.jpg

[Kahns Krazy]

Leno's best bit is the funny headlines thing. That should be a sign. Someone else is unintentionally writing your best stuff.

[SixFig]

NBC is costing itself the young demographics. Leno is so...90's. They killed Conan for a stopgap fix to their problem. I have nothing to watch after 11:30 now aggg

[Juice]

Conan burns NBC and Leno in his opening a couple nights ago.

http://www.wwtdd.com/2010/01/conan-seems-upset-about-something/

[waggy]

Isn't this a ratings issue? I mean, Leno was pushed out because of ratings, and Conan's were no better or worse, right? So they both suck.

[BandAid]

People of Earth:



In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I've been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.



Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.



But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.



Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.



So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.



There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.



Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.



Yours,



Conan






Source (http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/conan-o-brien-quits-tonight-show--911)

[Frambo]

I'm 56.....and although my wife disagrees....I think Conan has a good show. Good luck to CoCo!

[Cheesehead]

I thought Leno retired from the Tonight Show? What is he....Brett Favre?

The Leno show is not good and Conan was better before he went to the Tonight Show.

[Fireball]

Leno needs to go away.

[PM Thor]

People of Earth..

Classic Conan.

I haven't watched either one of them in months quite honestly, but the way that Conan is getting treated by NBC is pretty bush.

I hope Conan bolts to another channel, but not Fox. Maybe Comedy Central or some other cable channel. He could get away with a ton more and be a lot edgier. He has had to tone it down a lot getting that Tonight Show gig.

I HATE dayton.

[Juice]

People of Earth..

Classic Conan.

I haven't watched either one of them in months quite honestly, but the way that Conan is getting treated by NBC is pretty bush.

I hope Conan bolts to another channel, but not Fox. Maybe Comedy Central or some other cable channel. He could get away with a ton more and be a lot edgier. He has had to tone it down a lot getting that Tonight Show gig.

I HATE dayton.

I think he would be a lot better on cable but out of all the networks I think Fox is the edgiest/most willing to take chances.

[Kahns Krazy]

I think he would be a lot better on cable but out of all the networks I think Fox is the edgiest/most willing to take chances.

Like that Midget version of the bachelor they tried out. That was sweet. I can't believe they cut that short. (Ha!)

[JTG]

Conan belongs on Fox with all the other shit that network tries to pass off as entertainment. I even hate their football coverage. A baseball guy, Joe Buck, and Troy, I'm gay Aikman, as their lead announcers. Throw in the morons on their studio show, and that dumbass Transformer on the screen. The whole network sucks. Conan would fit right in.

[bobbiemcgee]

Letterman sez Conan is Hair and unbalanced. He should go to Fox.

Don't blame Jay. He had 6m viewers b4 to Conan's 2.4 and Letterman's 4.2m

[THRILLHOUSE]

Right now the only winner is Letterman, I haven't seen him have this much fun in years. Oh and I support Conan in this whole NBC mess.

[MuskieCinci]

Leno and NBC have done everything possible to screw over Conan. Rather than inherit a lot of Leno's viewers and keep a bunch of his own as he was adjusting to the time slot NBC comes up with the Jay Leno Show so Leno keeps a bunch of his old viewers and Conan loses some of his old viewers as he has to become a little bit cleaner on an earlier show. It isn't like the Leno show was doing so great either, Leno needs to just go away. He isn't funny. Conan has been extremely funny this week though with all of his bashing of Leno and NBC, so I guess there is a silver lining, even if it will only be for a couple of days.

[bobbiemcgee]

Leno was #1 for years and left #1. He didn't have anything to do with this. He was already there when Punkass Conan showed up, so don't whine about Conan getting screwed. Conan gets 40 million.

[Snipe]

Haven't watched any of them for years.

[Jumpy]

People actually watch those shows? In my lifetime, I've never watched a full episode of the Tonight Show, Letterman, or any of those late night talk shows. In fact, if I added up all the time that I've spent watching those shows, it probably wouldn't equal one full length show.

[xu2002]

Leno was #1 for years and left #1. He didn't have anything to do with this. He was already there when Punkass Conan showed up, so don't whine about Conan getting screwed. Conan gets 40 million.

Leno wasn't #1 and beating Letterman after 7 months! It took him time to take over the lead. I guess NBC doesn't feel they need to give Conan time to build a following.

[BandAid]

Adult Swim on Cartoon Network had a commercial last night imploring Conan to join their programming. Conan would kill at Adult Swim, but he would probably get paid jack.

[DC Muskie]

People actually watch those shows? In my lifetime, I've never watched a full episode of the Tonight Show, Letterman, or any of those late night talk shows. In fact, if I added up all the time that I've spent watching those shows, it probably wouldn't equal one full length show.

While I fall into this same boat, I must say I find it hilarious that NBC has this problem. How can you have a show called, "The Tonight Show" and have it air the next day? Does anyone over there on 30 Rock have a clock?

I hope Conan wins simply to get NBC to pay him so he can go on another show I won't watch. The whole thing is funny to me.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

Leno's best bit is the funny headlines thing. That should be a sign. Someone else is unintentionally writing your best stuff.

Not only that, but Leno is infamous for stealing ideas from other sources.

I already knew about how he stole Jaywalking from Howard Stern.

Did not know about how he took ideas from the Daily Show( “We’ll be using a lot of young comedians that are not necessarily stand-ups—though some are—as correspondents, shooting and editing their own pieces and putting them in the show.” - Jay Leno) and Ellen DeGeneris(Green Car Challenge)

http://ripcordnews.com/2009/08/03/leno-copies-ellen-and-daily-show/

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

Jimmy Kimmel impersonating Leno:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMgPPJZfsCM&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-dAlugJQE4&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhewaobDQCU&feature=player_embedded

Letterman ripping on Leno and NBC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A98_-EeXS_I

[chico]

Leno wasn't #1 and beating Letterman after 7 months! It took him time to take over the lead. I guess NBC doesn't feel they need to give Conan time to build a following.

Leno early on was tied with Letterman - the thing that pushed him above Letterman was his interview with Hugh Grant after he got arrested for soliciting.

NBC's big mistake was picking Leno over Letterman in the first place. Both are awful now, as is all of late night (what I've seen of it because I rarely watch it). Letterman, though, deserved the tonight show. At that time he was the funniest man on television. If anyone's interested on the events leading up to the decision I'd recommend "Late Shift."

[BBC 08]

Leno early on was tied with Letterman - the thing that pushed him above Letterman was his interview with Hugh Grant after he got arrested for soliciting.

NBC's big mistake was picking Leno over Letterman in the first place. Both are awful now, as is all of late night (what I've seen of it because I rarely watch it). Letterman, though, deserved the tonight show. At that time he was the funniest man on television. If anyone's interested on the events leading up to the decision I'd recommend "Late Shift."

AV Club just did a great piece on Late Shift in leiu (sp?) of what's going on at NBC right now. I don't have the link handy but if you go to www.avclub.com you should be able to find it.

[Kahns Krazy]

Conan belongs on Fox with all the other shit that network tries to pass off as entertainment. I even hate their football coverage. A baseball guy, Joe Buck, and Troy, I'm gay Aikman, as their lead announcers. Throw in the morons on their studio show, and that dumbass Transformer on the screen. The whole network sucks. Conan would fit right in.

That thing was cool when it first came out. In like 1998. I can't believe they still use that thing.

[GuyFawkes38]

I love Conan. I've seen him twice in NYC. I share his sense of humor. His work on the Simpsons was great.

Yet, I don't understand the hatred those under 30 have towards Jay Leno. It's some sort of generational thing. There's a lot of reason for those under 30 to hate baby boomers, but Jay Leno isn't one of them.

Leno puts on a solid show. You can tell he works 20 hours a day on his show. The show is packed with content (much more so than Letterman, who has a lot of time wasters).

And of course, lets not forget that Conan forced NBC in this position 4 years ago. Leno was a saint to remain loyal to NBC for 4 years knowing that his highest rated late night show will be canceled. I don't think we should be surprised now that NBC views Conan with distrust after he threatened to bolt from the network 4 years ago.

Edit: There's some reports going around that next week will be Conan's last. Bill Simmons first tweeted it. Now there's this report from People Magazine:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20336890,00.html

[Xman95]

I'm in the Conan camp, if only because I met him when he was visiting NBC affiliates and he seemed like a genuinely good guy. It was also something that he didn't have to do. It was actually his idea to go to the stations for a meet-and-greet with advertising clients. Might not seem like a big deal, but it really was...especially considering he didn't have to do it. Anyway, he came across as a good guy. (Plus we were drinking Guinness together.)

[GuyFawkes38]

That's really cool Xman95. Conan has always come across as a nicer and just as funny version of Letterman. When I attended his shows, he spent 10-15 minutes warming up the crowd (Letterman spent 4-5 minutes).

But the manner in which he has handled this controversy rubs me the wrong way. Conan booted Leno from the Tonight Show. Leno went along with it. The ratings haven't been great for Conan and show no signs of improving. As a Conan fan, I'm honestly not sure his type of humor fits the 11:30 spot.

So NBC made the brutal decision that it would be financially better for them to pay Conan millions to exit the 11:30 slot. I don't think NBC is making this move just to piss off Conan. They believe that it's worth the 20 million to get Conan off 11:30.

I would love to see Conan after midnight if it means we will see the real Conan.

Edit: It's official:

http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/14/jay-leno-conan-obrien-nbc-the-tonight-show/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I'm such a late night nerd.

[pizza delivery]

Conan really only had 3 months to make it work considering many people took their late night fix in with the Leno show at 10pm.

Leno also never delivered with his "new format", which he only got 4 months with. Last night, he just ran clips of stuff on the internet and then raced Heidi Klum around in a car. Whoopie!

Nevertheless, I think somehow this late night format is a dying one - or at least in serious need of revival. There is so much media coverage with today's (and yesterday's) "superstars" who are sort of boring, or less charming, when you compare them to their former selves, or the perception the public had of them, in the 90's and before that. Perhaps it's over-exposure. Perhaps it's reality TV. "Stars" means something different today.

It's interesting, when you look at the "ringers" for these hosts, many of whom are from the 80's and 90's, they are rarely in their prime anymore - nor do they look the same in plastic...

Hanks
Cruise
Roberts
Pitt
Deniro
bla, bla, bla, bla

I question whether Conan, Letterman or Leno are in their prime anymore either. Heck, that Irish guy is edgier most of the time.

It just feels like the late night audience (baby boomers?) is moving on and the younger crowd can find their fix on the internet (please, don't bother, Jay).

I do wish Conan would go back to 12:30, or cable. It hurts to see him turn vanilla. I never would have wanted to see him get the gig the way he did, either.

[GuyFawkes38]

Good points Pizza.

Late night is sort of blah.

I just don't get the idea that Jay owes it to Conan to not to retake the job and how it's the "honorable" thing to do.

NBC has every right to make as much money as they can. Jay Leno has every right to make as much money as he can. He doesn't owe Conan anything. Conan's ratings sucked. He was hurting NBC, who employs a lot of people and need to make as much profit as they can for their stockholders. So they fired Conan.

Conan and his fans shouldn't take it so personally.

[AdamtheFlyer]

Good points Pizza.

Late night is sort of blah.

I just don't get the idea that Jay owes it to Conan to not to retake the job and how it's the "honorable" thing to do.

NBC has every right to make as much money as they can. Jay Leno has every right to make as much money as he can. He doesn't owe Conan anything. Conan's ratings sucked. He was hurting NBC, who employs a lot of people and need to make as much profit as they can for their stockholders. So they fired Conan.

Conan and his fans shouldn't take it so personally.

NBC hurt itself. Leno's ratings sucked, which any person with common sense knew would happen when you put a comedy/talk show on in prime time. Good late night ratings are awful primetime ratings. It was never going to work. It was a move made to save money of producing dramas at 10:00, but it very clearly was always going to cost them money. Not to mention all the pissed off affiliates who were way behind in local ratings thanks to a horrible lead-in like Leno.

So NBC panicked and instead of letting Conan grow into the role and let the ratings grow over time, they stabbed Conan in the back hoping for a quick fix. Ultimately it will cost them millions to buy out Conan and give Leno a hefty raise. Maybe with a Leno ratings boost they'll break even on the deal, while Conan goes elsewhere and picks off a decent chunk of Leno's audience somewhere else.

In time, Conan would have overtaken Letterman just like Leno did. If NBC had one ounce of marketing intelligence, they'd have known that a crappy 10:00 hour leads to crappy local news ratings, which leads to crappy late night ratings. Look at their Thursday night lineup for example. The lead in to Leno, 30 Rock, draws 3 million fewer viewers than the The Office at 9:00. Leno gets destroyed by the Mentalist. After that, the TVs that remain on stay with CBS affiliates, and ultimately Letterman. This is rudimentary stuff. Conan never had a chance with Leno at 10:00 every night he was on. What few TVs were actually watching NBC were steadily being turned off or changing the channel as the night wore on. NBC is just stupid. Fix your 8-10 ratings, and the Tonight Show will follow. The data is readily available and has been proven time and time again. A monkey banging cymbals could win the late night ratings if the network won prime time. It's the Tonight Show. It's what people watch.

Conan fans, including myself, have every right to be pissed. NBC brought a guy up to his dream job with seemingly no plan in place to make the show work. What's going to happen in 5 years when a 65 year old Leno bows out? Fallon? Ferguson? Daly? There's no one else there. The one good option they had will never be available to them again.

[GuyFawkes38]

In time, Conan would have overtaken Letterman just like Leno did. If NBC had one ounce of marketing intelligence, they'd have known that a crappy 10:00 hour leads to crappy local news ratings, which leads to crappy late night ratings. Look at their Thursday night lineup for example. The lead in to Leno, 30 Rock, draws 3 million fewer viewers than the The Office at 9:00. Leno gets destroyed by the Mentalist. After that, the TVs that remain on stay with CBS affiliates, and ultimately Letterman. This is rudimentary stuff. Conan never had a chance with Leno at 10:00 every night he was on. What few TVs were actually watching NBC were steadily being turned off or changing the channel as the night wore on. NBC is just stupid. Fix your 8-10 ratings, and the Tonight Show will follow. The data is readily available and has been proven time and time again. A monkey banging cymbals could win the late night ratings if the network won prime time. It's the Tonight Show. It's what people watch.

Let me first say, I love Conan. I woke up on two occasions at 6 am, in the rain, to get stand by tickets to his show. He puts on an awesome show (well, at 12:30). If anybody wrote a history of comedy of the late 1980's and 90's, Conan would play an important role for his work on the Simpsons, SNL, and Late Night.

But Conan's show just didn't click at 11:30.

This couldn't have been an easy path for NBC to take. They've pissed off a lot of people. They owe Conan millions. They've damaged Leno.

But I think that should ultimately tell you how much Conan struggled at the 11:30 spot and how NBC felt like they had no other option. I'm sure they did a lot of research to make such a painful choice.

[MuskieCinci]

Whoever the guy is that NBC put in charge of programming a few years back (I forget his name) has been doing a terrible job but NBC is so stupid somehow they kept on promoting him. NBC pretty much has nothing good on anymore except for 1 or 2 shows. I only watch NBC on Thursdays and when Conan is on, that is it. After next week when Conan leaves I will literally only watch that channel when The Office is on and that is it.

[pizza delivery]

Watching Conan now...He's losing his mind, it's great. I think I'm going to miss him more than I thought if he's off the air. But, I've missed him all along. At this point, he's "got nothing to lose" and he never did on Late Night. It's like the good old days tonight! It'll be interesting if he can save himself in the 11th hour.

Rob Lowe was the guest, and you know Conan really has no respect for Rob Lowe or any other bimbo that Jay has handled with kid gloves for years. It's Jay's Hollywood assortment of cupcakes and dead-brains.

Conan had a chance to change the Tonight Show, but it wasn't enough to rehash all his old jokes and skits like 3000, etc. It's like he was an 11 year old kid jumping out in front of the aunts and uncles with all the old jokes and tricks he's shown his brothers and sisters 100 times. He should go to Fox where he can be on at 1130 and still be "anti-establishment" and push forward on his own. It's a weird marriage "Tonight Show" and Conan.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

I am officially a huge Jimmy Kimmel fan...Love seeing Leno squirm to Kimmel making fun on him during the 10 at 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwO6BkCtIo

This is getting ugly now...NBC executive just called Conan an "astounding failure" and that his jokes about Leno were "Chicken-hearted," and "Gutless." He's threatening to keep Conan off the air for 3.5 years.

[Xman95]

Whoever the guy is that NBC put in charge of programming a few years back (I forget his name) has been doing a terrible job but NBC is so stupid somehow they kept on promoting him.

You're probably talking about Jeff Zucker. Here's an article that you'll probably enjoy:

Why is Zucker still running NBC? (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-is-jeff-zucker-still-running-nbc-2010-01-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp)

[D-West & PO-Z]

I am officially a huge Jimmy Kimmel fan...Love seeing Leno squirm to Kimmel making fun on him during the 10 at 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwO6BkCtIo

This is getting ugly now...NBC executive just called Conan an "astounding failure" and that his jokes about Leno were "Chicken-hearted," and "Gutless." He's threatening to keep Conan off the air for 3.5 years.

Oh man, that was awesome. Brutal too.

[GuyFawkes38]

I am officially a huge Jimmy Kimmel fan...Love seeing Leno squirm to Kimmel making fun on him during the 10 at 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwO6BkCtIo

This is getting ugly now...NBC executive just called Conan an "astounding failure" and that his jokes about Leno were "Chicken-hearted," and "Gutless." He's threatening to keep Conan off the air for 3.5 years.

I guess if you are unhappy about the entire situation, it was a good moment.

But I don't think there was actually anything funny about the exchange.

[GuyFawkes38]

I think I'm the only Conan fan who feels bad for Leno.

[GoMuskies]

Who is it that finds Leno funny? I don't think I've ever met a living, breathing Leno fan.

[XU-PA]

Never thought Leno was funny, nice host though. Absolutely don't get Conan, not sure how anyone can justify paying him to be on TV. I guess it's because I stopped drinking before he went on the air. Great writer though.
Letterman used to be hilarious, now on the rare occasion that I'm awake that late, seems too scripted. Kind of like the difference between Bob Barker and Drew Carey on the price is right. Bob was Mr Smooth, like you were hanging out with your grandpa listening to his stories while he polished his wingtips. Drew, very very funny guy, but it's awkward, very awkward.

In other words, I can't vote in this one.

[LadyMuskie]

I personally don't care for either Jay or Conan. I don't find either one of them funny, so its no skin off my nose who gets the job. I do feel bad for both men because its really NBC that's once again handling a shake up at the Tonight Show badly. Jay was told he had to leave in five years, five years ago, and now Conan's being told to pack it up.

Conan's number's weren't great when he was on after Jay, and he was losing share to Kimmel, so I don't know exactly what NBC expected, but he's doing about as well as he was before just not as good as Leno was. Conan's a niche performer, and the type of entertainer that most people either love or hate, with no gray area - like Letterman or Leno.

Personally, I prefer Jimmy Kimmel and Craig Ferguson. I think these guys are funny and up to date (probably because they haven't been on air for decades like Conan and Jay)!

[blobfan]

The real reason behind NBCU CEO Zucker getting rid of Conan?

Zucker had Conan arrested (http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/no-joke-jeff-zucker-had-conan-arrested/)

[BBC 08]

Has anyone here been watching Conan this week? He's on fire. I loved the $1.5 million dollar bit last night. You can never go wrong with a Bugatti Veyron Mouse with the original recording of the Stones "Satisfaction" playing in the background.

[GuyFawkes38]

Has anyone here been watching Conan this week? He's on fire. I loved the $1.5 million dollar bit last night. You can never go wrong with a Bugatti Veyron Mouse with the original recording of the Stones "Satisfaction" playing in the background.

yeah, he's been great. I'm pumped for the last 2 episodes. Sounds like there will be some surprise guests.

And I'm carious what he'll say tomorrow about the entire situation (thus far he has only spoke about it in a comedic context).

[eXdrummer]

Has anyone here been watching Conan this week? He's on fire. I loved the $1.5 million dollar bit last night. You can never go wrong with a Bugatti Veyron Mouse with the original recording of the Stones "Satisfaction" playing in the background.

Yeah, he's pretty much been on fire ever since the whole situation first broke out. I loved when he was talking about how some porn company had sent him a letter offering a job and they came up with a list of potential names for his porn movies...

Also, the whole interview between him and Ricky Gervais was classic (i always make sure to watch when he has him on as a guest).

It's just a shame that we have to wait till the fall before he can start somewhere else. Hopefully he hasn't cooled off by then.

[BBC 08]

Yeah, it's gonna be a long 8 months till Conan can come back on TV.

[GuyFawkes38]

Bill Simmons has analysis of it all in a New York Magazine interview (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/bill_simmons_the_sports_guy_sa.html):

I love Conan, but agree with Simmons (questions are in bold). I would love to see Conan with a network/time slot in with which he felt comfortable being himself. Or maybe Fox should hire him but continually threaten to fire him.


Do you think Conan handled this situation the right way?

I thought he was too whiny. Look, it's television. His job was to deliver ratings and revenue; he lost nearly 50 percent of Leno's 11:35 audience in six months, but took none of the blame and made no effort to fix his show. This wasn't his fault? And besides, he's the one who stupidly passed up all that Fox money in 2004. I never understood that. What was so special about a Tonight Show that had twelve years (and counting) of Leno stink on it? How iconic could it have been? Plus, it was foolish of him to think Leno would fade into the sunset in 2009. We're gonna have to chop Leno's head off like Jason Voorhees to get him off TV.


and


Isn't this all kind of silly? Isn't the theory that everyone just watches everything on Hulu and DVR anyway?

Normally, I'd agree with you, but did you see the numbers? Leno's 11:35 show made $35–40 million profit for NBC; Conan's show was on pace to lose $5 million and had zero critical buzz. So it was a big deal, I think; look at where Conan was five years ago and where he is now. It's one of the biggest falls in TV history. NBC paid $43 million to get rid of him! It was the TV version of the Knicks buying out Stephon Marbury last year, only without tattoos, Kathleen Decker, and a truck party. Anything that leads to a legitimate Conan-Marbury comparison has to mean ... something. Right?

[bobbiemcgee]

Yeah, it's gonna be a long 8 months till Conan can come back on TV.

I never thought he was funny, but good this week.

[PMI]

Simmons is an idiot. Too whiny? He's playing the whole thing perfectly. If you think that's genuine whining you probably aren't understanding the humor and are one of the uncreative people who are hurting his ratings. Shame on those people. Plus, why should he have to change his style for them instead of just taking their $33 million and saying see ya?

[chico]

I don't buy the whole "you need to be more mainstream at 11:30" thing. It ruined Letterman. I think he lost a lot of loyal viewers when he stopped being so edgy and started hamming it up with Madonna.

Giving Conan 6 months is kind of like the Reds giving Tony Perez 43 games as manager. Maybe time would have shown that both were ill fit for their jobs but they at least deserved the chance.

[GuyFawkes38]

Simmons is an idiot. Too whiny? He's playing the whole thing perfectly. If you think that's genuine whining you probably aren't understanding the humor and are one of the uncreative people who are hurting his ratings. Shame on those people. Plus, why should he have to change his style for them instead of just taking their $33 million and saying see ya?

I feel like everyone of my posts on this thread is the same ("I really love Conan, but......")

He and his fans have expressed a lot of anger at NBC. But the bottom line is that ratings have sucked. Conan refuses to take any ownership of that (instead putting the blame on Leno).

And, as Simmons points out, overall it's been a hellish month for Conan. He will never likely have the same type of platform he had with the Tonight Show. His late night stock has been damaged by the past 9 months. Who knows if Fox will be willing to give him a pre-midnight show.

[blobfan]

I feel like everyone of my posts on this thread is the same ("I really love Conan, but......")

He and his fans have expressed a lot of anger at NBC. But the bottom line is that ratings have sucked. Conan refuses to take any ownership of that (instead putting the blame on Leno).

And, as Simmons points out, overall it's been a hellish month for Conan. He will never likely have the same type of platform he had with the Tonight Show. His late night stock has been damaged by the past 9 months. Who knows if Fox will be willing to give him a pre-midnight show.

I must have missed something. My impression has been that Conan blames NBC, not Leno.

[PM Thor]

Has anyone here been watching Conan this week? He's on fire. I loved the $1.5 million dollar bit last night. You can never go wrong with a Bugatti Veyron Mouse with the original recording of the Stones "Satisfaction" playing in the background.

His skit with Mine That Bird covered in a mink snuggie and watching restricted NFL footage was hilarious. Supposedly cost $4.8 million to NBC too. Oh and NBC is cutting out all these segments from their internet versions too. Weenies.

I really like it when Conan plays the role of the geeky outsider sticking it to the man kind of stuff. Tonights show is going to be interesting, to say the least. Gotta set the DVR.

I HATE dayton.

[joebba]

He's Conan for cryin' out loud. He should pummel Leno into submission!

http://geekofalltrades.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/conan.jpg

[GuyFawkes38]

Blobfan, Conan blamed poor ratings on having a poor lead in show (jays) in his letter refusing to take the 12:05 slot.

I think Conan at 12:05 would have been great. He would have competed against the last half and hour of Letterman's show, which sucks. His ratings would have instantly improved, giving him more creative freedom.

[Xman95]

He's Conan for cryin' out loud. He should pummel Leno into submission!

http://geekofalltrades.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/conan.jpg

True, but he did announce that he was running for governor of Calleefownia on Jay's show. So maybe he's letting him live as thanks for Jay giving him that platform.

[PM Thor]

Dear Internet....

I HATE dayton.

[nuts4xu]

Awesome Leno vs. O'Brien skit on the Jimmie Kimmel show tonight. He should get the 11:30 time slot. That guy is funny.

[GuyFawkes38]

Dear Internet,

That was an awesome last episode of Conan. It pretty much sums up why people love him so much. Most comedians are asses. And then there's Conan, who appears to be the nicest person in showbiz (did a comedian really just make a stance against cynicism!!!)...and he's funny too.

[BandAid]

Dear internet,

Conan's last show was a spectacle. They had fun on tv. Honestly, I haven't watched the Tonight Show since Conan's first show in the timeslot (which is more than I ever watched Leno). The show last night made me realize how much I do like Coco. Now I can't wait for him to come back in some form in September.

[Jesuit4Life]

Dear Internet,

The last two posts were spot on. An absolutely amazing farewell by the freakishly tall, equally freakishly red-haired one. And it left me so excited for September 1st. Only 221 days... and it feels so long.

If you didn't see the show, it's a must watch:
Full episode on Hulu (http://www.hulu.com/watch/122598/the-tonight-show-with-conan-obrien-fri-jan-22-2010)
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien retrospective (http://www.hulu.com/watch/122593/the-tonight-show-with-conan-obrien-conan-looks-back#x-4,vclip,1,0)
Conan's farewell to NBC and passionate address (http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=505cdb89-b729-4266-9eb4-9fce8dc5256b)
And... Jimmy Fallon's goodbye (http://www.hulu.com/watch/122597/late-night-with-jimmy-fallon-goodbye-conan#x-4,vclip,1,0) was pretty good too

Thanks for the great memories, CoCo. I'm looking forward to following you wherever you end up.

[joebba]

http://www.xavierhoops.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=38

[kinger2314]

Conan by far. I'm with Coco!

[bobbiemcgee]

The Farewell show was funny, too bad the rest of them weren't. Will Ferrell = not funny. Maybe Conan will catch on in Vegas.

[xudash]

Conan's good-bye address at the end of the show was one of the classiest things I have ever witnessed on television.

[gladdenguy]

Conan's good-bye address at the end of the show was one of the classiest things I have ever witnessed on television.

I agree. I'm so glad I turned that on.

[xubrew]

i don't really know anything about late night, and rarely watch it except when i visit my parents who are retired and dvr both programs. when i do watch, i'm unimpressed more times than not.

however, it's my understanding that nbc owns comedy central. i do like john stewart and think he comes across to a large demographic. i find him funnier and better at interviews than anyone on late night. maybe he would work in late night and maybe he wouldn't, but what i don't understand is why he was never even in the discussion. how does nbc (or anyone else for that matter) not AT LEAST consider him?? i believe he would do better than anyone else in late night because i believe he IS better than anyone else in late night. and just so we're clear, that says just as much about how bad i think the late night hosts are as it does how good i think john stewart is.

[SixFig]

The message about cynicism was so heartfelt I was taken aback. It was the proper message to the cynical world we live in. Its a shame Conan was shut down, he really did resonate with my generation (20 year olds)

Who will host when Brett Favre...err...Jay Leno retires again? No one will want the job.

"You can have any job you want, as long as Leno doesn't want it too"

[GuyFawkes38]

however, it's my understanding that nbc owns comedy central. i do like john stewart and think he comes across to a large demographic. i find him funnier and better at interviews than anyone on late night. maybe he would work in late night and maybe he wouldn't, but what i don't understand is why he was never even in the discussion. how does nbc (or anyone else for that matter) not AT LEAST consider him?? i believe he would do better than anyone else in late night because i believe he IS better than anyone else in late night. and just so we're clear, that says just as much about how bad i think the late night hosts are as it does how good i think john stewart is.

I vaguely remember Stewart being in the discussion several years back (can't remember when....maybe when there was some talk about letterman retiring and Stewart coming in to replace him).

The problem with Stewart is how political he's been. The Tonight Show has always been a completely apolitcal platform. If anything it's sort of blue collar (especially under Leno). Viewers will always have memories of Stewart's left politics (although politically, The Daily show always strikes me as moderate).

But I can't see Jimmy Fallon taking over the Tonight Show when Leno retires. So who knows.

[BandAid]

I'm officially throwing my hat into the ring for either job once Letterman and Leno reitres. They can also fire after seven months. I'm cool with it.

[GuyFawkes38]

So Conan goes to TBS at 11:00.

Conan will be competing for the same audience as John Stewart. But the Daily does seem much more vulnerable now than 5 years ago.

It's interesting the Fox thing didn't work out. Ultimately, it's probably really cheap to run some Seinfeld reruns. A conan show would be much more of a risk.

[Xman95]

I'm officially throwing my hat into the ring for either job once Letterman and Leno reitres. They can also fire after seven months. I'm cool with it.

Can I take the role of Andy Richter? I'll gain a lot of weight and I'm already not funny.

[PMI]

Is that official? If so, I think this is a huge land for TBS. That station's been trying to sell itself as a comedy station for years now by re-running some funny classic sitcoms along with some shitty ones, but now it actually has its own show and star power. I'm looking forward to seeing it, and that's the first time I've ever made that comment regarding a TBS program.

[Xman95]

Is that official? If so, I think this is a huge land for TBS. That station's been trying to sell itself as a comedy station for years now by re-running some funny classic sitcoms along with some shitty ones, but now it actually has its own show and star power. I'm looking forward to seeing it, and that's the first time I've ever made that comment regarding a TBS program.

Yep. And it's pushing George Lopez to midnight.

[X-band '01]

Is that official? If so, I think this is a huge land for TBS. That station's been trying to sell itself as a comedy station for years now by re-running some funny classic sitcoms along with some shitty ones, but now it actually has its own show and star power. I'm looking forward to seeing it, and that's the first time I've ever made that comment regarding a TBS program.

Wasn't that Frank Caliendo's old TV slot?

[PMI]

Wasn't that Frank Caliendo's old TV slot?

I don't know but if so, this would be like replacing Brian Gregory with Mike Kryzewski. Maybe Wake should look to TBS's front office when looking for a replacement for their AD next offseason.

[GuyFawkes38]

I think it's worth mentioning that Jay Leno's return has been successful. Leno's return has hurt both Letterman and Kimmel (No wonder they were so bitter about Conan's departure).

here's an article on that:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-06/entertainment/sc-ent-0405-celeb-celebrity-20100406_1_viewers-conan-o-brien-audience

The negative is that the median age has increased for Leno. But that was expected. Attracting young viewers is really hard and not worth it if it costs a network a big ratings drop like Conan did.

[Xman95]

I think it's worth mentioning that Jay Leno's return has been successful. Leno's return has hurt both Letterman and Kimmel (No wonder they were so bitter about Conan's departure).

here's an article on that:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-06/entertainment/sc-ent-0405-celeb-celebrity-20100406_1_viewers-conan-o-brien-audience

The negative is that the median age has increased for Leno. But that was expected. Attracting young viewers is really hard and not worth it if it costs a network a big ratings drop like Conan did.

Here in Cleveland Leno has returned to the ratings he had before he left the 11:30pm time period. So the Leno/Conan fiasco didn't seem to hurt.

[GuyFawkes38]

Here's Conan's first interview since his departure:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/?pid=xRCO_UXZKKqluLMOHRt67SX850RA1IkB&vs=homepage&play=true

hmmm, he doesn't come across very well, IMHO. He looks very depressed and bitter (might be due to some editing by CBS).

[Kahns Krazy]

Here's Conan's first interview since his departure:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/?pid=xRCO_UXZKKqluLMOHRt67SX850RA1IkB&vs=homepage&play=true

hmmm, he doesn't come across very well, IMHO. He looks very depressed and bitter (might be due to some editing by CBS).

I watched that on 60 minutes last night. I don't know about depressed, but I'd agree with the bitter part. It's probably hard to do an interview when you're under a legal agreement not to make disparaging statements about the people that boned you without lube.

[GuyFawkes38]

I really just want him to admit that the Tonight Show might not have been up to his high standards. Outside of the last 2 weeks, I don't think it was.

Instead, he claimed that his show was doing well and that a big part of the decision came to Leno's larger contract buyout (I think NBC had real concerns about ratings, not just their buyouts).

Of course, acknowledging he made some mistakes might not be the best way to promote his TBS show.

[GuyFawkes38]

Conan really has produced some ground breaking comedy the past couple years.

This is just brilliant:

http://tv.gawker.com/5619894/listen-to-conan-obriens-spoken+word-single?skyline=true&s=i


Ok, I'll stop being sarcastic. I think at some point even Conan fans have to admit that he's lost his comedic touch. I think that happens to eccentric comedians when they get old.

[SixFig]

Conan really has produced some ground breaking comedy the past couple years.

This is just brilliant:

http://tv.gawker.com/5619894/listen-to-conan-obriens-spoken+word-single?skyline=true&s=i


Ok, I'll stop being sarcastic. I think at some point even Conan fans have to admit that he's lost his comedic touch. I think that happens to eccentric comedians when they get old.

Leno never had touch...just a crack team of writers.

[BBC 08]

Excerpt from book on situation being published in November: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/12/late-night-wars-excerpt-201012?currentPage=all

[GuyFawkes38]

It'll be interesting to see if the show works. Conan will be seeking the same audience as Stewart and Colbert. I've never watched a late night show on DVR or online, but I think that's what Conan is counting on.

[GuyFawkes38]

I loved the episode. It just feels a little weird not having him on network TV (does Jimmy Kimmel really deserve a spot??? Or just get rid of Nightline. Or perhaps there's some future at Fox). Regardless, I hope TBS works for Conan and crew.

[SixFig]

The first episode was solid, despite the fact that Seth Rogen has to be the least-funny-guy-who-thinks-he's-funny in entertainment today.

Looking forward to Tom Hanks tomorrow.

[GuyFawkes38]

The first episode was solid, despite the fact that Seth Rogen has to be the least-funny-guy-who-thinks-he's-funny in entertainment today.

Looking forward to Tom Hanks tomorrow.

yeah, definitely.

Tom Hanks is a much bigger and likable guest than Seth Rogen. And he has a great history with Conan. Very strange stuff.

Perhaps it's a calculated move. Lots of viewers automatically tune into opening night. Tom Hanks will keep them viewing the 2nd night.

[PMI]

I liked the first episode a lot and am glad Conan is back. I especially liked Ricky Gervais' tapings for Conan, which included a nice dayton jab:

http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/23/anglophenia.jsp?bc_id=2037

[GuyFawkes38]

There's a lot of truth in this New Republic piece on Conan:

http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/79586/conan-obrien-the-solipsist-tbs-nbc-tonight-show

I think the part in bold is exactly why Leno has been more successful in late night television than Conan:


The TBS putdowns are in poor taste. When O’Brien riffs on his diminished paycheck or the lowbrow nature of basic cable, it’s uncomfortable to watch him. This doesn’t jive with the spirit of the late-night talk show, which aims to make viewers feel privy to a cozy, casual chat. Johnny Carson excelled at the business of putting his guests—and thus his viewers—at ease. His jokes were chummy and he never stole the spotlight. Even Jay Leno built his brand on providing a kind of backdrop for flashier personalities. It might not be fun to watch Leno, but it is comfortable. His style is unobtrusive. O’Brien, sitting beside a celebrity guest, is a competing spectacle.

Much more people say that they like Conan than who regularly watch him. Leno is the opposite.

[American X]

http://newsliteimgs.s3.amazonaws.com/110120_legoconan2.jpg

Link (http://newslite.tv/2011/01/20/conan-obrien-recreated-as-life.html)

[bobbiemcgee]

yeah, definitely.

Tom Hanks is a much bigger and likable guest than Seth Rogen. And he has a great history with Conan. Very strange stuff.

Perhaps it's a calculated move. Lots of viewers automatically tune into opening night. Tom Hanks will keep them viewing the 2nd night.

Seth Rogen must have a helluva agent. He sux in everything. Not a funny guy.