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January 19th, 2010
10:35 PM ET
Transcript: Conan O'Brien's January 19 monologueBelow is a transcript of "The Tonight Show" opening monologue from January 19th: Hi, I’m Conan O’Brien, and I’m just three days away from the biggest drinking binge in history. Yesterday there were rallies for me in cities across the country, including Chicago. You can tell things are bad when even Cubs fans feel sorry for you. It’s been a busy day for me today. I spent the afternoon at Universal Studios’ amusement park, enjoying their brand-new ride, the “Tunnel of Litigation.” Some papers are reporting that I’m legally prohibited from saying anything bad about NBC. For example – I am NOT allowed to say things like: “NBC is headed downhill faster than a fat guy chasing a runaway cheese-wheel.” Some papers are reporting that I’m legally prohibited from saying anything bad about NBC. But nobody said anything about speaking in Spanish. “NBC esta manejado por hijos de cabras imbeciles que comen dinero y evacuan problemas.” (NBC is run by brainless sons of goats who eat money and crap trouble.”) Some other stories in the press are saying that in the future I may not be able to retain what is known as my show’s “intellectual property.” Isn’t it great to live in a country where a cigar-smoking dog puppet and a bear that masturbates are considered “intellectual property?" I have to say, all of our problems with NBC really did sneak up on us quite suddenly. But I should have seen this coming. During the few months we’ve been doing this show, there were definitely things that should have tipped me off. I’ll give you an example, check this out. (cut to: applause sign) There’s our applause sign…(applause sign blinks) but look at the sign below it…(camera pans up to reveal sign that reads, “humor him for 7 months”) Of course, there are other entertainment stories in the news. Some people who have gone to see “Avatar” say it’s caused them to have headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurry eyesight. Meanwhile James Cameron says it’s caused him to have a billion dollars. Interesting local story. A new $65 tour called the “LA Gang Tour” is being offered in Los Angeles that takes tourists through L.A.’s most dangerous neighborhoods. The gang tour is also known by its other name, “A cab ride from the airport.” Earlier this week, the founder of Taco Bell passed away at the age of 86. His tombstone will read: “Father. Husband. Inventor of Diarrhea.” I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’m going to do with all my new free time. Here are my plans so far for next week. Check it out: -Introduce myself to my children. -Connect all my freckles with a Sharpie. -Play Beatles Rock Band until I reach “Level Yoko.” -Make a cameo appearance on “Gossip Girl” as Blaine Wilcox, a mysterious albino playboy. -Legally change my name to “No-Show Jones.” -Finally make good on my plan to backpack through India with "The Situation." -Return La Bamba to the kindly old carpenter who made him. -Have my “TONIGHT SHOW FOREVER” tattoo changed to “OH, SHOW OVER?” -Make a big move to Fox. Megan Fox.
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I think it's a shame what's happening, but I'm sorry folks. Conan is not funny to me... at all. I can't stand those little jerky dance steps he does. I think Jay is much funnier. Bottom line... I will watch Jay. I will not watch Conan. NBC must have had SONE reason to pay Conan so much money to leave.
Bottom line is that it's business and NBC is lousy at it, but it's their business so they get to try what they want. Conan's getting 33 Mil and his staff 12 Mil to split. NBC wouldn't let Jay out of his contract nor buy him out, he has a staff too and they gotta eat. Who was on the air during the writer's strike, Jay Leno cause he was writing his own stuff and keeping his employees employed. I'm sure Jay ain't no Saint and neither is anyone else. We'll see what happens with Jay's ratings when he goes back against Letterman, that will be final word and all our words won't make a difference if the ratings are there or if they aren't. Time will tell. All these guys makes BIG money that eclipses most or our salaries for a lifetime and they still screw up, go figure.
Jay Leno is miserable to watch– - boring, not funny - old news!
I used to work for NBC back when they were #1. Back in the days of the Cosby Show, etc. Since then they have made nothing but bad decisions. They are projected to lose 200 million with the Winter Olympics, Real brain trust there.
Having said that Jay Leno is a dick. He proved that years ago with his hiding in the closet to spy on NBC execs.
His "I don't know whats going on" shtick is pathetic. He is one of the most hated people in TV. If he didn't have the Tonight Show he wouldn't have a friend in the world. People have to talk to him because of that and that alone.
We need Howard Stern, Hey Jay, why not try to steal Baba Booie or Fred Norris. Youv'e stolen everything else.
What happens to Conan fans that have upcoming Tonight Show tickets? Are they going to be in Jay's audience? That could make for a rough reintroduction for Leno.
I never expected so much bad grammar on the CNN website. Coco for life.
There have been a bunch of celebs taking Conan's side on this. I'm wondering if anyone knows if there are any celebs that have said they'd Boycott Lenos show and not go on it?
Everyone needs to get off the ratings crap. You can't give a guy 7 months to turn around something that had gone on for 12 years.
If he had been able to have the show for three years and it wasn't working that's a diffrent story but, he hadn't been on long enough to be established.
I never watched NBC when jay was the host. Actually, he did me a favor since, I will not have to watch it now. Thanks Jay!!!!!!
I like the sentiment of the crowd here. Clearly it is Jay’s fault because he could say I had my time and now it’s Conan’s.
He is proof that he is not a stand-up guy but, pretending he has nothing to do with it as he moves his stuff back in.
You do not get to agree to leave then, renege on the deal without consequences.
I hope like I have said and read here that everyone boycotts LamO ah I mean Leno, no, I mean LAMO until his rating match his failed 10:00pm. Spot.
I hope NBC likes being fifth out of 4 major networks.
Chuck is the only reason I’ll have to watch NBC at all anymore.
I do hope Conan gets another show at 11:30 and blows the tonight show in to oblivion.
Conan's humor is very juvenille and Jays's humor is topical and very "what's happening now". People are trying to make Jay out as the bad guy. I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with Jay and he is a class act. No "Hollywood Ego", just a good guy. I don't think that Conan would take the time to come over after his show and sit down and talk with one of his audience members. So you people quit making Jay out to be the one who is wrong for taking the Tonight Show back. Conan never had the ratings and in this business, ratings is what makes or breaks your show. Do any of you remember that Letterman beat Conan in the ratings? Think about it!
Everyone fusses about Leno and Conan's Ratings. No one ever took into account the following. What if Leno NEVER had the 10pm show and it was Letterman vs Conan? How would his ratings be then? From what I gather, most people stopped watching the Tonight Show to watch the Leno show at 10, then just simply watched the news and went to bed because they had their hour of comedy.
NBC screwed up royally and Zucker is to blame for his brilliant idea. Zucker should be FIRED, Leno just cancelled and leave Conan alone for a year to build the Tonight Show. But since it appears that NBC loves Leno and will bend over backwards for him, he'll get the Tonight Show back and Conan can spend his 40 million however he chooses. NBC's ratings were already in the dump, and this whole thing makes the network look even more like the idoits they are. SNL has ceased to be funny, Leno's jokes are just blah and all their comedy shows come no where close to being a comedy. I guess that's why I watch all the other networks because NBC is run by complete morons.
Johnny Carson was hilarious and professional. Leno is neither. At least Conan was/is unique. As for me, I'll keep LettermanI on as I have since he was available as an alternative. I will never watch Fox, even if Letterman or Conan defected to this crazed Palin loving, news distorting embarrassment of a network.
Jeff Zucker and Conan never liked each other. They were rivals at Harvard. Zucker is 5 foot 6, Conan is 6 foot 5. This isn't about business, it's personal. Someone has a Napoleon complex.
Conan already had the Tonight Show locked in 5 years ago, before Zucker was at NBC. Conan got 7 months. Jay got 4. We all heard about the local affiliates complaints on the news. We could have gotten more news about the war or the recession, but we got that. Where did it come from? Jeff Zucker? I'm just sayin,
The Tonight Show was the only thing on NBC worth watching, and now even that's ruined. I don't foresee watching anything on that channel again and certainly not anything with Jay Leno in it. He was funny in the early 90s, he hasn't been since he traded stand-up for hosting. His behavior in all this is disgraceful, what a poor loser.
Conan – being a fellow Irish-American I'll have a drink for you! You are sticking up for the staff that NBC brought with YOU. They have an obligation to them although you seem to be the one sticking up for them. LA is not a good town and can only suck you dry- very quickly apparently – go back to NYC.
Fine, don't say that Jay is completely innocent. But, neither is Conan! C'mon, he could have continued to negotiate in private instead of backing himself and NBC into a corner with that very public memo. That memo made it impossible for him to say "OK, let's try the midnight slot" and impossible for NBC to say "OK, let's try you at 11:30 a little while longer." Or, he could have said "OK, let's try midnight slot and see what happens." If his fans are as loyal as they are all now claiming, he would have done okay at midnight. If Jay is as horrible as Conan fans are claiming, he would have failed with his 11:30 1/2 hour show, he would have gotten canceled (again), Conan would get moved back to 11:30. But no, he had to have all or nothing instead of acknowledging that maybe some tweaking might fix the 50% ratings drop that happened when he took over as host. Yes, he should have had more time, and so should have Jay. That doesn't make his current behavior acceptable. Bash Jay if you must, but don't forget Conan's role in forcing himself (and his staff) into an untenable position. He made a terrible situation into the worst situation it could possibly be. BTW, those who keep saying Jay's show was canceled but Conan's wasn't – The Tonight Show will NEVER be canceled. The host gets canceled, not the show.
Quote from Jay Leno on the Tonight Show in 2004 after announcement of his leaving in 2009:
"...I don't want to see Conan go. I'll be 59..five years from now, that's 1200 shows, we're not going anywhere tomorrow. And I said, there's really only one person who could have done this into his sixties, and that was Johnny Carson. I think it's fair to say, I'm no Johnny carson. So I called up my buddy Jerry Seinfeld, and I said, "Jerry, what do you think?" And Jerry quit his show when it was most popular. And I'm proud to say this show has been number one, we'll keep it number one. Then in '09, I'll say, Conan, take it over, it's yours. Cause you know, you can do these things until they carry you out on a stretcher, or you can get out when you're still doing good...I want to say, I don't think there's a better choice. When I took this show, there was a lot of animosity...and a lot of...good friendships were permanently damaged. And I don't want to see anybody have to go through that again. This show is like a dynasty. You hold it, and then you hand it off to the next person. And I don't want to see all the fighting and all the who's better and nasty things back and forth in the press. So right now, here it is. Conan, it's yours, see you in five years, buddy?"
>>>A blight on the beautiful legacy started by Johnny Carson. He would be so ashamed.
Um.... there were years of talent before Carson took the show on Sept 23, 1962. Among them were Steve Allen, a comedian of such importance, that most Television/Social Scholars will agree, was Carson's equal, and was critical to the development of television as a whole.
Time to set the record straight: I'ts NBC's fault. Top to bottom, NBC's fault.
Conan's contract was, in fact up, and to keep him from slipping away to ABC (pre Kimmel) or fledgling Fox, NBC offered him the Tonight Show. Conan accepted, and Jay was informed. Figuring it was six years down the road, Leno thought, "how long CAN I do this?" and went along with it. All statments on Leno's part to his "retirement" were in line with what NBC wanted, and what MIGHT be. Problem was, as the deadline rolled around, Leno didn't want to retire.
Now what most of you don't seem to realize is, that practically everyone in media (TV and radio) signs, in their contracts, something called a No Compete clause, that says after you're done here, you're not allowed to just go across the street and take your audience with you...that's the three years Conan was talking about, and Jay had one too.
So Jay asked to be let OUT of his contract, so he could, in fact, move on. NBC, fearing the same thing from Leno as with Conan, said no, and offered him 10p. Leno agreed.
Leno lost a significant portion of his old audience, as did Conan, who also failed to replace enough of that audience with his own (though he did master the key 18-49 demo, he was losing to Letterman, which hadn't happened with Jay since year 3). So NBC, giving in to affiliate demands, cancelled Leno, who AGAIN, asked to be let out of his contract. NBC, suffering the same old fears, said no, and came up with the half hour solution.
Conan's contract said nothing about what time the Tonight Show would air (someone on this post suggested that NBC held the right to move it; in fact Leno's contract for the Tonight Show did in fact specify 11:35p, but Conan's only named the show), so NBC attempted to move the show to 12:05a, which is when Conan argued that the Tonight Show @ 12:05a is NOT the Tonight Show. The swiftness with which NBC's lawyers started settling with him would indicate that he had leg to stand on in that arguement.
Both men had contracts. Both men had payout clauses. Both men had Non Competes. NBC finally hit the wall and had to make a choice-and they chose Leno.
For my own opinion, that choice is probably predicated on the fact that Leno is a company man whose proven to go along with whatever NBC wants (which should tell NBC they made the wrong choice), while Conan showed some pride and stood up for himself. I also agree that the misperception of Leno as the bad guy is going to KILL him in the ratings when he returns to Late Night, just as Conan's delayed shift to Fox (which is the only viable move he really has) will slightly diminish the favorable numbers he would have brought with him. But in the end, It'll be Dave vs Conan again, with Leno looking on from Kimmel's basement.
And whichever side you accuse me of being on? Wrong. I'm a Letterman guy. And I don't even blame Jay for getting the Tonight Show from him. Johnny Carson wanted Dave for the Tonight Show, but since Leno became the sole guest host for Johnny, NBC liked his numbers, and NBC chose Jay.
It's always NBC (Never Behave Competently)
Here is my new plan, tivo the Daily Show and The Colbert report, watch my local news at 11 (Martha S. the local NBC anchor is hot) , then watch the above tivoed programs, and then Jimmy Fallon's Late night. Screw Leno
@Dee:
But he CAN'T pull viewers from Letterman. That's why he's getting canned.
Forgeddaboudit!!! Who needs all that blah, blah, blah, same old, same old anyway. Get enough of that during the day. Need a lot less conversation, more action. Give me Law & Order, Criminal Intent, SVU, Criminal Minds, CSI, CSI Miami and NY, NCIS – love those marathons.
One more thing, people have to realize Conan was not being let go; his time slot was just being moved by half an hour. For us simple people of earth, that means 8:30am instead of 8:00am. How complicated is that?
Conan should be seen as who he is; a highly paid self-centered cry baby.
Amen to what most everyone here has said. Conan is getting screwed. Five years (and seven months) ago NBC promised Conan the Tonight show in five years. The deal was that Leno would retire and Conan would take over. At the time, Leno said he was cool with that. Then, as retirement day approached, Leno started to whine and complain. So they gave him the 10 o'clock gig. It flopped, and now he wants his old job back. Sorry, Jay. You had a good run, but nothing lasts forever. Be a man and step aside. Or go to ABC. (Fox would never have you.) Whatever. Just let Conan stay where he is. He's funnier than you. I've thought so for the past 16 years.
Jay took the Tonight Show from Letterman years ago and is doing it now again with Conan. He wanted to retire and then changed his mind. He should have just stepped aside.
Jay ...go home enjoy your MILLIONS ....let the young guy take over ....Conan ( Better Host ).......remember everybody NBC dont care about this guys ....all they care about is MONEY ...so ...let's follow Conan to any network he goes and keep going with your lives.
The Tonight Show was Leno's and stayed on top for 12 yrs. Then it became Conan's for 7 months and ratings went down. Good thing NBC realized the mistake and is correcting it by giving it back to Leno. Blame Conan for screwing up The Tonight Show in only 7 months. Thank Leno he's willing to come back and fix things right.
Meanwhile, Conan should accept his fate and use some of the $40 million he's getting for counseling for being too selfish and self-centered. If he really cared for his staff, share his $40 million package.
NBC is a business. As such, it isn't fairness that drives decisions; it is the ability to make money and the quest to make more. I don't really like the way they have treated Mr. O'Brien, and it may impact my willingess to watch NBC shows. However, keep in mind that if my employer offered me $30 million dollars to leave and then would let me work again in a few month at anything I wanted to do, I'd take the money and run and figure I got the better end of the deal. For crying out loud, the man is leaving NBC, not a better-rated network. He's marketable and will land on his feet.
NBC digging in and having their vengeance on this guy for not toeing the party line will be remembered as the stupidest mistake they could have made. They destroyed prime time and to try to staunch the bleeding, they destroyed late night. What does Leno have on them that they're going so far out on a limb for him? He hasn't been funny since 1995. Typos in local classifieds? You gotta be kidding. Go back to stand-up.
At this point, Conan's obviously too good for them. Wherever he lands, I'll watch.
This is all about money. Leno is not forcing Conan out. NBC wants to get rid of Conan because of bad ratings. They were bad long before Leno's show came on at 10:00. They figure Leno will do better at 11:30, since he did it consistently for 15 years. Leno didn't demand to be moved back to 11:30; they told him Conan was going to walk.
NBC forced Leno out at 11:30 to keep Conan happy, not the other way around. Leno never wanted to retire; he was being gracious 5 years ago. Look where that puts him now.
Nobody is going to convince anyone that one comedian is better than another. But I think it is tougher for Conan to go against Letterman because they appeal to similar audiences, and Letterman is more established. Is a masturbating bear funnier than a watermelon falling off a building?
The real losers in this are Conan's staff. They relocated to LA, and now will be out of work if he is forced to sit. If Conan gets a new show, I'm sure he'll take them with him like Letterman did, but that is a big if.
Letting Conan go is a big mistake. Unlike Leno the people in his studio are always laughing with him, not at him.
Steve left...... like someone with class.
Jack left........ like someone with class.
Johnny left... like someone with class.
Jay left, then came back, ....like a horses a$$
If getting $40 million is getting screwed, then sign me up! I don't know about you, but I guaranteed I'd quit my job (quietly!) for that!!! I guess Conan's head is to big for him to swallow...
NBC is the problem. They had a choice to make and they chose to have it both ways. I don't care if they picked Jay or Conan. The show is about the same with either guy as the host. NBC decision is the equivalent of finding a young, new love, but keeping your old love around because they have always taken good care of you.
Cone-head needs to review his image. It's like an old newspaper. Get rid of the 50's hair style and foolish act. Your education should guide you onto a higher road. You lost. Get over it. And, to those who liked him-you didn't show up large enough for commercial TV because profits generate deternine who gets the job. Our local McDonald's needs a clown and Cone-head wouldn't have to cut his red hair.
It's a real shame to see him go. I've always preferred Leno to O'Brien, but the two of them were the One-Two Late Night Punch I came to love over the years. Without Conan on the network, it just won't feel right; things were strange enough with local news interjecting between their two shows.
I really do hope Conan finds a new home and that any future employers demonstrate true appreciation for him instead of more of this asinine manipulation.
i ♥ conan. his ability to handle this situation with a sense of humor is commendable and impressive. i go where conan goes. see ya, NBC.
What is Conan's big problem? He just didn't get the ratings #'s that NBC wanted to see for The Tonight Show. If his ratings were better then he would be in...instead he is out. Get over it.
I don't feel sorry for any of them – Leno, Conan, and Letterman. Letterman is #1 now, Leno gets the Tonight Show back, and Conan gets a cool, hard $40 million in his pocket. Rough lives. I think we should send them all to Haiti to get a reality check.
If Conan goes to Fox, he will pull viewers from Letterman, not Leno. Leno attracts a totally different Tonight Show audience than does Letterman and Conan.
Leno is great & look forward to 11:30 lineup
I love Conan and will be super sad to see him go! I definitely will never watch The Tonight Show while Leno is hosting it. NBC is crazy for letting Conon go, especially after all of this. I would think The Tonight Show/Leno will lose lots of viewers after this.
@Mike. Sorry, Ferguson is you know, funny. I've said it before with dead seriousness and I'll say it again. Conan O'Brien is as funny as an ambulance that wrecks on it's way to a trauma scene.
Conan's jokes are funny but he is NOT.
Jay's jokes are funny and he IS.
I wont be watching Leno!.
What a pig. He has enough money and could go on to Vegas and make more.
Will be waiting on Conan to return - hopefully on Fox where he can really let his creative juices go wild!
take your 30 mil. and just go away
Its unfortunate that jay leno has a sense of humor and delivery that doesn't appeal to the average "wit" of todays americans below the age 40. No wit is required for conan. The best part of conan's show was what did even involve him, the house band and the bands that played. I feel he's everything he isn't. conan should take a chill pill as leno is still in the business and conan needs to realize he started way to early. Let the path continue for conan that allows him to be who he is until it bows down.
The way conan is taking this matter is a great reminder that conan has had or has alterior motives for his role as a late night host in the entertainment industry. After all conan comes off a bit nieve to the evolution of anything in it's entirety, you must have an understanding before you can understand.
You can't blame Leno. Ratings talk and Conan's were terrible. NBC had to do something, and this was the best option. It is too bad that Conan moved his family and his employees and their families all the way to LA just to have this happen, but NBC should have known that Conan was never going to do well on the Tonight show. His humor is crude and doesn't appeal to the majority of American's watching late night talk.
NBC is the one to blame in this drama. Both Leno and Connan are great, but the best of Connan is yet to come.
Wherever Conan ends up I PRAAAAY he comes back to NYC where he belongs. He's too good for LA.
conan, you're a tool. leno rocks
Conan O'Brien seems to have decided that whining camouflaged with humor makes him look good. Everybody knows that NBC is an easy target now. He should spend his last few nights doing something that people will remember.
They really need to get rid of Jay. Design all your programing and sales profits around one guy....anyway he is the wrong guy, is not good business..
Kudos to Conan. He has/is handling this situation very well. Better than Jay. I hope Conan makes enough of NBC to retire and never need to work again. Nothing would make me feel better than for Jay's ratings to stay low or better yet go lower with the next move. Gooooooooo away Jay!!
You guys want to know what kind of 'stand up person" Leno is just read the book "THE LATE SHIFT!"
It details all his back-room shiftiness of originally stealing The Tonight Show from LETTERMAN back when Carson was retiring.
Don't ever tell me "Leno is blameless" in all this. He always plays the good guy role, but in reality... not so much.
Conan's ratings were bad....for The Tonight Show....PERIOD!
I love comedy – which is why I have NEVER been a fan of Conan or Dave. Their humor is juvenile and very rarely funny. I have watched off and on over the years thinking maybe they were just having off nights – Nope! And I hate their bands. NBC is run by a bunch of idiots – hence their terrible ratings all around. Conan and Dave should both count their blessings and shut up in case they wake up someone in charge with some sense who realizes how stupid they are. They may have to go out and work for a living.
Conan has always been my favorite to watch. For those of you who think he isn't funny – try reading the Jay Leno monalogue – really, really sad – makes you appreciate why they need to have applause and laugh prompts for the audience. But reality is, Conan will be fine – he's walking away with plenty in pocket, and I'm sure he'll be picked right up because the guy is hilarious!
Conan is a comedy genius! I'll watch him wherever he goes. Jay Leno, might be able to work on a 3 night bahamas cruise ship. A real old, cheap cruise.
I'm sure Conan is a very nice guy, but his humor is childish, imature and just not funny. Besides that, Conan is the ugliest Irishman I've ever seen.
Conan O'Brien is a dumb jerk who deserved to be fired for his dreadful performances. Let him now fade into the obscurity he so richly deserves.
Get this idiot off the air. He isn't funny, he didn't bring in the "younger" audience that NBC had hoped for, and he isn't anywhere near on par with Jay Leno. I don't feel sorry for him at all, he has made MILLIONS of dollars and it's all because NBC gave him his big break. To be honest, if NBC hadn't given him his big break, no one else probably would have!!! Conan is funny or talented enough to be the top tier guy, he is only meant for late, late night when no one is watching. He is on par with that other idiot, Craig Ferguson.
Conan's getting $40mm. not a bad termination payment, eh? Don't feel too sorry for him.
Conan's ratings are 47% BELOW Leno's for the show.
If you were NBC, who would you (and your advertisers) rather have?
Why blame Leno? He's a workaholic. If he gave that gig up, you can bet he'd head to Fox and probably make more money.
...and Leno would crush Conan in a head to head contest were that to happen.
I'm a Letterman's fan, I started watching the Tonight Show when Conan took over. I guess it's back to Letterman now
One thing is for sure, they ruined the Tonight Show
hey better for conan to go to fox just think how much edgier he can be...
Ratings diciate who stays and who goes .Jay Leno was #1 at 11:30. Conan did not have the ratings, that's not Jay Leno's fault.
Conan knows that but he will not accept the truth. He blames everyone but himself. I hope he does better on another network but I doubt it.
It is about time that Conan is gone. I stopped watching the Tonight Show when he took over. Conan is not funny, he is a idiot. Jay is better. Conan should of been gone after his first show on Late Night. Anything he appears on I will not watch. Conan will be a loser at Fox.
hey James sure conan had 5 years to plan, but he was only given 7 months in which to prove it! Leno got way more than that.
besides Leno is the failure. this isnt about tonight show ratings, its about the 10pm Leno failure
Anybody who says Conan is not funny is over the age of 55!! Conan will do just fine!
You could put all of Leno's best jokes from every show he ever did together and that monologue would beat them hands down
I am very disappointed about Conan's treatment by NBC. I really don't think they gave him a fair chance. They should have given him an earlier time slot, not a midnight time slot.
I do not nor did I ever like the humour of Jay Leno. I find him full of himself.
I do not know who bullied who, but in my opinion the innocent victim in this media mess is Conan. NBC looks like the villain and Jay Leno is the villain's assistant.
I vow never to watch Jay Leno for what he did to Conan.
I will also try not to watch NBC. (unethical)
I don't dislike Jay, but I think Conan is much funnier. Unfortunately living on the east coast and having a early morning job I can't stay up till 11:30 to watch it.. Conan will end up just fine.
I knew Conan would fail and he did. Also, NBC gave him a chance to retain his show. He turned it down. He belongs at 12:30 p.m. and he will never out perform Leno at 11:30 on another network. He also had no consideration for his staff who just lost their jobs and they don't make millions.
Also, why give this guy Leno's spot when Leno was number 1 in late nite. It is NBC mistake for giving into the wishes of Conan.
Neither guy is at fault.
NBC bungled this big time. Oh yeah, let's make a big deal out of Jay leaving the Tonight Show for good to be replaced by Conan and then just in case, we'll keep Jay around so that if Conan's numbers aren't good enough within the first 6 months we'll just can him and all his staff who uprooted their lives and moved across the country for us, and we'll just put Jay back on. How totally unprofessional is that? It's gonna be so lame when Jay comes back. I used to watch Jay from time to time but after all this I will definitely NOT be watching Jay's "Tonight Show" ever again.
Ok. So I don't blame Leno for anything. I do however blame NBC for making this situation in the first place. The Tonight Show was not taken from Leno. Leno signed a deal with NBC to get a show with more taped segments and less face time. When that deal was made, six years ago, Conan was offered Leno's spot on the Tonight Show, which would be any comics dream. Leno was never cancelled, unlike his comments over the last 2 weeks. He was fulfilling the obligation of his contract. NBC knoew Jay was number 1 in his time slot, as the Tonight Show has been since Carson. Many other evenings shows have come and gone because of the Tonight Show's grip on the ratings. NBC knew they would get the ratings with either Conan or Leno. And who is to say that the Tonight Show won't fall as soon as it is switched over to 12:05? This is either the end of the Tonight Show as we know it or the end of either Leno's or Conan's career with NBC. I'd prefer it to be Leno, personally.
Personally, I quit watching late night TV when Conan came on. Can't stand the guy, and hope he voids his payout by badmouthing the network.
Conan made nbc-nbc will now make NOTHING! THANKSALOT NBC !!!!
Hey, CBS should just give Ferguson the boot and take Conan for the Late Late Show. It seems only fair that CBS should again profit from the mistakes NBC makes to humor Leno.
Dig Conan...too bad NBC does not appreciate him. Won't ever watch Leno again...
Can't wait to see O'Brien on another network!
Al, you are misguided, my friend. Leno started this whole mess and you know it! We can't let the brass at NBC walk away that easy, either. Respect was shown to Johnny Carson when he gave up the Tonight Show. Leno jumped back into the arms of NBC after he gave up the reigns to Conan. I say Conan got screwed and Leno knows that. Conan grab the money and run straight into FOX!
This is not only a disgrace to Conan and the 17 years he provided NBC with loyal viewers, it is a disgrace to those loyal viewers who still enjoy watching Conan. The people have spoken, but still NBC chooses to ignore. Goes to show everyone how money can truly blind you from reality.
On to bigger & better things for Conan – he doesn't have to worry about an audience – we are already with him and will follow wherever he goes!!!
Jay just has better writers than conan; conan's jokes border on weird more than humorous.
Conan will own late night tv within 5 years.
How about this... think about it...
Dave Chappelle and CoCo on HBO... the variety show to end all variety shows!!!
I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.
Conan is getting a huge payoff for nothing! The Tonight Show was Number 1 in its time slot forever – until Conan. Now it consistently gets its butt kicked by Letterman!
Conan is not funny – he is an idiot! NBC should have cut him loose for "poor performance" and have been done with it
Jay knowingly took a big risk with his new show. He is the one who should be biting the bullet... not to mention I think Conan is much funnier than he ever was or will be. I'm also quite certain Conan will land on his feet with a bigger and better show... It's a shame the Tonight Show is going down hill though.
I think Conan is so so boring. He's not funny. He has the same unfunny gestures all the time, pretending he is running and smoothing out his eyebrows. What's funny about that? I won't miss him and neither will a lot of other people apparently who never bothered to watch him or did once and never did again.
Never did like Conan, thought his humor was stupid not funny,
same as with Letterman.
Have both of them host the same show:
The Jonan O'Leno show
Conan will do the monologues, and Jay will sit in the corner stroking his chin, nod, and say how funny Conan is. Jay will then do the interviews, and Conan will be pretending to sleep... except he won't be pretending.
Jay is funnier than Conan....Conan is irritating to watch and hear
Disappointed that Jay can't just let go and go away. He is looking really bad. He offended everyone coming in from the prior show and now he can't just walk away like he said he would. We all make mistakes but this is so not cool. I like Conan, hope he winds in the long run.
Conan is gonna be fine – NBC screwed up big time...
Go Conan. Good stuff! NBC will always be there for me to POOP on! See you broadcast tv.
This is really the end of the era – as the "greatest generation" fades from the neilsen demographic and the younger generations and new media take hold – Now is the time for us to realize that Late Night TV is dead. The younger generations are not in bed, or out on the town – they are watching Itunes movies, or catching up on the DVR'd stuff they really want to watch. We no longer hang on for the evening news – We have gotten ALL of our news online for the last several years.
Newspapers will die next – Followed by the 11/10 o'clock news and even the early evening news. The only hours of value on TV anymore are 8-10PM Pacific.
The sooner we realize that eveything else must move to a more – On-Demand framework the better we are -
Conan is the big loser. He failed to deliver the ratings, NBC realized they screwed up and are fixing it by putting Leno back where he dominated for 17 years! Conan will fail at Fox as well.
Show biz if tough. Live with it Coco!
It's gonna be good to have Jay back! I have never appreciated Conan's humor, and, have always thought he seemed a bit to self centered. Also, a horrible interviewer at best. I will return to watching Jay for my late night humor fix. P.S, No one person will ever master late night like the late great Johnny Carson. He was the true master!
Conan had low ratings before he took over for Leno and his ratings went even lower once he took over the Tonight show. If he couldnt bring his numbers up after 7 months it wasnt going to happen period. People blaming Leno need to get a grip, the network has to make money just like any other business and Conan wasn't making that happen, bye bye Conan....
The problem with Conan was that his intros were better but he just wasn't as good with his guests....
Leno on the other hand had terrible intros but was really good with his guests...
Bleh, Conan's grimaces and fart sounds are vulgar entertainment for low-class America.
#1 Johnny Carson
#2 Letterman
#99 Leno (not that funny)
#100 Conan (vulgar, not funny)
I've never been a fan of Conan. I personally like Jay Leno better and I even like Jimmy Fallon better than Conan.
I think that transcript was the best explanation I've seen yet as to why NBC is dropping O'Brien. He will always be a hit on college campuses and bohemian hangouts, but that's as far as that type of act will ever take him. Good luck in all your future endeavors, COB....
I have been a big fan of Conan for years and years. Staying up many nights for the many laughs. Thanks Conan for all the memories. NBC Shame on you for this I won't be watching any programming on your network regardless of what it is. There are just far too many choices now having Cable TV. I hope for all the best for Conan and pray he makes it over to Fox! I am 38yrs old and don't consider myself over the hill just yet, but seriously folks, the only thing funny about Jay Leno is his chin, you look at his chin and wonder why he isn't the "butt" of all jokes if you get my drift. Go Away Jay! Long Live Conan!
It's time for Conan to grow up.
Leno is unfunny. His jokes are stale and recording OTHER people saying stupid things for Jaywalking and reading newspaper clippings that OTHER people wrote and sent in are not jokes that Leno came up with (he simply let other people be funny FOR him).
Conan was (is!) HILARIOUS. He really pushes the envelope and puts himself out there with all his goofy mannerisms and skits.
I wish Conan good luck and hope he ends up at another network...and what would be even better is if his ratings at his new show would CRUSH The Tonight Show's ratings.
Stay strong Conan! Team Coco is with you!
This whole laughable affair might be Jay's fault, or NBC's, or some combination. Or maybe it's Conan's fault: He's as obnoxious as a junior high boy with an airhorn at a high school graduation. Let FOX have him to go along with others of their celebs who fit that same description.
Doesn't matter...George Lopez is much funnier than anything NBC has to offer. TBS...very funny
The fact of the matter is Late night comedy has gotten worse and pretty much pointless worse since the online streaming boom Youtube etc. and well before that it hasn't been funy since Johnny. If anything funny happens on any of the late night shows.... its gets viewed a whole lot more the next day on you tube. At one point is was a honor to be a guest on the tonight show. I cannot think of any comedian now that would say "oh when Jay called me over to the couch it was the best moment of my life" There is too much variety out there and the guests are very predicable.....plug the movie, plug the show, talk about the kids......segment over. BORING. I would much rather tune in an informericial and find out how the SLAP CHOP is going to change my life.
I will miss this guy. He's sooo much funnier than Leno. He's getting ripped off. Hopefully he will go to another network who puts him up against Leno's timeslot.
Conan is quite funny, especially that bit last night. He was in a position to either play musical chairs or cash in. He chose to cash in. Smart move and he gets to make fun of NBC in the process.
Sarah Palin had some choice. Continue as Alaska Govenor or cash in. She chose to cash in. Smart move and she gets to make fun of the about 1/2 of the American people in the process who thought she was qualified to be a John McCain heartbeat away from the oval office. But didn't know what magazines and newspapers she read.
Levi Johnson did same with his circumstances.
Others put these people in place and in position to take the $$ and they did. Simple.
Conan ROCKS!
Leno wanted out of his contract to do another show. Why? To keep the 175 member staff of his show employed. Same reason to take back the Tonight Show. No different than Conan looking for severance for his staff.
It amazes me that everyone wants to blame this on Jay. He was the one who was screwed over in the begining. He was the one who was told that they were going to give his show away, and might I remind you it was the NUMBER ONE raited show. So, if he is not funny that WHO WAS WATCHING!!!!!! I have not watched the tonight show since Jay left, and I will not watch it untill he is back. His taking the show back is enough to make me go out and get a better TV. Conan is just not funny. His band leader is not funny. There is no chemistry. Give me Jay any day.
Bring back Dick Cavett.
Not that I really care for either one of them but I have read here on CNN that Jay Leno had asked to be released from his contract at NBC and they told him no. That there tells me he tried to leave and they wouldn't let him. So it would be NBC that is the bad guy and not Leno.
I have a job, not in show biz. Say I get a promotion and someone else gets a promotion to my old job. Then I do poorly in my new job. My company can fire me and leave the other guy in my old position, or demote me back. If the other guy is doing well in my old position, he stays, otherwise either he gets fired or moved elsewhere. It has nothing to do with being a nice guy or how much you make. If Conan had been doing well, NBC would not have asked him to vacate the spot.
For all you Conan finatics: put jay back to 11:30 and put conan on at 10:00.Maybe then you'll understand.
Only NBC would want to push out a talent like Conan and nurture a hack like Leno. They should have given the TS to Letterman, and now it looks like they are making the same error all over again.
The only reason why Jay was on top all those years is everybody's waiting for the show next to his – The Late Show with Conan O'brien!
Leno is funny, contemporary, and has great comedy bits and great guests. Conan is just silly and unwatchable. I'm glad Conan is going away and Jay is coming back to his accustomed time. I don't have any ill will toward Conan; I just do not have any interest in watching him.
Jay Leno didnt cause this. The idiots at the top created this. Personally I dont like to watch Leno OR Conan – each for different reasons. Goodbye Conan. Take your multi-million dollar payout, shut your big ole mouth and enjoy your life.
Sorry, everyone, but I just didn't find Conan funny. Maybe it's a generational thing, but I prefer to watch Leno.
I’ve been a huge fan of Jay Leno, and I still am. I like Conan too, but I just don’t like his humor; it doesn’t make me laugh!! Yet, I think Leno must’ve stepped down with dignity.
In the scheme of things, who cares! This is what our culture(and specifically our news culture) in this country has come to where all we here about are the trials and tribulations of two dopes on late night television, when there are such important and relevent topics to discuss and be informed about. How pathetic.
I will follow Conan wherever, he is 100 million times better than Jay.
Jay can't even read his teleprompter anymore.
"Today...today in Reno...uh...today in Reno, a man and his...I can't SEE IT!"
Is there anyone that wants to see Leno return AND is under the age of 45? I thought not. Boycott Leno. Support Conan
@Jenny
He was a writer for SNL before he went to Late Night.
Maybe he could join one of the Canadian Networks, then he could pile on the jokes, pile-on the #@!& in truck loads with the prompt of a flashing sign, in either official language!! Come on up Conan – we luv ya dude!!
Conan's will not be forgotten in my book, there isnt any comparison between the two, that is jay what's his name again? Conan is a natural, he is hilarious and what ever network that is smart enough to see that, will have great ratings! I dont know any of my friends that perfer Jay over Conan, and if they do their sense of humor is dry! The only funny thing about jay was jay walkers and that is because if the people in the streets not him!
William: NBC=No Body Cares...LOL-you should be writing for the Tonight Show!!!
Leno had bad ratings right after taking over for Carson. His bad ratings eventually turned around and became #1. Why doesnt NBC recognize that? Also one thing Conan has already is a loyal fanbase thats onlygoing to grow, especially in the young male demographic ? NBC and Leno are really making themselves look like the bad guys in this situation.... Im with Coco
Hey, Donna...Jay tried to bow out but wasn't let out of his contract. If he quit, he'd be paying NBC the $40M, instead of NBC paying Coco.
NBC sucks...Zucker sucks.
To everyone that thinks Jay should walk away gracefully, why don't you quit your job and let someone younger take over. Nevermind that your ratings are number one. It's always someone else out there that can do your job better than you. Who are you to say someone should walk away gracefully when none of you would do what you asking Jay to do. I think NBC was playing Jay and Conan to do what's best for the network. In the process, they screwed everybody involved. Don't be hypocrites and tell Jay to walk away, unless you can do the same thing yourself in a similar situation.
Well, folks, you have to have a real warped sense of humor to sit through Conan. The man is about as funny as a dirty, wet, sock. I quit watching him after his first show! The man really stinks!
Conan, Dave and Jay who? Craig Ferguson rules late night
Let Howard Stern help out Conan. That would be great TV.
Fact #1...Leno on the Tonight Showwas rated #1 in his time slot right up until he was moved out. (Advantage: Leno) Fact #2...Conan O'Brien has consistently come in a distant 2nd in his time slot for the past 7 months. (Advantage: Leno). Fact #3...NBC is breaking it's promise to both stars to allow their shows time to develop (A wash, but a major black-eye for NBC).
If the decision is being made to cancel Leno's primetime show now(which I don't necessarily understand or agree with – the major advantage of this type of show would come out during rerun season), NBC is making the right decision to shuffle its talent and make this switch. Now the question is whether Leno can get his late night audience back – only time will tell.
I don't blame him for being upset – but he really isn't the first-line comedian that he thinks he is. Too cocky for such a weak, flickering light.
I knew when NBC moved Jay Leno to 10PM that it wasn't going to work. I think Jay and Conan both got the wrong of the stick. Jay was doing what he was told to do and he still is. That's not his fault. The fault lies with NBC. I think Conan is getting screwed. He made a committment and moved his family to California only to get tossed out after 7 months. I don't care if this is showbiz. You just shouldn't treat people this way. I think Conan is talented and I think he could work anywhere. My answer to him would be take the money and run!
I haven't had the opportunity to read everyone's remarks. But I must point this out. If it already hasn't. It all started with Letterman. When Carson was going to retire, Letterman was the heir apparent to take Johnny's spot. But NBC went with Leno. David was pissed and went to CBS. Where of course he's done very well. NBC didn't want that to happen again with Conan, so they dumped Jay for Conan. Even though his show was No. 1 in that time slot. They wouldn't release Jay so he gets the 10:00 pm slot. That's how this mess all started. NBC Screwed David Letterman, so they're scared to death that the same thing would happen with Conan. Regardless, either Leno or Conan is getting dumped. Which is disappointing because I liked both shows. I'm one of the few that actually watched the Leno show regularly.
Leno, Conan, Letterman... not funny. I quit watching all of them. RIP Johny Carson, comedy genius.
Replace them both with a 24 hour Carrot-top channel.
I'm more about Old School, and Jay is a better fit for The Tonight Show. That's an institution. Mom used to bottle feed me and watch The Tonight Show starting in '69! So you could say I'm a long time viewer. Jack Parr, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno....all from the same mold. Conan is funny to some people, but I just can't watch him. (I'm being nice). As soon as he hit TTS, I stopped watching it.
Jay on his new show isn't good either – he's out of his element. He needs to be back where he belongs. I do agree that some of the skits are dumb. Jay Walking, to name one. Sorry, but Headlines cracks me up!
Don't even talk to me about Letterman....that's as horrible as watching SNL!!!
Who is Conan?Is he the Barbarian?
Leno? Yikes!
NBC should dump both!
It's weird reading this without Conan's timing - The spacing makes him come off like Henny Youngman.
I'm calling for the ban right now.
Do not watch Leno at 11:30 no matter what.
COCO 4 Ever
Nobody "took" the Tonight show from Jay Leno. He signed a 5 year contract in 2004, announced his retirement effective 2009 and handed the show off to Conan O'Brien.
Conan is getting screwed by Leno and NBC. Shame on them both. I've never found Leno to be funny which is why I watch Letterman.
Stats don't lie, Conan's takeover of the Tonight Show has been met with average to sub average fanfare and his viewership numbers don't lie. That being said, the same thing has been the case with Leno's venture into prime time. Sad ratings, and total disinterest.
Is the intent to fix the Night Show, is the goal just to cater to Leno, or is is to dump on Conan yet again?
I guess someone needs to figure out what the goal here is. If the assumption is that the goal is to figure out how to maximize the ratings, the response will be different then if the goal is to reward Conan who has been a loyal and devoted employee and let's not kid ourself, is a guy who drew great numbers in his previous timeslot.
Not everyone is a Conan fan, so the expectation for a transition period of longer then 7 months should have existed. Seems near sightedness on NBC's part is going to both shake up viewership AND drive a long time host to another network. Where he WILL succeed. Personal feeling... Go away Leno. You bring nothing to the table. No offense, but I am more inclined to NOT watch the late show with you as the host just on principle alone. Leno may just be getting caught up in the shuffle, and is doing what any guy would in trying to get the best possible situation and deal for himself he could. Conan, unfortunately, will look like the bad guy no matter what he does. He's a wuss if he rolls over, he's a greedy jerk if he takes the money, and a disloyal weasel if he jumps networks. Hopefully he will operate with his own best interest (and no care regarding public perception) in mind.
Guess it's back to Dave.
My prediction, Conan will be going to Fox and be the new "Red" Fox of Latenight.
The Tonight Show wasn't "taken" from Jay Leno. He choose to leave because he had peaked. I personally haven't watched the tonight show since Johnny left and started watching again when Conan took over. Now I'm back to Letterman. While this may have been primarily NBC, I agree that Jay Leno isn't really proving himself to be a class act by avoiding the nonsense.
The 18-49 year olds that NBC wanted Conan to attract are recording the show on their DVR and watching it whenever they want. The ratings are unbelievably misleading as they don't keep track of this new phenomenon. So misleading that NBC is now about to make one of the greatest mistakes in the history of the network.
Conan is getting a raw deal, but he's proving himself to be a really classless guy. He's getting 30-40 million $$$. It's not like he's being thrown homeless and penniless into the street. He needs to man-up.
For all the Leno haters, you have to remember one thing: he was rated #1 even when he was replaced by Conan. The only reason that Conan was given the Tonight Show was because he was already fielding offers from other networks, to it was on NBC to put up or shut up, as it were. NBC should be given some credit for trying to keep both of them on their network. They are both hilarious in their own way, and both certainly deserve to be on at 11:30. However, both shows were getting low ratings, which each of them has acknowledged. Leno already called his show "an experiment" (his words), and unfortunately it was an experiment that didn't produce the results hoped for. So, NBC will probably go back to running dramas at 10 and resetting its lineup for post-news comedy as it was 7 months ago. Whether the decision to keep Jay and not Conan at 11:30 is the best for the network remains to be seen when Conan gets a new show on whatever network decides to pick him up and his ratings come in. I truly think both shows will do well and both comedians should be on the air.
Evidentyly all you people who think Conan is so funny didn't watch his show or his ratings would have been better. For all tv shows, low ratings mean cancellation. It's called business. His show didn't fail because of Leno, it failed because his humor is not humor. It's like watching a little child perform for laughs.
Screw Jay, he said he wanted to retire then changed his mind and screwed up Conan's career. NBC gave Jay a new show and it was a dismal failure. His lack of ethics soured many people on him and I doubt he will ever be number 1 again. I know I will be watching Letterman until Conan gets a show on another network in that time slot. The NBC execs are morons. Unbelievable after the debacle when they screwed Letterman they would do the same thing again 16 years later.
I will follow COnan wherever he goes. He is the best!
I guess Conan isn't that bad if you are unsophisticated, and have unsophisticated humor. But if you are looking for talent beyond fifth grade level than Conan isn't your man. I think NBC was pretty desperate to throw him in there in the first place!
It is as simple as it is, whenever Conan is on i turn tv to a different channel, when Leno is on i am on NBC.
What about Conan's staff, will they all be fired? I really hope Conan is able to strike up a deal somewhere else quickly, that way he might be able to help some of his staff.
Johnny Carson would have never done that to Jay Leno
conan should have his own network. screw nbc.
NBC = No Body Cares
Obviously, on wvery issue there will be different opinions.
It is clear, though, that if MORE viewers thought Connan was a better show, it would have shown in teh rankings, it would have shown in the numbers. Are NBC completely deluded to pay $40 million to end the MORE profitable show? Probably not,
Now, the sad part is that it took so long to recognize that what a bunch of teenagers like (Connan jumping, ...), or a bunch of people who call something nice "a class act" (you know who you are ...) obviously cannot make much money.
I tuned into CNBC's Squawk Box this morning to watch Jeff Zucker squirm. He's a lick! He actually reminds me of a Jay Leno joke. Jeff 25 years has been long enough. Should have retired when Jack Welch did.
I agree with you Chad, that Leno's ratings will surge when he comes back to the Tonight Show because people want to see what's going on. It's in our nature. But that only goes so far. Once that wears off in a week or two, the ratings will be right back to where they were, sliding.
Conan is gonna receive a monster check and move to another station. In the long wrong it's a win/win for Conan and all of his fans!
Conan, you are the best. You are also the WINNER in all of this because you will get away from those motherless goats that eat money and crap trouble. Best quote ever.
NBC forced Jay to give up his show to Conan because they were afraid they would lose Conan. They promised another show to Jay, but of course didn't have any good ideas about how to do it. They failed. Now they have two late night comics under contract. Their dilemma is to get the most for the money. How did the Conan ratings compare to the Leno Tonight Show ratings? Quite a bit lower . Conan lovers may disagree, but he did not get the ratings Leno got at the same time slot.
Now they'll probably lose Conan anyway. (The dog wanted the bone in its mouth and the one in the reflection. NBC might still undeservedly end up with one in this case.)
Ah, how soon people forget. Jay Leno–this "class act," was the creep hiding in the closet when NBC was discussing a replacement for Carson. Leno wouldn't know class f it hit him in the face.
Love Conan
Give em hell Conan! Get as much as you can then look back and laugh you ass off......seriously! Good luck Buddy! I love ya!
I'm just a good ole southern gal.
Cheers!
Cheryl
Conan is an idiot.
stay tuned.
I originally felt sorry for Conan, but now I am tired of his whining!! Jay has been more of a gentlman during this...he was taken off of a thriving Tonight Show. Face it Conan you didn't have the ratings.
I have nothing against Conan or Leno but come on folks. We all know that if Conan was getting the ratings NBC would have kept him in the spot.
Conan,
1) take the 40m
2) take the FOX deal. there will be one. They've been
dyin to get in on this. Conan IS popular.
3)Wait til Leno tanks. He will, within a year, max.
4) take your old job ( and NBC for a ride ) if you want.
Talk to Letterman, he knows how to work it.
Relax, people love you.
Conan, I'll follow you wherever you go.
Zucker and NBC can eat it.
Jay Leno, you can eat it. You had your run, guy. And you weren't even that funny. You should have bowed out gracefully, but instead you chose to be a greedy punk, and you don't even have the decency to admit your role in this whole fiasco. You're dead in my book. I hope your show crashes faster than that wheel of cheese going downhill.
Conan's only funny when his writers step up for him. I have tried over and over to endure his show. Just can't do it. His ratings are lower than Leno's were at the 11:30 slot. Jay left the #1 position to move to prime time. It didn't work. It's only logical for him to move back to the slot he dominated. Conan didn't deserve that slot. Let him go to Fox, or the CB. Good riddance. Get funny Conan. Then come back.
I'm with Coco!
This is not the first time Leno has been dirty. Does anyone remember when this happened to Letterman? Leno watches or listens to other programs and uses their skits or bits (Howard Stern). There is a pattern that has followed Leno his entire career. I think one of the networds should air the movie "The Late Shift" 1996. Go Conan! Don't let NBC take your bits or else you will see them again soon, just with a big chinned host. BTW: Love Jimmy Kimmel for not backing down on Leno's 10pm show.
Leno didn't screw Conan NBC idiots did.
NBC is full of incompetence. They make decisions by putting paper in a hat, or drawing sticks. Do not they not realize that what they are doing will decrease any ratings of any show they are putting on. EVERYONE is making fun of them now and calling them a pathetic excuse for a station. Did you see how many stars were making fun of NBC any chance they had, during the Golden Globes?
Jay won't step down because NBC wants HIM to take the show , not Conan. That's NBC's call. I love both of them, but I personally think Conan is funnier. Can't wait for Conan on Fox! They should synch them so we can switch between Leno and Conan during commercials... But i guess the affiliates wouldn't like that so much...
ok. Conan is funny but he thinks he has it bad what about poor Jimmy ....What his last name??? **My point exactly** That guy has a rough spot.....NBC has one too many Late night shows and someone gotta leave I am pretty sure its not gonna be Jay!!!! To be honest I didn't see anything wrong when they had all three back-to-back each one has different type of humor and when I watched one I ended up watching all.
jay is the bad guy, just think what would have happened if johnny carson took a 10 pm show in front of him. I will not watch jay @ 11:30
I* cannot not believe the mentality of the American people!!! The Tonite show was taken from Leno because NBC thought Conan would attrack a larger audience of the much sought after 18-49 demographics. It didnt work. That target audience is either out on the town that time of night or already in bed for school/work the next day. Not Conans fault! Not Lenos fault. NBC tried something new and it failed miserably. Please remember, in Hollywood its called Show Business for a reason...its a business!!!!
Brad, you're obviously distant to media. Prime time numbers are the prize...not those from a late-night audience. Wow.
I think Conan is acting like a spoiled brat. Im sick of all this late show drama. Get rid of both of them and put on a decent movie.
Conan, go to comedy central with the Daly Show and Colbert as lead ins. You'll be appreciated.
Leno's opening segment is the best, because it is creative. Letterman is a story-teller, not a comedian, and he abuses his staff. I've seen him humiliate Paul Sheaffer. Conan is juvenile, sometimes off color, and not a comedian.
if his monologues were funny like this every night he wouldn't have had sub-par ratings. robin williams would make a great tonight show host.
@kelly, Jay DID do this. He could have said no. That would have been the classy thing to do. Conan was doing well. Jay's stupid show got canned. Now Jay has the Tonight Show and Conan is in the wind? I'll never watch NBC or Jay Leno again.
@Scott
NBC actually breached their contract with Leno when they cancelled his 10PM show. It was explicit in the contract he was guaranteed so many years at that time slot. They owed him all the money from that contract.
He could have walked away at that point with no restriction on when he could get backon the air and with a large bag of money.
Instead he let it be known he wanted the Tonight Show back and would work out a new contract so there would be no legal fighting.
The right thing would have been to take NBC to the Bank for their breach of contract then go work for another network.
Conan is a doofus – but a $40 million richer doofus – should help his damaged ego ...
Conan is not as good as Leno or he would have been given the spot, tough; now live with it of just go away. How can you feel sorry for a guy that is making that kind of money?
Conan is getting the shaft! Yet the best show it Killborn!
The one comment I have yet to read is ..... What makes NBC bone heads even think a Jay Leno 1/2 hour show at 11:35 would even work? I mean no one to my knowledge in that time slot has tried to do a 1/2 hour talk show. I mean really.... Open jokes, commercial, Ad typo skit, commercial, jay walking skit, commercial, 1 guest plugging their next film/tv project, commercial end of show....next night....repeat above.
This was all a brilliant move by NBC and I'll tell you why.
A few months ago Jay went to 10:00 and Conan moved to 11:30. Jay couldn't hold the ratings at 10:00 because people want shows like Law & Order at 10:00, not a variety show. Conan can't hold the ratings because A: He's just not funny and B: Letterman had a well-timed sex scandal that made the entire nation of television sheep turn to him. And he's funny.
Now here comes NBC's brilliance:
So now NBC shakes stuff up, bad blood ensues. The non-funny guy gets booted and Leno gets his spot back. In this chaos Leno gets back the viewers because lets face it, everyone loves a train wreck and the television sheep bah their way back over to see how he'll handle things in the 11:30 slot again and the ratings will shift and NBC will win.
Also in Conan's favor – he's got the best side-kick. Andy, with his dry wit and perfect timing, makes me laugh till I cry.
The problem here was simple. They never gave Conan a fair shot for a reasonable amount of time. They put him in the Tonight Show and then created a new show for Jay at an earlier time. They basically split the viewing audience. People that liked Leno could just watch him earlier and then not watch the Tonight Show where they might grow attached to Conan. But they never gave it a shot. With the viewing split, no wonder the ratings were in the toilet.
Jay did not say he just wanted to slip away into retirement.
Jay flatly stated he asked NBC to release him so he can go to a Competitor immediatly instead of having to wai tout his contract.
Jay Leno has not an ounce of innocence in this situation.
As far as Good bits the only bits people like from leno are the ones Stolen from Kilborn,Letterman and Stern.
They both need to walk from NBC and let them find someone else for the Tonight Show slot...
Maybe Conan can go back to writing Simpsons episodes.
NBC isn't doing anything that every other network does all the time–canceling shows and shaking up lineups. The difference here is that Conan gets to talk about it every night until it happens. On other shows the actors have to stick to a script.
All the Jay haters should take a look at the bottom line before blasting NBC. Leno had the #1 show for 12 years and it was the most profitable show on the network. Conan's show has already lost Millions and has slipped to last in the ratings. He gets less than 1/2 the viewers Jay did. Look at the numbers people. They speak for themselves.
If they put Conan on Fox, it will take up the two slots for reruns of The Office, which is much funnier than Conan could ever dream to be. This will bring my total time watching Fox down to Football on Sunday.
Watched Jimmy Kimmal and his ever so boring monologue only to watch the Leno show the NEXT night and hear about 4 or 5 of the exact same "jokes" - can you believe that? they used the exact same material – viewers should vote with their remote controls - OFF on NBC.
I will surely boycott Leno after this, I may even go so far as to boycott all of NBC, what a crappy way to treat Conan and his people. Ratings,HA! The tonight show is about to take a dive they won't be able to recover from. I'm very disappointed in Leno, not that he gives a damn what people think. Shame on NBC for creating this mess, I hope they like crow.
Conan tanked at 11:30 or he'd have still had the time slot. I've found his humor to be sophomoric and his comedic timing to be off. If he goes to FOX he may have a spurt of attention and then come off in the ratings as the loser he really is.
I've been following all of this for awhile now and have decided to boycott NBC. There aren't many (ANY!) shows all miss. I tried to watch the Tonight Show with Leno but found it soooo lame! I've always enjoyed watching Conan (& Andy) and can't wait for him to get a new show!
Bradley, Conan is not being the bigger man. He is collecting $40 million to walk away. That is hardly being the bigger man.
Jay never should have walked away early. We wouldn't be having this blog...
Whe Johnnie Carson had the Tonight Show he was the Late Night Leader in the 40 and older age range and Leno came in and took over. I admit he lost some viewers but most of us returned. Then the BRAINS at NBC decided they would fix something that was not broken and greed made them add another show they did not need.
NBC has gone from the National Broadcasting Corp. to the No Brains Corp. They not only shot themselves in the foot. They also shot themselves in the ass. A head shot would not have caused the excutives at NBC any damage.
Bottom line, Conan never got the ratings until all this drama started. Leno on the Tonight Show had double the numbers. Blaming Leno is completely misguided. NBC wants him back on the Tonight Show because they know he can sustain the ratings. Once this dies down, Conan is back to his miserable ratings. In the end, it is not about how funny you are but how many people you draw.
Let's see – watch a 6'4" Howdy Doody or a walking caricature . . . hmmm neither is really appealing. Conan is too "witty" for his own good and Leno just . . . well, Leno just SUCKS. I never thought Leno was funny even as an early stand-up comic. Conan should go back to being a writer and Leno should just go.
My preference at 11:30 p.m.? A good book and a reading lamp on a timer.
The problem is NBC never gave Conan a real shot with a better lead in. The truth of the matter is that Jay's shows drove away the audience at 10pm which was the lead in to the local news, which in turn killed the lead in to Conan. If NBC really wanted hard facts behind this move, they should have left Conan on for a few months with better programming at the 10pm time slot. Then they could have had an apples to apples comparison for the two hosts and then they would have had greater justification on whether or not a move was needed. All of this seems to make so much business sense that the only question that remains is...
Would Jay have been content sitting silently while all of this played out? Hmmmm.
Come on folks be realistic..
If Jay has d done what you call "The right things" and walked he would be in breach of contract.
NBC made a $$ choice.. Fire Leno and pay him $60 million or fire Conan and pay $40 million..
They save $20 by putting Jay back at 11pm and cutting Conan loose..
Would you do the "Cool" thing and walk away from $60 million, have no job and be contractually barred from working TV for 2 more years?
Chris if they never "messed with the Tonight Show to begin with" the show would still be black and white and Jack Parr or somebody would be the host. NBC should have never given Leno that 10:00 show. NBC and Leno should have honored their word but they have no class. He wasn't entertaining at 11:30 he was worst at 10.
i guess most of the people here commenting on this don't read a newspaper or watch tv other than at the 11:35 time slot. Jay has said and was backed by others not at NBC that he wanted to just slip away and let conan alone but NBC said no and came up with the idea to have all three on late night just in different time slots. if conan was funny and other than his hair, face and that stupid thing he does with the imaginary strings tied to his hips is very lame. Jay has some good bits and yes some are getting old but he tries new things and sees if they work. i will go back to watching jay at 11:30 instead of letterman, he is better than conan by a long shot and jay is better than conan.
So much misinformation....Conan got the job because NBC agreed to give it to him 5 years ago.
Leno (this is where he started it) said he was going to retire when his contract was up in a few years. Problem was Conan's contract was up sooner and speculation was that he was going to get an 11:30 spot on another network.
In order to extend Conan, and avoid ending up with neither, NBC guarenteed the move to The Tonight Show when Leno's retired.
Everything was going along fine until Leno (yep he's the one creating the mess) decided he wasn't going to retire and negotiated the 10:00 show.
Just like Late Night never gets the ratings of the Tonight Show, as soon as you throw a 10:00 talk show on the schedule the Tonight Show's ratings (and Late Night's) are going to drop. – although the programming brain trust at NBC doesn't always see the obvious.
Leno's show is a disaster so NBC had to do something. Leno (again?) was nice enought to let it slip that he'd be willing to go bavk to the Tonight Show and hoping to return to the ratings they had before there was a 10:00 show on the schedule that's what NBC decided to do.
No getting around it, Leno screwed Conan over big time. Poor guy will just have to go count his millions now though so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
Don't like either one of these 2 for different reasons.
Conan is simply too juvenile. Jay is funnier, however his jokes can be very mean spirited in the way he crapped all over Michael Jackson even after he was found innocent, hence I have been boycotting his show as he continued to trash Michael Jackson –even after he died.
So are we really surprised at Jay's lack of scruples to just step down and let Conan have his turn? Not at all....
Boo Hoo Conan. You aren't the first guy to get fired. Only everyone else isn't getting $32M to go buy a bandaid and a 6 pack of beer to nurse your wounds. I repeat BOO HOO!
Leno has been number 1 for years. Conan lost about half of Jay's audience. This change is a no brainer.
If you're boss approached you and said "Either take your old, smaller office or you can leave", most normal people will take the old office...at least for a short time. Yes, maybe Jay could have fought for a better ending for Conan as part of his negotiation, but he is not required to do that. I think both or them should calm down all of the last minute antics. There's a saying about burning bridges.
Just wanted to say not all older folks prefer Leno. I'm 58 and think Conan is hilarious. If he goes to Fox, I'm going with him.
Regardless of who you think is at fault, Jay did say he was ready to step down. He realized he did not have the following and a life at home didn't appeal. Too bad.
I will either follow Conan or go to Letterman. Will not be watching Leno ever again. It's a shame he could not go with integrity. A blight on the beautiful legacy started by Johnny Carson. He would be so ashamed.
Why all the Leno bashing? He can't just be a class act and walk away. NBC won't let him out of his contract! Wake up people. Conan couldn't hold down the fort at 11:30 – Leno could. Leno at 10:00 didn't fail because of Leno, it failed because of 10:00!!!. Blame NBC, not Leno or Conan. And, BTW, Leno is a class act. He performed several free shows for a down-trodden Detroit last year, among other things. Sorry, but I hope Conan does well where ever he goes, but if he's up against Leno at 11:30, he doesn't have a prayer. Leno doesn't suck, Conan is just OK – Letterman sucks!
Conan's ratings were poor because most of the viewers never even stuck around for the news. To get good ratings at 11:30, there needs to be good 10-11 ratings so that there will still be enough people viewing the news. Then the news will knock off another percentage of the viewers. So whoever is still watching the TV at that time is the potential viewership. Do the math and you'll see Conan's numbers were actually pretty good, given what he was working with.
The move to copy the Tonight show to a 10 PM slot was an attempt to duplicate what Conan was doing at 11:30. That was stealing Conans show. I like Jay L, and I don't like Conan. I really didn't watch either one that much. Conans sense of humor doesn't reasonate with me. I thiink that both should leave and NBC start fresh. Did anyone think of that? It would be alot CHEAPER in the long run. For Conan to stoop that low to denegrate himself with slurs against NBC is insulting. Now I really understand why I will never watch Conan in any format.
The affiliates wanted Leno fired nothing more. He was dragging down their ratings by as much as 50% on All Content shown after his 10pm Show.
See that amount 50%? Thats also the amount ratings are down to the Tonight Show.
Leno is a cancer for NBC. If he was so popular why did 2/3 of his viewership stop watching him? The facts are Leno sabotaged NBC's efforts with O'brien and now tries to act like the good guy.
Leno got to have blockbuster leadins like Law and Order etc for his years as host. What did Conan get? Jay leno show that was so awful Affiliates said get rid of Jay or we just wont air his show.
I have a theory that Leno is going to bomb back at the 11:30 pm hour. My theory is based on George Lopez on Lopez Tonight. I think a huge base of Leno fans (Latinos & Southern California Latinos in particular) are now watching Lopez @ 11:00 pm and they aren't going to switch the channel for Leno.
Conan and Norm, hahahaha, it was a real funny last night...Jay, please retire, let Conan rule now.....
Let's see.....Conan and a $40 million buyout.......
Hmmm.....poor Conan......
Money makes the world go around.....that's reality......if you don't think this is true....then walk into your favorite store....or better yet, walk in somewhere and try to get a bite to eat with an empty wallet! See how far you get....
Doesn't make it right...or wrong.....just reality folks!
How can I feel sorry for a guy that stands to make $40 mil for leaving? Not a bad gig for 7 months of work. It'll take me more than a year to make that much. Life is so unfair!
Jay Leno is now the most hated man in show business. What a piece of classless pathetic trash. I will no longer tune into NBC for my local news as I have for the last 10 years.
Why is everyone blaming Leno?
Do you people have any concept of a Contract? They obviously made a mistake months ago taking Leno out of the Tonight Show, they thought it was a good idea...well as we know now..it was a terrible idea.
Conan and Leno will ultimately do fine, its there crews that I feel sorry for.
I could have sworn that Leno said he was retiring. Somebody check me on that? How he was looking forward to being able to have dinner with his wife for a change? Maybe he's on the outs with Mavis - quick, get an entertainment reporter out there to stake out the Leno household! "I married him for better or for worse, but NOT for dinner!"
Personally I gave up both these guys (and Letterman, who is an obnoxious boor) for Craig Ferguson ages ago. His show is WAY funnier than all the others put together.
The world would not end if both Leno and O'Brien were taken off the air, permanently. It would not be that great of a loss. Everyone's welcome wears out eventually. Theirs have.
I think most of the fault if you can call it that is this – Jay should of walked away when they first told him he was going to be gone in three years, he would of showed a lot of class if he said Goodbye even after they cancelled his Variety Show. I think David Letterman is a hoot when he talks about it all but find that what he says to be true. Jimmy Fallon is very funny (better than Jay and so is Jimmy Kimbell – I watch David he is the best.
Conan's monologue is hilarious, though most of what people are reacting to was written by writers–the very thing conan built his reputation on, writing funny lines for other people. The unkind reality about this extremely nice guy is that during his seven month's as the Tonight Show host, the show has lost half–as in 50 percent–of its viewership. Jay or no Jay, Conan had to go. And for the person who said they would now go back to David Letterman, well, you're kind of a slow poke, cause about half of the Tonight Show audience has already done just that. Life is cruel.
Hilarious. Best line:
"Some other stories in the press are saying that in the future I may not be able to retain what is known as my show’s “intellectual property.” Isn’t it great to live in a country where a cigar-smoking dog puppet and a bear that masturbates are considered “intellectual property?""
I never "got" Jay Leno...just wasn't/isn't funny to me, and I can't understand why he has so many fans. Conan's humor seems to appeal to the younger crowd. If NBC wants to cater the the geezers and attract the adult diaper and medical device advertisers, then they're going about it the right way. Perhaps it's where the money is...but I'll be watching Conan where ever he goes next (unless he goes to Fox News).
I think FOX should give Conan a show thats on at exactly the same time Jay is on. My money is on Conan getting the higher ratings!
Mike H asks: Where's Brandon Tartekoff when they need him?
He is dead.
Leno appeals to the lowest common denominator of viewers so he has higher ratings, but those people don't get it, they'll watch anything.
In the contract it says that NBC has the right to move the show back up to 30 minutes without penalty. Now when NBC exercises that right, Conan complains. CONAN SIGNED THE CONTRACT!!! He should abide by the decision he signed on to.
He was the first to steal the show from Jay, now as ratings have proven, he tanked the show. Lead-ins are no excuse, as he had four months without Jay as a lead-in and still couldn't beat Letterman. Besides, CBS had better primetime ratings than NBC and Leno still beat Letterman!
NBC didn't plan to take it away from Conan, they just asked him to move back 30 minutes. Again, IT'S IN THE CONTRACT!!! This wouldn't be a problem if his ego weren't so big over 30 minutes.
It is unbelievable that NBC is replacing O'Brien with Leno (again). Just means I'll no longer what the show – Conan is MUCH funnier than Leno.
One answer is to put BOTH of them together in the same show. Some like Leno, some like Conan. If Leno is REALLY not the bad guy demanding his old slot back, then that could be a solution.
Then again, $40 million to walk off NBC is probably not a bad deal IF they don't limit him from taking a similar job elsewhere. That is what NBC is scared of....Leno still being a flop because FOX or other network picks up Conan and we all follow him. (I will because he is funny and his guests all pick on him and he gracefully goes along with the jokes and has fun.)
People forget that Jay is under contract, also. Conan did not get the ratings on the Tonight Show. NBC wanted the change (as demanded by it's affiliates). It's a vicious circle. People are blaming the wrong person. This is not Leno's fault, it is the powers that be at NBC that are to blame. They should have never messed with the Tonight Show to begins with.
With all that FREE time and $40 million bucks
GET A HAIRCUT or Maybe all of em
I've always watched Letterman. Can't stand Leno. Don't know Conan. Carson is probably flipping out right now. He was a class act.
Carnak predicts Carson reruns in 3 months at NBC.
NBC is the reason I watch Dave
Conan & Andy are great together! If they go to Fox at 11:30, Leno and Letterman are sunk. Fox will give Conan plenty of latitude and the show will be like his old 12:30 show on NBC – funny as h*ll! I hope Fox offers Conan, Andy, and the whole staff of Conan's show an opportunity.
To me, Jay Leno is the one to blame. His contract was up and there were plans years in advance for Conan to take over. As the date got closer, Jay got cold feet and didn't want to leave.
NBC tried to accommodate Jay but that show didn't work out in primetime so he is using his star power and influence to get his old job back. Yes, NBC is guilt of pandering to this guy but don't think for a moment that Jay isn't the one pulling the strings here to get what he wants.
If Jay is such a great just, let's see him give Conan the Tonight Show and everyone can watch Jay on Fox. Oh wait, Jay doesn't want to do that so he is forcing Conan to do so.
Always remember, Jay could have said NO at any time but didn't.
too long have people thought this guy is funny. too long he lived off rep as simpsons writer, 1 year, too long for this guy. good bye!!! leno too!
Can't stand Jay Leno and the fact his own show flopped should tell NBC "something". It really is lousy that the "entertainer" that had a show that flopped is given his old show back. Yes, bundles of $$$'s for Conan but this is just wrong. Watched Leno a few times on Tonight Show and couldn't stand him. Conan on the other hand was entertaining. So, now no more Tonight Show. Shame on you NBC. Leno left the show – his show flopped – treat him the same as the others in Hollywood that end up with flops. Best of luck Conan. You can do much better than NBC.
This is like the beginning of World War I. The King of England, the Kaiser and the Czar were all grandchildren of Queen Victoria. Letterman, Leno, Conan (and a good number of others) are all now, or seemingly to be ex-GE Employees. And I think they all served under Jack Welch!
get a grip, all of you.
this is mostly for ratings. And now NBC will try to hold on to the few percentages points they have gained thru this mess.
Leno is the biggest Phony in Hollywood and that takes skill considering how Phony Hollywood is.
So Leno says its all the Managers,Agents fault etc since they are always out to get their person the best gigs. Then he goes on to remind everyone what he has said numerous times. He has no managers or agents he represents himself so by his own words the blame falls to him.
In 1992 NBC was considering moving Lenos show to midnight and giving Letterman the coveted Tonight Show timespot. Leno pitched a fit about how it was insulting and he would never accept it and would leave the Network for another if they tried it.
Now in 2010 he says Conan should accept the very thing he fought against and refused to do.
Leno is a fraud and a lowlife. In his own words he was fired twice. Get the hint !
Yeah sure, Conan wasn't successful on one channel, I'm sure he'll be really successful if you flip the channel one station.
Rating on the Tonight dropped since Conan took over. No surprise there
He's about as funny as a bad case of hepres
Conan needs to shut up, the first few days may have been alright, but now he is pathetic. Who else can walk away with $40 million and bad mouth their employer. Imagine if you or I did it! If anyone listened to Jay Leno, he said he had no choice. NBC would not let him out of a contract and the contract he has now. So he would end up either having to sue or try to get $40 million. Letterman needs to shut up too. Everyone is making Conan the bad guy, as was said it is business ratings did not match and the needed to do something. Look at other shows that were cancelled they did not get $40 million. All I see when I see Conan is a big head bobbing on a small body. I try to watch but end up falling asleep so set the DVR.
Conan fans are misdirecting their hate towards Jay. NBC shouldn't have moved Jay in the first place...
the guy is a sore loser. he could not play with the big boys a late night. marginal ratings, hit the ceiling low and keeps complaining he was treated unfaily-he new he is a washout and decided he would rather take 40 millions and leave for doing nothing. don't feel pitty on him, he is where he wants, with money and not sufering the low ratings of his show. not a class act, not funny in actions and in attitude..
Now where did I put my entire collection of the Johnny Carson Tonight Show?
Hysterical ! And this is the guy they are letting go. Everyone of the NBC execs need to go. They continue to show how totally inept they are. Hopefully, Leno is just a pawn in this. If not, he needs to go too. Common sense is dead at NBC.
Jay's show was technically cancelled, but Conan got the squeeze play. I applaud him to not bow to the pressure of NBC. Jay Leno is like a puppet who does whatever he's told. That's all he's ever been, which is how he got the Tonight Show gig in the first place. Any relevance he's had went out the window a long time ago. Even I could make a living reading newspaper headlines and interviewing morons on the street.
Conan is horrible. Like many others, when Jay went to 10 PM, I stopped watching the Tonight Show and started watching Jimmy Kimmel. Have fun at Fox... or Telemundo.
Put Coco on Saturday Night Live. He is a great fit.
>whose show got cancelled? Jay's or Conan's?
@Donna,
Umm, both. Remember NBC canceled Jay first from the same show - after being number one in that slot for some 16 straight years!!!!
Plus, it's hard to feel sorry for Conan, a guy who gets "fired" and gets a nice $40 MILLION dollar going away present.
NBC, PLEASE, O PLEASE FIRE ME!
I will never watch the tonight show w/ Jay Leno. Ever.
I'm not into the late night shows...I've never gotten attached to any of them. But based on the clips I've seen of O'Brien's response to this situation, the man has one more fan. NBC is treating him like garbage, so good for him for going down swinging. So often, people pretend it was a 'mutual decision' or 'I'm leaving to spend more time with my dog' or whatever...he's being honest and saying he's p1ssed. Good for him.
Leno needs to hang it up already!!!! I hate to see you go. tonight show just wont be the same without you. DAMN you NBC DAMN you to HELL!
It's sad that everyone is taking sides. Conan and Jay are stuck in the middle of a fiasco that executives created. Even though he had the #1 ratings, Jay was forced to give up the Tonight Show and move to another time slot while his job was given to Conan. Now NBC is messing with both of them again. No one should criticize Jay or Conan for the mess they're been forced to participate in.
Believe it or not, is actually good he's making light of it, is fine. At least he's making a joke out of it and people are laughing with him, not at him. Is in fact good, let alone what's going on with NBC, I don't know.
The only thing they should watch out is what they say about each other, that's all and is true, when Cubs fans are outside cheering for him to stay or protest, then something terrible is really going on. Let alone Cubs fans ain't got nothing to cheer about as of late so I say let em be.
I'm confused by it, if it didn't work, it didn't work, move on. If NBC wanted to pull the plug, then they will. They would have already, that's all. Which I think is a matter of time but is perfectly fine Conan making light of it, he's honest but a bit too honest, especially on National Television.
I don't know but NBC should just put him to sleep already if they wanted to stop already.
Talk about corny
Yeah, I'm excited to see Conan get to let loose, on Fox (maybe). That way Fox finally has a 5 nights a week tonight show and Conan will be really funny when he doesn't have to vanilla coat his show for the dull masses; that's what Jay's good for.
Jay sucks. Plain and simple.
I will be tuning in to where ever Conan goes.
No one should ever have to walk away froma job their boss gives them. Who are we to tell people what to do with their lives. In the real world, people get picked over other people for a job. That's how it works, sorry.
Conan was on the air for 13 plus years before he was given the Tonight Show. Leno had zero years of experience. There's a difference. Conan had 5 years to prepare for the Tonight Show. He failed. End of story.
Yes, Kelly, Leno might not be at fault. But if the problem was ratings he should have been the bigger man and WLKED AWAY. He said on his show mMonday that they are getting rid of Conan due to ratings, but remember, Leno did not have Carson's ratings his first few years. It took time to build the brand. NBC failed to give Conan the same kind of time. Conan is being the bigger man by saving an american television institution 'The Tonight Show', by stepping aside.
Leno is a joke theif and a lame excuse for a comedian.
Why is this even happening? I've been watching the tonight show for about 10 years. I always thought Jay's show was crap. I know most people my age think Conan is better. This is a step back. Jay Leno should be on at 5 in the morning, when all the old people who think his show is good, are usually up.
Wrong move NBC.
Conan – You've been played. NBC kept Jay around just in case your ratings were not up to par. Your both funny guys in your own way. NBC is the looser...
I'd like to know if Jay and Conan knew going in that if the 10 PM slot didn't work out for Jay he could "come back" to Tonight? All the jokes about it are funny...but it seems to me Jay should be the one out of work if he decided to take the chance in the first place. I like Jay but NBC must not have asked "real people" about what they'd watch at 10PM. They deserve all the stuff being said about them, that's for sure!
I don't think Jay is the bad guy here, but he is just not funny. What's he got? Jay-walking? Old! Misprinted newspaper ads, old. I had just started watching Conan when he moved to the tonight show-I think he is very funny. Letterman has gotten very boring and political, maybe he should retire and give his show to Conan.
Don't blame Leno for this mess.
It started With Conan telling NBC he was ready to walk back in 2004.
Leno told NBC to let him out of his contract and he was going to retire and just do stand-up,NBC would not release him.
NBC had Leno,under contract and said your going to do a show at 10,Leno had no choice.
Leno was number one in late night and Conan just could not make it.
Leno,still under contract with NBC is being told your going back on the Tonight Show,Leno has no choice.
Conan got greedy back in 2004 .
Conan started this mess not Leno.
If Jay had bowed out decently like Johnny did so many years ago, this wouldn't be happening. Instead, he had to make go and make Conan follow him in the 10 o'clock time slot.
I watched Jay for years, and then Conan, but all this nonsense, starting with Jay's recent show has soured me on ever watching him with regularity again.
Kelly, kelly, kelly.... Jay Leno has no scruples. If you're a person with any sense of decency, you wouldn't renege on a promise made 6 years ago. He promised the Tonight Show to Conan. Plain and simple, Jay's show was cancelled! Conan's show was not. AND.... Jay Leno was a BAAAAD... let me repeat that... BAAAAD, Horrendous, terrible, negligible lead-in to the news as well as the tonight show. For Cripes' sake, he put people to sleep at 10 pm. Who would be awake to watch anything else? Again, Leno bites (his own chin), COCO rules!
I don0t care where Conan goes just as long as we can still get him on sky in Italy!
i don't watch late night tv (except for the Daily Show/Colbert Report), but even I am on Conan's side. I cannot imagine in what world the NBC execs live in. Do they really think they are going to be able to prosper under these circumstances? Conan would have been an idiot if he agreed to move to midnight, and it was insulting of them to suggest it. Take your $$ and run Conan. I will try to catch a few shows when you show up on FOX (even though i still hate them for cancelling Firefly after 1 season).
I don't believe NBC gave Conan a good environment to work in. Unlike when Johnny Carson retired and the show was handed to Leno, Leno did not have to compete with Johnny Carson airing at an earlier time. Fans of Carson either had to accept the new host or watch Letterman.
Conan is not so lucky.
Part of me was wondering if this was just a publicity stunt to get viewers for Leno and/or Conan. However, it looks like Conan's oust might be a reality. I hope that NBC's ratings on Leno's Tonight Show never recover. What a mistake.
NBC really botched this. Like the dog with the bone who wants the 2nd bone he thinks he sees in his reflection in the water, NBCs selfishness has cost them both bones. Jay cannot go back to what he was; that's not the way it works. And Conan–the real talent of today and tomorrow–NBC is letting go.
BONEhead moves by NBC. The best way to fix their problem is to move forward, not backward. That means: jettison Leno, keep Conan.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. And these NBC executive guys get paid millions.
The Tonight Show was not taken from Jay. He gave it to Conan, with NBC giving him his own show. The show did not work and was a bad idea from the start. NBC cancelled said show. Jay could've had class and walked away, but of course, he shoved his way back in and gave Conan the shaft. I honestly don't see how anyone can say that Leno is innocent in all this.
Love you Conan! Talk about making lemons from lemonaide....
Conan rocks, Leno SUCKS. But Conan will move to another station, and be successful there. Leno WILL still fail!
How did NBC end up with so many incompetent decision makers at the top of their organization? It's unbelievable! Where's Brandon Tartekoff when they need him? Zucker and Ebersol (since he's tossed himself into the equation) simply don't have the brain power to perform their tasks.
Wherever Conan goes, so go the ratings.
What should happen is Fox takes Conan: put him on at 11:30 and watch leno's show drop like a rock! That would be fun to watch but I'm just mean like that!
Aloha Conan, I hope you go to the best station that deserves you the
most, where people are very smart, bright and likable decent human beings , and they at Fox.
Then come to Hawaii , enjoy yourself with your family. We love you.
ALOHA
I* cannot not believe the mentality of the American people!!! The Tonite show was taken from Leno because NBC thought Conan would attrack a larger audience of the much sought after 18-49 demographics. It didnt work. That target audience is either out on the town that time of night or already in bed for school/work the next day. Not Conans fault! Not Lenos fault. NBC tried something new and it failed miserably. Please remember, in Hollywood its called Show Business for a reason...its a business!!!!
Conan will be a better fit for Fox. You will all see!
Both guys didn't get the ratings that they were suppose to get!
Conan chose to not take the 12:05 time slot! He could have stayed
at NBC and Jay would have had to settle for 1/2 hour.
Conan's is a very funny guy and there is a reason that Jay was #1 for so many years. We need comedy in this world and it 's nice top have
different options! Why one or the other? All of you Conan fans that are bashing Jay are making me sick! He didn't do this! Anyone would take the show if they were offered it! It was taken from him in the first place! Did you people forget that??? Ugh!
Conan, bring Howard Stern as a guest, he will set the record straight..
Good Luck
"Conan"? They should call him "Phoenix" – he is sure to rise from these ashes.
Leno's show was canceled. Conan's was not. Leno shouldn't have a job – end of story. Besides he is just not that funny.
Back to Letterman for me.
Actually, that big chinned fellow – Jay, is it? – is a pretty funny guy...for me to poop on!
Norm was hilarious....the best Conan is yet to come
Conan is a class act. It's shameful the way they are treating him. There are lots of people popping up now trying to say "Jay's not the bad guy – it's all NBC" – but whose show got cancelled? Jay's or Conan's? So, if Jay is such a standup guy, why does he not say "Hey, I had my run, and I loved every minute of it. Conan, it's your time now – congratulations!" and just bow out gracefully? He's going to look like a fool when people boycott the show because of all of the politics. A bummer for everyone, really – but Conan should NOT be the one leaving.
This guy is hilarious!