NBC: Conan O'Brien reaches $45M exit deal

[onehandle]

Source: AP

NEW YORK – NBC said Thursday it has reached a $45 million deal with Conan O'Brien for his exit from the "Tonight" show, allowing Jay Leno to return to the late-night program he hosted for 17 years.

Under the deal, which came seven months after O'Brien took the reins from Leno, O'Brien will get more than $33 million, NBC said. The rest will go to his staff in severance, the network said in an announcement on the "Today" show. His final show will be Friday, and Leno will return to "Tonight" on March 1.

"In the end, Conan was appreciative of the steps NBC made to take care of his staff and crew, and decided to supplement the severance they were getting out of his own pocket," his manager, Gavin Polone, told The Wall Street Journal. "Now he just wants to get back on the air as quickly as possible."

O'Brien will be free to begin another TV job as soon as September, NBC said. There has been speculation on where he might go next. ABC (which airs "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!") has said it wasn't interested, while Fox, which lacks a network late-night show, expressed appreciation for his show — but nothing more.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100121/ap_on_en_tv/us_tv_leno_o_brien

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Prediction: Conan will go to Fox. Beat Leno for at least a while, but in the end Letterman will rule the ratings for as long as he wants to work.

Regardless, Leno is a hacky dinosaur.

[dkf]

1. I accidently saw Leno last night and it was bad.

Not funny at all.

[YOY]

2. Why are they struggling so hard to keep Leno?

He is not that popular is he? Is it contractual obligations?

He's just not that funny.

[Bette Noir]

3. He must know where the bodies are buried.

His prime-time show failed so badly that it damaged all that followed it, so they paid his replacement $45 million to let him have his old job back? It doesn't add up.

Good on him, for letting his staff share the wealth.

[mac56]

11. See also, "New Coke."

:crazy:

[LiberalFighter]

6. They weren't getting the ratings for Conan they were getting with Leno.

Supposedly network affiliates were complaining.

As for not being funny. I would think having him at 11:30 would be better than at 10:00 so you wouldn't have to stay up that late to watch him. With him on at 10:00 it is a waste of tv time if you don't have anything else to do.

[Buns_of_Fire]

14. I heard it was Leno the affiliates were complaining about.

His 10:00 show was proving a weak lead-in for their local news shows, and they were losing ad revenue.

Either way, glad to see Conan landing on his feet.

[mac56]

15. That's what I heard too.

Leno was a weak lead-in for both the local news AND the Tonight Show.

[high density]

17. Rumor has it that Leno's 10pm contract has a $150 million settlement clause in it

if they take him off the air within 2 years. It was cheaper short term to keep Leno around and sign a new contract for 11:35pm. NBC really likes Leno for some unknown-to-me reason and was/is incredibly afraid of him going elsewhere and competing against them.

[h9socialist]

4. With everything else going on in the world . . .

. . . why should the exploits of these rich cry babies be of any concern to the American Left?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. "O'Brien will get more than $33 million, NBC said."

That money would go a long way in Haiti.

[mac56]

9. Have you watched his show lately?

He's been doing his part for Haiti.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. It's on past my bedtime, generally.

I saw a little bit of it on Friday, I think.

[high density]

18. AP is reporting comments that say Conan is sending some of that to his staff

to enhance their $12 million settlement pool.

[mac56]

19. Conan was a staff writer for many years, on The Simpsons and SNL

Good for him.

[euphoria12leo]

7. I like Conan

and I'm glad he's moving on and didn't let NBC walk all over him. I guess he said, "these boots are made for walking". Good on him for getting something for his staff and crew.

:applause:

[mac56]

8. + 1

Me too. I'm with Coco.

:applause:

[eringer]

10. Didn't NBC Gave Conan his big break in Late Night Television?

Now they are giving him the boot. Interesting. Maybe Conan should consider creating his own cable channel. Investing the $33 million that he doesn't need and millions more from all of his wealthy friends, he should be able to pull it off easily. Give the Comedy Channel some competition.

[mac56]

16. NBC actually cancelled Conan's Late Night show, for one night.

The outcry was fierce and immediate.

[euphoria12leo]

21. Didn't they cancel 30 Rock

to make room for Leno? That's a whole lot of mixing and squashing to make room for Leno.:shrug:

[fishwax]

22. no, 30 rock is still on

I'm watching it now :)

[classysassy]

12. Conan

I don't find him very funny,a young Red Skelton,but not as funny.

[Skink]

20. Leno Kimmel

It's gonna happen.