So Jay Leno is basically going to do "The Tonight Show" five nights per week in prime time

[book_worm]

same set-up from what I'm hearing on KO: monolouge, same band, sketch/stunt, interview, good night. I wonder if Conan will make changes to the real "Tonight Show" when he takes it over to differentiate from Leno's prime time program?

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Conan got screwed big time.

[rurallib]

5. yep.

[aquart]

11. It's absolutely breathtaking.

[Lex]

15. yeah, they totally pulled the rug out from under Conan on this deal

nt

[rvablue]

24. I have a feeling this might be some kind of move to get Conan to sue to cancel his contract.

[tridim]

2. It's going to be strange for sure

I really can't figure out how they hope to succeed. Are they going after seniors?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. The "core" Tonight Show audience...IF they've stayed with Leno...

Is the audience that was faithful to Johnny Carson during his tenure, 1962-1992.

For anyone outside of that demographic, the words "The Tonight Show" are meaningless (unless they think that Jay Leno invented the Tonight Show).

So do the math. Take the Johnny Carson audience, as well as the Johnny-Jay transition audience, and look at the appeal between watching "The Tonight Show" at 10:00 or watching it at 11:30.

What this move did, essentially, was keep "The Tonight Show" in Jay Leno's hands, as far as anyone who cares about those words are concerned.

Conan O'Brien WILL NOT BE HOSTING "The Tonight Show."

He will be hosting "Late Nite With Conan O'Brien," one hour earlier.

:toast:

[book_worm]

9. I sure haven't cared for "The Tonight Show" since Johnny Carson

but what you write makes sense. Though it will still be called "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" it will no doubt in actuality just be his own show one hour earlier.

[tridim]

20. I bet Conan is more concerned about Dave.

That's some tough competition.

[Lex]

16. aging boomers who go to bed earlier

nt

[Hokie]

3. This is programming on the cheap

This kind of show is much less expensive to produce than a scripted series. Therefore, it can survive and make money with a smaller audience share. I watched some of the news conference and they kept using a term like "DVR resistant" to describe the show. I assume this meant that a topical show would be more likely to be viewed live rather than recorded on a DVR.

[AndrewP]

4. It's really weird, isn't it?

I don't usually get all that interested in Entertainment stories, but this one struck me as odd.

[evlbstrd]

6. Blecch.

[bridgit]

7. appears that way

[LiberalFighter]

10. I rarely watch anything on NBC. Nothing worthwhile to watch that I know about.

[book_worm]

12. I agree that NBC has now sucked for years. Hard to believe it's the same

network as Seinfeld, The Cosby Show, Family Ties, St. Elsewhere and the first few years of ER, shows I liked. They have nothing now except junk. But network TV as a whole has gone into the dumpster since the reality show onslaught.

[Occulus]

28. The networks would do well to buy up some of the canceled SCI-FI shows

Farscape (probably not even possible at this late date, but they could run the episodes that were made), Firefly, BSG (first two seasons, maybe)...

The networks should think about capitalizing on the Skiffy execs' bad decisions. And boy howdy, have they made some humdingers of bad decisions (as I glare at the guys who killed off Ford, Weir, and Beckett on "Stargate Atlantis")....

[hyperfreep]

13. Leno's not funny...

Anyway.

Time to hang it up.

[Stardust]

14. Hey, where's the inevitable poster who has to let us know that they don't

watch TV, haven't watched TV for years, blah-de-blah-blah??? :eyes:

[Lex]

17. Wait, I'll fill in. :ahem: WHAT! You have a TV? I got rid of mine 10 years ago

and I'm awesome!

[1]

19. i haven't watched tv since leno was on at 11:30. and we liked it! n/t.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

25. Here:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28694

[Lex]

26. Thank you for that! lol

OMG, that is spot on. :rofl:

[Stardust]

32. So perfect! Not over the top, just perfect. I know that guy. Thanks!

[Stinky The Clown]

18. I didn't like Leno when he screwed Letterman and I like him less now that he screwed Conan

Leno is a fucking asshole.

Always was.

Always will be.

I hope he gets canceled.

Hey, NBC ..... this is one viewer you'll never get for that drek.

[Webster Green]

23. He's never said anything even remotely funny..

He sucks! :thumbsdown:

[SoCalDem]

33. Leno always reminded me of a cruise ship "comedian"..not funny..just someone to fill time

Dave is the "heir" to Johnny Carson..and even though he's been at it a long time, he's still better on his worst day, than Leno is on his best..

[mondo joe]

34. Me too. Still holding a grudge. NT

[Cleita]

21. They ran out of reality shows than can be done cheaply.

Now this is the next way to get cheap entertainment.

[Billy Burnett]

22. Now Jay can have repukes announcing their campaigns closer to prime time.

He can shit and fall back.

[JitterbugPerfume]

27. I get my late night viewing from

Stuart and Colbert. At 68 , I am not old enough for the stodgy , predictible Jay Leno!

If I do watch anything of that genre , it is Letterman


Conan got screwed, and he is better than Leno any day of the week

[teverton1]

29. well...

just one more thing not to watch

[TexasObserver]

30. So, I still won't be watching Leno, but at a different time.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

31. Here's hoping it bombs.

Leno sucks.

[alittlelark]

35. Does anyone actually watch 'The Tonight Show' ?

Seriously....Leno is beyond lame - the show reeks.

[Yukari Yakumo]

36. Prediction: Canceled by mid-season

Prime time is a very different beast than late night. The prime time audience will not have the appetite to put up with Leno 5 nights a week.