Conan O' Brien Says He Won't Do The Tonight Show, After Leno

[kayla9170]

Source: New York Times

January 12, 2010, 3:10 pm
Conan O’Brien Says He Won’t Do ‘Tonight Show’ Following Leno
By BILL CARTER

Conan O’Brien says he will not do “The Tonight Show” if it airs at 12:05 a.m. He released the following statement Tuesday afternoon:

People of Earth:

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

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

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

Read more: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/conan-obrien-says-he-wont-do-tonight-show-following-leno/

---

I know this is not Political News, but I believe that honoring your agreements is important and I support Mr. O' Brien's stance in this case. If NBC made an agreement with Conan, they should stand by it. Also, I am a BIG FAN of Conan's and hope that he moves his show to another network where his talent would be appreciated.

Here is the link to the story:
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/conan-obrien-says-he-wont-do-tonight-show-following-leno/

[Lochloosa]

1. Kick for Conan

[rcrush]

2. Good for Conan. Go to Fox!

To hell with NBC!

He's right, I dont feel sorry for him because he's had a great career. But he's also not being treated right by his bosses. He is in a position where he doesn't have to stand for being treated like a red headed step child. He can retire and his family will be secure for the rest of their lives or he can go to another network. Either way its the right decision.

[brendan120678]

8. Conan on Fox would be a great ratings boost for him.

With most Fox networks typically having an earlier time slot for their late night news (10:00 p.m. Eastern), Conan could get an 11:05 p.m. - 12:05 a.m. slot, and cut into the first half-hour of Leno/Letterman.

Of course, you'd have to convince lots of people here to actually turn on Fox. Many folks have an anti-News Corp. mindset, which I suppose is understandable.

[kayla9170]

13. Agree, it would be hard to watch him on FOX, but....

I will follow him to that network for his show. As for NBC, I will not watch ANY SHOW, that includes local news...that airs on the NBC network if they do this to Conan. He paid his dues, signed a BINDING agreement, and it should be honored...period. (One Disclaimer...I will continue to watch MSNBC because it is my favorite News Network but, NBC would be toast in my book).

The best way I could separate this is that I refuse to watch the FOX News Channel on any basis but, I would support Conan on their Regular Non-News Channel. In the same, I would do the reverse action for NBC.

My hope, NBC realize that they screwed this one up and give Conan back his 11:30 PM spot. Leno can take 12:30 AM or just retire for real this time.

[brooklynite]

52. Why are you holding a network decision against local affiliates?

They didn't make the decision to play musical chairs with the late night talent. They just complained that their promised market share wasn't being provided.

[alp227]

100. Yes...if binding, then NBC should have its day in court. n/t

[me b zola]

42. That's what I say

Conan on week nights and Wanda Sykes on Saturday nights. I watch Wanda every week (love her show) and I would follow Conan to Fox as well. :toast:

[MadBadger]

46. Would you watch him on Fox?

[alp227]

99. Conan used to work for Fox,

as a writer for The Simpsons back in the early 90s. Fox sounds like a good fit. ;-)

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Conan should keep his time slot.

If they really insist on keeping Leno, put his ass on at 12:30 and dump the useless turd Fallon.

It's not like any of the shows are live, so Jay won't be up past his bedtime. Just roll the tape.

[kayla9170]

5. LOL.....Leno's Bedtime....LOL

:rofl:

[tinrobot]

4. Grrrrr....

I feel nothing but empathy for Conan, along with the dozens of people who uprooted their lives and families to move across the country for his show.

Conversely, I do not have any positive feelings at all for Leno, his giant chin and his even larger ego. I hope his show tanks in the ratings.

[WI_DEM]

6. A classy statement, Mr. O'Brien

and he's right "Tonight" is a TV institution and NBC should be ashamed of itself for what it has been doing not only to its prime time schedule but also to its late night schedule.

[Auggie]

17. Agree

[high density]

7. I wish the best of luck to Conan

I watched his "Late Night" show for a decade and only stopped tuning into "The Tonight Show" last year because I had no time. This is incredibly nasty what NBC is doing here.

[mvd]

9. NBC is giving away the future

Conan is the future - not Leno. What a mistake they made trying to make the Tonight Show the Tomorrow Show.

[avaistheone1]

30. IF you want to blame someone: NBC is the truly guilty party.

Years ago they setup a storm between Letterman and Leno with the tastless manner they replaced Carson. NBC handled that poorly.

Then NBC abruptly announced a couple years ago they decided to escort Leno from his spot in favor of Conan and that was handled pretty inartfully.

Now they want to remove Conan from Leno's old spot and replace with Leno.

This all seems like typical NBC pool to me. The folks that make these decisions are not nice people.

[avaistheone1]

33. ..

[avaistheone1]

34. .

[SemiCharmedQuark]

36. Leno thrives on fat jokes and other people sending things in to him.

[malaise]

76. +1

Fugg GENBC

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. "I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me."

I liked that line. Like the poster above said many people packed up and moved across the country with their families. I hope Conan can get a good deal for everyone involved wherever he goes.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

37. Richter is likely the one to get screwed.

[rcrush]

126. I'm sure Conan will take him to Fox

Even though Andy's show didnt really work out on Fox last time.

[onehandle]

11. Dump Leno the dinosaur! Keep Conan!

This sucks.

[avaistheone1]

44. Leno is pretty young to be called a dinosaur. lol

[onehandle]

77. I speak of his 'comedy.'

I honestly can't tell him and Rich Little apart.

He's a hack.

[rocktivity]

12. I think a half hour of Leno would be absurd, and I don't watch the late night shows at all

Indeed, I think it's so absurd I can't imagine him agreeing to it. So NBC's real strategy must have been to humiliate O'Brien into quitting and save money that way.

If they're committed to keeping Leno, NBC should either go back what they were doing before the move, or replace O'Brien with him outright. Serves them right for being too cheap to put on broadcast programming and trying to fix something that wasn't broken. Kudos the DUers who predicted that O'Brien would get screwed regardless of the outcome.

x(
rocktivity

[Arrowhead2k1]

14. Leno is such a selfish asshole. He should just retire like he was supposed to.

It's really up to him. He can just say he's not going to bump his friend Conan under any circumstance and simply step down like a gentlemen. But no, he just can't let go can he?

[avaistheone1]

24. Why should he?

Leno is still young. Look how old Carson was when he retired.

[WolverineDG]

54. Carson didn't quit to do another show or

push his replacement out of his chair when things went south.

dg

[avaistheone1]

62. Ahh....not true.

Leno did not quit to do another show. NBC forced Leno out of his chair on the Late Show. You may not have noticed because NBC announced what they their dirty business a couple years before they actually forced Jay out and announced they were putting Conan in.

Now NBC of forcing Conan out of Leno's chair on the Late Show.

This why I am saying NBC is at fault. Not Leno or Conan. NBC has not behaved honorably with either of these men.

[Vinnie From Indy]

70. Is that you Jay Leno???

Geez, either you are Jay Leno himself or his mother posting here on DU in defense of Jay.

Why do you keep making shit up about Jay Leno being "bumped" from his slot by Conan? It simply is NOT FUCKING TRUE! The fact is that NBC would NEVER have promised Conan the Tonight Show five or so years ago WITHOUT RUNNING IT BY JAY LENO FIRST. Leno agreed to retire after five years. IT WAS HIS FUCKING CHOICE!

Is this sinking in at all? McFly?

[Arrowhead2k1]

72. Even if you're right, what does that tell you about Jay? The man is a pushover then.

Look at Conan. He is willing to sacrifice his job to fight back at what he feels is a bad call by the suits at NBC. Either way, Jay isn't half the man that Conan is. You have to atleast respect Conan for what he announced today. He's even sticking up for Jimmy Fallon who would be bumped to the unthinkable hour of 1:00am!

What's done is done. Jay needs to retire, and the Tonight Show should go on with Conan O'Brien.

[WolverineDG]

74. If Jay's contract was up in June 2009

when Conan says his contract said he'd take over the Tonight Show, then Jay knew his tenure was ending well in advance. And I find it hard to believe that NBC would have one thing in Conan's contract & another in Jay's. NBC didn't "force" Jay out of the Tonight Show; he agreed to leave at that time by signing the contract.

dg

[JamesA1102]

98. Leno agreed to this six years ago.

He could have said no then but he didn't. Then when the time came to leave he threatened to go to ABC forcing NBC to give him the 10PM show. He also said that if the 10PM show wasn't a success, he would retire. He could easily end this by bowing out but he is not. That is not acting honorably.

[Earth_First]

15. We love you Conan, oh yes we do...

Good luck buddy. You uprooted your life in NYC to relocate to Los Angeles in order to take this opportunity. It's too bad that you are having the rug pulled out from underneath you in this situation.

Good luck to you wherever this takes you!

[MessiahRp]

16. Leno Brett Favre'd Conan and NBC with their ADD approach to ratings caved

If they had taken this approach to ratings on new shows (which TTS is not new but with a new direction it is somewhat new) shows like Seinfeld, etc would have never taken off.

Leno's done this act before when he backstabbed Letterman and frankly I can't believe NBC keeps falling for it. Conan is a million times funnier and he's had zero lead in with Leno tanking that early time slot.

I hope wherever Conan goes and whatever he does it ends up being great and he sticks it to those programming assholes at NBC.

Rp

[blue_onyx]

What is Leno doing wrong?

He got screwed just as much as Conan. NBC wanted a younger host and pushed Leno out, expecting him to just retire. They didn't want Leno going to Fox so they gave him the primetime show.

I think Leno should reject the proposal too. Conan should be allowed to stay on the Tonight Show at 11:35 and Leno should be allowed to go elsewhere. NBC can't have their cake and eat it too.

[avaistheone1]

43. NBC's history of how they have handled replacement decisions since Carson

is horrific. It is a public relations disaster. imo

They make themselves are their talent look poorly.



I think how NBC uprooted Leno was there first bad decision RECENTLY, then their second was to remove Conan.

Your suggestion may be the only fair way to go.

[rocktivity]

123. Acording to Keith Olbermann, Letterman did a skecth

called Law and Order: "Lay Leno Show Special Victims Unit!"

:rofl:
rocktivity

[annabanana]

102. You have to ask? The man's not funny.

His "badump-dum" jokes were old decades ago. NBC's biggest mistake was giving him the Tonight franchise in the first place. It should have gone to Letterman.

[BREMPRO]

110. he's gone from kinda funny to absurdly boring and self indulgent, and his politics have

definitely shifted to the right since his new show. I'm not surprised his ratings tanked.

[blue_onyx]

117. Letterman isn't any funnier

I don't watch either but I would watch Leno before Letterman anyday.

[no limit]

18. I always really liked Conan. Then again I like Leno too putting me at odds with most of DU

for reasons I am yet to understand.

[avaistheone1]

25. I like them both too.

I don't think they should be set up at odds with each other.

[tridim]

27. Leno is a genuine good person..

but he sucks as a comedian IMO.

[customerserviceguy]

85. I like Leno, Letterman, and

Conan's jokes, but his delivery really bugs me. Those strange noises he feels compelled to make during a monologue, along with the silly gestures really distract from the work that his writers do. Since the switch, I watch Leno if I'm not busy at ten, watch Letterman at 11:35, and Craig Ferguson after that.

The one big late night disappointment is Jimmy Fallon. I tried him for about a week, but he still can't seem to wipe that, "Gee, that was funny, wasn't it?" look from his face after delivering a joke.

[Guilded Lilly]

93. Yeah, the more people who can make me laugh

the better.

Why should I limit myself to one over the other? Why if I enjoy one, should I hate the other?

I hope Conan lands somewhere that makes him very happy and successful, and I will watch him if I can...as I will watch Leno and David and Jimmy and Craig if I need someone to make me laugh...etc etc etc.

[LiberalFighter]

19. I don't feel sorry for any of them.

Tidbit: WME (William Morris Endeavor) boss is Ari Emanuael brother of Rahm. WME apparently represents Conan and brokered the contract.

[WolverineDG]

55. I just knew it was Obama's fault

:eyes:

dg

[dana_b]

20. "I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way."

LOL

Jay was never that funny anyway, imo.
Good luck Conan!

[jakefrep]

21. meh...

Conan's the reason I watch Letterman.

[kayla9170]

22. Mods move my thread...If you support Conan...K&R (Possibly)

I cannot K&R my own thread :).

[Romulox]

23. I'll follow Conan to whichever network he goes. Leno is NOT an option for me. nt

[lpbk2713]

26. Conan, Dave can tell you what a bunch of weasels the NBC execs are.

Good luck. I hope you come out on top.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

39. He will. He has a better demographic than Leno.

[avaistheone1]

49. What is the demographic?

and how is it better?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

58. Conan's median viewing age is 45. Leno's is 55. They key demographic for advertising is 18-54.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/05/conans-tonight-show-audie_n_225965.html

[edbermac]

28. Bill Carter's book The Late Shift is a great read if you can find it.

All about the corporate machinations at NBC when Carson retired and how Dave and Jay ended up where they did. Came out in the mid 90's.

And contrary to popular opinion Leno did not stab Dave in the back to get the Tonight Show. The book makes it very clear that NBC exec Warren Littlefield had the final say on who would take over for Carson and that Letterman shot himself repeatedly in the foot with a very antagonistic attitude towards the top brass at NBC.

[WI_DEM]

32. I agree it's a good behind the scenes book. Jay went so far as to hide in a closet during a big wig

meeting to find out who was for him and who was for Dave and know what the strategy was. Jay likes to present himself as a humble man of the people but he is somebody who will stab anybody in the back to get what he wants.

[avaistheone1]

47. Thanks for clarifying that.

I think NBC did a terrible job in how they handled making the replacement decision for Carson. They made it look like their decision was somehow Leno's fault.

Leno is cool and very decent fellow. Not perfect of course.

[Lex]

29. Conan is so much funnier & more charming than Leno.

I hope he will land on his feet.

[Skip Intro]

31. Kick for Conan. "People of Earth..." LOL. And Leno's not the bad guy here, NBC is. nt

[avaistheone1]

35. They are both good. My preferance to Leno.

Conan's humor is a little too simplistic and slapstick for me.

I find Leno clever, I think he is faster and really is charming too, although I have enjoyed many laughs courtesy of both guys.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

38. Conan should sue using the 'grapes of wrath' law. EOM

[Phoonzang]

40. I grew up watching Leno, but spent many of my best years watching Conan's show..

I've enjoyed both of them but if I'd pick Conan over Leno in a second. I think it's wrong for Leno to allow NBC to screw over Conan. If he wanted to stay as host of the Tonight Show, then he shouldn't have "retired." Too come back a few months later and usurp the throne, so to speak, is pretty scummy.

[Ilsa]

41. NBC can put o some prison show or perp-walk program and watch their ratings flush. nt

[Vidar]

45. Bravo Conan! Recommended.

[Blasphemer]

48. Good for him! I rarely watch TV but I'd watch him on Fox. nt

[Pisces]

50. I hope Conan goes to Fox, I am definitely boycotting Leno, no matter what.

[avaistheone1]

53. Shesh what did Leno do?

[WolverineDG]

51. As someone who's been screwed over by an employer

after working like a dog for years & years, I can totally relate to how Conan feels right about now. Good for him! The best revenge is to live well & hope wherever he ends up, he kills the competition from NBC.

dg

[Danger Mouse]

71. Just like Howard Stern did to Don Imus after he was canned by WNBC.

[Parker CA]

56. If Leno had any class, he'd retire and let Conan fill the traditional Tonight Show time slot.

[Lex]

57. Exactly. nt

[avaistheone1]

64. Why should Leno? NBC bumped him out of his Late Show seat just the

way they are now doing it to Conan.

Leno has a great deal of class. I hope Conan can at least be realistic enough and enough of a gentlemen to recognize that exactly what is happening to him, happened to Leno which gave Conan his seat on the Tonight Show.

Now that is a fact.

[Vinnie From Indy]

68. Bullshit!

Leno is a piece of shit, snake in the grass, lying thief!

Your post is incorrect! Conan was promised Leno's gig years ago by NBC. It was the reason he agreed to sign a contract keeping him at NBC late night for five years. This agreement between NBC and Conan would NEVER have been signed if Jay Leno had not agreed to retire from the Tonight Show. Leno was not bumped from anything. He agreed to leave years ago.

As for Leno being a jerkoff of the first order, he took a gamble and got his ass handed to him. Now he goes crying and whimpering back to his NBC daddies and they give him back his binky.

History shows quite clearly that Leno lied to Dave Letterman, lied to and fired his agent of many, many years almost IMMEDIATELY after getting the Tonight Show gig and was disliked by Johnny Carson. Now, he adds Conan O'Brien's name to his list of shame.

Some gentleman!

[Skelly]

91. Not quite

In 2004, Leno signed an extension of his existing contract. This extension was until 2009. LATER in 2004, NBC signed Conan for 2009. This doesn't mean Leno "retired". It wasn't an option for him. NBC wanted the younger audience of Conan's (more ad money). NBC executives, after hearing of other networks interest in Leno after 2009, offered him the "Jay Leno Show" earlier in the night, fearing a repeat of the Letterman fiasco and at the same time, saving money by not having to come up with another 10pm winner (NYPD Blue, St. Elsewhere, LA Law, West Wing, ER, Law and Order, etc.). NBC, not Leno, took the gamble and lost.

Irregardless of either man's character (I personally prefer Conan as a person and a comedian, but have enjoyed Leno also), in this case, it is the NBC executives to blame.

[AngryOldDem]

59. Good. I was hoping O'Brien wouldn't put up with this bullshit.

NBC should tell Leno and his massive, untalented ego to hit the pike.

At any rate, no matter what happens, it looks like The Tonight Show as we know it is dead.

Good job, Jay! :thumbsup: :sarcasm:

[saracat]

60. I guess this proves not all "Change" is for the better!

[librechik]

61. he's right--Leno should do what he said he was going to do and retire

Leno would rather ruin the Tonight Show tradition than keep his word, I guess.

What a jerk.

[rainbow4321]

63. Heh, which NBC fool gets to write him the 80 mil check?

Reportedly one of the options for Conan is NBC has to cut him a check for that amount if he leaves the network. The clause that goes with that is if he goes to another network, NBC has to pay him the difference between 80 mil and his new contracted salary.
IMHO, what is more important here is watching NBC implode. They succeeded in destroying a 60 year old legend--The Tonight Show itself. It's like dropping the New Year's Times Square ball at 2 am.
If Leno had class, he would withdraw and say that protecting Tonight Show's legacy is what matters. I hope he fails in whatever time slot he ends up at.
Betcha they hand him back the show and try to forget this happened. Viewers will NOT forget.
Oh and to Leno's remark about NBC primetime being a disaster before and after his showcame and went.. dude, YOU were the disaster..at the very least you can say you were not good enough to cure the disaster.

[avaistheone1]

66. By the same token

you would have to say that Conan was not good enough to fill Leno's shoes. Just saying.


:shrug:

[MessiahRp]

82. Conan was beating Letterman every night until they started the Leno show...

Leno's piss poor ratings as the lead in is what doomed The Tonight Show.

Rp

[rainbow4321]

101. And in the beginning Leno couldn't fill Carson's

By all accounts, Leno's ratings didn't pick up til the night that he had post-hooker scandal Hugh Grant on The Tonight Show.
Before that his ass was getting beaten by his late night competition. Yet before that show NBC still kept him on the air. IMO, if Leno was not around now, NBC would not be destroying the Tonight Show legacy. Carson must be turning in his grave over this.
Surely Leno knows he will never again be seen as a legit Tonight Show host again if he tries to get back as host.

[Skelly]

92. From what I understand

That check is written only if they decide to change the name Conan's show to something besides "The Tonight Show". As long as his show remains, "The Tonight Show", it doesn't apply.

[live love laugh]

65. Personally I love Conan. I think he just an all around nice guy. Good for him to stand up.

Lousy of NBC to drop this mess in his lap.

[HuckleB]

67. I'm With Coco (funny pic)

http://www.sirmikeofmitchell.com/imwithcoco/

[90-percent]

69. One comment

The executive management skills at NBC still seem far superior to the fellows that run Big Banks and investment firms.

-90% Jimmy

[Danger Mouse]

73. I'm glad he's standing up for himself.

He's really getting a raw deal.
The greedy bastards at NBC will eventually reap what they sow.

[RagAss]

75. Can we cut this shit out and just put Dick Cavett back on ABC !

[Initech]

78. All right Conan, fight the man!

[Arugula Latte]

79. Jay Leno is a piece of crap. If he had any class he'd retire.

Gawd he disgusts me.

[UTUSN]

80. LENO is a snake, n/t

[Nye Bevan]

81. Unlike Jay, Conan was unable to beat Letterman in the ratings

Leno trounced Letterman in the ratings every year from 1995 to 2009. Conan is being soundly beaten by Letterman. Sorry, but TV is a business. Lose viewers, get canceled.

[Eric Condon]

88. But you can't act like there weren't other mitigating factors there.

Within a matter of weeks after Conan taking over the Tonight Show, Letterman started his feud with Palin, which was HUGE for his ratings regardless of who the Tonight Show host was. And shortly thereafter came the bombshell about his affairs, which also boosted his ratings.

What no one is taking into account is the fact that Conan's audience skews young, and he's splitting them with Colbert. I don't wind up watching any of the shows as often as I should because it gets overwhelming trying to keep up with three great shows (Letterman, Conan and Colbert) in one slot.

As for Jimmy Fallon, his jokes may not be so hot, but as a music lover, I gotta say, dude gets some seriously amazing musical guests, and often has them backed by the Roots, which is even more awesome. Watching Paul Simon or Elvis Costello backed by the Roots ain't something you see every day.

[MadBadger]

96. How do you explain Nightline beating him too?

I think Nightline has topped Conan in 28 consecutive weeks.

[Skelly]

94. I agree with your last sentence

But, Leno became host in 1992. Letterman's competing show started in 1993. For those first two years, Letterman beat Leno in ratings. It took 2 years. Conan is being beaten by Letterman, but it has only been months. And NBC did not do this latest move because of CONAN'S ratings, but because local affiliates complained because THEIR news programs rating dropped when the new Leno show started. They attributed this to a lower viewer audience at 10pm. (IOW - fewer people were watch NBC at 10pm so were not there to stick around for the news).

[grace0418]

112. All the reports have said that it's Jay Leno's show that caused the ratings for local

newscasts to tank. The local newscasts are the lead-in for the Tonight Show. If people have already switched over to CBS to watch the news, then they'll probably just leave Letterman on (I like both Dave and Conan). So Dave gets a boost in the ratings from Leno tanking and Conan gets screwed. It seems pretty clear to me that it's Jay Leno that is causing Conan to be beaten by Letterman.

[TheCML]

83. All I have got to say is

[buckrogers1965]

84. Conan is all class.

I have always known he was funny, but this press release shows just how much class and loyalty he has. If it was me, I would be much more pissed and not as classy for the betrayal from an unnamed network.

[Jennicut]

86. They barely gave Conan a chance. He has to move, all for selfish Leno.

Jay needed to retire already.

[Divine Discontent]

87. maybe he'll just get off tele.

[proteus_lives]

89. He shouldn't. It's a slap to the face.

He should bail on the network.

[bridgit]

90. He did some funny stuff, wish him all the luck but never really cared for O'Brien

[Don Draper]

95. Doesn't NBC & Leno see the huge backlash that is happening?

Most people believe Conan is getting screwed and are getting a sour taste in their mouths towards Leno. He looks like a huge, lying, selfish prick.

I have always liked Conan the best. The way he has handled this situation has further endeared him to me.

If NBC doesn't turn this situation around, I hope leno gets buried in the ratings.....what a douche nozzle

[MadBadger]

97. Leno's show was CANCELLED. He would have been fine at 10:00

He would have liked it better had they not shipped him out of The Tonight Show. So now, they cancel his show and want to move him back to 11:30. How does that make him a huge, lying, selfish prick?

Its not like Leno's gone to NBC Brass and demanded to be put back at 11:30 because he doesnt want to do his show anymore.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

103. I never thought Leno was funny. He turned me off when he

made fun of homosexuals. Idiot.

[Fearless]

109. +1

[icee]

104. Who can stay up that late?

[spiritual_gunfighter]

105. I dont think either of them are funny

and never watch them, but what NBC is doing to Conan is unfair.

[sandyj999]

106. Leno Is Not Funny. n/t

[TomClash]

107. Who cares about this drivel?

[The Backlash Cometh]

108. I hope he takes them for everything they've got.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

111. Co Nan

is a Very Funny guy.

Leno imho is a Pig.

[Raschel]

115. Leno ruined the Tonight Show. He cheapened it, took all of the class out of it.

[LynneSin]

113. What kind of dumbass thought putting Leno at 10pm was going to work

One of the things that make talk shows sucessful is the people that the book to come chat on them. Because Leno's new show was during primetime, do you think ABC/CBS/FOX/CW would send their stars to chat on a primetime show that competes against them? It's different with the latenight shows because the competition can also book NBC stars to complete - so that all equals out in the long run.

This was a planned doomed for failure from the start.

But as for Leno, he needs to step up to the plate and do the right thing - retire so you don't totally doom the Tonight Show. Even if Leno is not to blame in this fiasco, he'll come out looking like an asshole if he bumps the Tonight Show, a legend in the 11:35pm timeslot. I think the best thing they can do with Leno is move him to NBC's morning show.

[onehandle]

118. I was sure Leno was going to fail and I was happy about it.

But for some reason I did not anticipate Leno's failure impacting Conan.

Now it seems obvious.

[shadowknows69]

114. Good for Conan. Giving him the seat and still coddling Jay was a punk move by NBC.

[change_notfinetuning]

116. Okay, who didn't connect the dots on this? (And I should care why?)

[pundaint]

119. Jay Leno and NBC are a fine host and network...for me to poop on

[AllTooEasy]

120. Don't let the door hit your (Conan) ass on the way out!

His ratings went down overall and he's blaming NBC's primetime schedule??? Hello, people have remotes! If tv viewers want to see your show, they just press 2 buttons while sitting one couch!!!

...which is what I do when Letterman comes on against Conan in that time slot.

Doesn't matter, Letterman is going to kick both of their butts anyway. Conan may have an ethical, and even a legal, case, but his ratings are down against Leno's Tonight Show...so don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!!!

[Tarc]

121. This is why I watch Letterman

After getting screwed out of Carson's seat himself many years ago, he has to be looking all tis and smiling at the karmic rebound. Dave's having a field day with all this, and sympathized with O'Brien last night.

[NashVegas]

122. The Fault Lies Solely With NBC Management

Nothing against Jay Leno for making the best deal he could, but NBC management were fools to cave into it, and they were even bigger fools - they were colossal, spineless, assholes, you might say - to allow Jay to upstage Conan O'Brien. In so doing they ended up paying for two weakened shows.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

124. Reminder: Solders are still dying in failed wars, and the Banksters are about to escape accountabili

ty....

How about we focus on real problems?

[grahamhgreen]

125. Shouldn't this be in the entertainment section?

[tularetom]

127. Leno is a piece of dog shit and a republican ass kisser

I never thought he was very funny but he really lost me when he sucked up to Ahnold Titzengroper during his run for the governorship. If you will recall, Ahnuld even announced his candidacy on Leno';s show and I thought Jay was going to give him a blow job right on stage before the appearance was over.

Fuck Leno. He's a hack and a sycophant. If he doesn't leave he'll drag NBC down with him.