TMZ: Leno And NBC Strike 1 Hour 'Tonight' Deal.

[MadBadger]

It is TMZ, so take with a grain of salt.



Jay Leno has made a new deal with NBC, which gives him "The Tonight Show" from 11:35 - 12:35 ... sources tell TMZ.

As we first reported, under the contract Jay had been working under, he was guaranteed the 10 PM hour. By moving him to 11:35, NBC was in breach of his contract and needed to negotiate a new deal. That is now done, sources tell TMZ.

So Conan O'Brien is out, and Jay is restored.


Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/14/jay-leno-conan-obrien-nbc-the-tonight-show/#ixzz0cdCPmZbb

And unlike the overwhelming majority of DUers, I like it.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Leno's a fucking hack.

[glen123098]

2. So leno failed and Conan get punished.

Brilliant NBC just brilliant.

[MadBadger]

4. Ignroing the Controversy Ratings Boost, Conan has definitely not been a success.

[AndyA]

17. I read that the poor showing of The Tonight Show was due to Leno's failure

to draw an audience before the news. People stay to watch the news, then watch Tonight.

NBC dumped good shows like Southland and Medium to make room for Leno. The ratings tanked because of it.

I can't stand Leno, he's an arrogant ass from what I hear. And he's not funny. NBC should take the hint: enough of Leno! :puke:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Yup.

It's the affiliates upset over Leno's fucking up that's behind all this.

[ShadowLiberal]

27. Conan's ratings plummeted months before Leno's show even started.

The fact is Letterman took the lead in ratings away from NBC/Conan a few weeks after Conan took over the tonight show, and 2 months before Leno's show even started. Don't fall for Conan's excuse for his show's ratings failing, he's rewriting history.

Ups and downs in the ratings of the shows before the tonight show didn't stop it from being #1 in it's time slot before when Leno and the guy before him hosted it, so why should it be stopping Conan? I watched Conan's show for the first two weeks, it just wasn't funny, so I stopped watching comedy at 11:30 PM because I don't think Letterman's much better either.

[SoCalDem]

32. and with Leno having first crack at the "daily-funny-stuff", Conan was forced to be a copycat

There was a poll somewhere and it was running 71-29 AGAINST Leno returning at 11:35.. I guess time will tell..

Whatever happened, I hope Conan gets to go back home to NY, and does not lose a bunch of money in the deal. He was very patient and did what he was asked to do...

Dave Letterman did it right.. He said NO right away. Conan let himself get pushed around..and leno's a major "pusher"

[ShadowLiberal]

23. Conan failed before Leno's show started, he lost the Tonight's show #1 place in the time slot

Before Conan took over the tonight show both Jay Leno and the guy before him had held a strong #1 place finish in their timeslot. Conan however blew NBC's consistent #1 rating in that time slot within a few weeks and let Letterman take it over. Before when Jay had the show it wasn't even close between Leno and Letterman.

Besides that, Leno's show performed as expected, the NBC execs just didn't expect a rebellion from the local NBC affiliates that basically threatened to 'take action into their own hands' to boost the ratings of their 11 PM news.

[SidDithers]

29. When Leno first took over the Tonight Show from Carson...

He had much stronger lead-in, and still had poor ratings for the first year. He was not nearly as successful as the show became later.

He also didn't have Carson still hanging around.

Sid

[uberblonde]

3. Why do you like it?

He's not even funny, and he hasn't been funny for a long, long time.

[MadBadger]

7. I think Conan is very funny. I dont think his show is all that funny.

I find his skits pretty stupid for the most part. I like Jay's monologue and some of his skits. I think Jay was forced out of The Tonight Show by NBC because they wanted to have their cake and eat it too.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. Monica Lewinsky jokes and silly news headlines, eh?

Yeah, that's comedy gold.

[undeterred]

22. I love Leno's Headlines.

I can live without the rest of the show, but the Headlines is the funniest 5 minutes on television every week.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

25. But he doesn't even write the headlines. They take zero effort on his part.

[undeterred]

31. Exactly.

Put them on Conan or Letterman instead, and I'll watch it there.

[Bryn]

5. Before I retired I'd watch Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien

when I got home from work at nights for years. I loved them both and still do.

[joeybee12]

6. Leno is an unfunny, bitter pr**k who stabs everyone in the back...n/t

[CrownPrinceBandar]

8. So Conan gets screwed..........

and may be barred from TV by NBC's Jeff Zucker:

"The mud-slinging at NBC over its late-night debacle is getting increasingly vicious, with reports that the network is threatening to bar Conan O'Brien from television over his refusal to take his show to a 12:05 time slot....

After O'Brien declared he wouldn't do that on Wednesday, NBC honcho Jeff Zucker "is threatening to ice Conan," sources told Nikki Fine at deadline.com.

Zucker's people told Fine: "Zucker said, 'I'll keep you off the air for 3 1/2 years.' Which doesn't have a chance in hell of happening. What I really think Zucker wants is to hold him off the market for at least six months to a year until the dust settles and Leno is secure and Conan is squelched."

The report goes on to say the O'Brien camp says NBC wants to sack their man completely, and get Leno to re-take the helm of The Tonight Show. Part of Zucker's plot includes keeping Conan of the air for the duration of his contract with NBC. (Meanwhile celebrity website TMZ is reporting that NBC has already struck a new contract with Leno, giving him the 11:35-12:35 time slot at the network.)"

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/celebrity/Reports+suggest+Leno+Brien/2442404/story.html

[Starbucks Anarchist]

9. UPDATE: No new Jay Leno deal; Conan O'Brien 'still working'

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2010/01/no-new-jay-leno-deal-conan-obrien-still-working/1

NBC says no deal has been made with Jay Leno regarding a new contract for an hour-long Tonight Show at 11:35, reports USA TODAY's Gary Levin. (TMZ reported earlier today that a new contract had been negotiated.)

Of course, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if this happened. Back in November, Leno told Broadcasting & Cable, "sure," he'd take the 11:35 job back if it was what NBC wanted him to do.

As for a People.com report saying that Jan. 22 is "likely" Conan O'Brien's last day, NBC had no comment. O'Brien had months ago planned for the show to be on hiatus the week of Jan. 25, so he will be off then. As for whether he'll come back and do two more weeks is unclear.

O'Brien's personal publicist, Leslee Dart, tells TVGuide.com: "I know there's a rumor out there that next Friday is his last show, but we do not know that to be true. He is just moving ahead, day-to-day, doing the show, per his contract — still working." Dart said she did not have any update on O'Brien's plans or negotiations, but said there are "certainly conversations going on between his people and NBC." She added he plans to keep hosting The Tonight show "until somebody tells him not to."

[MadBadger]

11. I wouldnt be surprised if there is one, they are just denying anyway.

[Initech]

10. Um...... fuck you Leno. I'm done with the Tonight Show.

[Mudoria]

12. Sounds like a winner to me..

I like Leno and I've never thought O'Brien was all that funny. Ferguson will be a great replacement for O'Brien following the Tonight Show. Actually, Ferguson is funnier than Jay and O'Brien put together.

[Odin2005]

13. And once again a Gen-Xer (O'Brian) gets screwed by a Boomer (Leno).

[Starbucks Anarchist]

26. Conan's a late Boomer, born in 1963.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_O'Brien

[regnaD kciN]

14. If this is true (NBC is denying it), I like it, too...

Conan sucks -- the most consistently un-funny "comedian" I've ever seen. He is to late-night comedy what Dubya was to the presidency...both monumentally incompetent and monumentally arrogant in one package.

Jay's a great entertainer, and hosts a class show.

If true, this is a case of remedying the error NBC made in 2004, when it let Conan pull a power play under the threat pulling a Letterman, and agreed to hand him the Tonight Show five years later, even if it meant removing the top-rated host from his position. O'Brien has only himself to blame for the situation he created in the first place.

I'll be looking forward to Jay's return to 11:35! :applause:

[Curtland1015]

15. What a load of crap. Leno is a giant ass.

It's not like he needs the money. He AGREED to step down as host of The Tonight Show, now he jumps at the chance to shaft Conan for something he doesn't even need.

Conan has been treated like a kicked dog by NBC and Leno.

Screw them all.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. Leno's median audience was 55 and Conan's was 45.

Considering the most desired age group for advertising is 18-54, NBC is making a colossal error.

I have always hated Leno.

[deacon]

20. Leno is a REAL SCUMBAG for taking that job. He had his chance. n/t

[S_E_Fudd]

21. Bring back Johnny Carson...

Even dead he is still funnier than Jay Leno...

[Cetacea]

24. and Conan.

:)

[bigwillq]

28. I'll still be watching Letterman

Regardless of what NBC does at 1135.

[bridgit]

30. I hate Leno's little scream he developed as an accent to his 'comedic' delivery - it's primal...

and painfully so - like watching Pat Buchanan or Tucker Carlson trying to laugh. O'Brien should sue for a mountain of money *and* to find out just who the hell Jay Leno thinks he is

[MilesColtrane]

33. I hope Conan sends the Masturbating Bear to the next NBC board meeting.

[rocktivity]

34. Good for Conan (if it's true)

Now he can either break even if NBC gives him his old slot, or go elsewhere with a clear conscience. Best of all, since the Leno deal would effectively lay off rather than fire Conan, he could also go elsewhere with the rest of his NBC contract. Well played!

:applause:
rocktivity