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1/9/10- "If this is really happening, then NBC is showing it is short sided and doesn't know how to program...again."
It was a bad idea. Plain and simple, the Jay Leno show at 10 was a BAD idea. Now they are going to remedy this bad idea by trying to put things "back the way they were", well that is a HORRIBLE idea. If you haven't heard, the hot rumor right now is that NBC is canceling the Jay Leno show at 10, and they want to move Leno back to 11:30. They are giving Conan O'Brien the option to stay at NBC and have a show start at 12, or to leave NBC. While this is all unconfirmed, NBC has made comments that seem to point to this being a real possibility. I am absolutely shocked at how this is going down.
First off, they never gave Conan the chance to figure things out. Leno struggled against David Letterman for the first 2 years he was on the Tonight Show. His ratings took a dip when Johnny Carson left, that just happens. The reason Conan saw a bigger dive is because NBC split his audience. He had people following him from Late Night, but Leno's audience didn't give him a shot because they weren't required to. It's funny how people are very firm in their distaste, yet will be won over time. Conan needed that time, those two years to establish himself with that audience.
The problem for NBC is those people may not come back. With TiVo, Hulu and a wide open field with basic cable TV viewers have more options. So, they left and very likely may not come back. Plus NBC is playing a short game that will harm the long term. Back in 2007, everyone looked at the Tonight Show as a great place for Conan. Unfortunately a few years later, Leno is not ready to retire and therefore has set his replacement up for failure. Johnny Carson was a class act when he left and you'd think Leno would do the same thing. I understand Leno sees himself as still being a viable option, and maybe he is an option in another slot. I bet if Leno had pursued a weekly comedy show, hour long gig, it would have had HUGE ratings! All the old people could watch their Jay Walking segments and Leno could knock it out of the park with a weekly monologue instead of a nightly monologue. I wouldn't of watched it because I really don't care for Leno, but I am pretty sure that of worked.
Instead, when Leno signed off in May of last year he didn't say goodbye he basically said "I'm off for a summer vacation and on in Prime-time, see you there." Take a look at how his predecessor operated...
Johnny Carson's Goodbye
"And so it has come to this: I, uh... am one of the lucky people in the world; I found something I always wanted to do, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank the gentlemen who've shared this stage with me for thirty years, Mr. Ed McMahon... Mr. Doc Severinsen... and... you people watching, I can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you—and I hope when I find something that I want to do, and I think you would like, and come back, that you'll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt good night."
That is a class act and Leno strikes me as a guy who is afraid of not working. Leno does stand up on the weekends, he doesn't have a night where he's taking a break. When he goes on vacation from TV it is just to do more stand up. He has to be working all the time, and in the Tonight Show, he found a job he loves. When the economy took a dump, and NBC was petrified to loose Leno to another network, the Jay Leno Show was born. This is a show that came out of fear. The fear of loosing Leno to another network and fear of the economic downturn and spending money on dramas. I watched the show a few times and while I admittedly don't like Leno so that makes me bias, the format just didn't work. It wasn't different enough, it was a standard Carson-style show but it took away a desk and it added awkward "young talent". By young talent I mean, they found other comedians to do bits on the show. Now, the bits were tired and clearly had a Leno style. Coming from non-Leno comedians, it seemed ridiculous. It was not very funny at all. And the "Hip/Fresh" talent was not very fresh or hip (i.e. "the dan band").
I am really bummed at these rumors, I am truly disappointed because I like Conan O'Brien and I want to see his show succeed. He was handling the House that Carson built with care, while putting his own stamp on it. This situation means everyone looses (except for maybe FOX). If O'Brien looses The Tonight Show at 11:30, well he is a victim of a man who can't grasp changing times and embrace time off. Leno, move on.
1/16/10- "It breaks my heart that the man for the job will need to find a new job."
It is nearly official, Conan is out and Leno is back in. I greatly appreciate Conan doing what he did. He took the high road and basically said If NBC doesn't want me as the host of 11:35, then they don't want me to host "The Tonight Show".
Here's Conan's Statement:
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.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Showinto the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of theTonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.
NOW... there is a guy that is going to take the high road and do his best with the franchise he inherited. From what friends that work on the show have told me, Conan's greatest concern is for the people that work for him. Many people have said that this whole situation is show business and people get fired all the time. In general that is true but "The Tonight Show" is something very different.
Loosing the future of the franchise to squeeze a couple more years out of Leno is a mistake. NBC has been ridiculous in response to the situation, leaking things to the press saying that they are disappointed that Conan didn't get the ratings they wanted. They are making claims that he didn't listen to requests to broaden his appeal. It's a smear campaign and a way of making their mishandling appear warranted. I was shocked that Leno would have Jimmy Kimmel on his show (video here). Kimmel said some pretty blunt things about the situation and Leno just stood there and took it.
I assume that Leno is going to just take the slack for the next 6 months. He will make jokes about NBC (an easy target), but at the end of the day he is a man that went back on his word. Leno said he chose to exit because he didn't "want to see anybody ever have to go through that again." (If you are wondering what I'm referring to, take a look at the video bellow.)
I thought I had a great resolution to the situation, but my hypothetical didn't work out. I was reading an article that talked about how David Letterman had till 2010 on his contract and that he was indifferent about whether or not to renew hit. In essence he said he could do another year or not, and it was up to CBS. My idea was simple, have O'Brien take over for Letterman in the Fall. Letterman could become the Executive Producer and give him full support. Letterman owns "The Late Show" and licenses it to CBS, which gives him a lot more creative control which is a perfect situation for O'Brien. Back in June of last year, Letterman foiled my plan be renewing his Contract until 2012. That is a good fit for Conan and doesn't over-saturate the market. As of right now there are 3 white guys on at the same time during late night to tell jokes and interview celebrities. Conan elsewhere makes it 4, and considering this formula needs reinvention, I don't think it will work. The other issue is, Conan would go on at 11:00 on FOX, competing with The Daily Show which shares his audience. I'd say ABC at 11:30, but they've said in statements that they're sticking with their current late night line up with News and Kimmel. So, Conan is in a tough spot and I blame a single person... LENO.
I think this is the best way to sum things up...
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