Conan O'Brien/NBC

[Tigerlily]

I don't usually get upset over anything television related but NBC taking the tonight show off of Conan is probably one of the biggest dick moves i've seen in the entertainment industry! Especially since I remember Leno's ratings weren't stellar when he took over from Johnny Carson back in 1992. I suspect NBC wanted Conan to be their puppet and he refused so they now want Leno back to push around.

Thoughts?

edit: last night's episode

 

[ajblaise]

Well, the latest seems to be that Conan will actually leave NBC, with a large payout.

The president of NBC threatened 'I'll keep you off the air for 3 1/2 years'. An NBC exec called Conan an 'astounding failure' and 'chicken-hearted and gutless'.

So to sum it up:

NBC: Being dicks. Although this drama is good for ratings.
Leno: Eh. Kind of being a dick.
Conan: Getting screwed.
Letterman: Still the best in late night.

 

[Tallulah]

I'm totally on Conan's team, and I thought his official statement was right on. NBC should just face the fact that nobody watched Leno's prime time show. He took a risk; it didn't work.

 

[INTP]

what happened?

conan ist gut

 

[INTP]

nvm its coming now, apparently they kicked conan out and conan is pissed for nbc

 

[Tigerlily]

i'm sure he'll be back hosting another late night show with another network so that's cool but what makes nbc think that leno coming back to 11:35 is gonna make any difference if his 10:00 time slot bombed?

i'm not banning NBC. i think it's for those who say they will because you know their asses will be watching the olympics!

 

[Trentham]

Word is he may be moving to Fox, which would be interesting.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

So to sum it up:

NBC: Being dicks. Although this drama is good for ratings.
Leno: Eh. Kind of being a dick.
Conan: Getting screwed.
Letterman: Still the best in late night.

Agree on all counts. I think Leno is kind of a big dick in this, though. He's the one that signed on to giving up the Tonight Show and then changed his mind. NBC tried to half-assedly placate him with the 10pm show, and it blew up in their face. Now both Leno and NBC are violating the Tonight Show transition agreement in an effort to placate him yet again. As Conan put it the other night: "I just want to tell the kids out there that you can do anything you want in life. Unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too."

I can't see a landing spot for Conan in the late night talk show format. ABC won't dump Kimmel, and Fox's affiliates are too happy with the ratings they get for syndicated reruns in that time slot. I suppose there's a small chance he winds up doing a cable talk show, but he's such a network traditionalist that I think he'd be disappointed in that. My guess is that he concentrates on developing shows with his production company for now. It would seem that he should strike while the iron is hot and he has a lot of goodwill, but I just don't see a place at the table for him.

 

[Tigerlily]

As Conan put it the other night: "I just want to tell the kids out there that you can do anything you want in life. Unless Jay Leno wants to do it, too."

i think this might actually be the best thing that could have happened to conan.

 

[jenocyde]

NBC: Being dicks. Although this drama is good for ratings.
Leno: Eh. Kind of being a dick.
Conan: Getting screwed.
Letterman: Still the best in late night.

couldn't agree more.

and Leno is soooooooo damn boring.

 

[Prime]

NBC is going to lose a large part of it's 18-29 demographic for that time slot. The smart thing to do would be to cut Leno (seriously, who watches his show?), but there's too much loyalty there. Alternately, moving Conan to his old 12:35 slot and cutting Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly would be SUPER (who watches those shows?). Hopefully Conan and staff will get a good opportunity out of this.

Who's going to be laughing the most at 11:35? Kevin Eubanks, of course.

 

[mr.awesome]

fffcckkk he got the boot foreal?!!
frick i thought it was just a rumor.
i think conan was the only meat to their late light programming. or at least its only saving grace from it seeming trashy. there was a certain class to conan nbc will lose without him.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

The smart thing to do would be to cut Leno (seriously, who watches his show?)

A lot more people than watch Conan, or than watch Leno himself at 10pm. Hence the problem. All the arguments in favor of Conan are based on a preference for his humor or a respect for the sanctity of an agreement. There is no question that as soon as Leno comes back on at 11:35, the ratings will go back up.

 

[Tigerlily]

conan has a type of humor that doesn't appeal to the majority of the population. think everybody loves raymond and you've got jay leno. ;P

out of all the late night dudes, i prefer conan and craig ferguson. letterman is fine but i can't stand paul shaffer so i tune out.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

It is unwise to back an INFJ into a corner.

 

[Feops]

I don't really watch either show, but doesn't Leno enjoy more popularity?

Best man for the job, and all that.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

I don't really watch either show, but doesn't Leno enjoy more popularity?

Best man for the job, and all that.

He does, both because he's an ESFJ--and ESFJs are more palatable to the masses than INFJs--and also because, typically, when a new host takes over a talk show they lose part of the audience and need some time to rebuild the numbers. Conan didn't get that time...

 

[mr.awesome]

conan's an INFJ?

 

[Tigerlily]

conan's an INFJ?

yes. as certain as a stranger can be. people assume you have to be non expressive to be introverted but that's just not true.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

yes. as certain as a stranger can be. people assume you have to be non expressive to be introverted but that's just not true.

In addition to Conan, you have Letterman, an INTJ, and The King, Johnny Carson, an ISTJ. While neither is/was particularly "expressive"--ITJs just aren't--it does make me think that there is something about introversion and judging which is compatible with this kind of talk show format...you need extreme reliability/endurance, you need to be a good host, but you also need to be somewhat...unobtrusive...and allow guests to hog the spotlight in interviews...