From what I understand 5 or so years ago, NBC did not want to lose Conan to another network so they promised him the Tonight Show, effectively "retiring" Jay, kinda without giving him a choice, in 5 years. 5 years came and went, and Jay's numbers were still good, AND another network was supposedly angling to get him. The idea of having him go head to head with Conan made NBC nervous. So they came up with the idea of the 10pm show. I regularly watched Jay at 11:30 but there was something off with the 10pm show-can't put my finger on it, they messed it up when the decided to make it a New! Improved for 10pm! show. So now they still may have a head to head at 11:30, just not quite the way they thought it would be. Ehh, may the best man win. After all, it is Hollywood.

This is what everyone keeps saying but it just isn't true. Jay said at the time that he was fine with retiring and looking forward to traveling and getting back to more standup. If that really wasn't what he felt, he should have pitched a bitch at the time.

I like Jimmy because he's goofy and cute. Anyone who expected Johnny Carson-level stuff out of him is going to be very disappointed.

Umm, what else was he supposed to say? Pitch a fit and look like a loser? Nope, not buying that.

"While I understand NBC's wish to keep Conan as a part of the NBC family, and share that wish myself, I do not have any desire to leave my post as host of The Tonight Show, now or five years from now. I love my job and want to keep on doing it as long as I possibly can and as long as the public likes what I do."

That's it. He doesn't look like a loser, is just saying what he feels, and he's not trying to screw Conan. Instead he covered up his feelings to kiss network ass and now he looks like a loser AND a total asshole.

This just makes me laugh. :)
I'm with you, agzg!

And #TeamConan! Only because NBC screwed him over royally and his letter was really classy and he impressed me. I don't watch late night television very much, but when I do, it's Letterman.

On a related note, I saw this on Twitter today:
"You can do anything you want in life...unless Jay Leno wants to do it to." --Conan O'Brien's advice to kids.

iont know... TMZ has been coming up on the reputation tip. Not my thoughts, but a lot of breaking news comes out of TMZ now.

As much as I like Jay, and much rather prefer watching him over Conan, this is truly messed up for Conan. He really is getting the shaft, while Jay & NBC remain butt buddies.

I hope that Conan will get picked up by someone else and have a show far superior than Jay's because it seems as though he deserves it.

This is maybe the best thread on the site - in so many ways, it's a litmus test.

If you haven't watched Conan the last couple of nights, he's been proving exactly why he's infinitely funnier and better-suited than Leno for any reasonable late-night position. NBC's immolation is nearly complete (I'm SURE Comcast will right the ship, right after they start returning my phone calls over misbillings) - this is hysterical, short-term-oriented thinking to paper over a long-term business failure.

Leno is a backstabbing bottom-dealing corporate-shill weasel who deserves Zucker and his band of backstabbing, bottom-dealing, back-patting turbo douches. He found someone stupid on Sunset Boulevard! How delightfully droll! Now, let's scour the local business daily for typos in the classifieds, then giggle at sycophantic interviews. I, for one, cannot wait.

lmao, I like how all the information I receive about this issue, I get from you via FB. :D


and I agree with you, if I was to watch Leno's show @ it's new time slot, it would only probably be for Headlines (I think they are hilarious, no matter what others say) and even Jaywalking (I can't believe people really are that stupid).

I could have told them from the get-go that Conan wouldn't fly at 11. They kept B^#*#ing about his ratings, well DUH! He has younger viewers and younger viewers are most likely watching Stephen Colbert at 11:30. I know they promised him The Tonight Show, but did it ever occur to him that 7 months ago wasn't the right time? They should have just held out. I really do like him, but everyone at NBC effed up big time.

I liked Jay where he was and Conan where he was and Jimmy Fallon not on tv (or on SNL) much better. Last night I watched Fallon's show and it was people playing "air drum" for laughs. HOW IS THIS FUNNY?! LOSER! The best thing about the show is The Roots and if he didn't talk, I'd watch more often. Otherwise...FAIL.

When would have been "the right time"? When Jay felt like leaving, regardless of contracts that had been signed? The contracts that Jay AND Conan signed said 2009. Period. What NBC is doing is like you or me calling up the credit card company and saying we just don't feel like paying our bills on time, oh and by the way, we want a 0% interest rate and a pony.

AMEN!

This is why I didn't watch Jay's new show. It's the time. There's nothing else on at 11:35, so I'd watch The Tonight Show (or at least DVR it). But there are other things I'd rather be watching at 10pm. And Law & Order, and all of its wonderful spinoffs, are at the top of the list :D

FTW.

I did not say nor mean to imply that they should not have honored the contracts with the on air talent. :rolleyes: Just that things might have been handled better overall. It's all done so there's no going back now whatever the matter.

It's not like rand-o 'middle America' is going to find Conan's pseudo-dadaist awkward humor funny all of the sudden, and it's not like Leno will get a talent transfusion in the interim.

The timing argument seems pretty flat, on the whole.