Posted on 01/12/2010 12:28:04 PM PST by Beaten Valve
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.
(excerpt of full announcement)
(Excerpt) Read more at mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com ...
If Leno gets sacked at NBC, nobody else will hire him because he’s long in the tooth.
Zucker wanted to keep Leno and STILL keep the agreement in place to move Conan to 11:35 E in 2009 that both he and Leno agreed to in 2005. Back then Leno said he was going to retire but when he put feelers out to other networks NBC came up with the Jay Leno show to both cut costs and keep him from competing with them. They didn’t think about the affiliates and what it would do to 11PM news, though. That was a HUGE miscalculation on Zucker’s part. If Conan moves to Fox he’ll have no affiliate problems because Fox stations all do news at 10PM eastern and he’ll be able to start his show at 11 a half hour BEFORE Leno and the perv.
I read the other day that Conan can leave whenever the hell he wants and his contract states that when he does, NBC has to pay him the remaining amount of his contract salary.
How that olde black and white holding up?
He has an “out” clause in the contract that keeps NBC from moving him, personally, anywhere but 11:35. The penalty isn’t $40 million but it’s nice enough that he won’t have to worry about not working until Fall when Fox would be ready for his new show. NBC can move the Tonight Show wherever they want, but they promised Conan the 11:35 slot.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/01/conan-obriens-conundrum-.html
Didn’t TIME magazine pronounce Jay Leno as “the Future of Television..No Really” some time ago?
Huh....
When Conan signed the contract six years ago, Leno said at the time that he would retire in June 2009. He of course changed his mind. IMO, Zucker should have said “too bad, so sad,” but you (Leno) said you were planning on retiring, and with Conan on at 11:35 and Fallon on at 12:35 there’s just no spot for you. That’s my two cents, FWIW.
Well, I take that back. Wal-Mart could hire Leno to be a Greeter.
i know we all have our own opinions, but it's not like he's not been successful elsewhere... he was a writer for SNL during some of the show's best seasons (in my opinion)... (Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Victoria Jackson and Kevin Nealon)... and has also written for The Simpsons... perhaps his humor is not your idea of good humor... but talentless? if you say so...
Makes a nice foot warmer since they went digital.............
i disagree... love this guy...
RE: “Good riddance. The Tonight Show has blown goats since Conan took over”
**************
I totally agree!~
To me, even back midway on SNL a credit from there is worthless to me......Simpsons? I’d have to see what parts he wrote...if its “Lisa’s” silly ass tree hugger libby crap, then no.....Bart? another story..
Conan is playing it just like NBC expected. Jay will get his show back and that will be that...
I never watched Conan or Leno for that matter but I have to agree with his attitude. He should be telling NBC to blow chunks.
Johnny Carson and Jack Parr made you feel like they were a part of your family. I know people who were upset when Carson made the move to California, but the show only got better. It was that midwestern small town sort of thing where everyone knows everyone else. Carson could bring on the big names in show business and it was like you were sitting on the couch with them. Carnac was entertaining in a politically incorrect way. Art Fern was a great parody of late night movies. He even made fun of his personal life. When his monolugue would bomb, he just ad-lib and get even bigger laughs. The days of multi-talented entertainers are gone.
None of these pretenders make you feel like Johnny Carson. The whole idea was to sit down, have a laugh or two, and forget your problems. There are no evening outlets like that anymore on TV.
Personally I think he is an idiot. He is leaving a high paying, cushy job, over a half an hour. It’s his choice though.
Of course, there is probably a bigger idiot at some network who will pay him huge bucks to host a show. I think it will be a big mistake. Conan was getting his butt kick in the ratings by Letterman and prior to that Leno was beating Letterman. It seems clear that the pecking order is 1) Leno 2) Letterman 3) O’Brien.
I don’t see why a network would pay megabucks for a show that is practically guaranteed to come in 3rd (4th actually, if you include “Nightline”.), but I’m guessing that one will.
You got that right.
and worth its weight in gold to others... to each his own... and that's fair...
Nothing humorous about NBC or GE...
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