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FORD
01-07-2010, 04:44 PM
NBC Shakeup -- Jay Leno Comes Out on Top

Posted Jan 7th 2010 3:50PM by TMZ Staff

Jay Leno is going back to his 11:30 PM time slot, and it's looking like Conan O'Brien is the odd man out ... sources tell TMZ.

Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien

We've learned Jay's 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1. After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided -- whether Jay's show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay's show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O'Brien.

We're told Jay and Conan have both been told of the changes. As for Jay, interestingly, he'll get what he always wanted -- his 11:30 PM time slot.

Read more: NBC Shakeup -- Jay Leno Comes Out on Top - TMZ.com (http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/07/jay-leno-nbc-conan-obrien-tonight-show/print#ixzz0bxtzMsx7)

I would prefer that they just put things back the way they were. Leno at 11:30, followed by Conan an hour later, and dump the useless, non talented, non funny Jimmy Fallon. Not that it matters, because I watch Letterman anyway.... I just don't think Conan should take the hit for this massive FAIL on NBC's part.

Nickdfresh
01-07-2010, 04:51 PM
I hate Jay Leno, and sort of like O'Brien. I think Letterman is the big winner in all of this...

Coyote
01-07-2010, 04:53 PM
At least Conan's still funny... to a degree.

Sensible Shoes
01-07-2010, 05:04 PM
The whole world told them Leno at 10 would tank. The big losers in this are the other two Networks and Fox affiliates with 10 PM newscasts. They were delighted with Jay.

Kristy
01-07-2010, 05:07 PM
Conan's slot won't budge to Leno. For one, Leno isn't funny (never was), lacks any creativity and is a horrible interviewer. NBC...er, Comcast should have known this was going to backfire on them when they took Conan out of New York. Still, he is funnier than Letterman (who I can no longer stand). If anyone is going to be screwed on this it's Fallon who was NBC's biggest mistake since revamping Knight Rider. Get his sorry ass off the air now.

twonabomber
01-07-2010, 05:11 PM
so they'll have two late night shows from LA (three if you count the taped Carson Daly snoozefest), and none from NYC if they boot Fallon.

i thought NBC's handling of the Carson/Letterman/Leno thing was bad, this could be worse.


The whole world told them Leno at 10 would tank. The big losers in this are the other two Networks and Fox affiliates with 10 PM newscasts. They were delighted with Jay.

CBS and ABC were probably going to beat NBC at 10 anyways, especially on Thursdays with ER gone. i think local Fox does pretty good at ten here, i'd have to Google it.

maybe NBC will just turn over 10 to the affiliates to run the local news, then Leno at 10:30 or 11. that was the first rumor i saw, but it didn't really address where Leno would go.

Kristy
01-07-2010, 05:17 PM
i thought NBC's handling of the Carson/Letterman/Leno thing was bad, this could be worse.

Well this is what you get when you put "think tank" and "focus" groups in charge. NBC was trying to cover all their bases by having Leno in a earlier time slot for his demographic, Conan' in the prime spot and Fallon for the Gen X'ers who can't stand him. There is no doubt Fallon will go. I'm surprised he has lasted this long and that advertisers have stuck with him.

twonabomber
01-07-2010, 05:34 PM
i guess NBC is denying it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34751635...nt-television/

No plans to pull ‘Jay Leno’ show, NBC says
Rep says primetime show has ‘performed exactly as we anticipated’
By Courtney Hazlett
msnbc.com
updated 10:30 a.m. PT, Thurs., Jan. 7, 2010
NEW YORK - Despite rumors to the contrary, NBC has no plans to cancel the low-rated “The Jay Leno Show.”

“Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay’s show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network,” an NBC rep said in a statement issued Thursday. “It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance.”

FTVLive.com published a story early Thursday morning that suggested NBC would pull the plug on the show, potentially as soon as after the Winter Olympics, claiming that low ratings were to blame.

“The Jay Leno Show” began on NBC in September, airing Monday through Friday at 10 p.m., replacing scripted dramas.

Nickdfresh
01-07-2010, 05:50 PM
At least Conan's still funny... to a degree.

Isn't he your Prime Minister? :)

Nickdfresh
01-07-2010, 05:58 PM
i guess NBC is denying it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34751635...nt-television/

No plans to pull ‘Jay Leno’ show, NBC says
Rep says primetime show has ‘performed exactly as we anticipated’
By Courtney Hazlett
....

“Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today....


Yes he is. But not by design nor for reasons that are in anyway intentional... :)

Coyote
01-07-2010, 06:13 PM
Isn't he your Prime Minister? :)

He's the next president! :biggrin:

chefcraig
01-07-2010, 08:01 PM
“Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay’s show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network,” an NBC rep said in a statement issued Thursday. “It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance.”

Well that reads like the kiss of death to me. How many times have you seen a beleaguered figure or institution get a vote of confidence shortly before they were fired or shut down?

The pisser is, NBC made the deal years ago (that Conan would get the Tonight Show), only were afraid that Leno would jump to ABC or FOX when it took effect. So they created this 10PM show (that I've honestly seen maybe ten minutes of the entire time it has been on. Apparently, I'm not the only one.) So now they are right back where they were when this mess began: What do they do with Leno? Putting him back at 11:30 would pretty much screw things up with Conan, who could then jump to a rival network, challenging NBC and creating the very same scenario they were trying to avoid.

Coyote
01-07-2010, 08:19 PM
“Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay’s show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network,” an NBC rep said in a statement issued Thursday. “It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance.”

Leno is compelling only in that "how the fuck did he get there anyway" sense... How about he do a retirement special, and get it over with already?



“The Jay Leno Show” began on NBC in September, airing Monday through Friday at 10 p.m., replacing scripted dramas.

a.k.a. the news...

LEFTY is Gar's Bitch
01-07-2010, 09:08 PM
they should get that leno clown off the air and put the view on insted.way better show if you ask me.

ThrillsNSpills
01-07-2010, 09:29 PM
they should get that leno clown off the air and put the view on insted.way better show if you ask me.


Maybe they have a the View message board where people argue the merits of the Rosie era vs. the Star Jones era.

Terry
01-07-2010, 10:13 PM
Meh.

Never had much use for Leno. Conan, from what I remember, was mildly amusing. Kimmel and Fallon, from what I remember, weren't.

Letterman I like, although I can't recall the last time I watched a show from start-to-finish; maybe the mid 1990s. Never saw the big deal with Carson, truth be told...or that flash-in-the-pan Arsenio and his legions of fist pumping, "whoo whoo" chuckleheaded fans.

The whole major network late night talk show format is pretty boring. Monologue, guest, skit, musical guest...much like SNL, it's a lumbering, tired formula that has been run into the ground.

At least the Daily Show and the Colbert Report are still tolerable. The rest can get yanked right off the air tomorrow far as I'm concerned. They're all going the way of the dinosaur, anyway.

hideyoursheep
01-10-2010, 07:23 AM
I don't care if Leno gets tazered to death on live TV, just don't fuck with the Triumph segments on Conan....if there still are any.:umm:

Fuck it. Give Triumph his own fucking show. He's a much funnier puppet than Jay Leno ever was.

Top Jimmy
01-10-2010, 01:16 PM
you're all missing the boat..Letterman is the true gold standard...
Leno should retire, too much mess of this situation by now...
but I digress....my real point is this:

Craig Ferguson is the best guy on late night tv, bar NONE.

He used to sing in a Scottish punk band for fuck's sake and do all kinds of drugs & drink...
now he is a bona fide tv star!

That is the true spirit of this country, the AMERICAN DREAM©
and every day he goes to work at his tv show just proves it.

You can be a piss-drunk drug taker in a fucking shit-ass punk band,
and become a fucking MILLIONAIRE...ONLY in my country!

He actually makes you feel cool about being an AMERICAN, which he is.

Oh he'll make fun of EVERYone, and do it well...he is one funny motherfucker, for sure...
but then he'll point something out like the
big tattoo on his forearm that he got to celebrate his citizenship!

It's the poster that people would put up, trying to get the original colonies to join the new union (U.S.A.)
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c147/lossofcontrol1/CraigFergusonTattoo.jpg

THAT is a fucking true American right there, I don't give a FUCK where he was born.

Fire all of them and give Craig Ferguson guy a 2 hour show, aired on all 3 majors at the same time!!

and here's why YOU should all dig him (as if that ain't enough..)..

He was the first guy on late-night to celebrate the fact that
DAVID LEE ROTH was back in Van Halen, and CLEARLY a great fan:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bvncy3_jdLw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bvncy3_jdLw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Top Jimmy
01-10-2010, 01:47 PM
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twonabomber
01-10-2010, 03:32 PM
NBC is now confirming the end of the Leno prime-time disaster.

NBC confirms end of Jay Leno's prime-time show

By Mark Dawidziak, The Plain Dealer
January 10, 2010, 2:37PM

With NBC confirming rumors that Jay Leno's 10-11 weeknight show will end with the beginning of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12, all eyes turn to Conan O'Brien. Meeting with TV critics Sunday, NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin said that the fourth-place network does indeed want Leno back at 11:35 p.m., where he was the ratings champ for much of his 17-year reign as host of "The Tonight Show."

But will O'Brien accept a demotion to 12 05 a.m.? This is what the NBC plans calls for, along with Jimmy Fallon's "Late Night" show starting at 1 05 a.m.? And who knows what then would happen to Carson Daly's "Last Call" show, which now airs at 1 36 a.m.?

"They all have the weekend to think about it," Gaspin said.

The ball clearly is in O'Brien's court. His NBC contract guarantees that he'll continue as host of "The Tonight Show," but there is no stipulation on what time "The Tonight Show" must air. There definitely would be a humiliation factor to "The Tonight Show" starting at 12 05 a.m. for the first time in its long history.

Gaspin told critics in Pasadena, Calif., that he expected this late-night tangle to be cleared up by the time the Olympics start. He also confirmed speculation about NBC affiliate stations' growing discontent with the prime-time Monday-Friday "Jay Leno Show."

"The drumbeat started getting louder," said Gaspin. Since its September premiere, "The Jay Leno Show" has been a ratings disappointment to affiliate stations wanting a stronger lead-in audience for their 11 p.m. newscasts.

If O'Brien bolts NBC, he'd forfeit millions of dollars in guaranteed salary. But Fox already has sent signals that they'd welcome O'Brien as a good fit at a rival network with younger viewers.

Gaspin said that he hopes to keep Leno, O'Brien and Leno at NBC, but "talks are still ongoing."

NBC announced five years ago that O'Brien would replace Leno as host of "The Tonight Show." The prime-time Leno show was seen as both a way of keeping the two hosts at the network and a cost-cutting move. Leno's comedy-variety show is far cheaper to produce than the hour dramas that typically air at 10 p.m.

Even with lower ratings at 10, the network was making money with the uber-inexpensive "Leno Show." But the many affiliates are experiencing big advertising losses with late-night newscasts.

Another big question hanging in the TV air is what NBC will do with those 10-11 Monday-Friday time slots now occupied by Leno. The network doesn't have a deep bench of programming ready to go, although, supposedly, "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Mercy," "Dateline" and "Friday Night Lights" (not slated to return until summer) could be available for 10-11, along with repeats and reality shows.

twonabomber
01-10-2010, 03:36 PM
if i was Conan i don't know if i'd want to go to FOX. sure the money will be there, but they're probably going to require a bunch of tie-ins to American Idol, and i don't think Conan's audience is the same as the AI audience. he'd likely go on at 11 pm, giving him the jump on Leno and Letterman. then there's the people who say Conan's act wasn't going to work at 11 30, will it work at 11? FOX standards and practices department seems a little looser than the other networks, so the time change may not matter. and didn't NBC build a new theater for the Conan show?

it's bad enough the local FOX news blurs the line between info and entertainment, once AI starts back up there will be a mention of it on every one of their local newscasts. i wouldn't want to hear about it on their late night show.

JJ Hobson
01-10-2010, 03:38 PM
i guess NBC is denying it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34751635...nt-television/

No plans to pull ‘Jay Leno’ show, NBC says
Rep says primetime show has ‘performed exactly as we anticipated’
...

Well--as many here already predicted--NBC has pulled a rather quick flip-flop ...

NBC Ending Leno's Prime-time Show (http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=450969&GT1=28103)


Jan. 10, 2010, 1:51 PM EST
PASADENA, Calif (AP) -- NBC decided to end the Jay Leno experiment when some of its affiliates started talking about dropping the nightly prime-time show, its top entertainment executive said Sunday.

NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin said Sunday that Leno's nightly prime-time show will end with the beginning of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12. NBC wants Leno to do an 11:35 p.m. show each night, a return to his old time slot, Gaspin said.

Gaspin said despite lower ratings for NBC at 10 p.m. compared with last year, the network was making money off the show.

But affiliates were upset that the show was leading fewer viewers into their late news programs, costing them significant advertising revenue. Some affiliates told NBC in December they would go public soon about their complaints if a change wasn't made, or even take Leno's show off the air.

"The drumbeat started getting louder," Gaspin said.

Gaspin has proposed moving Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show" to 12:05 a.m., and Jimmy Fallon's show, "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," would start an hour later. But the late-night hosts had not agreed to the move. Gaspin said he expected NBC's late-night situation to be cleared up by the start of the Olympics.

Asked if O'Brien and Fallon expressed anger at his proposal, Gaspin said both men were professional and understanding when they talked.

"Beyond that, it was a private conversation," Gaspin said.

To NBC/Comcast ... Make up your minds already!!! :biggrin:

JJ Hobson
01-10-2010, 03:43 PM
NBC is now confirming the end of the Leno prime-time disaster.

NBC confirms end of Jay Leno's prime-time show

...

Sorry for the previous (redundant) post, twonabomber ... You beat me to the draw! :)

Nickdfresh
01-10-2010, 04:09 PM
Leno is compelling only in that "how the fuck did he get there anyway" sense... How about he do a retirement special, and get it over with already?



a.k.a. the news...

The only thing that keeps Leno going is that he has a set of very solid writers assembled for him. There were times in the early 80s when he could be compellingly funny, but he's long since lost any edge and became a total network pussy whereas Letterman's constant digs at "GE" controlling NBC hardly made him a corporate favorite, in addition to the fact that they thought he was a bit too edgy and dark for the 11:30 time slot. Interestingly, Letterman still commands as much of the young audience as Conan (whom I like a lot more than Leno) did. It has little to do with age, and more to do with a very sardonic take on things as opposed to Leno's happy, feel good shuckster kind of bore-fest goofing.

I think Conan is funny, and has that edge as well, but he's been oft criticized for relying on his charisma and his constant mugging and pouting into the camera to appeal to teen girls to really make it at 11:30. I dunno, I just think NBC is blaming him and turning him into a scapegoat. I think they've lost the late night wars and did so when they promoted Leno in the early 90s. Leno led for a while, but I think his blue-haired demographic is dying off and Letterman appeals more across demographics than any of them...

Nickdfresh
01-10-2010, 04:11 PM
I don't care if Leno gets tazered to death on live TV, just don't fuck with the Triumph segments on Conan....if there still are any.:umm:

Fuck it. Give Triumph his own fucking show. He's a much funnier puppet than Jay Leno ever was.

Dude, go to Youtube and do a search for "TV Funhouse." Not Triumph, but the same voice and same sort of humor...

twonabomber
01-10-2010, 05:25 PM
i don't care for Leno's talk show, but i could watch a show about his car collection all day.

Nitro Express
01-11-2010, 04:59 AM
I met Jay Leno years ago when he was filling in for Johnny Carson. He was a standup comedian and our student organization invited him to come to our school and do a show. He came and I was the guy who picked him up at the airport. I never thought he was the best interviewer but he's a nice guy in person or was.

Nitro Express
01-11-2010, 05:06 AM
i don't care for Leno's talk show, but i could watch a show about his car collection all day.

Jay has written some great stuff on cars. I don't know if he still does it but he wrote articles for Popular Mechanics. My dad collected cars an I inherited a few of them. Lot's of Fords: Model T, Model A, Model B, 34 Coupe, and a 79 Lamborghinii, and a Porsche Targa. The Model T is more frightening to drive 45 miles an hour as the Lamborghinii is at 150. It's all relative to the car.

Nitro Express
01-11-2010, 05:10 AM
Triumph the insult dog was the best thing that came from Conan.

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chefcraig
01-11-2010, 09:05 AM
What is interesting about all of this is how NBC will fill the additional 5 hours of broadcasting each week. I truly hope this doesn't pave the way for that Rockford Files remake that was discussed several months ago. :duh:

twonabomber
01-11-2010, 03:59 PM
Jay has written some great stuff on cars. I don't know if he still does it but he wrote articles for Popular Mechanics.

he may, i picked up a free PM sub from collecting those damn Coke reward points and i've seen a couple articles by him so far. he wrote about some rapid prototyping machine that was pretty cool.

fryingdutchman
01-14-2010, 05:03 PM
Here is Conan O'Briens open letter regarding his plans for the situation...

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.

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 1205 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 Show into 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 1205 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 The Tonight 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.

Yours,

Conan

fryingdutchman
01-14-2010, 05:06 PM
Conan is absolutely right. "The Tonight Show" at 1205 is not the "Tonight" show....it's the "TOMORROW" show.

The person who should take the hit here is Jay Leno. Leno decided a few years ago that he was going to call it quits. Then he got remoseful about the decision when it was too late to turn back.

Tough shit, Jay. You made your bed, now lie in it.

Conan is getting FUCKED by this and it's wrong.

kwame k
01-14-2010, 05:17 PM
Conan is absolutely right. "The Tonight Show" at 1205 is not the "Tonight" show....it's the "TOMORROW" show.

The person who should take the hit here is Jay Leno. Leno decided a few years ago that he was going to call it quits. Then he got remoseful about the decision when it was too late to turn back.

Tough shit, Jay. You made your bed, now lie in it.

Conan is getting FUCKED by this and it's wrong.

...and Conan has been nothing but a class act up to this point.

Jay, there's something to be said about knowing when to leave.

twonabomber
01-14-2010, 05:31 PM
and when Jay finally does decide to leave...if Conan is at FOX, then NBC is really fucked. who do they put at 11 30 then? Fallon or Daly won't cut it.

Jay back to 11 30 is a short term fix to keep the affiliates happy. they'd almost be better off killing the 10 pm slot, giving it to the affiliates for the local news, and starting Leno at 10 30 or 11.

Susie Q
01-14-2010, 06:30 PM
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I agree with Top Jimmy, Craig Ferguson is hilarious! I like Conan and Dave too, Jay Leno is no big loss, neither is Fallon.

Hardrock69
01-15-2010, 02:50 AM
Jay has written some great stuff on cars. I don't know if he still does it but he wrote articles for Popular Mechanics. My dad collected cars an I inherited a few of them. Lot's of Fords: Model T, Model A, Model B, 34 Coupe, and a 79 Lamborghinii, and a Porsche Targa. The Model T is more frightening to drive 45 miles an hour as the Lamborghinii is at 150. It's all relative to the car.


Countach?
http://i50.tinypic.com/idg8ix.jpg

Mr Walker
01-15-2010, 10:18 AM
Anybody see the clip of Jimmy Kimmel handing Jay his ass... on his own stupid show... fucking funny.

I can't stay up beyond 11:30 most nights, but I do find Conan funny (no, were aren't related... at least I don't think we are) and it kinda sucks that he didn't make enough impact with his ratings to stave off a hostile re-takeover by Jay. Too much late night TV, not enough time to watch it all. You know who has something pretty funny going on that's lying under the radar is that George Lopez show on TBS. I caught it one night and I was surprised at all the bad language and bad behavior that was going on. If Conan gets an 11pm timeslot on Fox, I would definitely tune in regularly. Do you think the 'Masturbating Bear' will appear on the Tonight Show before Conan makes his last appearance?

Oh... here's the Kimmel clip on the Jay Leno Show... Kimmel FTW!

VIDEO: Kimmel Rips Leno - "Conan And I Have Children -- All You Have To Take Care Of Are Cars" | RadarOnline.com (http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/01/video-kimmel-leno-conan-and-i-have-children-all-you-have-take-care-are-cars)

Mr Walker
01-15-2010, 10:20 AM
Saw this when I went to find the Kimmel link...

The late-night nightmare is almost over. Conan O’Brien is leaving NBC and receiving a payout—and he’ll be free to appear on another network before his contract expires, Kim Masters reports.

The NBC-Leno-Conan war is close to ending, according to a knowledgeable source. According to the outlines of a settlement, Conan O'Brien will leave NBC and the network will make an as-yet unspecified payment. The comedian will be free to appear elsewhere on television well before his contract expires, despite earlier threats from NBC that it would prevent him from working anywhere else.

There is still opportunity for the negotiation to fall apart, but clearly, at this point it is in NBC's interest to put an end to this dismal episode.

It seems that Ron Meyer, the affable chief of the Universal film studio, played a key role in bringing the parties together when they were at an impasse and talks had broken down. Meyer is a former agent whose industry relationships run deep and wide. And of course, he has lots of negotiating experience.

According to the source, the resolution to the epic and highly public battle came down primarily to the size of the check that NBC would write to O'Brien. That amount remains shrouded in mystery for now, and no doubt the parties will have to agree to confidentiality as part of the deal.

According to a knowledgeable insider, NBC Universal started out sincerely hoping that it would be able to keep O'Brien on NBC in a 12: 05 a.m. slot behind Leno, who is to be reinstated at 11:35 p.m. Part of the resolution was getting executives there to understand that the plan simply was unrealistic.

At that point, with late-night comics across the television landscape piling on night after night—and with Leno being increasingly vilified and undoubtedly chafing at the public lashing he was getting—it was obvious that the situation had to be resolved.

It remains unclear where O'Brien might go next. The most obvious place is Fox, but top executives at the company have been scrupulous about avoiding any appearance that they tried to lure O'Brien there while his relationship with NBC remained unresolved. Should Fox go forward with a late-night show with O'Brien now, it will take months before he would be ready to go on the air.

Mr Walker
01-15-2010, 10:22 AM
I guess Jimmy had to put the boots to Jay so he doesn't lose his annual summer invitation to the Stern compound up in the Hamptons.

BITEYOASS
01-15-2010, 11:43 AM
This is what I think about whenever Jay Leno is brought up:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DWB-kd09GXY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DWB-kd09GXY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Guitar Shark
01-15-2010, 01:22 PM
This is what I think about whenever Jay Leno is brought up:

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Brilliant :biggrin:

twonabomber
01-15-2010, 03:24 PM
that Kimmel clip is grate!

sadaist
01-15-2010, 03:39 PM
that Kimmel clip is grate!

Agreed.

Jay gave up the Tonight Show years ago. He knew he was leaving in 2009. Everyone expected him to leave in 2009. Why he got this abortion of a show at 10 pm I'll never know. Well, it didn't work out so Jay should just walk away. The only skit I liked from him anyways was "Headlines". And Letterman does that bit better anyways.

Jay should have walked away with his dignity. I hope this kills his reputation and he comes in last in the ratings. This should haunt him the rest of his career.

As for Conan. I never really liked him much. But I didn't hate him. After this debacle, I find myself squarely in his corner.

sadaist
01-15-2010, 03:48 PM
It remains unclear where O'Brien might go next. The most obvious place is Fox, but top executives at the company have been scrupulous about avoiding any appearance that they tried to lure O'Brien there while his relationship with NBC remained unresolved. Should Fox go forward with a late-night show with O'Brien now, it will take months before he would be ready to go on the air.


Fox would be a good fit for Conan. Why it would take "months" I have no clue. He has talked in front of an audience every night for years. What difference does it make which channel it's broadcast on? Or is this just a way that the entire staff gets a chance at a short paid vacation?

Although I'm not real happy with Fox. They have become the Seth MacFarlane channel. Family Guy was funny in the beginning. American Dad was ok. The Cleveland Show sucks ass. And to think they canceled King Of The Hill to make room for another half hour of MacFarlane.

If they really want "Animation Domination", they'll drop a couple MacFarlane shows and bring in some of the fresh talent from Adult Swim.

chefcraig
01-15-2010, 03:55 PM
Jay gave up the Tonight Show years ago. He knew he was leaving in 2009. Everyone expected him to leave in 2009. Why he got this abortion of a show at 10 pm I'll never know. Well, it didn't work out so Jay should just walk away. The only skit I liked from him anyways was "Headlines". And Letterman does that bit better anyways.

As for Conan. I never really liked him much. But I didn't hate him. After this debacle, I find myself squarely in his corner.

The way I understand it, NBC was afraid of losing both Conan and Leno to FOX or ABC. The Tonight Show job was given (as you said) to O'Brien years ago to prevent this, yet NBC was apparently far too shortsighted to realize that Leno could do the exact same thing. So this weird compromise of a 10PM show was dreamed up. For one thing, it is much cheaper to produce as opposed to a scripted series, which must be filmed on location over several days with a large staff of actors and film crews. By filling the slot with a variety show, the network saved a boatload of cash.

What they didn't count on was the fact that nobody would watch the damned thing, which pissed off affiliates that needed the 10PM hour to lead into their local newscasts, which make money through advertising rates. If no one is watching the newscast, these rates drop and the affiliate loses money. When several affiliates told NBC they'd be pre-empting Leno with their own shows, NBC caved in for fear of all of it's affiliates doing the same thing. Gigantic sums of money would be lost in the event this happened, so NBC bit the bullet.

To make matters worse, O'Brien has been hinting that he might just quit before NBC can get Leno squared away after the Winter Olympics (yet another thing NBC is expected to take a bath on). This will be interesting to watch, particularly how NBC squirms out of what has obviously become a very uncomfortable position.

fryingdutchman
01-15-2010, 04:28 PM
Word is that Conan will do his last show next Friday, January 22nd.

Very sad and very sudden.

Jay Leno and the NBC brass really look like FUCKTARDS on this one.

thome
01-15-2010, 04:36 PM
I heard that Conan thru breach of contract will be blackballed non-compete or whatever it is for 4 years the time remaining on his contract and due to this breach by the contract holders he will also recieve 80 million dollars over that 4 years...?

Lets see.... not my fault and I get 80 million to retire ,,,hmmm......

Not to bad of a deal if you ask me.

JJ Hobson
01-15-2010, 04:49 PM
Fox would be a good fit for Conan. Why it would take "months" I have no clue. ...

Remember way, way back to when Letternman left NBC? ... Due to NBC claiming intellectual property rights, Letterman had to change everything--the name of his show, the name of characters ("Larry Bud Melman" ring a bell?--LOL!), and had to completely revamp his show skits, etc., etc. ...

Conan will now--in all likelihood--have to do the same thing when he finally makes the switch to a new network ...

Nickdfresh
01-17-2010, 12:26 PM
Report: NBC to pay Conan $30 million
Jan. 15, 2010, 7:27 PM EST

Deal brokered by Universal CEO Ron Meyer after all-night negotiations

By Sharon Waxman
TheWrap.com

NBC has its way out of the Conan Crisis.

The network has agreed to pay O'Brien $30 million to vacate the 11:35 p.m. "Tonight Show," individuals involved in the negotiations have told TheWrap.

The deal, which still has to be formally signed, could be announced as early as Friday.

Individuals in O'Brien's camp declined to comment.

NBCU President and CEO Jeff Zucker, NBCU Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin and Co-Chairman NBC Entertainment and NBC Television Studio Marc Graboff were involved in the final all-night negotiations. The deal was brokered by Universal COO Ron Meyer, who was brought in on Tuesday, after talks had reached an impasse.

Also: NBC Exec Slams Conan As 'Chicken-Hearted, Gutless'

Key terms to the agreement were worked out between Meyer and Rick Rosen, Conan's agent at WME.

The deal came following a battle between the two camps over whether O'Brien's contract specifically guaranteed that "The Tonight Show" must air at 11:35 p.m.

http://videoguide.msn.com/play/movies/?ns=VC_Supplier&tag=CBS_Entertainment_Tonight&g=e679f77c-19b9-4a1d-a804-b7cb8619b556&from=IV2_en-us_entertainment_tv_news_vilificationofleno_011410&fg=MsnEntertainment_msne_inline

^^Conan takes shots at NBC, Leno
View more MSN videosGo to TODAY

As TheWrap previously reported, Team Conan was insisting that NBC has breached O'Brien's contract because, it argued, the deal had a timeslot guarantee.

NBC's response: No, there is no such guarantee of a specific timeslot for "Tonight." So as long as we keep something called "The Tonight Show" on the air, there is no breach.

If NBC had been in breach, it would have owed Conan around $40 million (and as much as $50 million, according to some reports, as a penalty.

People close to NBC insisted the network would not yield on this point-- it wouldn't admit it had breached O'Brien's deal.

One solution that had been on the table Friday, according to TheWrap's Josef Adalian: Agreeing to disagree over the timeslot issue and instead settling on a pay or play fee.

Under this proposal, the sooner O'Brien starts a new gig -- if he starts one -- the less money it would have to pay. So if Conan managed to land a new job at Fox within a year, the Peacock might shell out less than the full $30 million.

It's unlear if that's how the two sides settled out.

As TheWrap first reported, NBC had also been looking to enforce some sort of non-compete period in which Conan couldn't work for anyone else, period. The parties had been looking at a time as early as September or as late as next January for O'Brien to be free.

With talks entering the final stages, positioning over what led to this crisis started heating up.

Team NBC started the assault by putting sports czar Dick Ebersol on the phone with the New York Times, who tore into O'Brien in a Friday interview. Then, Conan's camp made it clear Friday that it was "absolutely untrue" that O'Brien's deal didn't have timeslot protection.

NBC responded by questioning the abilities of O'Brien's legal teams in the same sort of language Ebersol had used to slam O'Brien's hosting skills.

"All the chatter is just his reps covering up for their massive f--- up," an NBC insider said. "Leno had timeslot protection in his deal, Letterman has it in his. But Team Coco never negotiated for it."

O'Brien's lawyer, Leigh Brecheen at Bloom Hergott, could be quite embarrassed if it turns out there was no timeslot guarantee.

But O'Brien's camp believes NBC was just trying to change the subject from its own massive mishandling of the late-night mess.

In any case, that's now all for historians to figure out.

Report: NBC to pay Conan $30 million - MSN TV News (http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=452052&gt1=28103)

sadaist
01-17-2010, 02:53 PM
Jay retired from the Tonight Show. He should have walked away with dignity and on top. Why he agreed to do the 10 pm show I couldn't understand. Since it didn't work out, he should have then retired again. In NO WAY should he take the 11:35 slot back, or the name "Tonight Show". I hope this haunts him and his ratings tank. And when he finally does retire for good, I hope he leaves as a wash-up.

Fuck you Jay!

Little Texan
01-17-2010, 02:55 PM
Conan used to be pretty funny at times when he had the Late Night show, but he has sucked ass as the Tonight Show host...he hasn't been a bit funny, and he would've been better off leaving the lame and unfunny Andy Richter out of the show. I figured Conan would have been better than he's been, but his stint on the Tonight Show has been a huge disappointment, to say the least. I'm probably the only one here that likes Leno, and I don't get all the Leno hate in this thread. None of the other late night hosts are a bit funny, IMO. I tried watching Letterman for about a week after Conan's show turned out to be a dud, and he just isn't funny at all, and to me, never has been. Jimmy Fallon sucks ass, Craig Ferguson is lame (what's up with the stupid puppets?), and Jimmy Kimmel isn't a bit funny, either...he wasn't funny on The Man Show...I don't get the appeal. Leno is the only one out of them all that is even remotely funny. The only thing I haven't liked about his show is that it is in a Primetime slot when there are better shows on to watch at that time. Just my two pennies on the subject.

High Life Man
01-17-2010, 06:30 PM
Heard Stern and Letterman will be Conan's guests this week. Should be interesting.

Terry
01-17-2010, 07:03 PM
Jay retired from the Tonight Show. He should have walked away with dignity and on top. Why he agreed to do the 10 pm show I couldn't understand. Since it didn't work out, he should have then retired again. In NO WAY should he take the 11:35 slot back, or the name "Tonight Show". I hope this haunts him and his ratings tank. And when he finally does retire for good, I hope he leaves as a wash-up.

Fuck you Jay!

The "Tonight Show" name and what it once meant evaporated a long time ago..maybe as far back as Carson's retirement, although possibly even a year earlier than that (Arsenio was beating Carson in the youth demos).

The Tonight Show now is just one among the pack.

LoungeMachine
01-17-2010, 07:05 PM
Conan used to be pretty funny .

Never was.....

But Leno was no better.....

Letterman is watchable still, and Ferguson is a riot.

But as far as the Tonight Show Brand?

The Peacock should retire it along with SNL.

:gulp:

Fukk, give thome the 11:30 slot for that matter...

FORD
01-17-2010, 07:27 PM
The "Tonight Show" name and what it once meant evaporated a long time ago..maybe as far back as Carson's retirement, although possibly even a year earlier than that (Arsenio was beating Carson in the youth demos).

The Tonight Show now is just one among the pack.

Maybe it's time to bring Arsenio back?

It's not like he's really done anything since then.

twonabomber
01-17-2010, 07:50 PM
Heard Stern and Letterman will be Conan's guests this week. Should be interesting.

the NBC site shows "TBA" for Conan's guests Wed-Fri. wonder if NBC would just pull him off early if his jokes turn more vicious, or maybe they addressed that in the contract release. Letterman's not in re-runs this week, but he tapes two shows one day so maybe Friday he'd be on Conan.

the general consensus on Stern Fan Network is that Stern won't bother flying out to LA. i hadn't heard the Letterman thing yet.


Maybe it's time to bring Arsenio back?

It's not like he's really done anything since then.

i think Arsenio was doing on-location bits for Jay's Tonight Show.

LoungeMachine
01-17-2010, 07:57 PM
Anyone, kidding or not, who advocates for the return of Arsenio Hall to network or cable television, will be brought to the town center, and flogged.

:gulp:

fuckheads

Unchainme
01-18-2010, 02:04 AM
Fallon is auctually not so much bad..as he's moreso in the wrong element as having a late night talk show.

I caught a bit of his show and he had a GREAT impersenation of Neil Young, so much so that I thought I had accidently switched to VH1 classic and they were showing an old video of him.

YouTube - Pants on the Ground Jimmy Fallon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2WfUzNYPwo)

He's better at doing impersenations, not at reading monologues, though to give him a bit more leanecy, Conan was terrible the first couple of years he was on, but he ended up becoming really good after he was given more time.

I am bummed that Conan is getting cancelled though, he got screwed hard.

Nickdfresh
01-18-2010, 02:16 AM
Fallon is auctually not so much bad..as he's moreso in the wrong element as having a late night talk show.

I caught a bit of his show and he had a GREAT impersenation of Neil Young, ....

No, he's bad. And Fallon wasnt really that great at impersonations either....

Unchainme
01-18-2010, 02:27 AM
No, he's bad. And Fallon wasnt really that great at impersonations either....

Nick!..sorry to go off topic.

But hows it going? long time no see. Did you enjoy the Browns-Bills game that set football back 100 years?

hideyoursheep
01-18-2010, 05:08 AM
Monologue battle goes to Turd Ferguson, because his seems less scripted and more spontaneous...but his interviews suck....I don't care for Drew Carey's boss to reminisce with a guest over the differences between Scotland and the US.


I never watched a complete Tonight show with Leno, and I don't watch Letterman past the Top 10 unless I like the guest.

Conan has a good back-and-forth during his interviews, but his opening is pretty much The Tonight Show with a different cast.

I like Kimmel because his interviews aren't milquetoast...he'll step on some toes, unlike Jay...Dave doesn't do it very often anymore...unless it's some moron like Paris Hilton..and who gives a fuck about her anyway?

I don't know who the hell Jimmy Fallon is.

Nickdfresh
01-18-2010, 10:02 AM
Nick!..sorry to go off topic.

But hows it going? long time no see. Did you enjoy the Browns-Bills game that set football back 100 years?

Slightly more than stripping naked in freezing weather, rubbing my balls with hamburger, and running through a pack of feral dogs!

Actually, that would be much more exciting than about 90% of the Bills season...

Nickdfresh
01-21-2010, 09:00 AM
O’Brien seals $45 million deal to quit ‘Tonight’
Report: Host walks away with $33 million payoff, staff splits $12 million
The Associated Press
updated 8:37 a.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 21, 2010

NEW YORK - NBC said Thursday it has reached a $45 million deal with Conan O’Brien for his exit from the “Tonight” show, allowing Jay Leno to return to the late-night program he hosted for 17 years.

Under the deal, which came seven months after O’Brien took the reins from Leno, O’Brien will get more than $33 million, NBC said. The rest will go to his staff in severance, the network said in an announcement on the “Today” show.

His final show will be Friday, and Leno will return to “Tonight” on March 1.
...

O’Brien will be free to begin another TV job as soon as September, NBC said. There has been speculation on where he might go next.
....

Cont'd O?Brien seals $45 million deal to quit ?Tonight? - Television- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34970662/ns/ertainment-television?gt1=43001)

Kristy
01-21-2010, 06:31 PM
NEW YORK - NBC said Thursday it has reached a $45 million deal with Conan O’Brien for his exit from the “Tonight” show, allowing Jay Leno to return to the late-night program he hosted for 17 years.

No wonder Conan has the shit-eating smile on his face lately. $45 mil to be swept under a rug and possibly never heard from on NBC again sounds like a sweet deal. The only problem being he'll return in the fall either on second-rate cable or worse, a dismal Wanda Sykes copy on Fox. I happen to like Conan too bad his legacy was over before it began.

Still, $45 million. More power to him.
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8489/portra160pro16.jpg

Unchainme
01-21-2010, 09:53 PM
YouTube - Conan expensive car joke, Buggatti Vehron mouse & Satisfaction song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oPm7wx1x-0)

El-FORD-O should love this.

High Life Man
01-21-2010, 10:55 PM
Heard $15 million will go to the staff.

Either way, this blows. I had Leno on tonight while I was cleaning dishes. What a fucking awful piece of shit.

Can't wait until Conan gets back on his feet. It's a damn shame.

Robert McCall
01-24-2010, 07:53 PM
I don't get to watch either The Jay Leno Show or The Tonight Show, so fuck it.

Terry
01-27-2010, 10:28 PM
It wasn't Carson's Tonight Show that Conan had taken over anyway...it was the Tonight Show with a decade and a half of Leno stink on it.

Plus, Conan's ratings at 11:30 weren't all that stellar anyway. I mean, the longer this story drags on, whatever feelings of "well, it sucks for Conan, Jay and NBC are dicks, blah blah blah" I had at the beginning have pretty much evaporated.

For $45 million, Conan can afford to get his feelings hurt.

Nickdfresh
01-27-2010, 11:30 PM
Heard $15 million will go to the staff.

Either way, this blows. I had Leno on tonight while I was cleaning dishes. What a fucking awful piece of shit.

Can't wait until Conan gets back on his feet. It's a damn shame.

Leno's terrible. His "I'm-a-nice-guy" delivery is fucking milk toast weak-piss...

He does have very good writers-stacked by NBC and the "Tonight Show" moniker--and its a place where stupid celebrities (like Hugh Grant) go to get inadvertently ambushed, because they know Jay's a "safe" bag-of-pussy interviewer--who once in a while gets one over on them and hits a home run. Without that, he'd of been written off and canceled long ago...

FORD
01-28-2010, 04:30 AM
And Fallon wasnt really that great at impersonations either....

Except for the Barry Gibb talk show skits. That was the one funny thing Fallon ever did. Also the only time I've ever seen Justin Timberlake on TV without wanting to punch him in the face.

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