NBC pulls the plug on the failed Jay Leno 10 PM show, sends him back to 11:30

[FORD]

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

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]

I hate Jay Leno, and sort of like O'Brien. I think Letterman is the big winner in all of this...

[Coyote]

At least Conan's still funny... to a degree.

[Sensible Shoes]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

At least Conan's still funny... to a degree.

Isn't he your Prime Minister?

[Nickdfresh]

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]

Isn't he your Prime Minister?

He's the next president!

[chefcraig]

“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]

“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]

they should get that leno clown off the air and put the view on insted.way better show if you ask me.

[ThrillsNSpills]

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.