NBC ending Leno's nightly prime-time show

[I AM THE 14 CAR]

I think BOTH shows tanked when NBC went trying to fix something that wasnt even broke !

Thats Show Business ! Theres No Business Like It !

Im personally glad to see JL back on TTS.

 

[LinasK]

I think BOTH shows tanked when NBC went trying to fix something that wasnt even broke !

Thats Show Business ! Theres No Business Like It !

Im personally glad to see JL back on TTS.

I so totally agree with your post!!!:clap::clap::clap:

 

[Tizzle]

Tom Shales on the villains in the Leno-O'Brien fiasco at NBC

O'Brien, the smartest funnyman on television, might in some ways be the least fascinating of the public figures involved in this latest uproar in Latenight Land -- the least fascinating, and the least phony. Leno, whom pop polls show to be the man most widely considered the villain of the piece, proudly boasted of hiding in a closet at NBC in Burbank and listening in on an executive phone conversation when his fate was being decided back in 1992. Now in 2010, he still seems Machiavellian.

But not, definitely not, the sleaziest character in the story. The other day, an NBC executive, otherwise highly respected, let himself be dispatched to the New York Times to assail and personally insult O'Brien in print, a tawdry move typical of the absolute, utter absence of class among current NBC brass -- starting with the widely despised man at the top, Jeff Zucker, who has made a ridiculous mess of NBC's once inviolate franchise, as well as of prime time.

Leno remains disingenuous to an intolerable extreme. He's always playing the injured puppy -- the good-hearted lug in the blue-collar shirt who gets trampled over by the big guys. He uses dyslexia as a badge of honor, referring to it sometimes when he muffs a joke on the air. Remember how funny Johnny Carson was when he'd muffed a joke? Ah, but if we start thinking about Johnny, we'll get too depressed to tolerate any of the Johnnies who've come lately, whether they seem honest or nasty or what.

Helen Kushnick, the famously abrasive manager who guided Leno's career for years and saw to it her boy was placed on the "Tonight Show" throne, used to tell me that I, of all people, helped get Leno the job. Her reasoning was that almost every time Leno came to Washington, I interviewed him and wrote columns praising his prowess as a stand-up comic, especially his nimble ability to handle even the most obdurate of audiences.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...01/18/AR2010011803528.html?hpid=news-col-blog

 

[Tizzle]

'I'm With CoCo!' As haggling continues, Conan O'Brien supporters plan protests, promise loyalty

As NBC and Conan O'Brien come close to reaching an agreement, fans of the late night host are planning protests.

A settlement that would let former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno reclaim the job from O'Brien, and allow O'Brien to leave the network, could come as early as today, ABCNews.com reports.

NBC will reportedly pay the ousted host between $30 and $40 million, a source close to contract negotiations told ABC.

Other "Tonight Show" staffers - many who followed O'Brien from New York to Los Angeles when he left "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" to take over the "Tonight Show" from Leno – will reportedly receive severance and buy-out packages.

Negotiations began last Wednesday, a day after O'Brien announced his refusal to go along with NBC's proposal to move his "Tonight Show" later, so that "The Jay Leno Show" could occupy the 11:35 p.m. time slot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now is just a good time to support him because he's kind of been put in a tough spot and people can relate to his situation," the 27-year-old freelance illustrator says. "Everybody's had a bad boss that has maybe put them in a position that they didn't want to be in."

Even O'Brien's crew members are part of the movement.

"Everybody on the show has 'I'm With Coco' avatars on Facebook," Mitchell says. "I know personally they want to follow Conan wherever he goes. . . They love him and they respect him."

Meanwhile, the last "Tonight Show" featuring O'Brien as host is set to air this Friday.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...oco_as_haggling_continues_.html#ixzz0d22KAv69

 

[LinasK]

I totally agree with you- Jay was forced out and for the most part has taken the high road, and done what the network has asked of him, which Conan didn't- Conan's ratings tanked. I say Welcome Back Jay at whatever time you're on, you are the King of Comedy! Conan just isn't funny- Buhbye, and don't let the door hit you on the way out! It's disgusting the way people are taking potshots at Jay!!!

 

[LinasK]

Late-night shift is due to ‘astounding failure by Conan,’ Dick Ebersol says

Access Hollywood
updated 10:35 a.m. PT, Fri., Jan. 15, 2010
LOS ANGELES - NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol has defended Jay Leno against comedic barbs from Conan O’Brien and David Letterman in the wake of NBC’s request to move “The Tonight Show” to 12:05 a.m. According to The New York Times, Ebersol called O’Brien and Letterman “chicken-hearted and gutless to blame a guy you couldn’t beat in the ratings.”
“They’re just striking out at Jay,” he added. “It seems like professional jealousy.”

<snip>
Ebersol blamed the late night shift on O’Brien.
“What this is really all about is an astounding failure by Conan,” Ebersol added, referring to “The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien’s” ratings, which have fallen since O’Brien took over the reigns.
Ebersol told the newspaper that he met with O’Brien several weeks before he was due to take over “The Tonight Show” seat last May, encouraging him to broaden his appeal. O’Brien’s people confirmed to the newspaper that the two had a meeting.
And according to the newspaper, Ebersol was not pleased that O’Brien didn’t take the advice to tweak his “Late Night” style to suit the earlier “The Tonight Show.”
“I like Conan enormously personally,” Ebersol told the newspaper. “He was just stubborn about not being willing to broaden the appeal of his show.” more at link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34880947/ns/entertainment-access_hollywood/

 

[jjenny]

I totally agree with you- Jay was forced out and for the most part has taken the high road, and done what the network has asked of him, which Conan didn't- Conan's ratings tanked. I say Welcome Back Jay at whatever time you're on, you are the King of Comedy! Conan just isn't funny- Buhbye, and don't let the door hit you on the way out! It's disgusting the way people are taking potshots at Jay!!!

Exactly. It's not like Leno was trying to get his show back. Nbc wanted him to take it back. He is under contract with Nbc.
I fail to see why he all of the sudden should be more concerned about Conan than about himself.

 

[jjenny]

For one thing, it took Leno decades to get the same following that he used to have....yet oddly Conan isn't given the same privilege to build up the fan base again. Is it all Jay's fault? Hardly, it's NBC's and their executives, however Leno has the chance to take the high road, be gracious, and realize that this was not supposed to happen. Yet he's not stepping aside at all. I think Idaho4Groenes said it best..."He now has the power to step up and be a man, take the responsibility for his failed 10pm show, and bow out gracefully."

And what he said 5 years ago sure seems very different then the song he's singing now. FWIW, I have no beef with any of them....I think they are all funny in their own ways and I don't have a preference, I like Conan, Jay, Dave, both Jimmys, and Craig Ferguson. However, this isn't looking good for Jay to overcome the reputation he's gotten for back-stabbing. Conan has been gracious enough to not take too many jabs at him (because really, like I said, it's the execs) but Jay sure isn't trying to stop any of this madness. It may not work but he could at least try.

The high road? I imagine if they told you at your job, well, either you get fired, or you accept a better position (the position you always wanted), you would say "fire me, I am taking a high road here, just so someone else can have the position I want." Give me a break. I don't know many people who would be more concerned about someone else when their boss tells them what to do. He didn't want to give up his show to Conan five years ago either. Nbc wanted him to do that, and he agreed, but not because that is what he wanted. I absolutely do not understand why Leno should do something to benefit Conan. And not many people would do something to benefit somebody else at their own expense. All the posters here who blame Leno for it-can you honestly say you would rather get fired from your job than accept a better position because someone else also wants that position?

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Let's just continue the imagination game.

You're offered the job you've always wanted! The job you've been working years and years for. The job of your dreams. And it's yours! You get set. You sign the contract for 3 years. You pack up your family and move across the country for it. You start, and things are going great! And then...

The person who had the job before you...well see...his new job didn't work out. And he wants his spot back. So, well, you can have this other job...but its not the one you want or signed for. But oh well right? Yeah right... But gee, I wish I had that kind of job security.

 

[Steely Dan]

Exactly. It's not like Leno was trying to get his show back. Nbc wanted him to take it back. He is under contract with Nbc.
I fail to see why he all of the sudden should be more concerned about Conan than about himself.

Because he made a deal about the whole thing.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6d1caacad1/jay-s-2004-announcement

It would be the classy move to turn it down. Conan's ratings mean very little right now. Leno was almost pulled off the Tonight Show before he caught his stride.

I hope Leno's ratings tank. I used to have a lot of respect for him but this is just classless, IMO.

Just because NBC cancels his ten o'clock show doesn't mean he has to accept any other offer from them. :cow:

 

[Tizzle]

jjenny:
The problem, for me, isn't that I think Jay should look out for Conan before himself. The problem, for me, is that Jay was perfectly willing to ruin the lineup that has been a huge success for NBC for over half a century by changing it. Conan couldn't bear to see the franchise he grew up admiring ruined and the franchise he handed down to Jimmy ruined by allowing a time change so he bowed out, like Jay SHOULD HAVE. Jay claims to love The Tonight Show franchise, yet apparently, sees nothing wrong with uprooting it from it's original time slot and risking it's demise. THAT is my problem with Jay in all of this. I never really had an opinion of Jay before now except that I've always kind of thought he was kind of a doofus. Now I just think he's a straight up tool! He even looks like one in the link below.

It's funny watching Jay try to talk his way out of looking like a total d-bag. It ain't workin'! I will NEVER watch his show and I don't stand alone. I can't wait for it to fail and for Jay to be out of a job, for real. That's when I will think he is funny. His backstabbing will catch up with him one day and hopefully soon. After all, it's not like this is the first time we've been down this road with Jay in the driver seat...

Jay Leno: I Have No Animosity Toward Conan O'Brien

"Four months go by, we don&#8217;t make it," he said. "Meanwhile, Conan&#8217;s show during the summer &#8211; we&#8217;re not on &#8211; was not doing well. The great hope was that we would help him. Well, we didn&#8217;t help him any, okay."

That's when O'Brien was offered the midnight version of The Tonight Show, Leno said.

"Next thing I see Conan has a story in the paper saying he doesn&#8217;t want to do that," said Leno. "They come back to me and they say if he decides to walk and doesn&#8217;t want to do it, do you want the show back? I go, &#8216;Yeah, I&#8217;ll take the show back. If that&#8217;s what he wants to do. This way, we keep our people working, fine.&#8217; So that&#8217;s pretty much where we are."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20337721,00.html

Every day that goes by, I like him less and, incidentally, my mother, who only 3 weeks ago was 'screeching' about how she 'can't stand Conan' and 'prefers Jay' has jumped ship and says she refuses to ever watch Jay again. I guess she doesn't care for Jay's whining, either. I don't blame her.

 

[jjenny]

Let's just continue the imagination game.

You're offered the job you've always wanted! The job you've been working years and years for. The job of your dreams. And it's yours! You get set. You sign the contract for 3 years. You pack up your family and move across the country for it. You start, and things are going great! And then...

The person who had the job before you...well see...his new job didn't work out. And he wants his spot back. So, well, you can have this other job...but its not the one you want or signed for. But oh well right? Yeah right... But gee, I wish I had that kind of job security.

Well, actually, your boss doesn't think you are doing that great of a job. Your boss wants to move you to a different position. You don't want to move to a different position. You would rather be fired.
And the person who had that job before you accepts it back when the boss offers it. Poor you. Except your boss will pay you a lot of money just so you leave the job.
Where is my little violin?

 

[LinasK]

Well, actually, your boss doesn't think you are doing that great of a job. Your boss wants to move you to a different position. You don't want to move to a different position. You would rather be fired.
And the person who had that job before you accepts it back when the boss offers it. Poor you. Except your boss will pay you a lot of money just so you leave the job.
Where is my little violin?

Yeah Jenny I won't be sorry for Conan. Letterman just stated Conan's getting 3 million to walk away- that oughta cover his relocation costs!:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo:

 

[Steely Dan]

jjenny:
The problem, for me, isn't that I think Jay should look out for Conan before himself. The problem, for me, is that Jay was perfectly willing to ruin the lineup that has been a huge success for NBC for over half a century by changing it. Conan couldn't bear to see the franchise he grew up admiring ruined and the franchise he handed down to Jimmy ruined by allowing a time change so he bowed out, like Jay SHOULD HAVE. Jay claims to love The Tonight Show franchise, yet apparently, sees nothing wrong with uprooting it from it's original time slot and risking it's demise. THAT is my problem with Jay in all of this. I never really had an opinion of Jay before now except that I've always kind of thought he was kind of a doofus. Now I just think he's a straight up tool! He even looks like one in the link below.

It's funny watching Jay try to talk his way out of looking like a total d-bag. It ain't workin'! I will NEVER watch his show and I don't stand alone. I can't wait for it to fail and for Jay to be out of a job, for real. That's when I will think he is funny. His backstabbing will catch up with him one day and hopefully soon. After all, it's not like this is the first time we've been down this road with Jay in the driver seat...

Jay Leno: I Have No Animosity Toward Conan O'Brien

"Four months go by, we don’t make it," he said. "Meanwhile, Conan’s show during the summer – we’re not on – was not doing well. The great hope was that we would help him. Well, we didn’t help him any, okay."

That's when O'Brien was offered the midnight version of The Tonight Show, Leno said.

"Next thing I see Conan has a story in the paper saying he doesn’t want to do that," said Leno. "They come back to me and they say if he decides to walk and doesn’t want to do it, do you want the show back? I go, ‘Yeah, I’ll take the show back. If that’s what he wants to do. This way, we keep our people working, fine.’ So that’s pretty much where we are."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20337721,00.html

Every day that goes by, I like him less and, incidentally, my mother, who only 3 weeks ago was 'screeching' about how she 'can't stand Conan' and 'prefers Jay' has jumped ship and says she refuses to ever watch Jay again. I guess she doesn't care for Jay's whining, either. I don't blame her.

As I said before Jay has lost a lot of my respect. Would Johnny Carson ever let the show move back to 12:05? Doubtful.

As far as keeping his people working what about all of the people associated with Conan's show who uprooted their families and sold their houses to move to California where real estate prices are absurd and now are out of jobs? Jay's claiming to be looking out for people but he's screwing a lot more people than just Conan himself.

I will laugh my petutie off if Jay returns and his ratings are lower than Conan's. :laugh:

Yeah Jenny I won't be sorry for Conan. Letterman just stated Conan's getting 3 million to walk away- that oughta cover his relocation costs!:boohoo::boohoo::boohoo:

I heard $30 million but that doesn't change Jay's douchebaggery IMO.

 

[lizzybeth]

'I'm With CoCo!' As haggling continues, Conan O'Brien supporters plan protests, promise loyalty

As NBC and Conan O'Brien come close to reaching an agreement, fans of the late night host are planning protests.

A settlement that would let former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno reclaim the job from O'Brien, and allow O'Brien to leave the network, could come as early as today, ABCNews.com reports.

NBC will reportedly pay the ousted host between $30 and $40 million, a source close to contract negotiations told ABC.

Other "Tonight Show" staffers - many who followed O'Brien from New York to Los Angeles when he left "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" to take over the "Tonight Show" from Leno – will reportedly receive severance and buy-out packages.

Negotiations began last Wednesday, a day after O'Brien announced his refusal to go along with NBC's proposal to move his "Tonight Show" later, so that "The Jay Leno Show" could occupy the 11:35 p.m. time slot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now is just a good time to support him because he's kind of been put in a tough spot and people can relate to his situation," the 27-year-old freelance illustrator says. "Everybody's had a bad boss that has maybe put them in a position that they didn't want to be in."

Even O'Brien's crew members are part of the movement.

"Everybody on the show has 'I'm With Coco' avatars on Facebook," Mitchell says. "I know personally they want to follow Conan wherever he goes. . . They love him and they respect him."

Meanwhile, the last "Tonight Show" featuring O'Brien as host is set to air this Friday.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...oco_as_haggling_continues_.html#ixzz0d22KAv69

I just ordered my "I'm with Coco" t-shirt from Bustedtees.com. Personally, I felt that NBC gave Conan too many restrictions on The Tonight Show. I'm sorry for what they're doing to him, but I'd be more than happy to see my old Conan on another channel that appreciates his humor.

 

[lizzybeth]

I'd hardly consider the NBC execs experts on humor. They've let SNL stay on for years and years past its prime (no pun intended). It hasn't been funny since the 90's. Even then it was hit or miss.

If Conan leaves at least he can leave with his head held high. I think it says something about the man that his staff (who were also relocated) are willing to stand up for him and go wherever he goes.

 

[Tizzle]

David Letterman: Relentlessly mocking Jay Leno is 'just fun'

On last night’s The Late Show with David Letterman, the “chicken-hearted and gutless” (though he won’t speak for Conan O’Brien) host ripped on NBC executive Dick Ebersol, suggesting he focus on picking out sweaters for Olympics anchor Bob Costas instead of miring himself in NBC’s late-night disaster. Letterman’s not going to stop mocking Leno, either. “I’m telling jokes and making fun of Jay Leno relentlessly, mercilessly, simply for one reason: I’m really enjoying it.” [CROWD APPLAUDS WILDLY.] “It’s just fun!”

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/01/19/letterman-mocking-leno-because-its-fun/

 

[Cypros]

Last night Leno related his version of the whole story. It was pathetic. Several times he referred to Conan as not getting the ratings (equating it with not doing a good job) and completely ignored that HIS (Leno's) ratings are lousy and it is because of HIS poor ratings that the affiliates are complaining and all of this hooplah has resulted. I lost a lot of respect for Leno last night.

Conan has been a class act through the whole thing

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Conan rallies are kind of getting made fun of on HLN. They are playing them off as "protests", when they were really more "rallies" to show support. They also complained that people should not be worried about this, as its so small compared to tragedies like what is going on in Haiti. While I do agree that this is small in comparrison, I don't think they understand that this was just for fun. And they also failed to mention that at all of these rallies, donations were taken for Haiti relief.

*LATEST RUMOR* HLN reporting via TMZ(?) that a deal is "very close". And Conan may be allowed back on tv as early as September. And that FOX is VERY interested.

 

[Tizzle]

Late-Night Watch: Conan O'Brien begins the countdown

And so it came to pass, in the seventh month of his tenure as host of "The Tonight Show," that Conan O' Brien began what, lacking only an official announcement, looks to be his last week in the job. Though it feels like this oddly public adventure in re-programming has been going on as long as the healthcare debate, it was only last week that O'Brien, responding to what NBC executives must have regarded as: (a) a brilliant compromise; or (b) a fiendishly clever way to make him leave, announced his disinclination to move his show to 12:05 a.m. in order to allow Jay Leno half an hour of late-night before him.

Technically, neither O'Brien nor Leno had been fired -- NBC was just changing their time slots, something that happens all the time in television (albeit often with disastrous results). But starting time is everything in the hierarchy of late night, and having waited roughly six years for the promised promotion, O'Brien is understandably unhappy over the prospect of being sent from the major leagues even halfway back to the minors -- and unhappy as well on behalf of the brand. "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," he wrote in last week's statement to "People of Earth."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sho...-watch-conan-obrien-begins-the-countdown.html