Leno / Conan / NBC / etc.

[Guest Speed Racer]

My heart aches.

 

Also, you don't seem to be aware of this, but some people enjoy working. Imagine if you got paid to take cheap shots at Letterman as much as you do, and you had been doing that for, like, 15 years (and I imagine that you have); now imagine if someone paid you on the condition that you couldn't do that until September? Do you think you would be happy with that outcome? Being unable to do the thing you enjoy the most? I don't think any amount of money would make that better.

 

And what about his staff? Do you think they will enjoy waiting around without working, until September? They're all stuck in L.A. now, waiting to see what happens - will they move back to N.Y. in September? Stay in L.A.?

[jakobnicholas]

Man, what's up your butt?

 

Why are so many on this board so passionately disgusted about Conan not getting his "dream job"*.

 

I want to know how many Conan supporters on this thread actually watch Conan.

 

I watched probably 70% of his Late Night shows back in the days of early Triumph, Masturbating Bear, Andy's brilliant contributions and Amy Poehler as the hilarious bit actor. I've continued to watch when I can. Since his Tonight Show started, I've probably watched parts of 20% of his shows. I LOVE Conan. He's a unique, very creative funny guy. I like that he's mostly silly and goofy and juvenile. His comedy is unpredictable and dry many times....which I LOVE.

 

 

But I can deal with NBC's business decision. NBC made a business decision to retain Leno over the past 7 years. They like Leno. Leno gets ratings. Maybe Leno's jokes suck and his bits are lame. But NBC likes his ratings. Leno has a broader audience than Conan. That's a fact. That doesn't make Leno better. He's just got more appeal to viewers than Conan. Why does that bother people so much?

 

Poor Conan doesn't get to keep his "dream job"? Oh, please. Grow up people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Of course, Conan COULD have kept his "dream job", but he felt it beneath him to go on a half hour later. That's fine. I respect it in a way. But swallow the bitter pill for a few years, build your audience, and have your "dream job" in its dream time slot until your 60+, assuming your ratings improve.

[Guest Speed Racer]

But I can deal with NBC's business decision.

 

And the rest of us can't.

 

Poor Conan doesn't get to keep his "dream job"? Oh, please. Grow up people.

 

We're only pointing that out because you are continually thinking that money seems to make it better - to which someone might say, "Oh, please. Grow up."

 

* Of course, Conan COULD have kept his "dream job", but he felt it beneath him /b] to go on a half hour later.

 

This is one of the things I respect the most about this whole fiasco - it wasn't beneath him, it was beneath the legacy of The Tonight Show, a decision I think he made pretty clear.

[jakobnicholas]

And what about his staff? Do you think they will enjoy waiting around without working, until September? They're all stuck in L.A. now, waiting to see what happens - will they move back to N.Y. in September? Stay in L.A.?

 

 

 

Really.

 

 

His poor staff may have to sit on their asses, collecting thier paychecks for 8 months? They may have to move again.....probably all 100% paid for?

 

Those poor people. I hope they get through all this OK.

[Guest Speed Racer]

His poor staff may have to sit on their asses, collecting thier paychecks for 8 months? They may have to move again.....probably all 100% paid for?

 

Those poor people. I hope they get through all this OK.

 

Again, when it was Leno's people, you were beside yourself with worry.

 

And once more, think outside the money angle. Let's say you have a 9 year-old kid and a wife. Your wife gave up a decent job for the move to L.A., and has been struggling with unemployment since the move (care to check unemployment rates in CA?). Now you're BOTH unemployed, and you don't know if you'll have a job in 8 months or not, AND you don't know where it will be. Your wife is pissed, because she doesn't know whether she should keep looking for a job, or where she should be looking. Your poor 9 year-old just left all of her friends and entered a bit of a culture shock, at an age where kids are starting to have a lot of anxiety about friendships. And now she might move again? Mom's unemployed and grumpy a lot of the time, and now dad's facing unemployment and uncertainty and you're old enough to know what that means, having two parents unemployed; they're fighting sometimes, they're snapping at you occassionally, and you really wish none of this was happening.

[marino13]

I think I fall somewhere in the middle here. IMO, Conan totally got screwed in this and it's a bad deal for his staff. I also think that it may work out brilliantly for him, and not from a money standpoint. While he thought it was his dream job, maybe Conan will eventually find out that it really wasn't. Ratings were miserable and he was having trouble finding his footing with a more watered down product. The last two weeks when he didn't give a shit, their comedy was, as Tarantino put it, "on fire". On his next show, he may find the ability and freedom to do the comedy that keeps him "on fire" from day one. Add in the momentum and sympathy he has garnered from this, and he could eventually carve out a niche and become a legend. Even with a pretty loyal fanbase, it didn't feel like he was headed down that path at the "Tonight Show".

[GtrPlyr]

I have a feeling that deep down Conan is glad for the out NBC gave him. His show at 11:35 p.m., though okay, was still a watered-down version of his former show, and ultimately a watered-down version of what made him unique. The 11:35 p.m. time slot stifles creativity and adventurousness to a great degree as networks and advertisers wield a lot of control over content in an effort to appeal to as wide, and as mainstream an audience as possible. It's the kiss of death to anyone with some edge or creative spark in them. This is probably why these shows are never hosted by the most talented comedians around, but rather the ones willing to adapt and live with these restrictions. (If there's a heaven, maybe The Tonight Show there is being hosted by a "in their prime" Richard Pryor or Bill Hicks right now .)

 

I think these last two weeks of shows are teaching (or reminding) Conan what a late night talk show can, and should be like: fun, irreverent, less structured, and more bite. Hopefully he carries with him these lessons to his new show, whenever that will be (Fox in September maybe?)

[Analogman]

The Chinese news (Apple Action News)explanation:

Chinese version

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

The Chinese news (Apple Action News)explanation:

Chinese version

Those are hilarious.

[Analogman]

This one is pretty funny also (Jimmy Kimmel - Ken Burns style documentary):

The Late Night War

[sureshot]

Last night was great: Kentucky Derby Winner Mine That Bird, wearing a mink snuggie, watching restricted NFL coverage. Cost: $4.8 million.

[moxiebean]

from cracked.com:

Why Conan O'Brien should write for the internet

[tugmoose]

from cracked.com:

Why Conan O'Brien should write for the internet

Because he's tired of getting paid?

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I think it's pretty obvious that Conan wants to host a late-night talk show. So I'd wager a lot of money that he'll find a way to keep doing that.

[u2roolz]

In case if no one knew the news:

 

Neil Young is the musical guest tonight on Conan.

 

Perhaps he'll play The Network & The Damage Done.

[Col. Hapablap]

In case if no one knew the news:

 

Neil Young is the musical guest tonight on Conan.

 

Perhaps he'll play The Network & The Damage Done.

 

 

Actually, it was "Long May You Run." A fitting song. Will Ferrel was wearing a "Tonight's The Night" t-shirt during the "Freebird" final bit.

[u2roolz]

Thinking out loud: .....

 

OK. I was thinking about this and discussing this with my friends after tonight's episode of The Tonight Show. I suggested that Conan should consider signing with Comedy Central. Imagine Conan being the lead in to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. That's right. Imagine Conan succeeding with a talk/variety show at 10p.m. I think it would strengthen both The Daily Show & The Colbert Report which have gone down since the election (in terms of ratings).

 

Thoughts?

[Moss]

Actually, it was "Long May You Run." A fitting song. Will Ferrel was wearing a "Tonight's The Night" t-shirt during the "Freebird" final bit.

 

That was a great rendition of "Long may you run". Neil is just amazing.

 

Some nice slide guitar work from Ben Harper on Free Bird. Pretty cool seeing Billy Gibbons and Beck up there as well.

[tugmoose]

Let's start casting for The Late Shift II: NBC's Revenge.

 

Letterman:

"Buddy, baby, we love it! But can you give us those Nixon beady eyes?"

[tongue-tied]

A baffling collection of musicians playing a song I kind of hate, with Ferrell butchering the vocals, Conan soloing over four pro guitarists who seem like they are trying to listen and play together, but really have no chance to get it working, moreso because Conan is in his own world. Ferrell pulls out the old cowbell bit, as though burying it in this late night funeral. All in front of a giant American flag. I think that was a metaphor, I think that might have been art.

[tugmoose]

I think that might have been art.

Or stupid.

 

Or both.

[Analogman]

Thinking out loud: .....

 

OK. I was thinking about this and discussing this with my friends after tonight's episode of The Tonight Show. I suggested that Conan should consider signing with Comedy Central. Imagine Conan being the lead in to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. That's right. Imagine Conan succeeding with a talk/variety show at 10p.m. I think it would strengthen both The Daily Show & The Colbert Report which have gone down since the election (in terms of ratings).

 

Thoughts?

 

Seem like I have read that somewhere -

 

Of course, the South Park dudes would not like that.

 

I have also read somewhere that Conan is still tied to NBC by way of his production company.

[cryptique]

A baffling collection of musicians playing a song I kind of hate, with Ferrell butchering the vocals

This is a pretty good description of what happened.

 

Perhaps this is small of me, but I rather hope that a lot of A-list celebrities decline invitations to appear on Leno's show and wait for Conan to get up and running again, wherever and whenever that happens. I doubt it'll go down that way, but I can dream.

[Moss]

A baffling collection of musicians playing a song I kind of hate, with Ferrell butchering the vocals, Conan soloing over four pro guitarists who seem like they are trying to listen and play together, but really have no chance to get it working, moreso because Conan is in his own world. Ferrell pulls out the old cowbell bit, as though burying it in this late night funeral. All in front of a giant American flag. I think that was a metaphor, I think that might have been art.

 

Free Bird gets no respect anymore. I saw it as Conan not taking himself too seriously, inviting some cool people in to play a classic song. It was meant to bring an end to his show, not be some great musical moment. I liked that it seemed loose and off the cuff, not too rehearsed or dramatic with some big Hey Jude refrain or something.

 

Actually he can play a little bit.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Thinking out loud: .....

 

OK. I was thinking about this and discussing this with my friends after tonight's episode of The Tonight Show. I suggested that Conan should consider signing with Comedy Central. Imagine Conan being the lead in to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. That's right. Imagine Conan succeeding with a talk/variety show at 10p.m. I think it would strengthen both The Daily Show & The Colbert Report which have gone down since the election (in terms of ratings).

 

Thoughts?

As awesome as a Conan/Stewart/Colbert run would be, it won't happen.

 

Conan won't come out of this and immediately create controversy by messing with Comedy Central's schedule. They run stuff like South Park in the 10PM slot, and there's no way he'd do anything that would push Stewart/Colbert back.

 

Besides, I don't think he wants to do cable. I'm sure that in the years past, he's gotten offers to host a talk show on cable. But I think he wants the wider audience of a network show.

 

And I loved the Freebird bit. It was a much better way to go out than a Conan speech. I'm happy he gave his wonderful speech, then did the song. It wasn't meant to be perfect. It was Conan ending his show with some friends, playing pretty decent guitar.