Just caught a blurb on CNN that Jay Leno will go back to his old time slot and Conan O'Brien will move back to his old time slot. I'm not sure if Jay will get the Tonight Show back or not though. Interesting........I guess NBC didn't want another debacle like the Leno-Letterman war of 1993.

I can't find a link online.....I just saw it on TV (I'll post a link when I find one).


Hmmm.....all I could find online was this People magazine article: http://www.people.com/peopl...%3A+Top+Headlines%29

[This message has been edited by mrfiero (edited 01-07-2010).]

Fox is killing them in that time slot. I would watch Leno if he would switch to a different network. I refuse to watch NBC for so much as one minute.

http://www.reuters.com/arti...pe=entertainmentNews

just a lousy time for that kind of show. not sure shy. maybe you need to be a little sleepy for such nonsense.....

Everybody is bagging on Leno for the poor ratings, but am I the only one here that thinks Conan sucks? Leno will get some laughs out of me at least. So I'm happy to hear that he will bump Conan back to "I'm going to sleep" time.

quote Originally posted by Wichita: Everybody is bagging on Leno for the poor ratings, but am I the only one here that thinks Conan sucks? Leno will get some laughs out of me at least. So I'm happy to hear that he will bump Conan back to "I'm going to sleep" time.

Ditto.

I like Leno more than Conan too, but I don't totally dislike Conan. My wife feels the same way and thinks Conan tries too hard to be funny. I guess his comedic style isn't as likeable as Leno's.

I stopped watching when Carson left.

I stopped watching when Parr left.

I stopped watching when.......................who am I kidding, I never watched it!

When I worked second shift decades ago, I'd come home abd watch Carson, then Tom Snyder. I still think Carson was the best. I do think the selection of Leno over Letterman was a better choice for NBC. Leno is better than Letterman. I have watched the 10 PM Leno show and like it. When/if he goes back to the late night, it is just too late for me to keep awake. Conan was never funny.

[This message has been edited by Old Lar (edited 01-08-2010).]

Leno < Conan. I've never cared for Leno. Letterman and Conan, are funny. I liked having Conan early enough that I didn't have to force myself to stay awake to watch. His new show (and Leno's new show) isn't nearly as good as the old format.

Leno >>>>>> Fallon. Watching Jimmy Fallon host a night show is like watching Drew Carrey host 'The Price is Right': It's completely unwatchable.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: Leno < Conan. I've never cared for Leno. Letterman and Conan, are funny. I liked having Conan early enough that I didn't have to force myself to stay awake to watch. His new show (and Leno's new show) isn't nearly as good as the old format. Leno >>>>>> Fallon. Watching Jimmy Fallon host a night show is like watching Drew Carrey host 'The Price is Right': It's completely unwatchable.

I was going to create a new thread to discuss this but I searched first and figured bring this thread back to the top was ok. (Thanks OP)
As I read this thread I wondered the ages of the guys posting, it's evident in thier preference. I love Conan and Leno but I think it's time for Leno to hang it up. His punchlines just dont have the same zing they had a decade ago. Go out on top I say....to late for Leno huh?

As for Carson....THUMBS DOWN!

[This message has been edited by WBailey1041 (edited 01-13-2010).]

Personally, I love Conan. Leno is allright but I've never cared for Letterman. If Conan leaves, I suspect I'll just delete NBC from my TV's memory...

Looks like Conan is leaving though: http://www.nowpublic.com/cu...n-obrien-leaving-nbc

I always though O'Brien was the dumbest guy on latenight tv--till I saw Fallon one night. Fallon's inability to master continuity makes him just a tad worse than O'Brien and his munchkinlike walkon at the beginning. Is he having spastic contortions or what?

I'm 38 and grew up watching Carson & Letterman, then later on Leno and Conan when he took over Letterman's job. I like/liked them all, but I too think Leno's time has come and gone (sadly, I feel the same about Letterman too). Conan isn't so bad....it's just a different brand of humor that you either get or not. I can say I've never really cared much for Jimmy Fallon....never seen his late night show and probably won't.

That said, I think Conan is getting a bum deal. He took over the Tonight Show, but NBC still treats him like a red-headed step child (pun intended) by having him continually follow Leno. The fact that they want to change the Tonight Shows time slot to make this happen is disturbing and was unthinkable under any of the previous hosts tenure. I feel bad for Conan....he got his dream job, but there wound up being a million strings attached.

That's because he didn't have the pull or 'star power' the previous hosts had. His brand of humor alienated too large a portion of traditional Tonight Show viewers and they went elsewhere, so he has to accept part of the blame for the poor ratings--thus his lack of clout in what timeslot the show gets or who leads into his show. He should be at peak now, and still he can't beat the other networks--so--he will most likely join them.

quote Originally posted by mrfiero: I'm 38 and grew up watching Carson & Letterman, then later on Leno and Conan when he took over Letterman's job. I like/liked them all, but I too think Leno's time has come and gone (sadly, I feel the same about Letterman too). Conan isn't so bad....it's just a different brand of humor that you either get or not. I can say I've never really cared much for Jimmy Fallon....never seen his late night show and probably won't. That said, I think Conan is getting a bum deal. He took over the Tonight Show, but NBC still treats him like a red-headed step child (pun intended) by having him continually follow Leno. The fact that they want to change the Tonight Shows time slot to make this happen is disturbing and was unthinkable under any of the previous hosts tenure. I feel bad for Conan....he got his dream job, but there wound up being a million strings attached.

I've heard about the possible "shuffle" but i didn't read any of the links above.
Having said that, I heard on the radio yesterday that Conan has pretty much said, "Oh, hell no!" in response to NBC's plans.
Maybe he'll end up following Letterman out the door.
All just speculation of course.

Having said all that...
I liked Carson and his whole crew. He had a formula that just worked.
He was from the era of a lot of people who I consider to be Masters at the art of Comedy. Probably has to do with the time period when I grew up, too.
I always thought that Letterman should have replaced him. Letterman was always the "renegade". You never knew what he was going to do.
I like Leno too, though. I've always liked him. Still remember when he was doing Stand-up at the Punchline.
Conan's humor is okay. It's not "un-funny" or anything, but it doesn't really do it for me.

I liked Carson best by far. I liked Leno on the tonite show, and will watch Letterman if hes got interesting guest. I think Conan sucks. I guess yesterday Conan says he will quit...not interested in midnite. I think Conan is on his way downhill. Ill even say his career is done for the most part.

Carson was great, Leno darn good, O'Brien just plain sucks IMO.

Letterman is barely worth watching. Just my .02 worth.

Ron

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 01-13-2010).]

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: is like watching Drew Carrey host 'The Price is Right': It's completely unwatchable.

Could be worse, they were considering Rosie Odonell....

O'Brien rejects NBC's proposal to follow Leno at 12:05 a.m.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Conan O'Brien says he's rejecting NBC's attempt to move "The Tonight Show" to a post-midnight slot to accommodate Jay Leno's return to late-night.

In a statement Tuesday, O'Brien says that NBC has given him a scant seven months to try to establish himself as host of "Tonight."

NBC wants to move "The Jay Leno Show" out of prime-time and to the 11:35 p.m. EST daily slot, bumping "Tonight" to 12:05 p.m. EST.

O'Brien said he hoped he and NBC could resolve the issue quickly so he could do a show of which he and his crew could be proud — "for a company that values our work" — raising the possibility he might go to another network. But he said he has no such offer.

O'Brien released the statement below on 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.

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 12:05 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 12:05 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
http://tv.msn.com/tv/articl...ews=451417>1=28103

The network is playing hardball, and says he has a contract, and they don't intend to let him out of it.

lol - the tonight show will be tommarow? (12:05)
anyways - never really cared for these shows anyways
Howard Stern makes these guy seem trite
and - its past bedtime
which I think is the only reason these shows existed - is because back in the day, being able to stay up & watch the "late shows" was cool. but, nowadays, with endless choices on cable, and the 24 hr day - the conditions which made the shows seem cool & thrive no longer exist.

The Tomorrow Show, was Tom Snyder's old gig.

quote Originally posted by Wichita: Everybody is bagging on Leno for the poor ratings, but am I the only one here that thinks Conan sucks? Leno will get some laughs out of me at least. So I'm happy to hear that he will bump Conan back to "I'm going to sleep" time.

The problem was that Leno's audience is not Conans audience. They both have massive amounts of fans. NBC just did the worst things possible, removed the shows from the time slots where current fans were able to watch them, and also watered both shows content down to try and appeal to different audiences.

I'm thinking NBC may be getting new leadership in the near future, it would appear it's long over due.

Ron

Conan was never a favorite of mine. Good writer, not that great on TV.

Back in the day, If I'm up, I would watch Letterman, unless it was a repeat, then Leno.

OTOH, I'm surprised at how well Jimmy Fallon has grown into the late night slot on NBC.
He and Craig Ferguson are the best things on late night TV, IMO.
TIVO worthy.

[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 01-13-2010).]

quote Originally posted by maryjane: The network is playing hardball, and says he has a contract, and they don't intend to let him out of it.

actually its the other way around. He has said he will either do the show at 1130 or he's not doing the show. The ball is in there court. They really didn't give him a chance to get an audience. You have to remember . ...When leno took over the tonight show he had already done the show quite often sitting in for johny carson so the audience was already used to him and it was a smooth transition. Conan was not that lucky. It was a whole new ball game for him.

quote Originally posted by NEPTUNE: OTOH, I'm surprised at how well Jimmy Fallon has grown into the late night slot on NBC. He and Craig Ferguson are the best things on late night TV, IMO. TIVO worthy.

Ferguson for sure is good.
Fallon? IMO he is the "weakest link" goodbye.

I have been watching the Late Night Wars over the last few weeks as I have several friend in the industry, many of who are comics and stand-up comedians that has worked with Leno, Letternan and Conan for years and something that never seems to be brought up is why Leno left in the first place. Jay Leno is far from perfect (ask David Letterman, the hand picked by Johnny Carson heir to the Tonight Show the was out maneuvered by Leno to get the show). However, it was Conan's sabre rattling that got Leno bounced in the first place. Leno was #1 and has been for years in his late night time slot and Conan threatened to go to another network if he did not get a shot at Tonight Show. Although Leno was tops he was "told" that he was being replaced by Conan because NBC wanted a younger demographic (what a load of crap). Conan made a powerplay and won the first round and nobody seemed to say a thing about "poor Jay". Being forced to retire while you are the top rated show doesn't hold water, but Leno handled it with class and dignity. Conan takes over the slot 8 months earlier than agreed (at Conan's demand), nobody says "poor Jay". Conan takes over the show and his numbers are nowhere near Leno's (4 months before Leno's new show "took away" audience from Conan). Leno's comes on stream and his show tanks (how could it have done anything else in that slot?) and Conan's show still loses audience. NBC is bleeding red ink and they want ad $$$ so they come up with the "brilliant" idea to let Conan keep the Tonight Show (which they took away from Jay Leno) but push him back to 12:05 (that would be the "Tomorrow Show" as pointed out earlier). Conan says he won't do it (as if now he has some scruples) , they offer The Tonight Show Back to Leno and then Conan's fans cry foul?? Where were all of these people when Leno got forced out in the first place? Conan is a victim of nobody but himself. While I think everyone has their own style and he does have a following, Conan is clearly an "acquired" (college humor much?) taste. I grew up watching Johnny Carson and nobody: not Leno, Letterman, Conan, Kimmel: nobody will ever have the style or whit of Carson.

Conan may well find another gig and maybe he can prove himself. If and when he surpasses Leno, Letterman or even Kimmel then he can claim he was mistreated. Until then he hasn't proven squat except what a sore loser he appears to be. I suspect none of this would have ever happened if NBC had waited until Leno's audience started to decline. To be fair to Conan I suspect it took Leno longer than 7 months to bring up his numbers and he wasn't competing with anyone either.

Payback is a b*tch on all levels. I don't know that I will watch any of them again.

[This message has been edited by infinitewill (edited 01-30-2010).]

I don't think that "younger demographic" exists as much as the network believes it did. Too much competition for their time from other entertainment media--computer--gaming--music means TV is their last choice of venues in many cases.

quote Originally posted by infinitewill: I have been watching the Late Night Wars over the last few weeks as I have several friend in the industry, many of who are comics and stand-up comedians that has worked with Leno, Letternan and Conan for years and something that never seems to be brought up is why Leno left in the first place. Jay Leno is far from perfect (ask David Letterman, the hand picked by Johnny Carson heir to the Tonight Show the was out maneuvered by Leno to get the show). However, it was Conan's sabre rattling that got Leno bounced in the first place. Leno was #1 and has been for years in his late night time slot and Conan threatened to go to another network if he did not get a shot at Tonight Show. Although Leno was tops he was "told" that he was being replaced by Conan because NBC wanted a younger demographic (what a load of crap). Conan made a powerplay and won the first round and nobody seemed to say a thing about "poor Jay". Being forced to retire while you are the top rated show doesn't hold water, but Leno handled it with class and dignity. Conan takes over the slot 8 months earlier than agreed (at Conan's demand), nobody says "poor Jay". Conan takes over the show and his numbers are nowhere near Leno's (4 months before Leno's new show "took away" audience from Conan). Leno's comes on stream and his show tanks (how could it have done anything else in that slot?) and Conan's show still loses audience. NBC is bleeding red ink and they want ad $$$ so they come up with the "brilliant" idea to let Conan keep the Tonight Show (which they took away from Jay Leno) but push him back to 12:05 (that would be the "Tomorrow Show" as pointed out earlier). Conan says he won't do it (as if now he has some scruples) , they offer The Tonight Show Back to Leno and then Conan's fans cry foul?? Where were all of these people when Leno got forced out in the first place? Conan is a victim of nobody but himself. While I think everyone has their own style and he does have a following, Conan is clearly an "acquired" (college humor much?) taste. I grew up watching Johnny Carson and nobody: not Leno, Letterman, Conan, Kimmel: nobody will ever have the style or whit of Carson. Conan may well find another gig and maybe he can prove himself. If and when he surpasses Leno, Letterman or even Kimmel then he can claim he was mistreated. Until then he hasn't proven squat except what a sore loser he appears to be. I suspect none of this would have ever happened if NBC had waited until Leno's audience started to decline. To be fair to Conan I suspect it took Leno longer than 7 months to bring up his numbers and he wasn't competing with anyone either. Payback is a b*tch on all levels. I don't know that I will watch any of them again.

I'm curious how you know all this? Seems like a lot of speculation unless you know someone on the inside?

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: I'm curious how you know all this? Seems like a lot of speculation unless you know someone on the inside?

Or, he listened as David Letterman explained it all during the opening dialogue on his show--at least once--maybe several times.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Or, he listened as David Letterman explained it all during the opening dialogue on his show--at least once--maybe several times.

And Letterman has no dog in this race? No reason to make Conan, Jay, and NBC in general all look bad?

Not really.
1. The Letterman show was already #1 and has been since Leno left the tonight show.

2. Stupid Little Dance Conan, Big Jaw Leno, and their network were already doing a splendid job of making themselves look bad--nothing Letterman might say could possibly make it any worse.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Not really. 1. The Letterman show was already #1 and has been since Leno left the tonight show. 2. Stupid Little Dance Conan, Big Jaw Leno, and their network were already doing a splendid job of making themselves look bad--nothing Letterman might say could possibly make it any worse.

Aaaaaaaand, He feels he 1) got screwed over by NBC, 2) had "his" Tonight Show gig stolen by Leno, and 3) was replaced on "his" Late Show by Conan.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 01-30-2010).]

He didn't say so, but If that's your opinion..........

AFAIK and remember, Leno was Johnny Carson's hand picked replacement.
NBC couldn't/wouldn't pay Letterman what he was worth at contract renewal time, so he switched networks and has been beating NBC with their decision every since. Leno beat him in ratings some of the time, but not terribly consistently. If Conan O'butthead had stayed with the tonight show for 10 years, he still wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hades of beating Letterman. He's just too stupid--tho he did play his last hand rather well--$40 million worth, which only means he's a wealthy idiot.
Leno will give Letterman the competition that has been lacking for the last year.

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 01-30-2010).]

quote Originally posted by maryjane: He didn't say so, but If that's your opinion..........

That's where we started. One man (Letterman) speculating on what's going on over at NBC. His opinion, not mine. But apparently I'm not allowed to speculate as to his motives for speculating.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 01-30-2010).]

I wonder what NBC is going to do when Leno's contract expires in a couple of years. That is the real reason the gave him the earlier show. They didn't want to lose him to another network while he was being replaced by Conan. Leno had wanted to retire and enjoy his hobbies but they wouldn't let him go. He probably would be doing a gig in Vegas on the weekends if they had let him go. One thing is for sure, when his contract is up this time we will find out where NBC and Leno really stand with each other.