Why We're on Team Conan O'Brien

By Mike Hess Posted Jan 11th 2010 08:30AM

PopEater Op-Ed: Conan O'Brien's 2010 is starting off like a kick to the crotch. The brilliant and good-natured comedian who last year moved everything -- his family, his staff -- to Los Angeles to take over Jay Leno's reign of the 'Tonight Show' is now sitting in late-night limbo, and it's all because of the man who it seemed was handing over the keys to a long, successful gig. But instead of passing the torch, Leno buried a grenade in the NBC infrastructure, and now everyone else except Jay is taking shrapnel for it. PopEater is fully endorsing Conan for all future ventures, and we'll gladly explain in detail why ... after the jump.

When word came that Leno was backing away from 'Tonight,' it seemed as though it would be a clean transition for Conan to finally get his starring vehicle that didn't demand people staying up past midnight. He'd be NBC's man, going head-to-head with David Letterman each night, just like Jay had done for decades. Then, randomly and ultimately irresponsibly (hey, he threw the entire network schedule into disarray), Leno decided retirement wasn't what he wanted, and barged into NBC's 10 p.m. time slot, screwing over Conan, prime-time television shows and local NBC affiliates. Many celebrities had loyalties and relationships with Leno, turning the landscape into a tense duel over potential guests. Also, by bouncing earlier to 10 p.m., Leno got the jump on the day's joke fodder in his monologue, leaving Conan to play clean-up later in the night.

O'Brien is generally the smartest guy in the room -- or on television. The Harvard-educated former 'Simpsons' writer is always able to convey his wit in countless ways on his show. Sometimes it's conceptual and ridiculous (see: In the year 2000), sometimes it's lowbrow and idiotic (see: masturbating bear) -- but it's always in good fun and never mean-spirited. Leno, on the other hand, has always had a heavy hand when it comes to making those around him seem lesser. Making people look dumber than him became Jay's schtick over the years -- be it tourists on the street or the 'Jersey Shore' kids. Jay's brand of entertainment was to make Jay look smart and others look dumb. Everyone knows that when you overcompensate, you become easily transparent. Conan doesn't need to resort to antagonizing and "Ha ha, you didn't know that answer" antics because that's low-hanging fruit -- and it's hard to find anyone smarter than him anyway.

Conan essentially altered his entire life to take over 'The Tonight Show.' He left his comfortable New York City life, digs and reputation for Los Angeles, and was repaid with Jay undermining him right off the bat. To boot, now his ultimate reward is not only being initially sabotaged but also muscled out in the long run because the man who screwed everything up has so much clout he's now rewarding himself with his old time slot. Sadly, that's how things go more and more nowadays: Failures and incompetence are overlooked and sometimes rewarded, because loyalty and smooth talking are the only things that matter.

To quote a New York Post source, "this level of sh- - -iness was not expected."

Many will say that Conan just doesn't have the everyman appeal needed to lure in viewers each and every night at 11:30. And while, yes, his show did maintain a certain edge when it was at 12:30, Conan's accessibility has never been in question. He hosted the Emmys in 2006 and won rave reviews, and also has the respect of nearly all his peers. David Letterman, who was O'Brien's direct competitor at 11:30 before Leno's coup, called him "a very funny guy" in 2008, and anyone who knows the oft-grouchy Letterman knows that compliments don't come easy.

Conan, we wish you all the best, and know you'll land on your feet. Perhaps cable TV is your best vehicle at this point. Imagine the creative freedom HBO would give you. So, take this time to regroup, plot your next non-NBC move, and rest-assured that many of us will be thinking of you when Jay slinks back into that 11:30 time slot and has to explain where the funny guy went.

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Conan O'Brien Snapshots

Conan O'Brien is seen here in December at Disney's Imagination Movers in Los Angeles. Click for More Pics of Conan and His Show >>>

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Amy Adams Snapshots

Actress Amy Adams (Right) and actor Darren Le Gallo attends the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Directors Guild Theatre on January 6, 2010 in New York City. "Leap Year" New York Premiere - Outside Arrivals Directors Guild Theatre New York, NY United States January 6, 2010 Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage.com To license this image (59235392), contact WireImage.com

Jim Spellman/WireImage.com

Actress Amy Adams attends the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Directors Guild Theatre on January 6, 2010 in New York City. "Leap Year" New York Premiere - Outside Arrivals Directors Guild Theatre New York, NY United States January 6, 2010 Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage.com To license this image (59235381), contact WireImage.com

Jim Spellman/WireImage.com

NEW YORK - JANUARY 06: Actress Amy Adams attends the after party for the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Rouge Tomate on January 6, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Amy Adams

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NEW YORK - JANUARY 06: Actor Matthew Goode and actress Amy Adams the after party for the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Rouge Tomate on January 6, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matthew Goode;Amy Adams

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NEW YORK - JANUARY 06: Actor Matthew Goode and actress Amy Adams attend the after party for the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Rouge Tomate on January 6, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matthew Goode;Amy Adams

Getty Images

Actor Matthew Goode and actress Amy Adams attend the after party for the premiere of "Leap Year" at the Rouge Tomate on January 6, 2010 in New York City. "Leap Year" New York Premiere - After Party Rouge Tomate New York, NY United States January 6, 2010 Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com To license this image (17093661), contact WireImage.com

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

Tags: conan obrien, ConanObrien, jay leno, JayLeno, nbc, The Tonight Show, TheTonightShow

Comments

(914)

Monday 11 January

By SecretPact

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

There's just not much of a "guarantee" about anything today, especially employment. Just watch the movie "Network". I presume this is sort of the way it really works in network television. Sorry, somebody has "got-to-go."

By Cappy

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

The only thing funny about Leno is his helmet haircut.

By meruss

Yes, somebody has got to go and let it be Leno. Conan is new and fresh and his jokes are funnier. I quit watching Leno because his material is smut.

By ashleigh

The writer of this article is off-base & inaccurate & has missed 2 main points: 1st, NBC is who FORCED Leno to "retire" all because O'BRIEN was saying he wouldn't stay with NBC if he didn't get Leno's Tonight Show gig -- so how fair was that? I'd say Leno took more than shrapnal for that eviction! And 2nd, Leno was KING of nighttime -- kicked Letterman's butt night after night, but now Letterman is King because O'Brien isn't cutting it, regardless of his academic brilliance! As to Leno's show not working out at 10:00, no surprise! People are busy at 10:00 watching other Prime Time shows and cable, but it's not failing because of Leno... Putting Leno back to where he always was a ratings King, and never wanted to retire in the 1st Place, it just makes sense... O'Brien is the one who threatened to leave if he didn't get his chance at The Tonight show, so NBC cow-towed to O'Brien, forced Leno to retire, gave O'Brien the show, and the O'Brien's Tonight Show has been tanking ever since!!! How in the world is that LENO's fault?! Your article acts like Leno is the one sticking to O'Brien, when in fact, it's O'Brien who stuck it to Leno by threatening NBC, and let NBC ultimately stick it to Leno, and O'Brien is failing... I'm team Leno on this one...

By Coonie

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Conan should be on a television reality show.

By luvrzoo

military families move all the time. He has been paid millions. Feel sorry for him? I think not. Neither one of them is funny.

By BurrRobson

The writer overlooks the fact that had Conan been funny enough and had Conan put on a good enough show, he wouldn't be going now. Sure Leno has first shot at the day's happenings as a basis for his jokes, but it's silly to think that people can only hear about it once. Finally, the columnist is wrong about Leno's humor being at the expense of others. When he does that gig he looks silly and bemused, and that makes it funny.

By Susan

Ashley, everyone, except you, knows that when Leno signed his last contract, he stated that when his contract was up, he was done, he was retiring. It was a foregone conclusion and a well known fact that Conan O'Brien would take over the Tonight Show. Leno wasn't forced out. The so-called "King" left, and then changed his mind, because I guess being faced with a life bereft of people to make fun of was too much for his ego to bear. I feel badly for Conan. What they did to him really stinks.

By Al

While that may be true, NBC and Leno are giving Conan the royal screw. Conan has been loyal to NBC, moving across the country for his new show only to have the rug pulled out from under him. While I am not really a Conan fan, he deserves better. Boo to Leno, I wish you total failure in your old new time slot.

By Missing Johnny!

Too tired at 11:30PM to watch Leno, Conan or Letterman...but bring back re-runs of the Late Show with Johnny Carson and I'll consider staying up to watch - totally funny, not to hi-brow yet not raunchy humor either. Loved Carnak with sidekick Ed. No one to date has filled Johnny's shoes in my humble opinion. Since we should not live in the past, my vote goes to Jimmy Fallon... :)

By jocottone

leno is an organ sucker

Friday 15 January

By Tex

I am trying to muster some sympathy for these dueling multi-millionaires, but I'm having no luck.

Wednesday 10 March

By marti

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it still doesn't make it right to treat people like crap! you wonder why there are so many "crazies" out there? wonder why so many seemingly "normal" people go postal???? it is a very sad, mean USA these days. A lot of people are "mad as hell"!!! But if you aren't rich and /or famous...nobody gives a rats ass!

By Dana

1. Leno never wanted to retire
2. NBC forced the move out of leno because NBC didnt want to loose Conan at the end of his contract to another network.
3. NBC offered Leno the primetime gig so he would't jump to another network.
4. Conan's audience is down 52% from Jay's audience and he is killing the timeslot by the widest margin ever in the history of that time slot
5. Jay is not asking to bemoved back to 11:30, NBC wants him back there and so do the affiliates.
6. CONAN IS NOT FUNNY

I do feel bad for Conan, but he is not out ANY money, this is the way show business works, jut like TV shows are canceled all the time and replaced with something new.

Again, CONAN IS NOT FUNNY

By lildoxielvr1

Dana is 100% on the money. Leno was a success in the late night time slot and NBC forced him out. Now it's trying desperately to clean up a mess of its own making. Leno said repeatedly that he did not want to retire and NBC pressed on. I don't see how that any of Leno's making. And after all, we can talk about ratings and time slots, but these are jobs to these guys, and why should Leno be forced to hand over his job when he was, apparently, doing it quite well?

By Andy

Totally agree!

By Carlos

I notice you didn't say that leno WAS funny. and just for the record, leno is not, never was and will never be funny.

By Mike B.

Jay is not funny...I repeat Jay is not funny. Part of the reason Conan's ratings are low is because Leno isn't bringing in the ratings to follow into the news, which effects Conan. And besides that, Leno's ratings were dismal when he took over for Johnny. Also, Jay did not want to retire...That's well known. But he should have had the balls then to say he didn't want to, and that he would have gone to another network if forced to. As well, Jay did want the 11:30 slot back...He stated that only two months ago, saying "If they offered it back to me, I'd take it." Letterman helped launch Jay's career...Then Leno stabbed him in the back by stealing away The Tonight Show while knowing it had always been Dave's dream to take over for Carson. By the way, Johnny wanted Dave as his successor, not Leno. Letterman was offered The Tonight Show after he received the offer from CBS (NBC was going to give it to him after Jay's contract ran out in 2 years)...But Letterman didn't want to be perceived as a backstabber like he knew Leno was). Now Leno is doing it again...Throwing a colleague and so called "friend" under the bus. I repeat, LENO IS NOT FUNNY!!!

By Rusty Shakelford

Simple fact is that Conan's viewers have higher IQs than Jay's viewers. Sadly, Jay's viewers don't have enough brain cells to rub together the understand this.

Both Jay and Conan are funny, but Jay is plays it safe and dumb. His jokes require no thought and the applause sign just goes off in your head. Conan on the other hand is much more imaginative and sometimes abstract. He is self aware and audience aware at the same time.

By Keith

Whether or not Conan is funny is in the eye of the beholder, but on the facts of how this all evolved...Dana is spot on!

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