Jay Leno May Walk Out of NBC, Too

By Rob Shuter Posted Jan 13th 2010 07:05AM

EXCLUSIVE: First Conan O'Brien says goodbye to NBC, and now Jay Leno might have one foot out the door as well. Oh, what a mess! Word is Jay is furious with the Peacock network for 'Tonight'-gate (trademark!) and may soon walk. More Jay details after the jump, plus Ryan's teary-eyed Simon emotions and why Brangelina won't be at the Globes after the jump!

First Conan O'Brien Leaves, Now Jay Leno?

Sources close to former 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno tell me he is furious with the way NBC has treated him and Conan O'Brien and is considering walking away from the entire mess with his head held high. "Now that Conan has made it clear he is leaving the troubled network, Jay is considering doing the same. They have put Jay in a terrible position. It looks like he is the reason that Conan is now without a job. Jay is a great guy and it's not fair that due to NBC's stupidity he looks like the bad guy," a TV insider tells me.

"Plus, what happens when Jay does return to the 11:35 slot if his audience doesn't immediately follow? How can he possibly trust the same network that canceled Conan after only seven months?"

Check out the morals on Jay! Good for him for sticking up for the guy he essentially got shoved out. And remember, if this mess continues and Jerry Seinfeld winds up on NBC, you heard it here first.

Ryan in Tears Over Split From Simon

Just before Simon Cowell announced he was quitting 'Idol,' he called the one person in the world that he just can't quit. No, not Paula Abdul -- Simon called Ryan Seacrest. "It was a very emotional conversation with lots of tears and laughter." Stop the presses! Simon cries? "Yes he does." a source tells me. And despite the fact that Simon swears Ryan was "popping Champagne bottles" to celebrate his departure (via Extra), I'm hearing otherwise.

When I met Ryan a few years ago, he told me how much Simon meant to him and I would often see them out together. "Ryan is devastated by the news. Taking it much harder than anyone else. It's not just that he will no longer be working with his best friend, he also knows 'Idol' is the center of what has made him so successful. Without 'Idol,' Ryan wouldn't have E!, wouldn't have his current radio gig and wouldn't have made it onto People's 'Most Sexy' list," which apparently is a big deal to little Ryan.

But fear not, Seacrest! Look at how well Jessica is doing without Nick. Oh, wait a minute.

And not to play "I told you so," (I'm too classy!) but remember last week when I said Simon was on his way out and 'Idol' would be minimizing his role this year? Well ...

Angie Ditches the Globes Without Telling Brad!

Everyone was surprised yesterday when Angelina Jolie's stylist announced the couple wouldn't be attending Sunday's Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood, but no one was more surprised than Brad himself. "He thought he was going to support his nominated film 'Inglourious Basterds.' He's very close friends with director Quentin Tarantino and very proud of his work in this film," an astonished friend revealed to me.

Put away the tux, Brad -- Angie has spoken and you will be watching it on the TV like the rest of us.

Read All of Rob's Columns

Got a tip for Rob? Email him at NaughtyNiceRob@aol.com
Follow Rob on FaceBook: www.hs.facebook.com/rshuter
Who's Rob Shuter? Read His Bio

Tags: jay leno, jay leno show

Comments

(130)

Wednesday 10 February

By LMg

Vote down Vote up Report this

Really? You are really going the route that Leno is "sticking up for Conan with this? If Jay had any concern over other people in the first place this whole situation would have never happened. He would have told NBC "No, I will not take the 11:35 spot. That is Conan's spot. Put me on after Carson Daly, so no one is out of a job because of me."

Wednesday 17 February

By Deb

David....Jay did NOT change his mind. NBC saw Conan's ratings failing....Get your facts straight before posting garbage. AND Conan signed this contract because NBC MADE Jay sign it 6 years ago. BOTH Jay and Conan should say BYE BYE to NBC...NBC should NEVER have signed a nobody 6 years ago. Conan is an idiot only for the younger viewers who are drugged out and drunk at that late hour that his old show was on.

Wednesday 13 January

By carole131

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Both Jay Leno & Conan O'Brien should "shake the dust off their feet" & leave NBC. They've both been treated shabbily.

By Richard

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Dump them both ... Jay is past his prime; Conan never had one.

By nutnbtwork

Richard is correct. Conan never had a prime; only Jimmy Fallon is worse. There will never be anyone as good as Carson was in this genre.

By STEVE

RICHARD: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

By Tina

Jay is like a Tickle Me Plant Google it!

By bobby

Leno has always sucked!

By kg042253

I agree with Carole; NBC has treated them both badly and Jay & Conan deserve better than that!

By alicia

First of all, Jay is late night, without question. There should have never been any dispute where Jay was concerned. Jay has been around much longer than Conan. He is much more funnier and the original show, and current is fun to watch. Conan has always been boring with a dry, paste-ty humor that never caught my attention. His show put me to sleep. Jay should have first choice, with a full slot. Conan should just take the money he made and run.

By geo

Jay and his people should have known better than to make that move in the first place. Carson was about the only stand-up that could have pulled that move off. Jay's being put in a hell of a position and the only honorable way out is for him suck it up and step away from NBC altogether or it'll be a downhill slide from here on out.

By David

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

You said that Jay Leno IS the tonight show. WRONG

If that were true he would have been able to take that with him on his new show. Besides that, It is not a matter of who is funnier. It is a m matter of, doing the right thing. They already gave it to Conan, so Conan should not have to leave now that Leno changed his mind.

Shame on NBC

By joan page

who is this guy conan?i never liked leno

By Donovan

Corporate greed at rears its ugly head once again. Its all about the money folks. As well as a slap in the face for both Leno and O'Brien. But lets face it. Leno and O'Brien both have bills to pay just like you and I do. So, needless to say. Both Leno and O'Brien will in fact have no choice but along with NBC's corporate decisions. Or these two will most likely end up jobless. Needless to say, neither Leno or O'Brien can financially afford to walk away from NBC. So, kick in the nads or not. Leno and O'Brien. Will in fact do as they are told do, by the powers that be, at NBC.

Have you not been reading!

Conan said he will be leaving. Its all over the news.

By Charlie

Wrong! Conan's leaving and Jay will follow, leaving the witless management idiots at NBC overseeing their own self-made wake.

By GrammyB

Leno may have bills to pay, but he has plenty of money. He doesn't spend the money he makes at NBC. He does stand up 180 nights a year and that's what he lives on.

He didn't suggest leaving the 11:30 slot, but Conan's contract was running out five years ago and NBC was afraid he'd leave. They persuaded Leno to retire in 2009 so they could keep Conan.

Rumor has it that Conan will be going to Fox at 11. How will he do against Jon Stewart?

By Ann

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

You must be kidding. I don't know about Conan's finances but Jay Leno has more money than he will ever need. The only reason he took the prime time spot is because he is a Workaholic. He had agreed to retire and let Conan take the Tonight show but then he changed his mind and did not want to retire. He really should have just retired at that time and he would have left ON TOP. That would have saved all of this embarrassment. Conan moved his family and relocated for this job. It is not fair to him.

By Stacy

I think that FOX 11 should have a show with BOTH Conan and Jay on it TOGETHER. THAT will solve the problems. Conan fans will watch and Jays fans will watch....hahaha

By Mike

You is running this ship of fools.Maybe the inmates.

Page 1 of 7