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.

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Tags: jay leno, jay leno show

Comments

(130)

Wednesday 13 January

By homecareking

Vote down Vote up Report this

The smartest move Jay could make would be to take the tonight show back but put ultimate stipulations that Obrien stays as well and with a raise ect. Otherwise both will walk. Obrien doesn't deserve to be shoved around neither does Leno. Have a iron clad contract saying can't be fired .............no matter what or both of them walk. But i know obrien being the senseble guy he is will probably go to FOX network and take some of the ratings from letterman and leno in the end... Watch and see if i'm right on this one. ;)

I do agree 100 percent. The smartest move NBC could do right now is hire both LENO and OBRIEN and put them both on the tonight show 90 minutes each night. Wake up NBC.............. use your pea brains for a change.............. l;)

By Bruce

I love Conan. I ALWAYS thought he was funnier than Leno, Letterman or an older Carson! But let's get real people. This isn't about how funny someone is or their dream job or dignity. It's about ratings. I think networks are pretty darn consistent on one thing -- they keep shows with high ratings. The exceptions are few and far between. Conan, as funny as he is, just isn't doing the trick. Is it because of the prime-time line-up? Maybe, maybe not. But ask yourself something, wouldn't it have been easier to place Leno AFTER Conan and Fallon? Sure. And no shake ups with show time slots. But the fact is that NBC knows that Leno, as vanilla as he might be, will drive higher ratings than Conan WITHOUT the need for prime-time improvement. Sad but true. Surprising? No. After all, half the population believes in creation over evolution. If you've got a new employee at your job and they aren't performing as well but it's their "dream" job and there's someone else at the job that could do the work better, what are you going to do? Conan can fix this himself -- by getting higher ratings. Perhaps he should sleep with a lot of women. Seems to create Late Night Kings.

By Rahim

I'm 100% behind Conan, but I'm also 100% behind Jay.

NBC has made this decision on their own, without Jay Leno's approval. They have not only put Jay in a bad position, but have now turned him into "the bad guy."

With all due respect to Conan O'Brien, he just isn't delivering the high ratings that NBC wants him to. This would be a great time for a sequel to The Late Shift to capture all of this drama. Michael Moore, I hope you are taking notes.

By eric

HEY LENO...LEAVE NBC...THEY'RE JUST ABOUT TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS FOR KEEPING TRUTH FROM AMERICA BOTH POLITICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. YOU CAN DO BETTER ELSEWHERE. HAVE A NICE DAY.

By Collier5

Amazing that NBC has destroyed the Tonight Show with this nonsense. Leno's 10:00 time change was a network decision not his own. Now both Leno and O'Brien are feeling the effects of stupidity. The person that is getting the last laugh is Letterman who they also screwed. NBC deserves to lose both talents and they definitely deserve anything that happens to the network. Crazy!!

By dondoy

eric:
HEY LENO...LEAVE NBC...THEY'RE JUST ABOUT TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS FOR KEEPING TRUTH FROM AMERICA BOTH POLITICALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. YOU CAN DO BETTER ELSEWHERE. HAVE A NICE DAY.

I agree!

By pavlovsky

S Cowell is an idiot--and the shows sucks!

By Susan

where ever Jay Leno goes I will watch. Conan and Jay are being shuffled because of the stations loss of money - they should think of whats best for them and stay or go!

By audrey

Zeff Zuckerman should be the one with walking papers. He has brought NBC to the dismal level it is now.Immelt is an idiot for backing this moron. I hope both Jay and Conan hit the road and find a better deal. NBC sucks.

By LARRY

ARE YOU SURE THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT RUNNING NBC,SOUNDS AND ACTS JUST LIKE CONGRESS.YOU KNOW THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY'RE DOING EITHER!

By Deacon

These young,impatient,greedy corporate morons have already ruined the radio industry.....now television. Even though I was never a big fan of Conan, I find his treatment repulsive. If rumors are true that Leno may exit NBC behind Conan, I applaud the move. What has happened to good old fashioned integrity and good business sense? Once again, the general public is tired of being forced fed idiotic, impulse decisions that affect our lives by Hollywood or Government. I'd say send the NBC execs packin', not the talent.

What is midnight? I never understood staying up and going to work tired. If the show isn't on by 10pm--I don't care!

By Mrs. T

To Here's Johnny:
Could not agree with you more. What a great idea. I would watch reruns of his shows in a heartbeat and they have 30 years of shows to choose from. He was the quintessential late night host and none of these guys can fill his shoes. I am sure he and Ed McMahon are having a good laugh over this mess.

By rob shuter

i totally think leno should say bye bye.....

By steve

NBC: NO BODY CARES!

really jay is so rich he doesnt need the money. what happens if he goes back and viewers dont follow.....

By PAMELA S

To Jay Leno, c/o NBC..

Jay Leno shoudn't leave night time television. I find as always, you humor is funny, as well as exciting.

If there should be a time change...change the news to 10:30 PM or even 10:00 PM. Put Jay on at 11:30 or 11:00. Conan O'brian whould stay, also.

Jay you realy helped many, many people in the area of Wilmington, Ohio. A county next to mine.

The bastard David Letterman, is the one that should GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Can't stand him, never will! the womanizing bastard!

PAMELA S

By john

How bout they just get rid of the dumbies running NBC......I liked Jay but people right time for him to step down....Conan i just don t understand but he is being done terrible wrong.....They both need to walk and people should boycot NBC for a month....Someone needs to arrange it so everyone will start the same day......Good Luck NBC..... THE No Broadcast Channel

By kiesjo

NBC? DOES ANYONE REALLY WATCH THAT OTHER THAN LATE NIGHT? THEY SHOULD BOTH WALK.TELL NBC TO GO TO ****NBC IS GOING DOWN THE TUBES AND THE SOONER THE BETTER.

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