Late-Night Hosts Gang Up to Pummel NBC
If NBC was hoping to brush the whole Conan/Leno debacle under the table, they should get ready for a long, hard ride if last night's late-night assault on the Peacock network was any indication. Conan reamed NBC for essentially pushing him out, Jay alluded to it but mostly avoided Conan's situation, and other network hosts chimed in as well.
After the jump, a breakdown of all the 'Tonight'-gate commentary on Tuesday.
Conan's Colossal Day
Hours after releasing a statement saying that he had no interest in manning 'The Tonight Show' if it was bumped to 12:05 am -- marking perhaps the biggest middle-finger letter from employer to boss we've ever seen -- Conan didn't hold back during his Tuesday monologue. He joked: "I've been giving the situation a lot of thought. When I was a little boy, I remember watching 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson and thinking 'One day, I'm going to host that show for seven months.'"
Perhaps the biggest NBC barb was when Conan said of the current situation: "NBC said they were planning on having the late-night situation figured out before the Olympics start. And let me tell you something, when NBC says something, you can take that to the bank."
As the one that many are considering the person who was the most royally screwed during this whole ordeal, Conan fans had reason to celebrate. He ripped the network that is pushing him out while still showing a good deal of tact and classiness for not totally freaking out.
Jay Jokes, But Ignores Conan
Aside from a joke or two about the overall hairiness of the situation he's at the epicenter of, Leno stopped short of directly addressing Conan's statement released earlier on Tuesday. Instead, he focused on smaller barbs towards NBC, saying: "The folks here at NBC, they don't handle these things well. They don't have a lot of tact. After they canceled the show, they told me if I gained 10 pounds I could join 'The Biggest Loser.'"
Perhaps in job preservation mode at this point (PopEater's Rob Shuter
reports Leno may be out at NBC as well), Leno avoided any him-versus-Conan taunts.
Dave Doesn't Hold Back
David Letterman has never been one to bite his tongue. By far the most ornery late-night host, the NBC mess is a dream come true for Letterman, who still has an axe to grind with his former network and Leno himself.
"You know what this means -- that's right, I knocked off another competitor," he joked in his monologue, referring to Conan O'Brien's decision Tuesday to leave NBC if they move 'The Tonight Show' to 12:05 a.m. Letterman repeatedly referred to his old and soon-to-be current foe as Jay "Big Jaw" Leno and mocked the "geniuses" at NBC programming who devised his move to prime-time.
Kimmel Gets in Leno's Shoes ... Literally
Over at ABC, consummate prankster and impersonator Jimmy Kimmel used the 'Tonight' firestorm to bust out his fantastic Jay Leno impersonation, complete with prop chin (naturally).
Kimmel, as Leno, said in his monologue: "Hello, hello, my name is Jay Leno and let it here by be known that I'm taking over all the shows in late-night," he quipped, referring to the recent dustup at NBC. He went on to joke that "It's great to be here on ABC," he adds. "You know what ABC stands for? Always Bump Conan."
Another shot was lobbed directly at Leno with the joke: "Conan O'Brien, today, announced that he is leaving NBC. He released a statement today saying 'I won't participate in the destruction of 'The Tonight Show.'" Fortunately, though, I will," Kimmell says.
Fallon Forgets to Talk About It
A somber looking Jimmy Fallon dodged getting involved in 'Tonight'-gate entirely, as his place at NBC following all of this drama is still unknown. His first two jokes were about Sarah Palin and 'Jersey Shore,' skating around the 800 pound elephant in the NBC offices.
With Conan likely out, there's no word where Fallon -- whose current show begins at 12:35 a.m. after Conan's 'Tonight show' -- will land. Whether it was a conscious decision by Fallon to stay out of it or network executives told him to back off is unknown, but one thing is for sure -- there was certainly some strange energy going on.
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I like Jay and wished he had never left. However you did. Conan has been holding his own and does not deserve this.
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I agree. Jay is great. Conan is good and should be given a chance. HOWEVER: Let's put this into perspective. First, Conan crying about a half hour move is silly/stupid. The man is getting paid 36 million dollars a year!!! He signed the contract (oh, the 36 million dollar a year contract) knowing full well that this was a possibility. If he didn't think so or want so he should have had the clause removed from the contract.
Also, this whole "Weak 10 o'clock" ratings leading up to 11 o'clock news leading up to his show is RIDICULOUS! Programmers think that a solid line up will keep people tuned or up??? Heck no. Despite the line-up, the majority of people have switched the TV station a dozen times. Other people have to go to sleep because of something called "My job the next morning." For Conan to blame a 10 o'clock show for his lower ratings at 11:30 is bunk.
NBC better look out...Conan is leaving, Jay might leave, NBC is going to have a bigger opening than the Octo-mom.
Anyone?...Anyone?...Thank you, you've all been great...goodnight!
I agree with you. If NBC loses Conan Thats the last time I watch NBC.
Only weathly, bright media executives would pit two of America's gentlemen against each other.
Well done, NBC!
Conan isn't holding his own or NBC would never move him. He may not be doing badly but he isn't getting the numbers Jay did and there's a reason for that. He isn't as good as Jay Leno. I like Conan and watched his show when he was on at 12:35 but when they announced him as Jay's replacement I questioned it. While he's good he has a very different style and in my opinion it isn't a good fit for The Tonight Show. Apparently I'm not the only one who's been thinking it or his position wouldn't be in question.
Craig Ferguson is better than the lot of 'em!
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I agree. I put on Letterman just so the TV will be on the right channel for Craig. I have watched them all however, and have found Jay Leno's new show a big dissappointment. Is it the writer's fault? Maybe he needs new material. I find Conan much more entertaining these days than Jay. But as I said Craig is my personal favorite.
Amen to that... Craig is the funniest!
Preach it sitsta! Craig is the funniest man on late night. He's quirky, spontaneous, and easy on the eyes. A great package!
Arsenio is the funniest man on late night !
I think Conan should make an exit . I also think that its good to shake things up a little but , at some point you have to go out with the old and in with the new. Some of these people just get so used to the millions they dont want to give that up . The flip side is some get so used to it they over extend themselves & get trapped in thier own personal Hell.
Anyway ,I watched Southland last night & was glad to see the TNT network pick up a great show in the making. It had great dept with the shows characters & Regina King was great in it. move over CSI , Southland is headed for success if they continue to bring the truth depicted as many of us know it & will follow in succession of great shows before it shuch as Hill Street Blues.......
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they should leave and let nbc hang it self.
Jay has been the best and does not deserve the treatment he is getting.
conon should never had gone to the west coast, what a shame.
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Jay Leno is just not funny anymore-He was but now he is just a RICH SUIT telling boring crap-- I loved him in denim and jeans and he really gave of himself and was a funny funny guy-- now he is bored and too rich- once they get like this they are not funny!! Conan is young cute and he really is trying I will not watch who ever they put in his place just because Leno stomped his foot and said I WANT HIS TIME SCREW HIM I will not watch RICH SUIT ANY MORE!!
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I agree.Jay is not funny anymore.Conan and his staff work so hard to make sure the Tonight show with new host is worth to watch.I think his show gets better each single day.
Jay didn't want to retire, NBC forced him to retire so they could make a promise to Conan, and it turn keep him on NBC. I haven't watched "The Tonight Show, since Conan took it over and I don't plan on watching it with Conan. I don't like his style of jokes, he is crass. Jay Leno is more like Johnny Carson, he has the class to carry out any matter of jokes without being crass.
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This all started b/c Leno said he wanted to retire in 5 years way back when. Thus Conan was given the contract to take it over. Leno changed his mind and decided he didn't want to retire but NBC had already made the deal which is why NBC gave him the 10pm slot.
I agree!! Conan was horrible! Not funny at all. Just funny looking!
Who tells the better joke? Leno Who has a better rapport with celebrities? LENO... Who can carry Johnny Carson's torch? LENO
Conan's numbers were not up to snuff. In the real world if you don't make the numbers...ya gotta go to the one that does…Did someone say JAY LENO?
I think Jimmy Falon should get the Tonight Show host spot if Conan doesn't stay. The boy deserves it for being a gentleman.
And I thought that Jay had decided to retire and offered the host spot to Conan, not that he was fired.....I think Conan deserves better then he's getting from NBC and Jay should retire like I thought he was supposed to do 7 months ago!!!!!
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I think Craig Ferguson is better that all of them. It would be great to have him in an 11:30 spot.