Conan Loses Characters (and More) to NBC

By PopEater Staff Posted Jan 18th 2010 08:04AM

When Conan O'Brien parts ways with NBC, he won't simply lose the keys to his long-awaited 'Tonight Show' hosting gig, according to The Hollywood Reporter. NBC owns the intellectual property from the lanky red-head's tenure in late night television, including the characters and recurring comedy sketches featured on both 'The Tonight Show' and 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien.' Wherever life takes Conan next, he'll go without his old friend Pimpbot 5000.

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

In the Year 2000

There's some good news for fans of O'Brien - his most popular character, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, might remain safe from NBC's grasp. The dog puppet with a bad attitude was created by Rob Smigel - the same Smigel behind 'SNL TV Funhouse' and the voice of Triumph - and it's still unclear whether NBC or Smigel owns the rights to the character.

David Letterman paved the way for a network departure with his 1993 move from NBC to CBS. NBC made the same effort to block use of Letterman's established bits; The comic responded by changing the names of existing segments and characters. 'Viewer Mail' became 'CBS Mailbag', while frequent guest Larry "Bud" Melman began using his real name, Calvert DeForest.

Sources close to O'Brien told THR that he comedian was comfortable starting fresh - he was not interested in taking his NBC characters with him. O'Brien will make his last 'Tonight Show' appearance, less than eight months after his debut, on January 22.

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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

Comments

(66)

Monday 18 January

By mike

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Conan is OK but i've never really liked him. Jay Leno has always been my favorite host on th elate nigt shows.

By King David

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Conan,
Take a good deep breath, bend over, and kiss your a ss GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! And take your constant "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" that you CONSTANTLY SAY IN BETWEEN SENTENCES with you. As Theo Kojak used to say: "Ciao, baby."

By Craig

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Was the person who loaded the pictures blind by any chance?

Wednesday 20 January

By Hugh Jassol

Yes, Craig. Stevie Wonder uploaded those pictures and they looked just fine to him.

By Rick

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

And who checks the spelling of these articles? What Conan O'Brien "loses"? It should have read "looses."

By heather

no, it's actually not looses, they had it right, its loses. Looses would be as in loose, they were meaning he lost something, like loses.

By j1l8c27

Conan And Leno are losing viewers to Stephen Colbert in the same conan timeslot (and earlier Jon Stewart)

By AP

How can they be losing viewers to Jon Stewart when he's not even on opposite any of them? That doesn't even make sense. And the Colbert Report isn't really even shooting for the same audience the other guys are after!

By G Hale

Colb e r t is a no talent butt clown who has never said a funy thing in his life.

By carriebnarry

I don't know why the world is so hung up on whether two mult-milliairs are being treated fairly with millions of people are facing starvation and homelessness in Haiti and in America. It must be important because the media is consumed by it, but it doesn't make sense to me. I guess I too dumb to understand it.

By Lanette

thank you ! People dying, wars going on and this is the focus? WTF??

By Tom

I understand and share your concern but people have been starving, wars have been fought, people have been dying since man walked the earth. Some of us are lucky enough to have a better life than others and we have a certain obligation to help as we can. We cannot let it consume us or keep us from enjoying the fruits of our labor. We cannot make the entire world a utopia. I could care less what these guys or any other person makes legally. It is the reality of life.

By goldengolfball

Lanette and Tom, Lets keep things all in perspective, yea, there are people homless and starving in Haiti an yse Lanette there are wars going on. BUT!!!! that isn't the topic of this blog. Go to the Haiti and war blogs, because you see the people were already starving in Haiti but of course you didn't hear a word about it then. But now everbody want to jump up on there bandwagon and be a humanitarian. I am sorry which I don't think you are. Don't get me wrong, I am not either, but I don't jump on the wagon and pretend to be either.

By darlene

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i couldnt agree more.why is this even taking the place of something that is actually important.there are thousands of people in this country without jobs.we live in a world where we work just to know we cant afford freaking gas.leno and conan wont be counting their change just to buy gas with or without their jobs.

By diana

Leno has made millions by trashing good people. His way of talking about someone in a bad situation, is sad to put it mildly. I would rather see Connan any day, hes a kind man with a great sense of humor. I hope Conan gets back on tv, if thats what he wants to do. He is a better human than Jay can, or will ever be in my book. Anyone who makes money off of others misery, is nothing more than pure evil. Jay cares about one thing, him self.

By r

i like jay but your right he has a mean streak in him. he thinks nothing of telling hurtful jokes that will hurt peoples feelings and jay walking is strange they make fun of people who arent that smart then laugh at them like therte supiriour. Jaywalking isnt funny its mean, like jerry springer they laugh at others stupidity, make entertainment out of others problems

By greg

you hit the nail on the head leno is a self centered person

By Jake

TRIUMPH - is the one who needs his own show!

By Joeyd

How would you like it if after being on the job for only 7 months your employer fired you and gave you a measly 30 mill severance?Conan VS. Leno IS the most important issue in the world right now. It affects the lives of millions of Americans.

By Walt

Hey Mike aren't you the guy that's infatuated with sucking butt bottom. Stop crying because you lost your no=talent binky cone=head. IALMAO

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