Time Warp: Howard Stern Warned Conan O'Brien About Leno 3 Years Ago

By Marc Schneider Posted Jan 20th 2010 10:59AM

A long, long time ago -- three years in fact -- Howard Stern visited 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien' to warn the young host of the peril that lay ahead when he took over 'The Tonight Show' from Jay Leno. After expressing his joy at the then-fresh news of a deal to elevate O'Brien to 11:35, Stern asked: "Do you think that's really gonna happen?"

The NBC host jokingly gave himself a "40 percent" chance of it happening. Stern stuck it to him plain-like: "I don't see this guy leaving and letting you walk in. I'm concerned about you." To back up his concerns, Stern cracked that Leno "is a guy who stares at the wall ... and waits to go to work. He doesn't do anything but work."

Of course, Leno did relinquish the show last year, but crappy ratings and pissed affiliates, not to mention annoyed network execs, have sunk O'Brien. A deal to release him from the peacock's grasp is expected soon, and this could very well be his final week before Leno returns to his old job.

Stern was reportedly offered a guest spot on O'Brien's last night, but declined because he is based in NYC and 'Tonight' is shot in LA. The radio host has a long-simmering beef with Leno over stolen comedy bits and defecting announcers (Stuttering John left Stern for Leno).

The Conan-Jay drama began when NBC canceled Leno's 'The Jay Leno Show,' which aired at 10 p.m. But when Leno's new show flopped in the ratings and caused panic among local NBC affiliates who were losing lead-in viewers to their 11 p.m newscasts, NBC hoped to move Leno back to 11:30 and have Conan follow-up in the post-Midnight slot. Unfortunately for them, O'Brien wanted nothing to do with the switch and skewered the network in a statement.

NBC's Jeff Zucker told the New York Times this week that he's to blame for the mess. "At the end of the day Jay at 10 o'clock didn't work, and I take responsibility for that," Zucker told the paper.

Tags: conan obrien, howard stern

Comments

(49)

Wednesday 20 January

By rakylejr

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And the words of the prophet are written on the bathroom walls.

By mickey

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I could have saved NBC 32 million in Conan severance pay. I told NBC years ago that Conan wouldn't work, I told them they were wasting their time. I told them he wasn't funny. I told them not to do it. I told them it would flop. I would have taken a million dollars consultation fee and me, yes, little old me could have saved NBC 31 million dollars. I think the network execs should be fired for losing 31 million dollars because of stupidity.

Thursday 21 January

By wrbjr

Is it not "subway walls and tenament halls?"

By Mark

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I prefer studio walls.Concert halls.

By papam11

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Why is everyone blaming Leno for all of this? He was the one who was, in effect, fired 5 years ago. Number one in the rating and NBC cans him? Ridiculous! He asked to be let out of his contract and NBC said NO. They are the ones who came up with the prime time idea, not Leno. They are the ones who asked Jay if he would take over the Tonight Show again, not Leno. Didn't anyone listen to Jay's lengthy explanation the other night? He's not the least bit at fault for any of this. If you're going to blame someone, blame NBC for screwing this up in the first place and Conan for not moving a mere half hour. His sucky ratings also caused this. Of the three involved(Leno, O'Brien and NBC, Leno is the last to be blamed. And if I were him, I smack Letterman right in the mouth. Tell ME that idiot hasn't lost a few floors in his elevator.

By highlander

Back up a bit. If you watch Leno's explanation from five years ago you get a far different impression than his revisionist version the other night. He said he was more than happy to step away as he was approaching sixty and didn't envision still doing the Tonight Show after that point. Also, he wanted there to be a friendly transition, unlike what had happened before. Leno had five years to ask to stay on, but didn't. He made a lot of noise about going to another network but NBC offered him the 10 PM slot, which he accepted. At one point does Leno take a stand? He says Conan is a gentleman, but only after the decision has been made for his return, which he timidly accepts. The guy has no meatballs. Total wimp.

By twostikks

Leno is a piece of garbage. He's not funny -- he rubs the punch line into the ground until you're sick of hearing it. And he's a creep. Once he LEFT the Tonight Show, he NEVER should have taken it back. He's treating Conan like garbage, and he continues to treat Dave Letterman like garbage. He even pushed Johnny Carson out the door! So Leno is NO nice guy. Open your eyes, the guy is just not cool.

By NO1CHEF99

It does not matter to me because I don't care for either person BUT the fact of the matter is that O'Brien has a contract and the spot and Leno left end of statement. If NBC wants the spot back it is going to cost them dearly and they are going to have to pay the entire O'Brien staff the entire staff for the entire contract as far as I am concerned and not put any restrictions on them as to where they are "going to work in this town again"

By aabmh

Who cares. I, along with many other people, knew this would never work with Conon. He just doesn't have the personality. I don't know why they are blaming Leno. He is what he is and he was successful in his night show. Who ever thought of setting that up this way was insane. I guess some have to just fall on their face before they see the light.

By sandy

highlander...that's right. I remember that now.

By Devin

Back when Jay announced that he would give the Tonight Show over to Conan, he said in a statement that he would make it a smooth transition, because he didn't want happened between him and Letterman to happen again. To Jay: You just look like an a-hole now.

By Jimbo

Well now that milk has spilled, Conan shoold entertain a FOX deal for an 11:30pm slot, Jay(no respect for him now)Leno back to NBC's 11:35 slot and Letterman where he stands. Let's see how the ratings work out then in a few weeks. This will also point out who the true morons are at the networks. ;-)

By t5t43

What does that hook nose heeb know?

By Joe Blow

Does anyone actually believe anything Stern says?

By Daisy Lou

The day I worry about two rich guys and their job problems is the day I place my head in the oven and turn the gas on. Who cares?

By sicoftherich

goddamn right daisy,who cares they both have more money than the majority of us will ever see in our lifetimes.

By JACKIE

I'M WITH YOU DAISY LOU, WHO CARES. I'M WORRIED ABOUT ME FINDING A JOB AFTER BEING LAID OFF IN DEC. 2007 AND I'M 58. THOSE GUYS ARE RICH, THEY CAN AFFORD TO RETIRE, NOT ME, I'M STILL LIVING ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND BARELY MAKING IT. THEY CAN SEND ME SOME OF THEIR MONEY!

By robert

At least you GOT unemployment, I have nothing and have had to sell all that I own. I was told I don't qualify. There's a group of illegal immigrants living down the block with a brand new Denali out front. They even get government aid. How is this fair, or even possible? Our government sucks! They don't even care about their own. They leave us pennyless and send our children overseas to die for someone elses cause. They'll give aid to anyone, as long as you're not an American citizen. What a bunch of psychotic idiots! This will be my last post as I am considering my only way out of this nightmare. To the rest of you, I wish you luck. Farewell.

By Linda Wisniewski

Right on Daisy--As Joy Behar would say "Who Cares? So What???"

Friday 22 January

By me

right on, dude

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