On Oprah, Jay Leno Denies Taking Conan's Dream Job

By PopEater Staff Posted Jan 28th 2010 03:55PM

With all eyes on Jay Leno, he sat down with Oprah Winfrey for his first interview since the blow-up over NBC's late-night lineup. While he admits having some regrets, Leno's deepest scars seem to stretch back to 2004 when NBC first announced Conan O'Brien would be taking over the show in 2009. "It broke my heart. It really did. I was devastated," Leno said. "This was the job that I had always wanted and this was the only job that ever mattered in show business, to me.... It was just like, why?"

Later in the interview, Leno refused to take blame for taking away Conan's dream. "This is an affiliate decision. Affiliates felt that the ratings were low. This was the first time in the 60-year history of 'The Tonight Show' that 'The Tonight Show' would have lost money. And that's what it comes down to. It's really just a matter of dollars and cents."

Earlier this month, O'Brien walked away from the late-night institution when NBC executives announced that they wanted Leno to once again follow the local news and move O'Brien's 'Tonight Show' to 12:05 a.m. ET. Leno returns to 'The Tonight Show' March 1.

According to Leno, NBC came to him and talked about the ratings, saying Conan and Leno were both down. NBC executives then assured him that he was a "valuable asset" and they were "75 percent sure" Conan would go for the revised plan, which would have had Leno doing a 30-minute show at 11:30 p.m. ET.

Oprah grills Leno about why he didn't consult Conan before agreeing to the new plan. "It wasn't my place to call Conan," Leno said. "They made this offer to me. And I said, 'Do you think Conan will go for this?' And they said, 'We'll ask him tomorrow.' 'OK, let me know what happens.' And the next thingyou know, Conan had his article in the paper and that was that."

Blaming NBC for the late night debacle, Leno adds, "Anything they did would have been better than this... If they had come in and shot everybody. It would have been 'Oh, people were murdered,' but at least it would have been a two-day story. NBC could not have handled it worse."

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Jay Leno Snapshots

Jay Leno speaks during the panel for "The Jay Leno Show" at the NBC Universal Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif. More Photos >>

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this March 19, 2009 file photo, host Jay Leno is shown on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2009 file photo, Jay Leno speaks during the panel for "The Jay Leno Show" at the NBC Universal Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif. NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010 said that Leno's nightly prime-time show will end with the beginning of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this March 19, 2009 file photo, host Jay Leno is shown on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

Winfrey repeatedly asked why he didn't just retire. Leno says his decision was an "agonizing" one. "Maybe I'm doing something wrong. This many people are angry and upset over a television show... My show got canceled. They weren't happy with the other guy's show. They said, 'We want you to go back,' and I said, 'OK.' And this seemed to make a lot of people really upset. And I go, 'Well, who wouldn't take that job though? Who wouldn't do that?'"

When media reports began turning Leno into the "bad guy" he felt cornered and confused, he told Oprah. "I never expected this to happen. People think you're behind the scenes, pulling strings," he added. "There's no strings to pull. I have a show that's been canceled. So why would I have any power to go, 'Oh, I want ['The Tonight Show']?

Leno admits NBC is all about ratings though. "Well, if you look at where the [O'Brien 'Tonight Show'] ratings were, it was already destructive to the franchise," Leno replied.

Leno also revealed that he hasn't been in touch with O'Brien since. "I haven't talked to him through all this. No. I haven't... it didn't seem appropriate."

Tags: conan obrien, ConanObrien, jay leno, jay leno show, JayLeno, JayLenoShow, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey

Comments

(88)

Monday 01 February

By SUNNY

Vote down Vote up Report this

WELL FROM READING THE MAIL IT LOOKS LIKE OPRAH HAS DONE ANOTHER GOOD DEED FOR OLD JAY AND HAD HIM ON SO HE COULD LIE ABOUT HOW THE WHOLE THING WENT DOWN.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE CONAN GIVEN THE SAME RESPECT JAY GOT WITHOUT EARNING IT.
TO SOME OF THE READERS WHO SAY CONAN DIDN'T PULL THE RATINGS, IT WAS JAY'S LEAD IN THAT DIDN'T MEASURE UP TO THE 10 PM SPOT. THIS IS HOW JAY GOT THE HIGHER RATINGS IN YEARS PAST. SO NOW THE 10 PM SHOWS ARE KNOCKED OFF BECAUSE OF JAY AND CONAN IS GONE TOO. LOOKS TO ME LIKE JAY CRACKS A WHIP AND THE NETWORK JUMPS. TOO BAD, HE ISN'T ALL THAT!!! AND NOW WE KNOW WHAT HE IS REALLY LIKE. I BELIEVE THE WORD IS CUT THROAT

Thursday 28 January

By coopstunes

both really talented,money wins again!

By Sherry

Oprah came across to me on this interview as a self-righteous you-know-what. It was reminiscent of the grilling she gave James Frey a few years ago. Jay was very gracious when NBC took away his show in the first place. He had nothing but kind things to say about Conan and had him on his show. I will certainly watch him again on the Tonight Show. Hang in there, Jay. This too shall pass. And thanks for your good nature.

By Shari

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

This entire situation is unfortunate. It should also be laid to rest. No one, except for the people involved, knows what happened here. If Jay Leno is telling the truth, and it seems he is, then NBC did handle it horribly. And Jay Leno is correct in that no one given a chance for continued work, would have turned down the offer he was given. Conan wasn't treated well, but it appears that Jay Leno wasn't either. Maybe we should all get off of the bandwagons now.

By Anna

Conan got what he wanted..a settlement..because of ratings..and Conan's were the worse on the Tonnight Show.. All Conan had to do was move back one half hour..but no..he wanted to show himself and make everyone feel sorry for him..'whooppee'..I never watched his show anyway..when he was on before the Tonight Show and I certainly quit watching once they let him (Conan) fill the Tonight Show spot. He's weird...very odd and very uninteresting. NBC..caught a 'lucky' brake..getting rid of him. I sure didn't notice you people concerned when they told Leno they were letting him go..5 years ago...and Leno had the show in the number 1 ratings. People are such hypocrits. NBC made the decission..and Leno accepted...crybaby Conan just wanted to stir trouble...and trouble he did !

Conan REFUSED to do the Oprah show...for those who didn't watch the ENTIRE show...Oprah left an open invitation by he and his people refused. Hmmm...wonder why? Just shows that Leno handled his guest appearance with CLASS...I thought Oprah was a bit 'self-righteous'..but then she is always that way...remembering her saying "I am that I am"...as if she was God. I thought Leno repsonded very well to her questions...that's the only reason I watched her show today..was to see this interview and what she was going to ask him. GO..Leno...you had the number 1 ratings before...you'll get them back...Conan...couldn't bring ratings to a ???...can't think of anything he could improve...oh yeh...HIMSELF....weirdo..and very uniteresting!

Friday 29 January

By espo

Conan could not do Oprah"s show, because a clause in his buyout that states he cannot do any interviews or talk shows for I believe, 90 days.

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By Candace

Sorry Conan, but you're not funny. You had your chance, and now you have a big paycheck for not being funny. Don't blame Jay, he should have never been ousted to make room for you.

The main difference here is, had the situation been reversed, O'Brien would not have taken the job back. He is a class act, who cares about the people around him.

By No hard feelings

So, did Conan cosult with Leno when Conan took the "tonight Show?" Leno owes Conan nothing. Get over it. Its business, thats it.

By ratt69

conan suck anyway

By csi8299

Leno is without honor !

By Geneva Pettus

I don't understand why Jay Leno should explain anything to anyone. Conan took his job last year and failed at it so Jay is going back because the network wanted him back. Don't understand why Ophah treated Jay so bad today. She needs to get real!!!

By r bart

Leno should have asked back, "Oprah, why haven't you retired?"

By patty

I truly think Jay is an all around decent guy- Conan was simply not funny- Jay had a number 1 show and i hope he does well again- i for sure will watch him at 11:30- i was sad to see him go in the first place. I also wish Conan well.

By james

Jay Leno is the best late night host on tv after he left and conan took over i refused to watch late night i am glad jay is going back and as far as conan is concerned he should take a backseat to leno because conan is never going to be Leno

By Frank

Im old school. Jay is acting like many people do these days with texting instead of face to face. Soon people will be texting their wives to get layed. Even though it was a network decision, it wouldn't have hurt jay to speak to conan, out of camera range. A little human touch.

By barbara swift

SHAME ON YOU FOR TREATING JAY LENO THE WAY YOU DID.THE TONIGHT SHOW WAS HIS SHOW FOR 15 YEARS AND NUMBER ONE. NBC SHOULD NEVER HAVE ASKED HIM TO LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. CONAN SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO CLASS IN NOT GOING QUIETLY LIKE JAY DID FIVE YEARS BEFORE.YOU BLEW IT OPRAH

By Duane

Perfect timing to put these guys on internet TV viewing. Let the public decide when to watch them. Regular TV time slots are dead. I have switched from watching TV to internet viewing. I am a lot more satisfied and only wish all TV shows are available for internet.

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