Conan O'Brien

[Highlander]

Might be that male affliction... "selective" hearing... 

[Hornisse]

I'm possibly the only guy here that loves Freebird.  My high school band "Omega" did a version that was correct to their classic 1976 live record "One More From The Road".  Even a bunch of 16 and 17 year old kids could do the "correct" ending although I guess last nights performance was not rehearsed.  My favorite version is still the original one on "Pronounced".



See if you can put up with this version.  I like Leon's T-Bird bass!

[Dave W]

Might be that male affliction... "selective" hearing...  

I may have heard it and not known, but otherwise I just wouldn't know unless somebody pointed it out to me. Lynyrd Skynyrd is not the kind of music I listen to, no offense to anyone who likes them. I won't make a conscious choice to listen to them.

[jmcgliss]

OK, so the affiliates were complaining about their news shows (the lead-ins) suffering lower ratings because the show that followed was Conan instead of Leno?  No one suggested that maybe people are fed up with what passes for news shows in this country? Our household normally watches a drama from 9:00-10:00pm, avoids the lame local news at 10:00 by switching to John Stewart, then switched to Conan at 10:30. I suppose the networks use statistics to believe whatever they want to believe.

[Dave W]

No, they were complaining mostly about Leno's ratings costing them ad dollars in prime time and giving them a poor lead-in to the news, causing lower newscast ratings. It's can't just be about the quality of local news if it's only happening to NBC affiliates.

[Darrol]

As Dave said, they weren't complaining about Conan, they were complaining about Leno but the big wigs at NBC did not want to get rid of him.

It all started when Conan started getting offers 5 years ago. I guess NBC wanted to keep him so they told Leno that Conan would be taking over in 2009. When it came time, Leno had about 6 months left on his contract and he asked if they would let him out of it because he was being replaced. They said no telling him they had other plans for him, his show that replaced at least 5 other shows at the 10/9 timeslot. The main goal was to keep their pize host with them on a show that was cheaper than an hour long drama and would hopefully carry over with his normal audience. He failed to do so and most bashed the show for not being funny. What was funny about the show was not Leno but a few of the skits he had other people do. I was listening to Kevin and Bean on KROQ yesterday morning before my drawing class started and they had guest Patton Oswalt. They brought up the topic and Oswalt was on Conan's side partially because when it comes to the show, Leno is more of an interviewer than a comedian yet when he is outside of his show he is one of the best comedians out there.

EW is reporting that Conan's ratings were actually higher at 11:35 than they were at 12:35 meaning that his original following carried over and then some. That is pretty good even considering that a lot of his viewers are around my age meaning they are still in college and often times busy or not around when his show airs.

One thing that I guess puzzled some is that viewers just seemed to disappear. I just saw an article saying that overeall viewers were down for certain timeslots. They weren't watching Show A but the viewers of Show B were unchanged just as with Show C.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Being employed by an NBC affiliate that was affected, let me set things straight. NBC was making money off of Conan AND Leno, since Leno's show was an order of magnitude cheaper to produce than a primetime drama. BUT Leno's show was awful as a lead-in to the news and Conan that followed it. It basically just encouraged people to switch the channel. My station went from being a double-digit decades-solid ratings #1 at 11:00 to an occasional #2 after Leno debuted at 10:00.

 Local newscasts are where local stations make most of their money, and any drop in ratings there hurts them far more than the network. Several stations boycotted primetime Leno even before he went to air for this reason, and 22 NBC affiliates eventually refused to air his show, opting instead for syndication or local content.

Personally, I think NBC lied to Leno and Conan, and Leno got unfairly cast as the bad guy. I like them both, and the limited professional interaction I've had with both of them has been great. I had to talk to them when they were doing satellite interviews to promote their shows. Conan was more personal and funny and Leno was the consummate professional. Jimmy Fallon, OTOH is a talentless and clueless twat.

[Darrol]

Those that have been following it closely point the blame towards Zucker. Leno even said that the executives told him that Conan would agree to the move to which Leno basically signed on for the move. When things went sour, they asked him if he would like the Tonight show back if Conan walked and he said alright to keep his guys working and added that he has nothing against Conan, it is just business.

[Nocturnal]

I've also heard that Fallon had a hefty golden parachute if they dumped him because he has been meeting all of the promised numbers for his sponsors. It was supposedly around $20 mil which seems way too high for someone of his 'talent'. I'm sure Conan will land on his feet, or in a large pile of cash!

[Darrol]

I've also heard that Fallon had a hefty golden parachute if they dumped him because he has been meeting all of the promised numbers for his sponsors. It was supposedly around $20 mil which seems way too high for someone of his 'talent'. I'm sure Conan will land on his feet, or in a large pile of cash!

Well Conan did get $33 million as part of his exit contract and at the same time he got about $12 million for his crew which amounts to around 200 people to total $45 million for leaving.

[Lightyear]

I also heard that A-listers were avoiding Leno in his early spot because, in theory, it put so many people out of work beacuse it took the place of five shows.  Five show that would have employed actors, writers, technicians, etc.  This does seem to hold some logic.

[Muzikman7]

Actually although Freebird has been played to death, I have to say that it still evokes strong feelings for most audiences my band has played it for people crying in their beer etc. so to me if someone wants to hear it I have no problem playing it

[uwe]

It's Southern Rock's Stairway to Heaven for better or worse. I'm alright with it as I am on Southern Rock unless you overdose on it. But I can dig a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert - I don't have to agree with everything they say.

[FlatEric]

Hi. Lunchtime log in!!

As with any genre of music, some will like it, some will not.
For me, I will never forget the first time I saw anything of Lynard Skynard.
1970's, BBC 2, Late at night, Old Grey Whistle test - Free Bird LIVE.
Hairs of the back of the neck! Sorry to those who can't stand the band,
I respect your views but that's the way I see them and to echo what
someone else said, when we do Free Bird as an encore - bravely, or foolishly,
with one guitar, one bass, one drummer and one singer . . . . . the place
goes wild and yes, grown men, saluting their pints to the ceiling, singing
at the top of their voices, tears running down their cheeks!!
That's just the way it is!
? ? If I leave here tomorrow. . . . . .? ? 

And. . . .  for the unwashed. . .  Who are Conan and Fallon???

[Andrew]

One thing I havn't seen anyone address is that Jay Leno has talked about retiring before, doesn't it seem short sighted of NBC to send Conan up the river when Leno probably only has a few years left in him before he wants to retire anyway?

Personally I think Leno should have just retired when all this became a big mess.

Dunno the truth to this but I heard a rumor that Conan's contract/leaving settlement disallows him to host a show for x  amount of months. I heard they may start up a new show before that time is up and until Conan's contractual obligation finishes Andy will host the show and Conan will be his sidekick so they can get back on the air sooner. I hope that's true.