Conan O'Brien

[Dave W]

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

Conan O'Brien, longtime host of NBC's Late Night, and Jimmy Fallon, comic who took his place seven months ago when Conan moved to the Tonight Show. Conan has just left the Tonight Show and NBC after a big row and big financial settlement.

[OldManC]

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. 

The non-compete is only until September according to what I've read (and it would take almost that long to tool up a show from scratch anyway), but them doing that would be the funniest F-U to NBC that I could think of. It would generate a hell of a buzz for the new network as well. I doubt the lawyers would actually let that happen, but it would be funny!

[Dave W]

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.  

I don't think Leno is anywhere near retiring. He did talk about "retiring" from the Tonight Show 5 years ago, but that's just the way things were said instead of the truth, that NBC was taking it away from Jay 5 years down the road in order to keep Conan from going to ABC.

I don't see why Leno should retire, he was #1 in the late night ratings and will probably do well when he returns. The people who say they won't watch him now are probably the people who don't find him funny and didn't watch him anyway.

As George said, Conan can't host a show until September 1st. I think the part about Andy hosting until then was a joke, but you never know.

As for me, I'll keep on watching Letterman's monologue and occasionally watch Conan or Jay if they have a guest I want to see.

[Pilgrim]

News this AM says that the Washington Generals (the team that plays the Harlem Globetrotters) has offered the 6'5" Conan a gig playing with the Generals until he can return to TV.

[Dave W]

News this AM says that the Washington Generals (the team that plays the Harlem Globetrotters) has offered the 6'5" Conan a gig playing with the Generals until he can return to TV.

That would be hilarious, and it would be great publicity for all of them.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I think Conan should make a very public spectacle of returning to his old writing duties for "The Simpsons". It would give that show a much-needed boost in both the actual writing since Conan wrote many of its best episodes, and publicity for a new talk show he could host on Fox, a win-win for all parties involved. Leno's audience is aging, and to be blunt, most of his 'supporters' don't stay up late enough to watch his show anyway. Those who complained the most about Conan's humor being too "edgy" didn't watch "The Tonight Show," Leno or Conan.

I've never understood Letterman's appeal in any fashion (through Craig Ferguson is downright hilarious on a regular basis.) That sets the stage for Conan to take a Fox late show to #1 and NBC and CBS to return to fighting Leno against Letterman; both are dying horses, but Leno lacks the 'hipster cred' factor that seems to keep Letterman afloat, and NBC may be justly rewarded for its actions now.

[OldManC]

(through Craig Ferguson is downright hilarious on a regular basis.)

Ah, I'm not the only one that noticed that? That show is just wonderfully strange...

I might watch some Simpsons episodes again if they get Conan back for a few months. He could probably knock out a season's worth of scripts in that time (or at least punch up the ones they already have).

[eb2]

I am still annoyed that NBC yanked Tom Snyder off to make room for Letterman.

[Dave W]

I am still annoyed that NBC yanked Tom Snyder off to make room for Letterman.

Feeling our age, are we?

Still annoyed that your horse and buggy got replaced by those newfangled horseless carriages?

[Pilgrim]

I want Danny Kaye and Garry Moore back!

[uwe]

I had hoped not to see Glenn Beck and Conan in one channel!

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I had hoped not to see Glenn Beck and Conan in one channel!

Don't worry about that. Only the bad comedy ends up on Fox News Channel.