Over the last few days there has been a big hoopla about late night television. NBC is changing the line-up because The Jay Leno Show did not do as anticipated. NBC made promises to Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Fallon based on their own hype and it has now blown up in their face.
The “smart†network execs have decided to shift all their late night programming to keep Jay Leno on the air. They will be shifting his program to 11:35, The Tonight Show to 12:05, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to the wasteland of 1 am. This does not sit well with any of the hosts and that has become abundantly clear in their monologues and statements that have been made by each one.
Today Conan O’Brien released an official statement that he maybe leaving late night television if The Tonight Show is moved to 12:05.
People of Earth:
In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my
bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.
But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.
Yours,
Conan
His statement is clear, well thought out and not an overreaction by an egotistical star. He does deserve his chance which is being taken away. As he said he has worked hard, given up opportunities and uprooted his family to be where he is. It is obvious that he is making the decision with a heavy heart. He loves what he does and many people, like myself, enjoy all his antics and would be sad to see him go.
Hopefully the people at NBC will pull their heads out of their asses and we won’t have to see him go but unfortunately that is doubtful. If he does leave the show lets hope it won’t be too long before we see him again. Even though he doesn’t have any offers yet with his track record I don’t think it would take long for someone to pick him up.
But until everything is officially finalized this mess makes for some good TV. All the hosts have stepped up their game and taking hilarious shots at the network. Conan has reverted back to his Late Night days and brought back some of the old stuff like the string dance which I have missed.
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