Letterman has been getting dirty towards Leno with name calling and such the past week. I don't really think Letterman should have a say in all this since I never found him funny and his show always lost to Leno, but Jay bit back tonight.

 

“Letterman has been hammering me every night. Going after me… hey Kev, you know the best way to get Letterman to ignore you? Marry him. He will not bother you. He won’t look you in the eye.”

 

Letterman is just trying to hit the ratings.

Saw some clips of last night's Conan on the web this morning--between the return of the Masturbating Bear, the hamsters, the skit above, and Sandler--quality stuff.

Letterman is just trying to hit the ratings.

Yeah, Dave's just piggy-backing, which is fine. It's a news story, and it's a professional item (as opposed to Dave's personal stuff), so I think it's fair game.

Too add to that http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/21/c...y_n_430883.html

 

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=453...28103&mpc=2

He can return to the air in september, which is probably the earliest he would have returned anyway.

He did it, he finally brought the masturbating bear to 10:35

I was so happy to see it. Why not? He's out in 2 days.

Conan was amazing tonight. Robin Williams was out of control...no shock

Conan O’Brien’s Staff "Furious" With NBC

 

Only the higher-paid employees are most likely to stay with O'Brien if he lands another gig, sources say.

 

When Conan O’Brien moved from New York to Los Angeles in 2009 to take over "The Tonight Show" after 16 years of hosting "Late Night," the majority of his staff followed.

 

Now that the comedian is leaving NBC, some on his team are seething at the network.

 

"They (the staff) are all absolutely beyond furious with NBC," said a source. "It’s crazy over there. Everyone is just so upset."

 

O’Brien is reportedly set to receive around $33 million in the exit package, with a further $12 million to be distributed among his 200-person staff. While there have been rumblings that O'Brien may take his show to another network, nothing has been made official, and his deal with NBC could prohibit him from appearing hosting another show until September.

 

"Given the many months from now to then, that is a long time to go without a job in a bad economy," said a source close to the staff, adding that they are, naturally, very concerned.

 

Another source close to the situation told Pop Tarts that employees were incredibly "disappointed" with what has transpired, not only because they had crossed coasts to be with Conan, but because they truly believed in the show.

 

"It was a great show ... and there was so much fan support. It has been such a sad time for everyone," said our insider. "It’s all been very hard for Conan too; he’s taking it pretty hard. He’s going into the unknown and he’s very, very sad."

 

We’re also told that only the higher-paid employees are most likely to stay with O'Brien if he lands another gig, while the others will be looking for jobs.

 

Last week, Pop Tarts was told that staff members were relatively optimistic and that efforts to find Conan a new home for his show were "moving fast", but a source close to the comedian didn’t sound so cheerful on Thursday.

 

"We still have to find that place (new network). That definitely hasn’t happened yet," said the source.

 

Reps for O’Brien and NBC did not respond for comment, and a rep for "The Tonight Show" declined comment.

DVRing tonight for sure

Kinda torn on how I feel about the way they went out with Will Ferrell dressed up singing. Never knew Conan played the guitar like that.

Who was that all in the band? Thought I saw Ben Harper, Billy Gibbons, Beck, and Elvis Costello (?), fronted by Will Ferrerll/Ronnie Van Zandt/Gene "More Cowbell" Frenkel. Looked like Coco could pick it a bit.

Who was that all in the band? Thought I saw Ben Harper, Billy Gibbons, Beck, and Elvis Costello (?), fronted by Will Ferrerll/Ronnie Van Zandt/Gene "More Cowbell" Frenkel. Looked like Coco could pick it a bit.

I thought that was Elvis at first too, but on a closer look it was just Jimmy Vivino.

When Hanks entered from behind a curtain to go to his seat, the band played The Beatles "Lovely Rita," which costs NBC half a million dollars.

 

Questlove, who is the drummer for The Roots on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," almost instantly tweeted,

 

yo i hate spoiling but i will have you know that walk on song we just heard was half a milli. i know cause i got the list rate at nbc

 

 

and

 

tom's walkon music on conan is on my "restricted" list---wow a $500,000 walkon song lol.

 

The song was in honor of Hanks' wife Rita Wilson.

Link

I dont think it was the first time the Tonight show band played a Beatles song for a guest during this late night fiasco. I remember the band playing another song either earlier this week or late last week

I just watched it online and it was a good sendoff show. I can't wait til he's back somewhere, where ever that may be.

At least, aside from speed skating, now I don't have any reason to switch the TV to NBC for a long time. Sunday night football in the fall. Otherwise, they don't have any major sport I care about, there's no show on there I have any interest in, and I don't need to watch their news when I have other choices.

I just watched it online and it was a good sendoff show. I can't wait til he's back somewhere, where ever that may be.

 

I predict his first show on Fox with be Monday, September 6th.

 

I loved the "cynical" jab at NBC.

Edited January 23, 201016 yr by Brian

I don't think that was a jab at NBC. Especially since he had just sincerely thanked them for employing him and letting him create for over 20 years just moments before

Courting Conan: FX, HBO, Showtime, TNT, USA, more

Conan O'Brien isn't lacking network suitors for his next gig.

 

While the media has largely focused on Fox's interest in the comedian, the broadcaster's cable sibling FX, plus NBC-sister network USA, along with TNT/TBS, Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime have also sent out feelers to explore the possibility of bringing O'Brien into their folds.

 

O'Brien's longtime manager Gavin Polone wouldn't be drawn on specifics about his client's plans but noted that he would like to "take advantage of all the momentum" on TV and online, where the popularity of "I'm with Coco"/"Team Conan" movements is growing rapidly.

 

Network interest in O'Brien surely must be aided by his continued ratings growth.

 

In the week leading up to tonight's final NBC performance, O'Brien has largely dominated both the late-night field and NBC's primetime "Jay Leno Show" in the adult demo.

 

On Wednesday, O'Brien earned a 2.0 compared to Jay Leno's 1.5. On Thursday night, O'Brien climbed another 30% to a 2.6 rating compared to David Letterman's 0.9 and Jay Leno's 1.4. It was O'Brien's biggest rating since his "Tonight" premiere week back in June.

 

Though industry analysts know such boosts are temporary and driven by headlines, O'Brien being freed from pleasing NBC (and perhaps knowing his brand is going on the auction block) has seemed to fuel the comedian, who has delivered a looser, more subversive and funnier show.

 

With his quirky, offbeat sensibility, O'Brien could be well suited for the cable world, but let's face it: Should a performer who's now proven he can draw 2.0 ratings really be content with a cable-sized audience? Not that anybody would blame O'Brien for wanting to escape the bare-knuckle broadcast late-night wars.

 

Analyzing the aftermath of NBC's late-night shifts during the past seven months, most media pundits agree the network has been hurt by the headlines.

 

"The decisions have hurt both NBC in the ratings and more importantly with their viewers who have to question whether the management at NBC knows what they are doing," Katz TV programming head Bill Carroll said.

 

John Rash, senior vp at Campbell Mithun, called the late-night fight "a distraction" at a time when the viewers' attention should've been focused on the upcoming Olympics. -- By Nellie Andreeva and James Hibberd

Courting Conan: FX, HBO, Showtime, TNT, USA, more

 

He should go back as a writer and save the Simpsons and SNL from years of mediocrity.

Comedy Central could trek out a nightly line up of Daily SHow, Colbert Report, Conan? That would be epic.

Comedy Central could trek out a nightly line up of Daily SHow, Colbert Report, Conan? That would be epic.

I'd hope they'd start it at 10 EST. I'm having enough trouble catching TDS/TCR as it is now that they're only on at 11 for me.

 

They'd also have to re-start the Huckabrawl.

The Huckabrawl was classic.

What is NBC going to air at 10:35 tonight? Are they even allowed to air Conan reruns? Or would they even want to?

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by kev211