Re: The Tonight Show w/Conan O'Brien
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Originally Posted by Diallo B
and that makes it a well planned chess move.
always think at least two moves ahead.
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I like Conan and am a big fan of the new program (I have not missed a night yet.) That said, I am not sure I agree with your assessment of the timing of this skit. He may have been better served to air it on night one or night two (since he promoted it on Leno's final Tonight Show.) Or, better yet, not air it at all. The way it is now, his critics can say that this only further demonstrates how Conan is abandoning older, more traditional Leno viewers. The fact that Conan's numbers have declined each night since his debut may lend some unwanted credence to that belief.
These battles are not won in days or weeks, but in years. That said, first impressions are very important and they can be difficult to change. Just ask Jay Leno. Leno's original version of the Tonight Show was considered by many of the Carson faithful to be a pale imitation and a huge letdown, and as a result, they tuned out in droves. It literally took a full three years (and LOTS of internal changes) for Jay to turn that poor first impression around. I am not saying this will be the case with Conan, but I am not sure how airing a skit that can potentially alienate an important segment of the very audience he needs to succeed is going to help his cause.
When you poke fun at yourself, another celebrity or a public figure, the audience will usually laugh right along with you. But, when you make fun of your audience (and especially late at night) some viewers will not find the humor and may not stick around. Time will tell.
