The latest on Conan, Leno and NBC (1 Viewer)

[Patrick_S]

NBC should just let him take the characters with him, that is just silly.

Wouldn't a lot of his staffers be members of various unions? If so they probably are guaranteed some sort of severance.

 

[Mike Frezon]

NBC called Letterman's schtick their "intellectual properties."

Another bit that died with his Late Night show was "viewer mail." Other stuff, like the Top Ten List, was renamed.

 

[TonyD]

He still does viewer mail, it's now called CBS Mailbag.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Oops. Forgot. Well, same idea as the other stuff.

 

[SilverWook]

Didn't NBC sell VHS tapes of Letterman's best shows for a while around the time he left?

 

[Brandon Conway]

How was Letterman able to keep the Top Ten list and not other content?

 

[Brandon Conway]

http://tv.gawker.com/5450086/jay-lenos-shocking-2004-indian-giving-promise-to-conan-obrien

You can see Leno was resistant to the change by the way he goes through the process of justifying it and being OK with it. But it's disappointing to see him make statements of conviction about not repeating the past bitterness only to witness the last couple weeks.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Best article yet on the matter for a suggested brighter future, at least for O'Brien fans: http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/01/why_conan_obrien_should_go_to.html

 

[mattCR]

Dave kept the top-10 because it was "too universal" in that anyone/everyone had basically done a top-10 type list, and he was able to show lists like it before he ever went on the air (top10 movies, top10 this and that) so it was basically a "Public Domain" type bit.
Dave's later contracts also specified that some content belonged specifically to him for later performance (Stupid tricks) etc.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Interesting. I would think that Conan would be able to keep other generic-esque bits then.

 

[Patrick_S]

Here is an unintentional laugh out loud moment. PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- "Tonight" ratings Friday were 50 percent higher than they've been this season, and O'Brien beat CBS' Letterman, according to a preliminary Nielsen Co. estimate based on large markets…. O'Brien's team sees the ratings as vindication. His manager, Gavin Polone,…"People who never watched Conan before are saying, `I'll try it,'" Polone said. "Now they're saying, `this is good, I'll stick with it.” If I recall correctly Conan bowed to very good rating and was number one and it wasn’t until he was on for awhile that he slipped into second. People love a train wreck (the lashing out at the NBC execs) and that is why people are tuning in. hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TV_CONAN_LENO

 

[Hanson]

Why is this "laugh out loud"?

Leno was second the Letterman for a few years until the Hugh Grant episode. Rating can turn on a moment.

 

[TonyD]

Originally Posted by Hanson Yoo

Why is this "laugh out loud"?

Leno was second the Letterman for a few years until the Hugh Grant episode. Rating can turn on a moment.

Caused me to have a scratch my head moment.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It's hard in a situation like this, but people need to remember that it's really NOT about who's talented and who's not. It's really about $$$ and some bad programming decisions by NBC suits.

The "who's talented" debate is purely subjective and "to each his own." The fallout of this set of decisions is what's really so interesting about this particular situation.

And, as Hanson said, ratings can turn on a dime...and any number of unrelated issues.

 

[Pete-D]

Originally Posted by Ed Moxley ">[/url]

You people don't think his audience will wait a half hour? That's just ridiculous!
Him, and all of his audience that's in too big of a rush to wait another 30 mins. to be aired, needs to be taken behind the barn and have a whip taken to them. 30 mins. is gone almost in a blink of the eye.

I'm tired of all the stupidity in this thread. I'm finished with it................
I'll be glad when he's gone.

 

[Matt_Vaudrin]

Why didn't NBC just put leno's show on after conan? Seems like that would have been a simple solution. You'd still have the tonight show in it's normal slot and leno would still be back in late night.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Matt_Vaudrin

Why didn't NBC just put leno's show on after conan? Seems like that would have been a simple solution. You'd still have the tonight show in it's normal slot and leno would still be back in late night.

Because of the unstated fact that Leno would never put up with such an indignity, but maybe Conan would have.

 

[john mcfadden]

Team COco here... Leno just needs to let it go. I guess he doesnt want to go home and be with his wife. And with a name like Mavis.....I bet she is quite the catch. I hope with all the negativity surrounding this and how he seems like a sore loser/bully his ratings are even worse and they show his ass the door. Leno has never been funny.

 

[MielR]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon [/i]

 

[Matt^Brown]

I think Jay should just let it go and step aside. I also think Conan is not saving the integrity of the Tonight Show but just making sure he gets the top spot or the money to walk.