Who'll Boycott a Jay Leno Tonight Show?
Conan O'Brien's announcement today was like a gust of fresh air cutting through the stench of NBC's classless late night maneuverings of recent days. Now TMZ -- who broke the story initially -- has another update: With Conan apparently out, the network has offered Leno his old time slot back, along with the original name: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That's assuming Leno takes it back. One thing is certain: The simmering distaste for the longtime talk show host will now bubble over into bilious resentment and outright hostility, and the bad publicity is almost certain to bring new levels of booking headaches for the new, old Tonight Show. Here's ten people you can be all but certain you'll never see on the show again.
1. Patton Oswalt
Oswalt made his distaste for Leno fairly official on a blistering takedown on Comedy Death-Ray Radio, where he likened the bechinned one to Richard Nixon.
Chances: 100%
2. Norm MacDonald
A longtime Late Night with Conan O'Brien regular, who started on SNL around the same time Conan started broadcasting from 30 Rock. On his final Late Night appearance, he told some incredibly uncomfortable truths about Leno's decades of outfoxing the kings of late night.
3. Will Ferrell
Ferrell's ties to Conan go back as far as when the two worked at The Groundlings in the late '80s, where Lorne Michaels discovered O'Brien and hired him to write for SNL. Ferrell was Conan's first Tonight Show guest.
4. Jim Gaffigan
A staunch Conan loyalist who used to appear alongside the host in Pale Force, an animated series in which they fought crime with their paleness. Gaffigan tweeted today: "I'm on #teamconan Team Conan Please RT"
5. Amy Poehler
Poehler used to play Stacey Richter - the fictional kid sister of co-host Andy Richter - on Late Night.
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Comments
I want to believe that all ten of these predictions will hold true...but--to play devil's advocate--once upon a time, even Jay Leno himself had integrity.
You could say I'll be boycotting the Jay Leno Tonight Show. Or you could say I won't be watching because it will be really, really bad.
If Jay Leno just lies down and play's NBC's bitch, again, he doesn't deserve to be host of the Tonight Show again.
Jay, back Conan, and tell NBC to go blow the tailpipe of a diesel truck.
>>If Jay Leno just lies down and play's NBC's bitch
team conan all the way.
i don't need to "boycott" a Leno Tonight Show. it doesn't even enter my radar. it will be back to Letterman for me, till Conan decides what to do!
I can see Norm MacDonald possibly going on Leno's Tonight Show, just to rip him apart. Then he'll never be invited back again.
Dumbasses, this is not Conan vs Leno!!!
Leno's funny and witty, that's what's needed for a talk show.
Conan's just plain boring and rude.
Conan should retire, and Fallon should take his place.
So why don't the just move the news up a half-hour and put Jay on at 11? It boggles the mind that they can dick these talk-show hosts around a news slot ina world of 24 hour news.
Leno got the Tonight Show in the first place because he was willing to do anything NBC wanted. Leno should have said no to the daily variety show, knowing that it was just another Zucker scheme to jerk everyone around, and "retired" to a weekly show, and tossed some support Conan's way.
I'm harkening back to the season opener of 30 Rock this year... spooky in hindsight. I have a feeling that at the end of the day, Lorne Michaels & Tina Fey are going to end up owning and running NBC's entertainment programming.
So early tangent-driven prediction as a result of this - next year is the last year of 30 Rock. Gives Tina a chance to wrap the show up in a pretty bow, make that dreaded second round of Palin impressions to keep her out of public office in 2012, and then take the wheel of the big boat.
How's my Comcast stock doing this week?
Put Leno at 12:30 if he wants a half hour latenight spot.
you can add Rosie O'Donnell to the list. Team Conan. Leno = Old, Boring, Safe
Im not a fan of leno. I wouldnt mind both of them on the air. But if its the choice between conan and Leno. Id deffently have to say conan. I find lenos jokes rude and most of the time I am offended by them.
Leno Zucks Dick
You clearly shouldn't be allowed to drive, use sharp objects, or dabble with the internets.
Jay was #1 and Conan prematurely forced him out when a lot of people wheren't ready for that. Then Conan cries foul - hmmm. Conan is oftem mean and silly, a bad combo. I prefer Jay all the way. And Jimmy Fallon is great, too.
Wow, really big names that will boycott Leno...NOT. I think only 2 people of the 10 are REALLY big names, give me a break.
Conan just did not make it. Face it, TV is a ratings game; that is how they make money. As far as Conan given more time to develop his following, well, I thought he had a show before moving. And if I am not mistaken, I thought he was on a long time. What? That was not enough time for him....years and years.
Listen lamebrains, it was Leno who was screwed by NBC when they announced he was leaving in 2009 when he was the king of the hill. Conan had no problem then with ousting Leno. Why does Leno owe that freak anything. So make all the jokes you want sleasebag Letterman, Leno will soon be whipping your butt in the ratings
No one owes Conan anything. Business is Business. Life goes on with or without him. Leno can eat him for lunch. Success is for the strong. Conan can sue the crap out of NBC for their breach of contract. Life's a bitch then you move on to fight another day.
What about Howard Stern? He has hated Jay for years and has always let it be known.
Thses people matter ....why? LOL
this is ludicrous. showbiz is all about self promotion. if any of these people need to market themselves for some reason -- a new book, a new movie etc. -- they will appear on whatever show that will reach an audience.
just because some of these people are "close" to conin doesn't mean they have any particular reason to dislike jay. besides, on one level jay has virtually NOTHING to do with this. he did NOT go after conin's job. he did NOT initiate this brouhaha. the suits at nbc did.
A little hot under the collar, are we? Funny is a relative term, and a lot of us prefer Conan's humor to Leno's more old fashioned brand.
But funny isn't the point here. The point is that Leno could have done the classy thing, the stand-up thing, the decent thing and said No to NBC's proposal to put him back in the later slot and screw over Conan. The fact that he didn't changes everything. Up until now I thought Leno was a decent guy. Now, I just see him as self-centered and a bit grasping.
Howard Stern has been ripping Jay for 2 weeks on his show. And, you also forgot Rosie O'Donnell, who also ripped Jay on her radio show.
What a tempest in a teapot, largely carried on by Conehead fans.
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