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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Leno was a household name and a steady substitute host on The Tonight Show before taking over from Carson, and yet he didn't have good ratings the first couple of years.
Any time there's a change in the status quo (as in Carson being replaced by Leno, Leno being replaced by Conan) there's an adjustment period when viewers are mourning the loss of the old host and may reject the new guy at first. NBC was not happy with Leno's numbers the first 18 months, but they gave him a chance to revamp and let people mourn the loss of Carson so that he could eventually build an audience of his own. They didn't do that with Conan (and no, you can't equate Conan's Late Night audience with The Tonight Show. A lot of potential viewers never stay up that late).
Who cares? Not many would be shocked by another ridiculous move by a part of NBC.
NBC may not be there at all sometime soon, unless it is funded by some other part of their pitiful corporation, who continues to make unprecedented bad mistakes in every part of their portfolio from GE on down to their news groups, that pays high salaries to people make a good living being wrong, every single day, on nearly every issue where they voice an opinion while displaying a sophomoric smirk.
The only thing they do understand is that Jay Leno is the best and Conan has improved to be a good second.
To much is being made of this situation and does anyone really know what NBC is doing and why? Leno has had a good run at the tonight show and Conan is to "New York " for the tonight show. Why doesn't NBC realise that they messed up and pull all of it. Neither Leno or Conan is funny anymore. Maybe they should just kick sand in the playground and go home to tell their moms about it. They have passed childish. Team Conan? Team Leno? Who cares? look out the window, important events are taking place that should have some of your attention.
All of you seem to have forgotten Conan took over Jay's show and I don't recall Jay taking cheap shots at him at that time. I think Conan seems like a nice Guy but rarely is her really funny. And finally I don't think either one of these men get to tell NBC what to do.
conan and jay are not the issue, NBC is the heavy here. But neither will ever be a johnny carson.
We must count differently. Gaffigan? Big. Poehler? Big. Ferrell? Big. Pearl Jam? Big. Springsteen? Still really big. White Stripes? Big. Stewart? Big (unless you're old, in which case, granted, some of these might not seem so big). (And no, I'm not dissing older people, because I'm 55 and officially old, at least in age).
My question is...does anyone really need to go on The Tonight Show anymore to hawk their wares? Back in the day, it was the only show in town, but now there are tons of places to promote, including cable and the Internet, and The Tonight Show doesn't seem like such a big fish or a "must appear on" venue anymore. Especially if you're trying to reach the younger, most sought after demographic.
Jay is a pompous asshole, he thinks the world revolves around him. He thinks carson died and left him boss. I would pay to watch a dead Richard Pryor rather than a live leno show any time. Why hasn't the networks offered a night time show to one or all of the remaining Kings of Comedy. Need I refer to that 800 pound GORILLA in the room some refuse to talk about. Just keeping it real!!!!
Conan should go find a new barber and then come back.
I never was a fan of Jay. The only time I would watch was if he had a guest on that I rally liked then I would change to channel! I feel Jay has always been arrogant and I hate when any comedian makes fun of someones bad luck or someone who had died! I know a lot of them do it and I change the channel on them too! He did it the most and he would get booed at times for it! Wonder how he feels with so many people making jokes at his expense? Actually I'm sick of hearing it! I wish they would put him at 12:30AM so I don't have to deal with him because I always watch Craig! If he wants late night back bump one of the younger guys! They suck anyway! Like Jay! Stay your Guns Conan!
I like Jay Leno and I like Conan...who I think we would all like to see talk a long walk off a short pier is that idiot chimp Jeff Zucker, the head of NBC. If I made the decisions at my job that he does at his job, I'd be shown the door. How in the world is this guy keeping his title at NBC???
Did one ever stop to think maybe it's all a scamm to boost ratings. Perhaps they're all in on it. It's possible.
Who cares about any of the 10...talk about not funny...
Will Ferrell. And the bottom line really is that Conan isn't funny either.
This list doesn't include Howard Stern, who has made his hatred of Jay Leno well-known for decades.
we're talking a lot of money here, so which of you wouldn't do the same thing Leno is doing?
Conan is a real AZZHO, he is not even funny. Just incredibly STUPID. He should go back to his Hometown and Bake Cookies for Church Bake Sales. Leno IS and HAS Been a Leading Comedian in America for almost 40 years. There is NO SUBSTITUTE FOE EXPERIENCE.!!!! Leno IS THE BEST !!!
Hey "Conan Guests!" Don't let the door hit you in the 'arse' when you leave! I won't miss any one of you!
Conan: Time to put your "Big Boy" pants on and suck it up! That's SHOW BIZ as they say! This is the way the game is played and what you signed on for when you arrived in Tinsel Town, so get over it! I for one, do NOT feel sorry for you! And BTW: Your career isn't over.....in fact, I'd say with all the sympathy you've been lapping up of late, that it just received a pretty big kick start! RUN!! YOU HAVE THE BALL!!!
The tourch was "offically" passed serveral months ago and Conan's whole show moved to California with the expectation of a long run on the Tonight Show. I don't know how you can go back on that, but I sure wish they could come to a happy ending. Each week night I watch both shows, they are both good, but I perfer Leno's over Conan's. No matter what happens, I will watch any NBC show over Letterman's "sick excuse for humor".
I suggest taking a deep breath, stop shouting and go get your teddy bear. You really need to calm down and back away from the computer.
Talk about Class and No Class...Leno Kept the High Road and NEVER CUT on Conan, Only on NBC. BUT, Conan DID Cut Leno and continues to, even though Leno had the Class to have Conan on his Tonight show to Welcome him with Kind greetings and offered him all the Success on his takeover of Show. Conan is a NO CLASS ASS - and Not Funny. Go Wig Shopping Conan !!!
NBC by switching Conan and Leno they were trying to get a younger crowd watching The Tonight Show. They were thinking since Conan had been to Harvard he could communicate with the younger and him being younger.Jay made comments on his new show at the start he made a mistake changing. His show was vert low budget $400,000 a night. He had a cheaper set it showed. I guess they also thought Jay could still have an audience on a low budget. Wrong nothing happened. I believe Conan would have in time improved. I believe it was Jack Parr that walked off the show for real. He was gone for awhile and they talked him into comming back This won't happen with Conan I don't believe. He was still offered a spot.
I love it! You all act like you were in on the negotiations - you know exactly what went down and can't wait to critize and judge either Leno, Conan or NBC. I'd like to know where you get your FACTS and how you manage to know the TRUTH. Were you there?
I don't think Jay is funny at all. He comes off as a jerk to me. I thought the reason he left in the first place was because he was retiring. It is not like he needs the money. I haven't watched Conan but I like Jimmy Fallon. My personal favorite is Craig Ferguson!! He is too funny.
Conan is so creepy, I don't see how any woman would "like" him.
He slobbers all over pretty women, he acts as if he is an 8 year old boy looking at Playboy for the first time !
WELL I THINK THEY ARE BOTH JUST OK BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT A RATING INCREASE THEY NEED TO LET THEM BOTH GO AND BRING IN KATHY GRIFFIN NOW THAT WOMAN IS FUNNY AS HELL
I'm with you! Team Craig! Craig Ferguson is hilarious on CBS and his guests - big names included - always seem to have a blast! The guests are more interesting on his show than on any other show I see them on (in other words, like when I see the same people on Conan, Leno, or Letterman). He should have a better time slot for sure!
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