Heartbreaking Photos Depict De-Conanzing of The Tonight Show
When is a TV studio not just a TV studio? If the network that owns it takes a sledgehammer to the short-lived legacy of its previous inhabitant -- as NBC appears to have done in photos from the ravaged set of Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show -- then that's probably your first sign that there's something a little personal going on.
Former Tonight Show blogger and contributor Aaron Bleyaert passed along some snapshots of carnage likely wrought by no less than the furious Jeff Zucker himself, who I assume took time from helping to rebuild Jay Leno's image to do some demolition work at Universal Studios. A wrecking ball is forthcoming, no doubt. If the set suspiciously resembled Super Mario Bros. before, then this must be the Halo look.
And just for maximum heart-rending effect, a glimpse back to when everything was new:
Ah, television.
· What's left of The Tonight Show Studio [BAM via Gawker]
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
Wait until you see Leno's ratings when he comes back on air before you start claiming a victory for old people! I have a feeling that NBC has alienated a good portion of their late night viewer base. Wherever Conan ends up will be instant market share, and I believe the Letterman / Ferguson combo will ultimately reap the rewards.
Definitely someone that's in the 65+ demographic, wistfully wishing for the Jack Paar days; back when things were black and white and not so scary.
Love reading comments from trolls in entertainment news forums proclaiming their lives are so awesome they don't have time to watch tv yet will waste time commenting on a show they are too Patrician to tune in to.
Lame.
Hey MSBPodcast, say hello to your wife for me.....
I have to admit... It is a sexy back. Plus, it tastes like strawberries...
Can you hear the drums, Conando? A tribute: http://bit.ly/dA0UM3
Says the gay person.
Jay, are you posting anonymously in articles about yourself? You are the worst human being on American television.
Jay Leno wasn't forced to leave the tonight show?!? what are you talking about? He went out on a limb and tried to take an earlier 10pm time slot. Didn't you see his stupid show that bombed? now he's crying to NBC wanting the tonight show back..damn..i miss johnny carson
Sunny, you're on to something. The Chinatown jokes write themselves...
Do you accept people of the entertaining persuasion?
I'm sorry, we do not.
Don't apologize, neither does Zucker.
It was the ratings! It was the affiliates! It was the ratings! It was the affiliates! It was the ratings! It was the affiliates! *SMACK* It was the ratings AND the affiliates.
Forget it, Coco. It's Zuckertown.
Long ago, years before the announcement that Conan was going to The Tonight Show, there was a big news even happening that all the comedians would make jokes about. I watched all 3 shows that night (Leno, Leterman, and Conan) and was able to objectively compare their jokes. Conan's was good, Letterman's happened to be the funniest, and Leno's was the absolute lamest and most obvious joke possible - by far the least funny. Unfortunately, this was long enough ago that I don't remember the jokes themselves or what they were about, but I do remember the comparison very well.
Grandpa?
I have watched almost all of the Tonight Show Hosts and none have brought more laughter since Johnnie Carson than Conan. Jay Leno's jokes and comedy sketches were really not all that funny. Conan took no measure against anyone and spoke about anything and anyone which gives purpose to freedom of speech and thought period. For those that dictate against persons of what they can say or do is purely by all terms communistic. If that is what you wish in your life then move to China. As for the other host, albeit her short time on air (Joan Rivers)she was barely funny at all. Maybe it was because she was a feminist and nothing suited her at all. Whatever the case, Conan was screwed over and it's unfortunate that NBC didn't listen to the ballad "Don't know what you got"; Cinderella.
So says the homophobic idiot person. (who most likely wears his wife's underwear while she is at work)
Yeah everyone supports Conan now, but where were you guys when his ratings were bad? This is just like the Ron Paul supporters, they just talk but there aren't many votes for him.
Or you guys are just more vocal than everyone else, but resemble a weak minority. Otherwise Conan would have had strong ratings on his show.
Don't write checks you can't cash.
JAY LENO SUCKS ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS i always watched david letterman instead and conan is the shizzy!!! If thats a real word, bottom line, if you don't like conan your probably really old or really german...
I'm an older guy who could take offense at all of the OLD references. But I don't. Fact is, Conan was funny. Jay was not. NBC is catering to the dumb demographic. Case closed.
People have different taste in comedy, and if some people like Leno better than Conan: good for them. Whatever makes them happy. But, whatever you think about the results, Conan has certainly thrown everything he has into trying to make people laugh. If he thought handling a poisonous snake would make people laugh, he handled a poisonous snake. When he decided that jumping through a ring of fire would entertain people, he jumped through a ring of fire.
He's been a kind of TV priest for a parish of lost insomniac souls. He knows that he has know idea how to save us, but he wishes he did.
I'm the only fan geekish enough to put it in those terms, but I think that a lot of Conan's fervent fans have picked up on that vibe, and I think that's one reason why the way NBC has canceled Conan has been so painful.
NBC cancels shows by wonderful, brilliant people all the time. That's life. But NBC seems to do everything it can to turn the Conan situation into a passion play. The network set about canceling Conan at a really weird point in the season, by trying to weasel out of his contract, and then tried to engage in psychological PR warfare with him. Now, NBC is rushing to destroy his set and obliterate every trace of him, even though he literally jumped through a ring of fire for it.
Now children if we remember our history this has happened before ,and dave did just fine.NBC does not learn from their past and it will bite them in the ass.I mean they are about to be the first major network to go under,I dont forsee a bail out for them.Good move for COCO and let the rat swwim for it!
>:o We should rage on NBC for making the stupidest decision in their whole career! RAWR!
Conan For Life! 😀
I have watched Conan and Jay since the beginning. Two different styles and both can make you laugh. Problem is (was) that Conan is just 'odd'. He is an oddball with quirky humor that almost makes you start to feel uncomfortable after a while. At times I even felt bad for him because no one was laughing except for Conan!
Don't feel sorry for any of them. They have more money than most will ever see in their entire lifetimes.
Glad to see Jay back, but will watch Conan for a change when he returns on another network.
« Previous