Conan O'Brien on 60 Minutes: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
What's another 37 minutes between friends? That's how long into the broadcast 60 Minutes waited to air Steve Kroft's interview with Conan O'Brien, the first time the former Tonight Show host appeared on television since February 20th. And while most of the juicy details had already been previewed -- as it turns out, Conan would have handled this entire situation a bit differently than Jay Leno -- the interview still held some surprises. Namely, how the Great Late Night War of 2010 left the nominally unwavering Coco fairly damaged.
While you might have assumed that Conan would be laughing all the way to the bank -- with his $30 million payoff from NBC, plus the money he's getting from TBS, there won't be any need to hold a telethon for O'Brien in the near future -- most of the interview illustrated how torn up the ouster from NBC left him. As his wife Liza told Kroft: "This was just really, really hard for him. It -- it was watching someone's heart get broken."
And he's still not over it. Numerous times Conan tried to take the highroad with his former employers, only to be confronted by the harsh reality of their statements. After saying he wished Jeff Zucker -- a friend since college who still hasn't given him a call -- "nothing but the best," Kroft read the NBC CEO's remark that the "viewers voted" and decided against Conan as The Tonight Show host. Ouch. Conan's response -- "Can I take back what I just said?" -- was meek, but under the circumstances, can you blame him?
All of which makes you wonder: Will Conan be over his broken heart by the time the TBS show starts up in November? Because the last thing anyone wants to see is a guy still crying about the girl who dumped him while he's with someone new. Since the entire segment ended with a clip of Coco on tour, singing a personalized version of "I Will Survive" -- sample lyric: "They threw me out / It happened fast / They said please don't let the door hit your freckled, Irish ass / I hung around the house eating frosting from a jar / I got really into Gossip Girl and sleeping in my car / Yes, I'll survive" -- here's hoping.
· Conan O'Brien '60 Minutes' Full Video [THR/The Live Feed]
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Comments
$32 million dollar payout or not, it's still rejection. No one likes that.
But the ironing is delicious...Leno is BOMBING back at 11:30 and Jeff Zucker is now the biggest asswipe in the history of television...
Conan is a hypocrite. His story just bumped Andy Rooney from his time slot.
Conan is a horrible comedian. Leno really isn't that much better as well. Both of these guys have been on way too long and have any of you guys tried watching them talking for a full hour?!? Conan just yells random stuff and clearly loves himself more than nbc did. And i'm asking, who cares?
I like Conan; he's funny when he's really having fun. So, Conan, if you happen to see this, don't end up sounding like Lenny Bruce did at the end of his career.
Come on, the dude got $30 mil. for doing nothing except grow a beard! He has no right to whine. Ratings don't lie.
Let's face it, Leno is a better comedian. If you approach his humor from a method standpoint Leno has better timing (which is IT in comedy) and better writers. Conan is too full of himself.
Who cares? I never could stomach him anyway!
Please... Don't start the "Leno's a better comedian" thing. It's so counterproductive. Just acknowledge that Conan's more relevant, more self-aware, more self-depricating, funnier, stunningly original, more willing to take chances and in the long-run, a better late night audience draw.
Mmmkay?
Anybody who thinks Leno is a better comedian...well, he definitely used to be, but that day is long gone. Look at his performance from Saturday's Washington's Correspondents Dinner. He has no timing or delivery (or good jokes, for that matter) left.
Conan isn't the greatest performer in the world, but he has a genius comedy mind and everything else Ambot just said...
Wanh, Wanh, Wanh! Oh, gee, you got laid off your job and got THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS severance pay. Sorry if I'm not too sympathetic. I've been laid off a couple of times, many people have in this bad economy, without a gianormous severance package larger than what most people earn in a life time. And yes, you do feel betrayed and like someone kicked you in the gut, but you suck it up and move on to the next job, nobody really wants to hear your whining. I rarely watch Leno or Conan, because I'm on the online job boards searching for another job. Meet you there online, Conan? Yeah, right!
Oh, Conan looked tired and sad. I hope TBS is good to him.
The interview shocked me - he is overwhelmed with bitterness. A few months ago, he was a symbol of how unfair the workplace is. Now it's getting to be pathetic.
Conan, just get back to being silly, that's your thing, right?
I know Conan wanted all of the people who'd pulled up stakes to follow him to L.A. and work on the Tonight Show to also be hugely reimbursed for giving up their homes, kids' schools, etc. So, did the $30 million include the money for his peeps, or was the final package $30 million for Conan plus however many millions more for his staff? Anyone know?
God i remember Gloria Gaynor very well and what a outstanding vocalist. I Will Survive helped me get through a bad break up and years later he came back looking to get back together and I told him Oh well now go... I will survive.