One of my favorite TV movies is The Late Shift, a 1996 HBO flick about Dave Letterman and Jay Leno's battle for The Tonight Show. In the past few years the late night wars have flared up again, hopefully paving the way for a sequel. Here's a quick recap: In 2004 Conan O’Brien's contact was up for renewal and much like Letterman before him, he was growing weary of the 12:35 AM slot. The NBC brass cut an unprecedented deal in which Conan was promised The Tonight Show by 2009. If they didn't deliver they'd have to pay a $45 million penalty. This didn't exactly please Jay Leno, who had been trouncing Letterman for over a decade and had no plans to retire.
Leno's contract says he can't sign on to another network until November of 2009. Word is ABC and FOX are frothing at the mouth at the prospect of adding him to their line-up. Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon is widely expected to take over Conan's slot at 12:35. Could NBC have fucked this up any worse? Look, I love Conan and I've never found Leno funny, but you don't kick a guy to the curb when he's killing in the ratings. Losing Conan to another network would have sucked, but did they really think he'd get better ratings than Leno? I can't imagine him appealing to as wide an audience as Leno. Middle America isn't going to cotton to the masturbating bear. If Leno goes to 11:35 at ABC or Fox — which he'll almost surely do — he'll be up against Letterman and Conan. I'd bet good money Jay Leno's new show crushes them both from day one — and he'll continue doing so until he retires sometime around his 88th birthday in 2038. The fact Craig Ferguson is occasionally beating Conan these days can't be a good omen.
Meanwhile: Jimmy Fallon? Really? They've known about this for five years and that's the best they could come up with? When Letterman and Conan began at NBC at 12:35 they were both largely unknown, but completely brilliant. Fallon is widely known and — I hate to say it because he seems like a real nice guy — not particularly funny. They should get ballsy again and find somebody new. Lorne Michaels took endless shit about Conan during his first few years, but NBC (barely) stood by their guns and he matured into the funniest guy on TV. He put NBC in a tight spot when he threatened to bolt, but they really shot themselves in the foot with this deal. When HBO makes The Late Shift Two, who should play Conan? Does the President of Finland have time in her schedule for a quick movie shoot?
Share
Email
Stumble
AIM
Del.icio.us
DiggThis
Fark It!
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
Get RS Mobile
RSS
Masturbating Bear | September 1, 2009 2:30 PM
Conan does look a little nervous out there, but he´s still in a league of his own. I would always vote for the guy with Comic the Insult Dog on his team anyway. Place Andy in the sofa, bring out a few more fake interviews and he´ll be fine.
Jay never made me laugh, even once over the years...
Bring on the "SNL"-humor Conesy. It´s good for the world!
Sam | August 7, 2009 8:54 PM
Yeah Craig is definitely better than all of them and he doesn't even have a band?!?!
Joe | August 7, 2009 8:52 PM
Craig Ferguson is the best!
123 | June 19, 2009 10:02 PM
In this viewer's humble opinion...it's ridiculous to even compare Conan with Dave. David Letterman is ten times the host that Conan is. Johnny was the king, Dave is very good, Jay has his moments, and Conan can be almost painful to watch. Even Craig F. is a better host than Conan. I'm a newspaper reporter, former actor, and have years of comedy training at Chicago's 2nd City (home of most SNL legends). I also used to do stand-up. I don't say this to impress (it's not that impressive), just to say that this discussion is close to home for me. Trust me...among people who do these types of things as a career, Dave is very well respected and Conan is considered by most to be nearing pathetic (apart from his former writing career). Watching Conan conduct an interview is almost painful. After 17 years of late night, Conan still seems nervous, is unable to control the flow of the interview, has been making the same jokes for over a decade (his hair, for example), and often makes his guests have to work to have a smooth conversation. In contrast, Dave can make anyone from a young athlete to a sexy actress (Julia Roberts gave him a huge smacker on the lips recently), to a politician feel at ease. Dave is likely a better late night talk show host than Conan and Jay combined. Jay has his merits (good writers), but also has many weak points. Conan's entire show is pretty darn weak...filled with mindless, childish skits and almost uncomfortable interviews. Watch Conan conduct an interview, then change the station and watch Dave conduct an interview. It's like night and day. Johnny would be ashamed, I think. Dave is clearly a more intelligent and engaging personality than either Jay or Conan. Long live The Late Show, starring David Letterman!!!
Matt | June 17, 2009 7:32 PM
Conan will do fine over time. No one ever thought Jay Leno was funny - he's always been luke-war/stale.
Conan is winning in the younger demographic, the one that counts, and I have faith in the older generations. All the angry old farts will eventually catch on to Conan.
Johnny Baby | June 17, 2009 11:04 AM
Conan was alright where he was, but he can't compete with good humor. I hope Letterman knocks him off the air. Conan is not Tonight Show material.
Beachcomber | June 14, 2009 9:29 PM
I never found Conan funny either. I have started watching Letterman but don't like him much better. NBC is so out of touch with its programming.They shot themselves in the foot with the Tonightshow programming change and most of their programming is much the same. I don't watch NBC for anything!!!! Their programming is hurting for quality.
Rick | March 21, 2009 5:16 PM
Megan, your comment is one of the stupidest things I have ever read, ever!
K.O. | March 5, 2009 11:49 AM
I felt sorry for Conan and his highstrung corny humor. The man's not a genious, he just shares in the same line of pathetic jokes as SNL. Only once in a while I laugh, but it's only usually due to how sorry I felt for his show. I believe it's his ridiculous prancing that does him in. He really needs to calm down.
No doubt, I don't laugh very often at Leno or Letterman either, but they don't show themselves off as idiots. And when they do have a joke to tell it's often a great one (funny ad mistakes on Leno). Kimmel's sketches, like everyone else, are fairly corny, but he brings the jokes on the mic. Ferguson... is okay, I guess
the o | March 4, 2009 8:27 PM
Conan is the bomb Letterman is bad so is Craig. Conan=Funny
Megan | February 20, 2009 2:22 AM
Conan Gives me the creeps. He's gives me the feeling that he is the kind of guy that would rape someone. Can't stand him.
Craig is hilarious! He is the funniest guy on TV. I nearly die laughing every time I watch him.
Jim | October 26, 2008 9:53 PM
Craig is the best!!!!!!!!
57channelsnuthinon | May 2, 2008 8:11 PM
I don't deny media savvy channel surfers might find Leno banal. But most of those folks are watching Stewart and Colbert, TiVo'd of course.
incorrect | May 2, 2008 1:55 PM
57channelsnuthinon, you aren't quite right. He offends me for being so banal.
57channelsnuthinon | May 2, 2008 1:49 PM
Leno = the Carson for this generation, like it or not. He's funny enough and doesn't offend anyone. Perfect for the time slot. Give him credit, he works his tail off. Let's do something completely different - a British Invasion. Eddy Izzard!
Jungleland | May 2, 2008 11:46 AM
time to bring back Arsenio Hall (or Arsenio Beckman...anyone get this reference?)
Dave, Jay, Conan,Fallon, Ferguson, Carson Daily, Chelsey,John Stewart and Colbert - 5 nights a week??
At that point, everyone in America will get to be a talk show guest once a year just to keep the couch occupied
The Intl | May 2, 2008 1:08 AM
Wake up. Conan the funniest guy on TV? Please. He is not-ready-for-prime-latenightshow-time. He is NOT funny, never has been. He's stupid and people watch him because there's nothing else on. Actually Craig Ferguson is way funnier than him. I can't see Conan pulling off anything successful with The Tonight Show unless he grows up. Letterman must be laughing himself into a coma.