Jay Leno going back to 11:30... Conan's future unclear

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by fredr123

They're working on it, having ordered an unusually large number of pilots this season: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...&postcount=154

I don't really follow any TV shows right now(besides just cracking out on DVD box set reruns), how's 30 Rock doing for ratings? When I look at NBC and see The Office, 30 Rock, Tonight Show, etc, it seems like they'd be doing great, or at least keeping up with the Jones'. I don't get how they're in last place.

[Bill Bumface]

I've never really watched Leno, but I found in his monologues the most annoying part is his repetition of the punchline after people are already laughing:

""With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

*Laughter*

*mumbles*"God.. in the pledge.. maybe.... not a good time... God?"*mumbles*

So awkward.

[troutman]

Conan has a great supporting cast - Andy, Max, La Bamba, Triumph, and the sketch comedians (I don't know their names, but they are awesome).

His bits with wax Tom Cruise and wax Fonzie this year, rank with his funniest stuff ever.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by troutman

His bits with wax Tom Cruise and wax Fonzie this year, rank with his funniest stuff ever.

100%. I read that while he's losing to Letterman, Conan's beating him in the highly sought after young audience. I think NBC needs to take a breath and relax. Did they really think a new host would trounce an established big-time vet like Letterman right off the bat? It's only been 6 months for Christ sake, give it some time for Conan to build an audience outside of the one he already had from Late Night.

[fredr123]

It's pressure from the affiliates, I think, that is pushing NBC to make the changes. Ratings leading into the critical local 11:00 news are sinking to new levels since the NBC shuffle. Local affiliates are losing money because not as many people are tuning in to watch the show (Leno) that leads into the news. I have heard and read that some affiliates were threatening to jump to another network or go independent if NBC didn't right the ratings ship.

If it weren't for the affiliates, I'm sure NBC would have been content to let the shows build their own audiences. After all, running Leno in primetime allowed the network to save buttloads of money since his show runs on a mere fraction of the budget of what an hour long primetime drama costs to make per episode. It also let NBC avoid getting into a pissing match with Conan and risk having to pay that penalty clause in his contract if he didn't host the Tonight Show which has been rumored to be in excess of $40 million.

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by fredr123

It's pressure from the affiliates, I think, that is pushing NBC to make the changes.

You're right, but why not put the news on at 10, Leno on at 10:35, and keep Conan on at 11:35?

If they move Conan out of the Tonight Show time slot, I think it will be bad for the network in the long run.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by gargamel

You're right, but why not put the news on at 10, Leno on at 10:35, and keep Conan on at 11:35?

If they move Conan out of the Tonight Show time slot, I think it will be bad for the network in the long run.

Just about anywhere you go, news is on at 11:00. I don't know why, just is. Could be a giant hassle to the affiliates to all agree to that change. Could be that ad time during prime time is too expensive for the local advertisers who would want their commercials on during the news. Not really sure.

[nfotiu]

Not sure that affiliates are of much concern to nbc these days as the prevailing thought is nbc will be a cable network in a couple years.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Craig Ferguson Video

He's just funnier than everyone else.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Not sure that affiliates are of much concern to nbc these days as the prevailing thought is nbc will be a cable network in a couple years.

Really? Do you have some background reading you can refer me to? Sounds interesting.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I don't really follow any TV shows right now(besides just cracking out on DVD box set reruns), how's 30 Rock doing for ratings? When I look at NBC and see The Office, 30 Rock, Tonight Show, etc, it seems like they'd be doing great, or at least keeping up with the Jones'. I don't get how they're in last place.

They do okay, but CBS' comedies (Big Bang, How I Met Your Mother, 2 1/2 Men) are still blowing them out of the water. Even ABC (The Middle) is starting to gain ground.

[MJM]

I was a huge Conan fan for years. As soon as Kimmel got going I switched, and haven't watched him since. Jimmy Kimmel's show is the best if you ask me.

[7uongo]

Wow, I dunno about you guys, but this whole fiasco makes Leno look like a ######bag. Leno went well over his expiry date and is just trying to hang onto whatever fame he can get instead of gracefully stepping aside for Conan. Leno should've figured out that the low ratings (even when every other talk show was doing reruns except him) was because people are tired of him

I hope Conan jumps ship from NBC caving to Leno's demands

[RW99]

It's official... http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2010...no-return.html

[metallicat]

As long as Conan is on the air somewhere, I'll be happy.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Fox said they would take Conan. But I don't see Conan leaving unless Fox can come somewhere close to the $28 mil a yr NBC is paying him.

[Coach]

The thing I like about Conan over the other guys is, well really because he's just funnier, but also he knows when the jokes are bad and revels in it. Other guys jokes are just bad and fall flat. Conan makes fun of himself and I like that.

[Cowperson]

Basically this is a move to rectify the collossal blunder made by Jeffrey Zucker, removing Leno from the number one rated show in that time slot and creating two low rated programs.

O'Brien couldn't pull his weight.

A look at Teflon Zucker and how his "quick fix" got NBC into a pickle, in the LA Times yesterday:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,2371918.story

and, back to basics according to Zucker's boss.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...o-basics-.html

Removing Leno from The Tonight Show is now described as one of the greatest blunders in the history of prime time television, costing NBC hundreds of millions of dollars and damages to programming that might take years to recover from.

I'll watch Leno anytime. A lot better than Letterman or anyone else in that category for that matter . . . . .

Leno's last musical guest, if I remember right, was long-time favourite Lyle Lovett singing "Closing Time" . . . . the opening monologue for a return to the Tonight Show would be hilarious and hopefully Lovett would reprise.

Cowperson

[BlackArcher101]

I don't think removing Leno from The Tonight Show was their greatest blunder. I think it was keeping him on tv in a similar role, taking most of his past viewers with him (and away from the current Tonight Show). If Leno had left completely and Conan took over his viewers, would we even be having this discussion? NBC saturated the market.

It's sort of similar to an agent, who has a "book". Let's say they hire to replace Agent 'A' and hire Agent 'B' to do so. They want Agent 'B' to become even better than 'A' used to be. Unfortunately, Agent 'A' has decided after the fact to stay and keep his book to himself, instead of letting Agent 'B' take it over. The agents' clients will tend to stick with the agent, not the company (or in this case, tv show) they are representing. Some people who liked Leno moved with Leno and this left Conan (agent 'B') with an uphill battle.

Poor decision making at NBC.

[Jordan!]

I've been saying for months.. ditch Andy Richter and Conan is a ratings hit again.