Today, Conan O’Brien said what everyone hoped he would say to NBC: take a hike.
And rightfully so. Leno indicated he wanted to quit, so NBC (wisely) locked up Conan to replace him. Then, Leno decided he wasn’t so sure about quitting. So NBC, in their infinite wisdom, changed their schedule to give Jay the hour lead-in to The Tonight Show, effectively taking the wind out of Conan’s sails…I mean who really wants to watch Leno do the pre-Tonight Show and then another hour of the regular Tonight Show? It’s just excessive.
But Leno couldn’t go quietly into the night. No one watched his show (because it was terrible and unfunny), so NBC once again decided to do something stupid (I’m still mad they cancelled Inside Schwartz) by throwing a complete wrench in their late night lineup, which still is uncertain.
So Conan, the real loser in all of this, decided enough was enough. His letter, addressed to “People of Earth” is funny, yet firm enough to let NBC know that he will not allow them to destroy the storied Tonight Show on his watch. Whether they actually listen to him is anyone’s guess. My assumption is that Jeff Zucker (who I am amazed still has a job through all this and their many other blunders, one of which includes almost cancelling The Office after the first season) will likely just let Conan go like he did David Letterman and re-hire Jay Leno to helm The Tonight Show. Which would be a mistake, if you consider Twitter to be the pulse of the nation. Four of the top 10 trending topics are about O’Brien, NBC or “Team Conan”.
But since when has NBC had any sense about what people care about. They are far too fragmented and their programming is 30% made up of Law & Order episodes. There’s a reason that they’re in 4th place. They’ve got a bunch of morons running the network.
It’s sad, too, because there is some good talent on NBC and some entertaining shows. But they don’t have the slightest clue how to market those shows or nurture their growth. Instead, they are reactionary and impatient.
And that just doesn’t work.
I agree. Leno, the dirt bag, didn’t convince me on his pathetic excuse last night (saw video clip on line) to take over TS again. Everyone, except Leno’s his stupid fans know exactly how he stabbed Conan in the back by not stepping aside; and then stabbing him in the heart for blatantly stealing the show back.
To Leno’s supporters: Would you want anyone like Leno to do the same thing to you? Would you like to wait 5 long years to get what you wished for, only for someone like greedy Leno to take it back. It doesn’t matter to him who gets screwed along the way?