Leno vs Conan (Not exactly WWIII)
Posted on January 15, 2010 with 0 comments
Alright, there's bigger problems in the world. The disaster in Haiti comes to mind. The U.S. economy, gas prices, interest rates, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, homelessness, global warming, too many bloggers (oops!) on the internet, third-world countries that will never (I mean never) get out of debt, child abduction, texting and driving (DWT), Utah men who kill their wives and say they then took their kids on a midnight camping trip in the snow also come to mind. But this Leno-Conan thing has finally captured my attention and is starting to piss me off. This has become big news, with even Hollywood stars weighing in. Well this star is going to weigh in too.
I'm siding with Team Conan. I don't strongly dislike Jay or anything, but here's how I see it:
If you remember, years ago when Johnny Carson was set to retire, there was a big to do about who would inherit Johnny's spot as host of Tonight (I think I was on Team Dave back then!). Letterman expected it, Leno fought for it. Leno got it, causing Letterman to leave the network (NBC) and begin his Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. There was even an HBO movie about this. I think it was called The Late Wars (not a bad little movie). I like the (apparently true) scene where Leno lurks in an adjacent bathroom and eavesdrops on the NBC exec meeting, while they're discussing what to do about Tonight.
Forward years later. Leno decides he's going to retire, or at least leave The Tonight Show to do other things, like his stand-up act. He honorably, in my opinion, wants to keep the shit that went down when he got the Tonight Show job from happening again, so he and NBC name his successor (Conan) literally a few years in advance. As the date approaches, Leno starts to have second thoughts about leaving, causing a stir (Conan even did this great bit on Jimmy Fallon's first show (Fallon taking over for Conan on Late Night), where Fallon says “You'll be alright, you got The Tonight Show!”, and Conan hangs his head and says, “Jay's not leaving.”).
So, Leno squawks and cries, and NBC wants to keep him happy. They come up with this great idea to have Leno at 10 pm every weeknight! I know it sounds like Monday morning quarterbacking, but I knew this was a bad idea from the start ( I want my Law & Order at 10!). Conan gets The Tonight Show. Leno gets 10pm.
The Leno show doesn't work. Affiliates are losing viewers/money because of a shitty lead-in. They complain. So what happens? Leno cries again (“I want my old time-slot back!”). Don't be fooled people. If Leno says he never asked for it back, but only “would take it, if thats what they want to do”. He's lying. He went to the NBC brass, or ass, and talked his way back in to The Tonight Show.
So NBC asks Conan if he'll move to 12:05am, so Jay can do a half hour at 11:35. Conan says no (Leno would not have done a half hour show anyway).
So here we are. Conan is getting screwed. He said if HIS Tonight Show is moved to 12:05am (which isn't even tonight, it's tomorrow. Not to mention the tradition of Tonight coming on at 11:30 or 11:35...) he'll walk. I don't blame him. Not one bit. NBC seems to think Leno is this golden goose, and will do anything for him. Why? I don't know. He's not gold. Good, but not gold.
Go Conan. Go. Walk away. If NBC doesn't have the balls to say no to Leno, and to honor their promises to you, go. Take as much money as you can possible take from them, and go (to FOX).
There's so much of this on the internet. After an article, there's the comments section. Some people are saying, “Conan sucks. Jay is much funnier.”. Others are saying “Conan is better. I hate Leno.” Although I think Leno is a decent human being (not a drinker, no drugs, no trouble with the law, never in the headlines for being arrested or in rehab, married with no apparent infidelity), and would probably be fun to hang out with, I have to say that Leno's interview technique is this: If you're a huge star, I'll kiss your ass. If you're a medium star or lower, I'll jab, I'll embarrass, and act superior. I'll belittle you.
But, people, but but BUT, this isn't about who's funnier! This isn't about who you like better! This is about contracts, promises, and Conan getting screwed, because what Jay wants, Jay gets (okay, it's really about money, like everything else).
Conan should keep Tonight. He's earned it. He was promised this job and given a contract. Jay should do the occasional TV special and continue with his never-ending stand-up touring (which he likes to do). But this won't happen, which is why I say "Walk".
This all reminds me of a great joke Jay once made at, I think, a press conference during The “who's replacing Johnny?” period. There was a brief period, where after Jay had been announced as the new host of Tonight, that NBC was trying to put Letterman in after all (and screw Leno). Leno said something like, “It's great to be at NBC, which stands for Never Believe your Contract.”
Sorry Jay. Let's go eat some pasta sometime. Show me that garage of yours. But I'm siding with Team Conan.
dp
Burlington, VT
January, 2010
I'm siding with Team Conan. I don't strongly dislike Jay or anything, but here's how I see it:
If you remember, years ago when Johnny Carson was set to retire, there was a big to do about who would inherit Johnny's spot as host of Tonight (I think I was on Team Dave back then!). Letterman expected it, Leno fought for it. Leno got it, causing Letterman to leave the network (NBC) and begin his Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. There was even an HBO movie about this. I think it was called The Late Wars (not a bad little movie). I like the (apparently true) scene where Leno lurks in an adjacent bathroom and eavesdrops on the NBC exec meeting, while they're discussing what to do about Tonight.
Forward years later. Leno decides he's going to retire, or at least leave The Tonight Show to do other things, like his stand-up act. He honorably, in my opinion, wants to keep the shit that went down when he got the Tonight Show job from happening again, so he and NBC name his successor (Conan) literally a few years in advance. As the date approaches, Leno starts to have second thoughts about leaving, causing a stir (Conan even did this great bit on Jimmy Fallon's first show (Fallon taking over for Conan on Late Night), where Fallon says “You'll be alright, you got The Tonight Show!”, and Conan hangs his head and says, “Jay's not leaving.”).
So, Leno squawks and cries, and NBC wants to keep him happy. They come up with this great idea to have Leno at 10 pm every weeknight! I know it sounds like Monday morning quarterbacking, but I knew this was a bad idea from the start ( I want my Law & Order at 10!). Conan gets The Tonight Show. Leno gets 10pm.
The Leno show doesn't work. Affiliates are losing viewers/money because of a shitty lead-in. They complain. So what happens? Leno cries again (“I want my old time-slot back!”). Don't be fooled people. If Leno says he never asked for it back, but only “would take it, if thats what they want to do”. He's lying. He went to the NBC brass, or ass, and talked his way back in to The Tonight Show.
So NBC asks Conan if he'll move to 12:05am, so Jay can do a half hour at 11:35. Conan says no (Leno would not have done a half hour show anyway).
So here we are. Conan is getting screwed. He said if HIS Tonight Show is moved to 12:05am (which isn't even tonight, it's tomorrow. Not to mention the tradition of Tonight coming on at 11:30 or 11:35...) he'll walk. I don't blame him. Not one bit. NBC seems to think Leno is this golden goose, and will do anything for him. Why? I don't know. He's not gold. Good, but not gold.
Go Conan. Go. Walk away. If NBC doesn't have the balls to say no to Leno, and to honor their promises to you, go. Take as much money as you can possible take from them, and go (to FOX).
There's so much of this on the internet. After an article, there's the comments section. Some people are saying, “Conan sucks. Jay is much funnier.”. Others are saying “Conan is better. I hate Leno.” Although I think Leno is a decent human being (not a drinker, no drugs, no trouble with the law, never in the headlines for being arrested or in rehab, married with no apparent infidelity), and would probably be fun to hang out with, I have to say that Leno's interview technique is this: If you're a huge star, I'll kiss your ass. If you're a medium star or lower, I'll jab, I'll embarrass, and act superior. I'll belittle you.
But, people, but but BUT, this isn't about who's funnier! This isn't about who you like better! This is about contracts, promises, and Conan getting screwed, because what Jay wants, Jay gets (okay, it's really about money, like everything else).
Conan should keep Tonight. He's earned it. He was promised this job and given a contract. Jay should do the occasional TV special and continue with his never-ending stand-up touring (which he likes to do). But this won't happen, which is why I say "Walk".
This all reminds me of a great joke Jay once made at, I think, a press conference during The “who's replacing Johnny?” period. There was a brief period, where after Jay had been announced as the new host of Tonight, that NBC was trying to put Letterman in after all (and screw Leno). Leno said something like, “It's great to be at NBC, which stands for Never Believe your Contract.”
Sorry Jay. Let's go eat some pasta sometime. Show me that garage of yours. But I'm siding with Team Conan.
dp
Burlington, VT
January, 2010