The Tonight Show with Conan O'brien

[Goofy4TheWorld]

...but Leno was the one saying he wanted to retire.

I don't think that is true. Conan was shopping around for a new gig 5 years ago when he was very popular with his Late Night show. NBC wanted to keep Conan with them because they saw him as the future with his large following in the valuable advertising demographic 18-24 year olds. NBC bullied Jay into "retiring" but Jay never bought it, and as soon as NBC had Conan locked in, Jay started shopping around.

All of which led to the mess they are in now. NBC tried to have its cake and eat it to, but Jay wasn't ready to ride off into the sunset, and NBC couldn't stand the thought of him jumping networks.

I blame Zucker, but not because he tried to drum Jay out of town, but because he didn't do it right (which would have meant NO 10pm show.)

[2Epcot]

Obviously I'm not happy to see Conan leave the Tonight show and Jay Leno return, but I think Conan is doing the right thing. It would really be reducing the long running Tonight Show to a second class show by moving it to midnight. Not to mention, as Conan said, it's not the Tonight show if it is starting the next day.

I feel bad for Conan and most of his staff who uprooted their entire families to move from NY to CA. It will be interesting to see if he stays in LA if he ends up doing his show at Fox.
One advantage of a show on Fox would be he would start 30 min. before Jay Leno.

I heard on one of the shows that Jerry Zucker, head of NBC isn't happy with the way Conan has been blasting him and NBC on the air. I guess there is a rumor that Zucker could force Conan to stay under contract and not be able to go on another network for the remainder of the 3 1/2 years left on the contract.

I think if NBC tried to keep Conan off the air there would be a major public attack against NBC, and most likely directed at Jay Leno and the Tonight Show. I think NBC will let Conan out just to avoid any more bad publicity.

[MNNHFLTX]

I am not a huge Conan fan, but am definitely not a Jay Leno fan at all, especially after all this. This is one of those "huh?" moments. Let's see--Jay's ratings on prime-time are so dismal that the local news networks are complaining that there own ratings are suffering. So let's reward Jay for this by giving him back his old time slot?? I understand that Conan's ratings were not through the roof either, but this all seems wrong. I think NBC has has given Conan a raw deal and I don't blame him for being bitter. I know will never watch Jay Leno again because of it.

[DakotaDisney]

It's to bad it's come to this. NBC sure messed things up for themselves and their 3 hosts. But at the sametime the 3 hosts signed the contracts and agreed to do it.

I don't watch any of them everynight, but I like to flip back and forth between Leno, Conan and Letterman. I would like to see both Leno and Conan remain on NBC.

I would suggest they leave Conan on the Tonight Show where he is and put Jay and his show after Conan. Then after a year or 2 or when is contract is up, if Conan hasn't got his show in the groove then move Jay back to the Tonight Show. That way Conan has had a fair shot at it.

[laprana]

They said on the Today Show this morning that this Friday will be Conan's last show. I was surprised it was so soon! They also said that he will not be able to take any of his "intellectual property" - skits and characters that he came up with while on NBC - with him wherever he ends up. No more "Year 3,000," "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog," "Conando," etc. I hate to see Conan leave, and I hope he ends up with a new show on another network soon. I would definitely watch it. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, however, will never be on my TV again.

[PirateLover]

I hope Conan can rebound with a bigger and better show in September, and that NBC's ratings tank with Leno. I think that's so wrong that he can't take his characters. I guess they want to keep them so Jay can steal them, haha.

[IamBelle]

I have been a fan of Leno for a while and recently just started to watch Conan, three days before the final episode, and I thought he was hilarious!! I wish I had started watching his shows earlier!! I love how he did the "expensive" characters, so funny! I don't see the point of why NBC won't allow him to go on another network until Sept. they pushed him out, so why do they decide?? He also should be able to bring his characters, they were his ideas, not NBC's!

[SBETigg]

Even if Conan never gets another show, I would be pretty happy to walk away with 33 million (44 million, with the rest for his staff-- and he's pitching some of his personal funds to support his staff, too, which is really nice).

Networks build the ability to keep talent from leaving and competing with them into the contract, as well as the right to keep intellectual property developed while in their employ (as many corporations do). So NBC was probably well within their rights to do that or more, but it wouldn't be good for them if Conan sued and he probably had room to do so over the change in terms for the Tonight Show if he chose. So they came to an agreement that pleased both sides, and split. I'll never watch Jay and I do hope Conan ends up with another show. But I don't feel bad for him the way it ended up, either. I think he'll be okay.

[Scar]

Dear Internet,

I'm sure Conan will get pick up by Fox or someone else and do just fine. He is a real stand up guy for taking care of his staff and I'm sure they'll follow him wherever he goes.

[MegaDisney]

I think that's so wrong that he can't take his characters. I guess they want to keep them so Jay can steal them, haha.

That is probably what will happen. ALL of Leno's bits were stolen from others, ex: Headlines & "Jay" Walking.