television, technology, politics, and more
Why I Love Cleveland’s WJW Fox 8
Jan 16th
While I don’t live in Cleveland, I still appreciate watching WJW Fox 8:
Take That Zucker! Conan is Selling ‘The Tonight Show’
Jan 14th
NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker and his executive team are starting to pursue a ’scorched earth’ storyline regarding Conan O’Brien and his role in the late-night meltdown at the network. Earlier today, TMZ reported that Jay Leno and NBC reached an agreement that would reinstate him as host of The Tonight Show following the Winter Olympics. If true, that is certainly the end for O’Brien at NBC (which is not surprising to anyone really at this point).
O’Brien, for his part, is not taking things lying down. On Thursday’s show, he put The Tonight Show up for sale on Craigslist.
Also, Jimmy Kimmel from ABC appeared on The Jay Leno Show for the ‘10 at 10′ segment. For Leno, that was a big mistake. Kimmel took him to task:
Some choice quotes (via Gawker):
- [Asked by Leno what the best prank he ever pulled was] “The best prank I ever pulled was I told a guy that—five years from now—I’m gonna give you my show. And then when the five years came, I gave it to him, and then I took it back almost instantly.”
- [Asked by Leno if he ever orders anything off of the TV] “Like NBC ordered your show off the TV?”
- [Asked by Leno what the record is for number of lap dances he's received in one night] “Strippers, I don’t like in general. Because you have this phony relationship with them for money, similar to that of when you and Conan were on The Tonight Show together, passing the torch… you know what I’m saying.”
- [Asked by Leno what he hasn't yet hosted, but would like to] “Oh, this is a trick, right? Where you get me to host The Tonight Show and then take it back from me?”
- [Asked why he came on to do the segment] “Listen, Jay, Conan and I have children—all you have to take care of is cars. I mean, we have lives to lead here. You’ve got $800 million, for God’s sakes—leave our shows alone.”
Best ‘Team Coco’ Tweet
Jan 14th
Many people on the Internet are flocking to social media sites to take sides in the NBC Universal late-night meltdown. If those people who are supporting ‘Team Conan’ (aka ‘Team Coco’) had watched his Tonight Show, things might have turned out differently.
Nevertheless, there has been a flurry of activity on micro-blogging site Twitter with ‘Team Coco’ supporters lashing out at NBCU’s President, Jeff Zucker, and expressing confusion over what is going on. Several of these have been celebrity tweets.
The best one comes from Aziz Ansari, a hilarious comedian and one of the stars of NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. Ansari did not himself lash out at NBC (as his own show is in jeopardy of being canceled), but he did expresses his own late-night confusion:
David Letterman Weighs In On The ‘Tonight Show’ Debacle
Jan 12th
David Letterman weighed in on the meltdown at NBC today during a taping for his Tuesday night show.
Letterman, host of the Late Show on CBS, attempted to break down what is at stake in the mess. Letterman, of course, has experience interacting with the programming “geniuses” at NBC. He was passed over by NBC for the Tonight Show job when Johnny Carson retired. Jay Leno ultimately was hired as host and Letterman moved to CBS.
Letterman also had a programing suggestion for NBC to help fill some of the the soon-to-be-vacant 10 pm slots:
Conan O’Brien out at NBC? Says He Won’t Do 12:05 AM ‘Tonight Show’
Jan 12th
Conan O’Brien, the host of The Tonight Show on NBC, has issued a much anticipated statement regarding his future at NBC (see Mayhem at NBC [Business as Usual?]). O’Brien has been put in a very tough position by the brass at NBC who are desperate to calm affiliates upset over poor prime time ratings.
Here is O’Brien’s statement:
People of Earth:
In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.
But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.
Yours,
Conan
Last night, both Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien had harsh comments regarding the shakeup. Both took aim at NBC and network executives:
O’Brien skewered NBC, implying that it had engaged him in an “abusive relationship:”
Leno called NBC prime time “a complete disaster,” among other choice words: