# I'm curious... How's Conan doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2010, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757 "2010-10-20T08:47:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@Short\_Guy\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy_1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/1 "2010-10-20T08:47:45Z")
I used to watch and enjoy Conan O’Brien when he was on CNBC here in Europe. We don’t get the new channel he’s on, and I may be wrong, but I haven’t really heard much about him here on the Dope since he moved. So how is he doing? Is the show any good? Is it popular? Does he get similar ratings or have they dropped? I’m just curious, is all. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/2 "2010-10-20T09:19:28Z")
Conan’s new show has not started yet. It will debut on TBS on November 8. I believe the deal he made with NBC prohibited him from hosting his own television comedy show before September. He did a comedy tour in the spring, but otherwise he’s been laying low and presumably preparing for his new show. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/3 "2010-10-20T10:41:08Z")
Here are some promos: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qUus_-DEpTA/maxresdefault.jpg "Conan O'Brien TBS Promo: Conan Washes His Desk! | CONAN on TBS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUus_-DEpTA) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hSFbf0f4Ch8/maxresdefault.jpg "Conan O'Brien Drives an Explosives-Packed Car Off A Cliff! | CONAN on TBS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFbf0f4Ch8) ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@Short\_Guy\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy_1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/4 "2010-10-21T17:33:11Z")
That might explain why I hadn’t heard about it yet then. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/5 "2010-10-21T17:43:03Z")
Conan is trying hard to change his image. He’s grown the beard and his comedy is edgier and more angry. It’s probably just an effort to grab attention. After 15 years, it’s obvious Conan is basically a nice guy. I can’t see him keeping the edgy/pissed off act going for too long. That’s just not who he is. I hope he keeps the beard. looks better with it. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/6 "2010-10-21T17:46:19Z")
I believe he drove his enemies before him and listened to the lamentations of their women. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/7 "2010-10-21T17:51:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Conan is trying hard to change his image. He’s grown the beard and his comedy is edgier and more angry. It’s probably just an effort to grab attention. > > After 15 years, it’s obvious Conan is basically a nice guy. I can’t see him keeping the edgy/pissed off act going for too long. That’s just not who he is. > > I hope he keeps the beard. looks better with it. I would hardly call [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUus_-DEpTA) edgy or angry. Definitely funny, though. Conan will be on at 11:00 on TBS, so he’ll get a jump on The Tonight Show and the Late Show timeslot wise, but it’s pretty hard for basic cable to compete with broadcast network shows. It has happened though; there was a time when Adult Swim on Cartoon Network was beating Letterman. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/8 "2010-10-21T17:56:06Z")
Pretty good. King of Aquilonia, last I heard. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/9 "2010-10-21T20:15:33Z")
I was thinking of the one where he beats up his stunt double and drives his car off the cliff. He’s putting out some great promos. No doubt that he’s going to hit the air with huge ratings. They say he’s got some big name guests that first week. > [@friedo](#): > > I would hardly call [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUus_-DEpTA) edgy or angry. Definitely funny, though. > > Conan will be on at 11:00 on TBS, so he’ll get a jump on The Tonight Show and the Late Show timeslot wise, but it’s pretty hard for basic cable to compete with broadcast network shows. It has happened though; there was a time when Adult Swim on Cartoon Network was beating Letterman. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/10 "2010-10-21T20:45:03Z")
I, for one, am really looking forward to the show. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out of the gate with higher ratings than Jay/Dave. TBS is putting a lot on him. Can he sustain, though? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/11 "2010-10-21T21:27:24Z")
I don’t know, but “Conan’s Beard” is a great name for a rock band. ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/12 "2010-10-21T21:31:56Z")
He won’t beat Lettermen or Leno in the ratings. I bet he’ll do better in the 18-49 age group though. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/13 "2010-10-21T21:32:07Z")
Surprised no one has mentioned the [Team Coco 24-hour webcam](http://teamcoco.com/) ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/14 "2010-10-21T21:33:39Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I, for one, am really looking forward to the show. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out of the gate with higher ratings than Jay/Dave. TBS is putting a lot on him. Can he sustain, though? I don’t think TBS is expecting him to pull in the same ratings as Dave and Jay all the time, since he’s on basic cable. He’s biggest competition is more like Stewart/Colbert. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/15 "2010-10-22T00:53:29Z")
I work nights, so it’s not my fault that I didn’t watch Conan’s commercials when he had The Tonight Show. Since I still work nights, wondering: Does TBS put their shows online? If not TBS themselves, will they HULU it? ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/16 "2010-10-22T03:24:51Z")
Fingers crossed that the new show is good…I loved him on "Late Night, but was pretty disappointed with what he was doing on “The Tonight Show” (though I think he could have grown into it). Also, FYI for anyone interested: there’s a new book about the whole late night meltdown coming out, [The War for Late Night](http://www.amazon.com/War-Late-Night-Early-Television/dp/067002208X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287717704&sr=8-1), by the same guy who wrote “The Late Shift” back when Carson retired. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/17 "2010-10-22T05:01:22Z")
I think Conan fell into the trap of thinking the Tonight Show required very conservative, sedate comedy. Conan retired some of his best material from Late Night. Honesty, Conan was boring on the Tonight Show. He went overboard changing his comedy. On TBS he can go balls to the wall. Drag out the masturbating bear and any other crazy stuff he likes. I got a hunch his TBS show will be for the college crowd. I’m curious to see what an unleashed Conan comes up with. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/18 "2010-10-22T05:36:39Z")
Due to intellectual property issues, the Masturbating Bear is now the Self-Pleasuring Panda. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/19 "2010-10-22T09:12:29Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Due to intellectual property issues, the Masturbating Bear is now the Self-Pleasuring Panda. That was what was said on the show, yes. But the masturbating bear did appear in his tour in both name and appearance. So I wonder what’s going on… ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757/20 "2010-10-22T14:13:42Z")
I heard on Howard Stern this week that the scripted NBC shows at 10pm are actually getting lower ratings than Jay’s 10pm show drew. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-curious-hows-conan-doing/557757.md?page=2)