# Leno/Conan Shakeup at NBC **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 7, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073 "2010-01-07T21:31:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/581 "2010-01-20T18:45:02Z")
> [@2ply](#): > > Yeah, but if you weren’t a Leno viewer to begin with, how is he going to be hurt if you don’t watch him in the future? If the controversy isn’t hurting his 10pm numbers now, it’s hard to see how it will hurt his 11:30 numbers a month from now. I think shows like the Tonight Show rely a lot on momentum. People watch it as much out of habit as anything else, and if they stopped watching when Conan took over and didn’t watch Leno’s new show, it doesn’t seem implausible that they’ll simply never come back. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/582 "2010-01-20T18:52:03Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Why do you assume NBC wanted Conan to stay at 11:35 if Leno said no? Contrary to some people here, Leno does not run NBC, he can’t force them to keep Conan if he left. Doesn’t matter, he shouldn’t have been a party to it, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/583 "2010-01-20T19:01:25Z")
Conan’s having some fun with it, at least: [http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/19/transcript-conan-obriens-january-19-monologue/?hpt=T2](http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/19/transcript-conan-obriens-january-19-monologue/?hpt=T2) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/584 "2010-01-21T05:02:44Z")
Conan just showed off his immense comedy genius He said that while he is still on the air his bits are still funded by NBC. So instead of making characters that are funny, they’re just doing ones that are “crazy expensive”. The result? A [Bugatti Veyron](http://functioningalcoholic.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/bugatti_veyron.jpg) mouse…to the original tune of “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. To quote Conan “is it funny? Not really…is it expensive? Hell yes!” Total cost: 1.6 Million dollars. That is one of the funnies things I have ever seen ---
**Author:** ![BKReporter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@BKReporter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BKReporter)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/585 "2010-01-21T05:18:45Z")
Did John Oliver on the Daily Show just say that Jay Leno was shit? ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/586 "2010-01-21T06:58:44Z")
Conan is so rocking. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/587 "2010-01-21T07:24:41Z")
He’s on fire. I watch the show a day late online, so I just saw [Norm Macdonald](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/norm-macdonald-hails-cona_n_430014.html) come on. That was really funny. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/588 "2010-01-21T12:36:19Z")
Exit deal done [http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/21/news/Conan\_OBrien\_NBC\_severance\_deal/index.htm?hpt=T2](http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/21/news/Conan_OBrien_NBC_severance_deal/index.htm?hpt=T2) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/589 "2010-01-21T13:27:03Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > He’s on fire. > > I watch the show a day late online, so I just saw [Norm Macdonald](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/norm-macdonald-hails-cona_n_430014.html) come on. That was really funny. Wow, Norm is looking old. (Which means I probably am too…) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/590 "2010-01-21T15:12:27Z")
If I were on the writing staff I would _beg_ Bette Midler to come on the show Friday and sing “For the last seven months you’ve been the wind beneath my wings.” Ed Helms’ appearance might’ve been sort of their answer to that, but I think spoofing Midler’s song to Johnny Carson would be the ultimate way to go out on the Tonight Show. That or blowing up the studio with everybody in it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/591 "2010-01-21T15:47:33Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Conan just showed off his immense comedy genius > > He said that while he is still on the air his bits are still funded by NBC. So instead of making characters that are funny, they’re just doing ones that are “crazy expensive”. The result? A [Bugatti Veyron](http://functioningalcoholic.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/bugatti_veyron.jpg) mouse…to the original tune of “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. To quote Conan “is it funny? Not really…is it expensive? Hell yes!” Total cost: 1.6 Million dollars. > > That is one of the funnies things I have ever seen And you won’t see it on the NBC site because they didn’t want to pay any more money for it. [But here it is on YouTube.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr6mOGPDceQ) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/592 "2010-01-21T16:11:12Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Why do I keep having the sense that this is another case of baby boomers being used to having their way for their whole fucking lives, and not allowing the generation(s) after to finally get their chance? What the hell are you talking about? Nobody watched Conan. He lost the networks so much money that they’re willing to PAY him $30 million NOT to work for them. He’s getting a golden parachute for sucking. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/593 "2010-01-21T16:36:00Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Conan just showed off his immense comedy genius > > He said that while he is still on the air his bits are still funded by NBC. So instead of making characters that are funny, they’re just doing ones that are “crazy expensive”. The result? A [Bugatti Veyron](http://functioningalcoholic.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/bugatti_veyron.jpg) mouse…to the original tune of “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. To quote Conan “is it funny? Not really…is it expensive? Hell yes!” Total cost: 1.6 Million dollars. > > That is one of the funnies things I have ever seen I have said many times that Conan just does not make me laugh. I was wrong - that was pretty funny stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/594 "2010-01-21T16:56:42Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > He lost the networks so much money that they’re willing to PAY him $30 million NOT to work for them. And yet they were willing to pay him $10 million a year to host a show at 12:05. They were willing to pay him $30 million to go away after he refused to do that. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/595 "2010-01-21T17:01:05Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And yet they were willing to pay him $10 million a year to host a show at 12:05. They were willing to pay him $30 million to go away after he refused to do that. They had little choice. NBC does not want this dragging through the courts for ages. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/596 "2010-01-21T17:27:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And you won’t see it on the NBC site because they didn’t want to pay any more money for it. [But here it is on YouTube.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr6mOGPDceQ) Yeah, they cut it out of Hulu. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/597 "2010-01-21T17:31:17Z")
Leno’s return to The Tonight Show will be a disaster, I bet. Probably decent ratings at first due to the curiosity factor, but a slow steady decline into irrelevance. Yes, he was getting ratings with the Tonight Show back when, but things have changed dramatically. i used to watch the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I will not this time around. I certainly hope they find a different avenue for Smigel to be part part of a new Conan show. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/598 "2010-01-21T17:35:10Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > They had little choice. NBC does not want this dragging through the courts for ages. I’m not saying they paid him $30 million out of the goodness of their hearts. I’m just pointing out: they decided it was the best remaining option only after he wouldn’t agree to host the show at 12:05. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/599 "2010-01-21T17:42:12Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > > [@me](#): > > > > Why do I keep having the sense that this is another case of baby boomers being used to having their way for their whole fucking lives, and not allowing the generation(s) after to finally get their chance? > > What the hell are you talking about? Nobody watched Conan. He lost the networks so much money that they’re willing to PAY him $30 million NOT to work for them. He’s getting a golden parachute for sucking. **Marley** , I hereby request permission to post ‘Nyah, nyah’ in this thread when Conan’s next show does well and the Tonight Show continues with its horrible numbers, even though the thread will be a zombie by then. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073/600 "2010-01-21T17:55:36Z")
What exactly has changed for Leno at 11:35? Mainly what I can see is many people who never watched him are now yelling about how he forced Conan out. He never had the vast majority of those people to begin with. Assuming Conan goes to Fox that means the audience will have more options but many of the Conan fans probably didn’t watch Leno either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leno-conan-shakeup-at-nbc/524073.md?page=31)