DJ
Why did Conan and his staff have to move to LA whereas Fallon could stay in New York?
That decision to have Conan host the Tonight Show in L.A. instead of NYC was down to the then programming bosses at NBC. The powers that be at the network have changed since then, so Jimmy Fallon now hosts the Tonight Show at "30 Rock" albeit in a much smaller studio than both Jay Leno and Conan had.
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears
that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
That seems to be pretty much the case. The last straw for Conan was when NBC decided to move Leno's failing 10pm show back to his old timeslot at 11:30, and bump the Tonight Show to 5 past midnight. Conan's version of the Tonight Show wasn't doing well in the ratings, but if those in charge at NBC had given it a fair chance, and let Jay Leno go, the Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien could have ultimately had a decent chance of success, rather than ending after only 7 months.
NBC were too scared to let Jay Leno leave the network. They feared another network would offer him a show in the same timeslot as the Tonight Show, so they gave him a show at 10pm, a timeslot more suited for scripted dramas than comedy talk shows.
Why did Conan and his staff have to move to LA whereas Fallon could stay in New York?
That decision to have Conan host the Tonight Show in L.A. instead of NYC was down to the then programming bosses at NBC. The powers that be at the network have changed since then, so Jimmy Fallon now hosts the Tonight Show at "30 Rock" albeit in a much smaller studio than both Jay Leno and Conan had.
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears
that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
That seems to be pretty much the case. The last straw for Conan was when NBC decided to move Leno's failing 10pm show back to his old timeslot at 11:30, and bump the Tonight Show to 5 past midnight. Conan's version of the Tonight Show wasn't doing well in the ratings, but if those in charge at NBC had given it a fair chance, and let Jay Leno go, the Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien could have ultimately had a decent chance of success, rather than ending after only 7 months.
NBC were too scared to let Jay Leno leave the network. They feared another network would offer him a show in the same timeslot as the Tonight Show, so they gave him a show at 10pm, a timeslot more suited for scripted dramas than comedy talk shows.
BR
P.S. Are all the network talk shows filmed in New York? Quite naively I always assumed the reason most of the networks ran two shows was to film one in NY and one in LA, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.
New York:
The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS) The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)
(The Tonight Show moved to NYC when Jimmy Fallon took over. Jay Leno - and briefly Conan O'Brien - hosted it in L.A.)
Los Angeles:
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) and up until last month, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS)
Conan O'Brien also does his TBS show "Conan" in Los Angeles, but that's on basic cable, rather than network TV.
So I wasn't as wrong as I thought then with both CBS and NBC on the whole having a LA/NY split.
P.S. Are all the network talk shows filmed in New York? Quite naively I always assumed the reason most of the networks ran two shows was to film one in NY and one in LA, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.
New York:
The Late Show With David Letterman (CBS) The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)
(The Tonight Show moved to NYC when Jimmy Fallon took over. Jay Leno - and briefly Conan O'Brien - hosted it in L.A.)
Los Angeles:
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) and up until last month, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS)
Conan O'Brien also does his TBS show "Conan" in Los Angeles, but that's on basic cable, rather than network TV.
So I wasn't as wrong as I thought then with both CBS and NBC on the whole having a LA/NY split.
LL
That's made me want to ask a question. I was reading up on the scandal involving Conan, Leno and NBC because I could never grasp what had happened. But I'm still stumped as to why Jay Leno got so much negative press over him getting the Tonight Show back because, from what I can tell, NBC were the people who told him he'd get it back and they'd bump Conan...?
Why did Conan and his staff have to move to LA whereas Fallon could stay in New York?
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
That's made me want to ask a question. I was reading up on the scandal involving Conan, Leno and NBC because I could never grasp what had happened. But I'm still stumped as to why Jay Leno got so much negative press over him getting the Tonight Show back because, from what I can tell, NBC were the people who told him he'd get it back and they'd bump Conan...?
VM
That's made me want to ask a question. I was reading up on the scandal involving Conan, Leno and NBC because I could never grasp what had happened. But I'm still stumped as to why Jay Leno got so much negative press over him getting the Tonight Show back because, from what I can tell, NBC were the people who told him he'd get it back and they'd bump Conan...?
The whole thing had been announced and planned five years in advance, back in 2004. When NBC announced they were going to move Leno back to 11.30 in 2010, Leno didn't really say anything in support of Conan, like he was going to refuse the move or leave the network. Remember too that there had been controversy over Leno getting the Tonight Show in the first place over Letterman, and so all these factors just combined to make him the villain of the scenario in the media.
What we now know is that Leno didn't want to leave the Tonight Show and was forced out, because NBC didn't want to lose Conan and agreed to give him the Tonight Show after five years in 2004. When it came time for Leno to leave in 2009, he was still the number 1 rated late night show. NBC decided that they didn't want to lose him also and offered him the 10pm slot. Leno only took it because it meant it would give his staff (most of which had worked there since the beginning) a 2 year guaranteed contract (see interview here from approx 17 mins http://new.livestream.com/natpe/contentwithoutborders/videos/74478948 ). In that interview he states that the plan wasn't to make money when new scripted shows were on, but when repeats aired in the summer and the show was the only new programme airing. However, script writers boycotted the show because they thought it would impact negatively on scripted programming.
The poor ratings of Leno's show gave Conan a bad lead in, leading to disappointing ratings all round, leading to Conan leaving and Leno moving back to where he should have been in the first place. However the real issue was poor management on NBC's part, trying to keep their talent at the network but without appropriate time slots or formats to give them.
I do highly recommend watching that interview from Leno I linked to for his side of the story.
Why did Conan and his staff have to move to LA whereas Fallon could stay in New York?
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
The more you hear about the whole Tonight Show fiasco in 2010, the less it appears that Leno screwed Conan, and the more it appears that NBC screwed both of them.
That's made me want to ask a question. I was reading up on the scandal involving Conan, Leno and NBC because I could never grasp what had happened. But I'm still stumped as to why Jay Leno got so much negative press over him getting the Tonight Show back because, from what I can tell, NBC were the people who told him he'd get it back and they'd bump Conan...?
The whole thing had been announced and planned five years in advance, back in 2004. When NBC announced they were going to move Leno back to 11.30 in 2010, Leno didn't really say anything in support of Conan, like he was going to refuse the move or leave the network. Remember too that there had been controversy over Leno getting the Tonight Show in the first place over Letterman, and so all these factors just combined to make him the villain of the scenario in the media.
What we now know is that Leno didn't want to leave the Tonight Show and was forced out, because NBC didn't want to lose Conan and agreed to give him the Tonight Show after five years in 2004. When it came time for Leno to leave in 2009, he was still the number 1 rated late night show. NBC decided that they didn't want to lose him also and offered him the 10pm slot. Leno only took it because it meant it would give his staff (most of which had worked there since the beginning) a 2 year guaranteed contract (see interview here from approx 17 mins http://new.livestream.com/natpe/contentwithoutborders/videos/74478948 ). In that interview he states that the plan wasn't to make money when new scripted shows were on, but when repeats aired in the summer and the show was the only new programme airing. However, script writers boycotted the show because they thought it would impact negatively on scripted programming.
The poor ratings of Leno's show gave Conan a bad lead in, leading to disappointing ratings all round, leading to Conan leaving and Leno moving back to where he should have been in the first place. However the real issue was poor management on NBC's part, trying to keep their talent at the network but without appropriate time slots or formats to give them.
I do highly recommend watching that interview from Leno I linked to for his side of the story.
Last edited by VMPhil on 30 January 2015 6:20pm - 2 times in total
NW
I know the talk shows are popular in the US, but I'd love to know the mindset that NBC were thinking in 2009? Having talk shows at 10pm, 11.35pm and 12.35am each night, excessive... a bit of an understatement.
Conan got a raw deal from NBC, but I'd highly recommend having a look on YouTube for the closing monologue from his last Tonight Show in 2010, it was decent and wasn't bittered... but I guess I'd be like that if NBC had paid me out the rest of my contract in one go.
I wish James Corden the best of luck for his show, but he's going to be a small fish in a big pond and cracking America will be tough. The late night comedy/talk show scene is competitive you've got NBC, CBS, ABC, TBS and Comedy Central all with their own shows.
Conan got a raw deal from NBC, but I'd highly recommend having a look on YouTube for the closing monologue from his last Tonight Show in 2010, it was decent and wasn't bittered... but I guess I'd be like that if NBC had paid me out the rest of my contract in one go.
I wish James Corden the best of luck for his show, but he's going to be a small fish in a big pond and cracking America will be tough. The late night comedy/talk show scene is competitive you've got NBC, CBS, ABC, TBS and Comedy Central all with their own shows.
VM
Yes after a week of ribbing NBC and self-deprecation, it was the classiest way to go and the sentiment (don't be cynical) is something that still resonates with me. Possibly one of the best moments in recent US TV history.
Especially when you consider that Craig Ferguson was always behind the mighty NBC even when his show was arguably superior.
Conan got a raw deal from NBC, but I'd highly recommend having a look on YouTube for the closing monologue from his last Tonight Show in 2010, it was decent and wasn't bittered... but I guess I'd be like that if NBC had paid me out the rest of my contract in one go.
Yes after a week of ribbing NBC and self-deprecation, it was the classiest way to go and the sentiment (don't be cynical) is something that still resonates with me. Possibly one of the best moments in recent US TV history.
Quote:
I wish James Corden the best of luck for his show, but he's going to be a small fish in a big pond and cracking America will be tough. The late night comedy/talk show scene is competitive you've got NBC, CBS, ABC, TBS and Comedy Central all with their own shows.
Especially when you consider that Craig Ferguson was always behind the mighty NBC even when his show was arguably superior.
DR
Especially when you consider that Craig Ferguson was always behind the mighty NBC even when his show was arguably superior.
Not always: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-etw-ferguson-obrien-10april10-story.html
Especially when you consider that Craig Ferguson was always behind the mighty NBC even when his show was arguably superior.
Not always: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-etw-ferguson-obrien-10april10-story.html
BR
They were struggling in prime time at the time to so this was sold as a solution to that, although as others have pointed out that isn't the real story.
The US schedule is very much fixed in stone and pretty much only drama airs on the networks at 10pm. They don't even risk comedy in the hour.
I know the talk shows are popular in the US, but I'd love to know the mindset that NBC were thinking in 2009? Having talk shows at 10pm, 11.35pm and 12.35am each night, excessive... a bit of an understatement.
They were struggling in prime time at the time to so this was sold as a solution to that, although as others have pointed out that isn't the real story.
The US schedule is very much fixed in stone and pretty much only drama airs on the networks at 10pm. They don't even risk comedy in the hour.
MI
Blandness always trumps individuality.
Especially when you consider that Craig Ferguson was always behind the mighty NBC even when his show was arguably superior.
Blandness always trumps individuality.