As you've no doubt heard, tonight is Conan O'Brien's final show as host of The Tonight Show. Whether you're on "Team Coco" or "Team Jay" (is anyone Team Jay?), it's pretty clear that Conan got a raw deal here. Whether the ratings were there or not, seven months isn't enough time to build an audience and get viewers used to the new host of a well-established TV institution. Bottom line: NBC screwed Conan over big time. And it's the final dick move in a series of dick moves NBC has made during its long, troubled relationship with Coco.
It all began way back in 1993. Audiences thrilled to the unfortunately titled Tom Cruise thriller The Firm. On the radio, Tag Team taught us all how to say "(Whoomp) There It Is." And an extremely tall young writer from The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live, with a sharp swoosh of hair the color of fresh summer strawberries, took the reigns of NBC's Late Night from the departing David Letterman.
Right away, Conan's relationship with NBC got off to a rocky start. The early shows were rough, and NBC put him on a week-to-week contract a year into the show. Basically, it's like if your boyfriend said, "I like you, but I'm still going to evaluate whether or not we should break up at the end of each week." But Coco persevered. The show improved, and the college crowd started to discover signature bits like "In the Year 2000" and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Gradually, Conan became one of NBC's biggest stars, and a clear successor to the Tonight Show throne.
Flash forward to 2004, and NBC's proposal: Conan would take over as the host of The Tonight Show in 2009. Sure, that's a pretty long engagement. But like a naive bride who eventually gets left at the altar, Conan had faith in NBC. Plus, even Jay Leno was behind the idea. At long last, Conan's relationship with NBC seemed stable.
But a couple years ago, the trouble began. Leno started grumbling about being forced out. So to keep him happy, NBC announced he would be taking over the 10pm time slot five nights a week. It's kind of like if your guy left his wife for you, but then built her a new house right next door. Conan would still have to follow Leno. But still, he had The Tonight Show. He was Queen Bee Coco. For a time, NBC's talk show line-up was sort of like Big Love, with Conan as the smart, reliable head wife, Leno as the troublemaking second wife, and Jimmy Fallon as the sort of slutty third wife who you kind of forget about.
Of course, we all know what happened next. Leno's ratings tanked, and Conan was routinely trounced by a newly reinvigorated Letterman. And instead of giving Conan the same chance to find his footing that they gave to Leno (his Tonight Show lost in the ratings to Letterman until Hugh Grant came on to discuss his hooker scandal in 1995), NBC planned to return Leno to 11:30 and force Conan to midnight. Coco wisely stood up for himself (The Tonight Show at midnight is no longer the "tonight" show), but NBC sided with Leno, kicking Conan to the curb (albeit with a nice chunk of change).
And thus, the NBC/Conan cycle of abuse comes to an end. Conan comes out on top, with tons of Internet support and a possible deal with Fox. Bad guy Leno slinks back to his old spot, where he'll probably stay until the sweet release of death takes him mid-Monica Lewinsky joke. Will NBC learn from their mistakes? Will Conan find a network who appreciates him, and doesn't string him along with a series of empty promises? We can all learn something about relationships from this late night mess. If nothing else, you should never trust a Peacock. The feathers might be pretty, but them things will bite ya.
It all began way back in 1993. Audiences thrilled to the unfortunately titled Tom Cruise thriller The Firm. On the radio, Tag Team taught us all how to say "(Whoomp) There It Is." And an extremely tall young writer from The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live, with a sharp swoosh of hair the color of fresh summer strawberries, took the reigns of NBC's Late Night from the departing David Letterman.
Right away, Conan's relationship with NBC got off to a rocky start. The early shows were rough, and NBC put him on a week-to-week contract a year into the show. Basically, it's like if your boyfriend said, "I like you, but I'm still going to evaluate whether or not we should break up at the end of each week." But Coco persevered. The show improved, and the college crowd started to discover signature bits like "In the Year 2000" and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Gradually, Conan became one of NBC's biggest stars, and a clear successor to the Tonight Show throne.
Flash forward to 2004, and NBC's proposal: Conan would take over as the host of The Tonight Show in 2009. Sure, that's a pretty long engagement. But like a naive bride who eventually gets left at the altar, Conan had faith in NBC. Plus, even Jay Leno was behind the idea. At long last, Conan's relationship with NBC seemed stable.
But a couple years ago, the trouble began. Leno started grumbling about being forced out. So to keep him happy, NBC announced he would be taking over the 10pm time slot five nights a week. It's kind of like if your guy left his wife for you, but then built her a new house right next door. Conan would still have to follow Leno. But still, he had The Tonight Show. He was Queen Bee Coco. For a time, NBC's talk show line-up was sort of like Big Love, with Conan as the smart, reliable head wife, Leno as the troublemaking second wife, and Jimmy Fallon as the sort of slutty third wife who you kind of forget about.
Of course, we all know what happened next. Leno's ratings tanked, and Conan was routinely trounced by a newly reinvigorated Letterman. And instead of giving Conan the same chance to find his footing that they gave to Leno (his Tonight Show lost in the ratings to Letterman until Hugh Grant came on to discuss his hooker scandal in 1995), NBC planned to return Leno to 11:30 and force Conan to midnight. Coco wisely stood up for himself (The Tonight Show at midnight is no longer the "tonight" show), but NBC sided with Leno, kicking Conan to the curb (albeit with a nice chunk of change).
And thus, the NBC/Conan cycle of abuse comes to an end. Conan comes out on top, with tons of Internet support and a possible deal with Fox. Bad guy Leno slinks back to his old spot, where he'll probably stay until the sweet release of death takes him mid-Monica Lewinsky joke. Will NBC learn from their mistakes? Will Conan find a network who appreciates him, and doesn't string him along with a series of empty promises? We can all learn something about relationships from this late night mess. If nothing else, you should never trust a Peacock. The feathers might be pretty, but them things will bite ya.
I was so proud to be a Team Coco supporter when he refused the later time slot not only because of the non-"tonight" show, but he refused to do that to Jimmy Fallon (as in IF he took the deal Fallon's show would be bumped). Now, there's some class and integrity for your asses NBC! BEST OF LUCK TO CONAN I'LL SURE FOLLOW!
Team Coco all the way I really hope this decision turns to bite NBC in the ass :]
Just saw his last show. Man what a guy. I teared up.
His last show was amazing. He showed his class and intelligence in his speech. It was so moving. I always was, and forever will be Team Coco.
Indeed! Final show was awesome. Class act all the way. And the "Dear Internet" part was great.
I have been an avid fan of Conan for many years! I was thinking the same thing when they started talking about how he wasn't getting the ratings... he hadn't been there long enough! Jay didn't have the ratings when he first started the tonight show either... I've been feeling like I was the only one who was thinking about that!!
Conans final show was truly great, he's a terrific guy and I'll definitely be following him to whatever network he lands on... and after THIS whole debacle, I betcha that the Tonight Show starts tanking BIG TIME after this.... at least, I sure hope it does.
Conan is the sexiest geek/tv guy out there! Hes the best, I use to like Jay but I cant ever watch the tonight show ever again. What a phony Jay is, and Letterman is sure putting that out there in the past two weeks!
I remember hating that red hair host when i was younger and finally felt compelled to watch 10seconds and was instantly hooked! he was chopping off watermelons with samarai swords and honestly, it was love at first sight! lol
conan's the best, septemebr is a long ways ahead!
I have to say, I became a Team Coco person as soon as I heard they were playing against Team Leno. I didn't even really know who the heck Team Coco was rooting for at first. as soon as i figured it out (didn't take me long ;) ) I decided to check him out, just to make sure he really wasn't as bad as Leno. I'm glad I did, because I now have a new favorite tv host (right up there with Craig Ferguson, who, I'm sorry, still manages to beat every other late show tv host's butt). However, I wish I could have found out about him sooner. Go Conan O'Brien and good luck!