For the love of all things holy, Jay Leno is back at 11:30....

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 5:52pm

This is per TMZ.


We've learned Jay's 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1. After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided -- whether Jay's show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay's show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O'Brien.

We're told Jay and Conan have both been told of the changes. As for Jay, interestingly, he'll get what he always wanted -- his 11:30 PM time slot.


this is so stupid. I feel horrible for Conan, he's really getting screwed if this is true. Jay should just say enough is enough and retire for God's sake. Does anyone actually care about him coming back to The tonight show? I surely don't, but I watch Craig Ferguson and David Letterman anyway. The Tonight show should have been Letterman's to begin with.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 5:54pm

Doesn't matter what time he's on.

He's still boring and not funny at all.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:03pm

Amen.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:04pm

Sort of the "New Coke" of broadcasting.

Why doesn't NBC just cut Jay back to one night a week, doing a variety show type format? While I can not stand the guy, obviously he has some sort of following. Not a big enough one to fill a third of NBC's prime time lineup, obviously but...

[StockardFan]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:07pm

Well that sucks.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:33pm

I heard Jay Leno wanted to do an American version of Top Gear once a week instead of the 5 day-a-week show. He has a segment like Top Gear sometimes on his show which I find to be the only time he is tolerable to watch.

I am a big fan of Conan so this is upsetting. I feel bad for him, Andy, the crew, writers, and the rest of the staff involved. He bent over backwards for the network, moving across the country, going on hiatus to let Jimmy Fallon get his feet wet as Jay ended the Tonight Show, and NBC does this to him. It took them this long to figure out that Conan had a specific niche audience and Jay's audience was never going to jump on over. There have been rumors about this happening for a couple of months. I would not be surprised if Conan just jumps ship and goes to another network (Fox is my best guess as there was an established relationship before he even went to NBC).

I'm mad at Jay too, if only because he has made the whole network change for him with the 10 pm slot every weeknight. But now he takes out Conan. During the whole negotiations he was heavily considering going to ABC, who considered dumping Jimmy Kimmel (who I'm hot and cold on but he's still funnier than Leno) for him.

I guess it's just Craig Ferguson for me late nights.
Updated On: 1/7/10 at 06:33 PM

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:44pm

Word is that if Stern doesn't renew with Sirius he is going head-to-head with Leno on TV starting Jan '11, Leno being famous for stealing tons and tons of bits outright from Stern's show over the years. Going against SNL is one thing, Leno is another. Go Stern.

P

[strummergirl]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:46pm

P, a simulcast or an actual late night show?

[romantico]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 6:55pm

If this is true, then it's almost the same thing he did back in 1992 with David Letterman. He wanted the Tonight show and got it. He wants his 11:30 time slot back and is gonna get it. How Jay Leno has a rep for being such a nice guy has always been a mystery to me.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 7:04pm

I hate Leno but he didn't do anything wrong- it's NBC who has treated all it's late-night hosts (Especially Leno) like dirt. Remember, Leno had a contract saying he'd get the tonight show when and if Carson retired. Then Letterman (whom I love) decides to walk and NBC starts negotiating with him- even going so far as to offer him the tonight show. Letterman signs with CBS and NBC plans a gala press conference with Jay to "Celebrate" his remaining with the show! As Leno pointed out, "NBC means Never Believe your Contract."

Leno beat Letterman. O'Brian hasn't been able to do that. If Conan could have kept the shows ratings, this wouldn't be happening. If NBC can get Leno back on top on the Tonight show, it means huge revenues for NBC. I can't imagine a network signing Conan knowing he couldn't even beat Letterman. Imagine what his ratings will look like if he's opposite Letterman and Leno? He's a lock for last.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 7:12pm

A whole new show, like he did when he went up against SNL years ago. I'd assume he'd bring Robin and Gary along, and maybe Fred, but the rest would be new.

P

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 7:19pm

Either way, a loss for NBC

Jack Paar would had better ratings than Leno & he has been dead for years.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 7:22pm

The problem is, Joe, the ratings for every show which followed Leno's 10 PM slot to major hits in the ratings. Even the affiliate's local news programs. Some affiliates didn't want to carry Leno's show because they knew this would happen but NBC said they had to. Conan didn't have a chance.
Putting Leno on 5 nights a week at 10PM was a really, really stupid move!
For some reason unfathomable to me, Fallon has been scoring high in the ratings so it looks like Conan will be a free agent. I do see FOX being first in line to snap him up though. They would be foolish not to!

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 7:33pm

I like Fallon better than Letterman, Leno, Carson Daly or Conan. I think if you actually watch his whole show from beginning to end you will see it's the best of the bunch, but few have. Plus, he gets certain guests that won't do the other shows (Rosie, etc).

P

[SNAFU]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 8:05pm

I have sat through Fallon's whole show a couple times. The longest four hours (each time) ever! I find him unfunny and too much like a little puppy dog who pees all over himself if people says hello to him. Might be cute at first but it gets tiresome and quickly smells like stale dog pee.
He panders and fawns too much over his guests.

[Plum]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 8:25pm

I hope that somehow this isn't a final deal and Leno actually does go with his Top Gear idea, because I think it'll actually suit him just fine. He was always at his best in interviews when motorcycles came up - he just really loves stuff that goes "vrooom" and it shows. Give him a couple of foul-mouthed sidekicks and a lot of insurance and he'd be golden.

[clever name]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 8:32pm

Jay Leno blows at any time slot.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 8:46pm

Conan had a show opposite SNL? How'd that work out for him?

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:27pm

The NY Times has the following on its website:

Pressed by affiliates and shrinking ratings, NBC has a plan in the works to radically alter its late-night television lineup, restoring Jay Leno to his old spot at 11:35 each weeknight, while pushing the man who replaced him, Conan O’Brien, to a starting time of 12:05 a.m.

NBC executives held extensive discussions with both Mr. Leno and Mr. O’Brien Thursday about the future of the network’s late-night lineup.

And while NBC officially said no final decision on the plan has been made, two senior NBC executives who have talked to NBC’s top management about the moves said that under the plan being discussed Mr. Leno would definitely shift back to 11:35 but in a half-hour format, while Mr. O’Brien would slide back his start time by a half hour and then produce an hour-long show.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:36pm

And that leaves Jimmy Fallon where? Will they cancel Carson & bump Jimmy?

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:39pm

Wow that's a bit crazy. Leno is going to have a half hour show? So then Fallon starts at 1:05AM and Carson goes up at 2:05AM? Who the hell is going to watch a show at that time?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:45pm

Who wants to watch Carson at anytime?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:46pm

Who watches Carson now,except Mama Daly?

Updated On: 1/7/10 at 09:46 PM

[Malice]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 9:54pm

That is totally wack, but like others said, makes no real difference to me. My 3 favorites and I will continue to watch Jon Stewart, Letterman, and Craig Ferguson (who is getting funnier and funnier I think) Sorry I am a sucker for those puppets.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/7/10 at 10:34pm

Carson Daly is still on?