I think it's safe to say that the novelty has worn off at NBC. Since last June, the "Peacock" raised some eyebrows & ruffled some feathers when they announced that Conan O'Brien would replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show". The network also announced that former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Jimmy Fallon would replace Conan as host of "Late Night" and that Jay would host his own show weeknights at 9p.

Unfortunately, ratings for Leno's prime time show have bombed miserably since day 1, and O'Brien hasn't been much better since supplanting Leno as host of "The Tonight Show" 7 months ago. Things are so bad at NBC, that Leno's miserable ratings have also hurt local newscasts across America, including NBC5's current duo of Allison Rosati & Rob Stafford at 10p Monday-Friday. Could the end be near for both Jay & Conan?

Late this afternoon, TMZ.com reported that NBC would place the low-rated "Jay Leno Show" on hiatus February 1st and that Jay would return to the "Tonight Show" following the Vancouver Winter Olympics. TMZ also reported that the network hadn't decided if Jay would replace Conan outright or split the coveted hour between the two hosts. However, E! Online has updated this story, and has downplayed reports of the two shows' demise...for now. Check out the following update on this story:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b160980 ... heroo.html

that is to say the least fucked up , I wonder where Conan lands.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

FOX

SHARK, my peeps say the option being considered most seriously now is giving Leno a half hour at 11:35 and then Conan and Kimmel would run their full hour shows afterward. That would make Kimmel's show end at 2:05 which is certainly "Late Night" television! Note: all times Eastern.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

This is bullshit. Letterman kicked Leno's unfunny ass for nearly two years after The Late Show premiered in 1993. So, Conan gets seven months? I'd also like to know how many people DVR or watch Conan on Hulu vs. Leno. It's probably more than Letterman, Leno and Kimmel combined.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

Conan lost 50% of The Tonight Show audience? ~5 million viewers last Fall to 2.5 million viewers this Fall?

Andy Richter should take over.

Late night network TV hasn't been worth a damn since 5/22/92.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

That settles it. You ARE quite a bit older than me.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

You know I'm right, though. And you are older than me...

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

No, you're not. Johnny lost his fastball, along with half his $ in divorce #2, or was it #3?

And BTW, I'm not getting into an age arguement with the 1990 posterboy...err, retread/spokesman for prostate exams.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Just when I thought there may be hope for you. How is it possible for you to be wrong about every-damn-thing? Do you like gin, bourbon or scotch?

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Best talk-show ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IgD32TVWaQ

Too bad Garry Shandling went off the deep-end after the fall-out with Brad Grey.

Why yes I do. Thanks for asking

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

morbid tv history: Gene Siskel (v good here, check out the scene at the end of the 2nd part where he reveals the end of 'The Crying Game' to Hank. Hank to Siskel: "Let me ask you something...How was she hung?"), John Ritter and Warren Zevon all on the same episode:

Pt 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V69XrDh27bs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNvZQkiMt5o

Pt 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAHxieF-ZTo

Shandling to Rip Torn: "I think this is gonna be a 'Best of' Larry"

Good, even a blind squirrel appreciates the sun when pulling a nut out of a dog's ass, as long as the dog is staring at a broken clock.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Leno got killed by Letterman for a few years, Conan deserves a fair shake. Also, Letterman isn't going to be around too much longer. NBC just needs to ride that out and they will dominate after he calls it quits. Also, Andy needs to be on the couch next to Conan. Conan's old show was great when Andy was playing the sidekick rather than his current announcing job.

NBC should just tell Leno to fuck off. He agreed to give up the spot, and then whined and got the 9pm show instead. Now that isn't working, so they might put him back on the old slot? Ridiculous. Tell him he can work in the NBC auto garage if he wants.

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I DVR Conan and his shows have been pretty darn good in my opinion.
Let Leno go to another network if he wants.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Why did Leno leave the Tonight Show anyway? He's pretty much doing the same thing as before from the 1 ep i saw. Did he not have enough creative input with the Tonight Show?

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"You can kill the revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution."

Leno was going to retire. He made the decision to give up the Tonight Show like 5 years ago. When the clock starting ticking and he had about 6 months left, the grumblings started that he wanted to stay. NBC didn't want him to go to another network, so they gave him this 9pm slot to make him happy.

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I just wonder if Leno is getting the same ratings now as when he had the late night show. Which if true is good against Letterman, just not good at his current timeslot.

Newper, your post is probably what will happen, put Fallon's name in their instead of Kimmell.

Jay Leno wasn't getting nearly the ratings at 9p (Central) as he was at 10:35p, guys. Even though the Ted Koppel-less "ABC News Nightline" beats "The Tonight Show" & David Letterman's "Late Show" in that coveted time slot before NBC's head-scratching decision, consider this. Remove "Nightline" from the equation, and before Leno got bumped for O'Brien, Jay always beat Dave head-to-head.

To be honest with you, I've NEVER been a Conan or Jimmy Fallon fan for that matter. NBC never should've fixed what was not broken and they're definitely regretting these moves big time.

Oops, had my Jimmy's crossed up.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

100% agree.

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@audioidkid

As someone who is up until 2AM every night I see my fair share of talk shows. I still love Conan but I don't think the shift to 10:30 or moving the show to LA is doing him any favors. Still miles ahead of Leno though. Unless NBC makes a BBC Top Gear show with Jay hosting I can do without him (stealing The Office from BBC has been there smartest programming move anyway). Letterman is still solid, but has lost his fastball.

I never thought I'd say this but Craig Ferguson is the funniest guy on late nights and does far and away the best interviews which I think most shows struggle day to day with. Even Jimmy Fallon isn't the trainwreck he started out as. He stopped laughing like a jackass at his own jokes and it's hard to hate a show with The Roots.

That leaves Kimmel, who is pretty solid, but gets hosed in Chicago by being pushed back another hour for Oprah reruns. I guess there's Carson Daly's show which isn't bad and a lot more interesting since they took it out of the studio.

Me too.

Wow. I can't beleive Conan lost so many viewers for NBC. I think this "change on the fly" is only temporary. I'll bet Leno will get the full hour "Tonight Show" back after a year or so. I think he sucks but he was beating Letterman. Maybe NBC has a one year out clause with Conan. Then Conan goes back to NY and does 11:30 again. That show did pretty well for its time slot.

Conan did ok on The Tonight Show while Leno was off the air. His ratings weren't as good as Jay's but Jay had a 17 year head start at that time. Conan's rating were getting better but then Leno came back with his show and Conan's ratings tanked. So basically Leno is responsible for NBC's terrible ratings at 9PM, terrible ratings for the 10 o'clock news, and terrible ratings for Conan. I don't think NBC has a one year clause. I think Conan has a 40 million buyout/payoff if he doesn't host the "Tonight Show." There's specific language in the contract that the show can't start after 11:05 central so that they can't move him back to his old timeslot and call it The Tonight Show, that's why they can give Jay 30 minutes but not more.

Oh. Interesting. So this will be the line up for a while?

What's Jay gonna do? His monologue, a commercial, a stupid bit and say good night? Not enough time to do guests with a half hour.

I think I heard Jay's monologue always did killer ratings over Letterman's. Letterman did better in the 2nd half cuz he's better with guests. That's probably why they want Leno for the first half hour.

Couldn't agree more. Where Leno had decent lead-ins Conan has the crap that Jay has been airing since September. I've been a mark for Conan from the beginning and think Leno is a talentless hack who stole the tonight show from Letterman. I have a feeling that Conan will again be the good company man and work out his contract. I hope that Letterman is advising him in this and once his contract is up Dave retires and Conan takes over the Late Show. This move is incredibly short sighted on the part of NBC. After 17 years how much longer do they think Leno will be able to/want to do his show. Hey NBC you want Conan's ratings to go up how about not forcing him to pander to mom and pop middle America and do the show that he's always done. What works for Leno does not work for Conan. They fucked up and now they're facing pressure from their affiliates and I have no doubt that Leno is again politicking behind the scenes to get his old slot back.

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"i drink when and where i'm supposed to, at home and by myself."

Was that when they cancelled the Aresenio Hall Show?