The Career of Conan O’Brien

 

Conan O’Brien is 60 years old, so he still has plenty of time ahead of him to accomplish more in show business. He has an impressive resume, although he has weathered some significant challenges. I wanted to write about him since he is an impressive figure in the history of late-night TV, who is #3 on my list of favorites, behind Johnny Carson and David Letterman.

Conaco Productions is a production company was founded by Conan O’Brien in 2001. It produced “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” and “Conan” (TBS). Having ownership of his programs has contributed significantly to Conan’s wealth, which is estimated at $200 million. Other shows produced by Conaco produced included “Andy Barker PI,” “Operating Instructions,” and “Outlaw.”

His dad was a doctor and his mother was a lawyer, so he came from a family that emphasized education. Both of his parents died in December of 2024, a few days apart. They were both in their 90s.

Here are a few key events in the timeline of Conan.

1981 Conan graduates from high school in Brookline, Massachusetts as valedictorian.

1981-85, attends Harvard where he was president of “The Harvard Lampoon,” the college humor magazine. He majored in history and literature.

1985-1987 Conan wrote for “Not Necessarily the News.” Another writer on the show was Greg Daniels, who Conan knew from Harvard. Daniels went on to write for “Parks and Recreation”, and he was the creator/writer for “The Office” and “King of the Hill.”  Around this time, Conan took improvisational classes at “The Groundlings” in Los Angeles.

1987 “Rich Hall Show,” writer

1987-88 “The Wilton North Report,” writer

1987-1991 He wrote for “SNL.”

1991 He worked with Robert Smigel to write a pilot for “Lookwell,” starring Adam West. NBC chairman Brandon Tartikoff liked the show, but it was not picked up as a series. Smigel would end up writing for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Saturday Night Live.”

1992-1993 he wrote for “The Simpsons”. Two episodes in season 4 (New Kid on the Block, Marge vs. the Monorail), 2 in season 5 (Homer Goes to College, Treehouse of Horror IV).

1993 marked his debut on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” replacing David Letterman in the 12:35 am time slot. He stayed at the show until 2009.

2009-2010 “Tonight Show” host. Conan was only host for a short period of time and then Jay Leno was reinstated as “Tonight Show” host. NBC wanted to hand on to Conan and Jay so they made a deal where Conan would eventually replace Leno as “Tonight Show” host. NBC tried putting Jay into a Monday-Friday 10 pm show, but the ratings were poor. An offer was made to Conan to start his show at 12:05 am eastern, following a 30-minute Jay Leno show but Conan declined. This was a poorly handled fiasco for NBC. The whole situation is detailed in the book “The War for Late Night.” This was written by Bill Carter, who also wrote “The Late Shift” which chronicled the period in 1991-93 where it was Leno vs. Letterman to take over for Johnny Carson. Leno got The Tonight Show and Letterman left for CBS.

April 2010 Kicked off a 30-city tour of live performances since he could not do TV shows for a certain period after leaving The Tonight Show.

2010-2021 Conan on TBS.

2019 Conan show on TBS was trimmed back to 30 minutes and the live band was dropped. Conan switched to a more casual wardrobe, often wearing a jean jacket over a button-down shirt.

2018 “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast begins. This is released every Monday. This podcast has become very successful, and Conan attracts big name guests.

2019-2023 “Conan without Borders.” This made sense since often the best Conan comedy bits were when he was outside of the studio.

2022 Conan’s podcast and entire Team Coco digital media business were sold to SiriusXM radio for $150 million.

2024 “Conan O’Brien Must Go” on MAX. This is another travel show, but it’s a brilliant concept since Conan is meeting up with people overseas that he has interviewed on his podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan.” That podcast comes out on Thursdays and features interviews with non-celebrities. It’s kind of like Conan took a cue from Johnny Carson who would sometimes feature non-celebrities on his show, or as he called them, “civilians.”

I have always felt that Conan had a very impressive career even before getting his Late-Night job in 1993. He graduated from Harvard, wrote for “SNL” and “The Simpsons.” Many writers for “The Simpsons” and “SNL” came out of Harvard, which can be a reason for the success and longevity of those programs.

Conan owes a large debt of gratitude to Lorne Michaels, who recognized his talents and saw his potential as a late-night host. Conan had zero experience as a stand-up comic or interviewer when he took the job filling the shoes of David Letterman in 1993. The odds were against him, but he prevailed. He worked in late night TV for 28 years, coming close to the longevity of 2 of his idols, Johnny Carson (30 years) and David Letterman (33 years). Other influences include Bob Hope, Woody Allen, Bob Newhart, Peter Sellers, Sid Caesar and others.

Conan may no longer have a late-night show on TV anymore, but Samsung has a 24/7 channel that has highlights from his TBS show.

Conan has been married to his wife Liza since 2000 and they have 2 children.

*Some information from imdb and Wikipedia.

 

Book Review: Carson the Magnificent by Bill Zehme and Mike Thomas

 

This Johnny Carson biography has been long awaited. It was released on election day, November 5, 2024. Bill Zehme wrote a good portion of the book, then contracted cancer. He passed away in 2023 at age 64 and his assistant, Mike Thomas, finished the book. Zehme had written books about show biz giants such as Frank Sinatra, Andy Kaufman, Hugh Hefner and Jay Leno.  I expected this book to be longer, especially since Zehme worked on it for many years. The book did a good job of covering the major events in Johnny’s life, from his time growing up in Nebraska, to his various TV shows that he hosted and touched on his retirement years. Many people have questions about Johnny’s 13 retirement years (1992-2005) after The Tonight Show ended. Apparently, he spent a lot of time on his 130 foot yacht, Serengeti. The book mentioned how Johnny and his fourth wife Alex had some challenges, but he did not want to be a guy who got divorced four times.  I would have liked Zehme to go into more detail about Johnny’s different shows, such as Carson’s Cellar, The Johnny Carson Show, Earn Your Vacation, Who Do You Trust and of course The Tonight Show. The Carson biography by his talent coordinator Craig Tennis went into more detail about the behind-the-scenes aspects that went into producing The Tonight Show. The book talked about Johnny’s challenging relationship with his mother and how that led to shape his view of women. This can be linked to the fact that he had four marriages and had problems with infidelity. His drinking got in the way of building strong relationships with women, so did the fact that he was married to his job. But that was common with many men of his generation. In his 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace, Johnny discussed how he did not handle alcohol well.  The book talked about his four wives, how he met them, the differences between them, and factors that led to the marriages ending. The end of Johnny’s first marriage was devastating to him, probably since they had three kids together, and she was with him through the early days of his career. Some may think that Johnny was always rich and famous, but he was not. He had to pay his dues like anyone else. He had shows that were not successful. I wish the book would have talked more about people like Ed McMahon, Doc Severinsen, Fred de Cordova, Peter Lassally, etc. This book did not delve into the psychological analysis of Johnny to the degree that other books did, especially the book by his lawyer Henry Bushkin. The book had some email quotes from Johnny’s son which I don’t think we have seen before. It's not a revelation that Johnny was not a great father or husband, but his son realizes that he did the best he could under the circumstances.  It would be nice to get a definitive biography of Johnny that went into extensive detail about every aspect of his life, but it remains to be seen whether that will happen.

There have been many biographies of Johnny Carson over the years. Some others that I’d recommend include:

Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin

King of the Night by Laurence Leamer

And Now…Here’s Johnny! By Nora Ephron

Johnny Tonight by Craig Tennis

Carson: The Unauthorized Biography by Paul Corkery

So, there are many ways to learn about the fascinating life of a supremely talented but complicated man who many view as the undisputed king of late-night TV.

People who crave a deep dive into the life of Johnny Carson and his Tonight Show should check out Mark Malkoff’s Carson Podcast. This podcast was produced from 2014-2022 and totaled almost 400 episodes. Many prominent celebrities were interviewed who appeared on Johnny’s show. In addition, several people who were crew members on Johnny’s show discuss what it was like behind-the-scenes on such an iconic program.

 

 

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend

I have always admired the talent of Conan O’Brien. He is 60 years old, and from Brookline, Massachusetts. Even before his late-night show, he had a very impressive resume. Personally, he is my #3 favorite late-night host of all time, behind only Carson and Letterman. He graduated from Harvard, (like many successful television writers), studied improv comedy at The Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles, wrote for The Simpsons and SNL. Conan's friend and writing collaborator from Harvard was Greg Daniels, who created the American version of The Office for NBC, Parks and Recreation and King of the Hill. Conan had no stand-up experience or hosting experience, but Lorne Michaels recruited him for the NBC Late Night show, filling the formidable shoes of David Letterman. Conan debuted as the host of that show in 1993, as Letterman went to CBS and his show which was one hour earlier. Jay Leno was given The Tonight Show after the departure of Johnny Carson in 1992. Letterman wanted that job, and decided to jump ship. Conan hosted Late Night from 1993-2009. He hosted The Tonight Show from 2009-2010. NBC wanted to hang onto Jay Leno, so they put him at 10 pm Monday-Friday. I think that affected the numbers for Conan's Tonight Show. That whole mess was a blunder by the folks at the peacock network. I felt bad for Conan since he got a raw deal. He hosted his TBS show from 2010-2021. So, Conan worked in late night TV for almost 30 years. Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years (1962-1992). Between his NBC and CBS shows, David Letterman worked in late night TV for 33 years (1982-2015). So, Conan will go down in history as one of the giants of the late night TV genre. According to celebrity net worth, Conan has accumulated $200 million. David Letterman and Jay Leno are each worth $400 million. November of 2018 was the first episode of Conan's podcast. At this point, the TBS show was transitioning from one hour to 30 minutes. Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is released on Mondays, Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan is released on Thursdays. Both shows feature Conan O’Brien, Sona Movsesian (Conan’s assistant) and Matt Gourley (Podcast producer). This is available on Amazon Music, Earwolf, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Sirius XM, Google Podcasts, etc. This is put out by Conan’s company, Team Coco, which produces 17 podcasts. Other than Conan’s show, the company produces podcasts by Rob Lowe, J.B. Smoove, Conan’s longtime sidekick Andy Richter, Rob Lowe, and Lea Thompson. Conan's podcast has featured interviews with some of the biggest names in show biz, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Paul Reubens, David Letterman, Dana Carvey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, Steve Martin and many more. I have always had a fascination with the world of entertainment, especially late night TV. Thos ewho have an interest in celebrities and show biz will enjoy this podcast. Conan can be very funny of course, but he also is an excellent interviewer, and his subjects feel at ease with him, and discuss things with him that they might not discuss elsewhere. All of the best late night hosts are excellent interviewers who listen closely to their guests, and come up with thoughtful questions. Some of the best interviewers in the late night genre have included Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Conan, Tom Snyder and Dick Cavett. I would include Bob Costas in this list, due to his 30 minute show on NBC called Later. I never saw Jay Leno as a strong interviewer, but he has been very successful in the late night genre, probably due to his stand up skills and his likeability factor with people of all backgrounds. Conan’s Thursday show, Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan, is an interview with a non-celebrity, but someone who is a Conan fan. Many of them are from overseas, and they tend to have unique careers. The people from this show will appear on Conan’s new show on MAX (formerly HBO Max). The release of that show was delayed by the writer's strike. This show should be entertaining since Conan's remote pieces were always his strong point.

A New Era for Conan O'Brien

2019 marks a year of changes for 55-year-old late night host Conan O'Brien. He is now the "old man" of late night TV, working in the genre since 1993. 2019 will be his 26th year in late night. So, just another 4 years and he ties Johnny Carson's run, and with 7 more years he ties David Letterman. Starting on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, Conan's TBS late night show will be trimmed from 60 minutes down to 30 minutes. This change means that his "Basic Cable Band" will no longer be a part of the show. Conan now has a podcast, and he has been touring doing some live comedy shows with other comics. His "Conan without Borders" shows are on Netflix. These are remote segments from his shows where he has visited other countries. Conan is often at his comedic best when he is outside the confines of the studio. Six episodes are on Netflix and he visits Cuba, Korea, Italy, Israel, Mexico and Haiti. So, the enterprise that is Conan is revamping itself, taking a step in a new direction. “Since I inherited my Late Night show in 1993, TV has changed exponentially. I’d like to think I have evolved with many of these changes, but now it’s time to take the next leap. A half-hour show will give me the time to do a higher percentage of the comedy in, and out, of the studio that I love and that seems to resonate in this new digital world,” O’Brien said in a statement announcing the changes. “It’s still going to be me hosting a very silly show, but I want segments on my half-hour program to link to digital content, deepening the experience for my younger fans, and confusing my older ones.” Podcasts and online videos from You Tube have experienced a surge in popularity. So, Conan is changing with the times.

*Some information from https://celebrityaccess.com/2018/05/03/conan-obrien-trims-show-to-30-minutes-shifts-focus-to-live-comedy/

Here's Johnny, Seven Nights Per Week!

What a pleasure it is to have the late night master Johnny Carson on the air again. On January 1, 2016, the Antenna TV network started airing his shows. Monday through Friday the shows are 60 minutes, made between 1980 and 1992. On Saturday and Sunday, the shows are 90 minutes, aired from 1972 to 1980. It has been amazing to revisit these shows from Johnny. It makes one realize how good he was at his craft. He was a top notch stand up comedian of course, but he also shined as an interviewer and as a comic actor with his Mighty Carson Art Players segments. We have been able to see segments featuring his characters such as Carnac, Art Fern, Floyd R. Turbo and Aunt Blabby. At Johnny's side is the number one second banana, Ed McMahon. Doc and the band sound fantastic as usual. We have seen several episodes with David Letterman. For years, we figured that Letterman was the heir apparent to Carson. Unfortunately Jay Leno filled Carson's spot in 1992 when Johnny stepped down. But, Dave turned out ok, with a 33 year career in late night.

It has been a special treat to see some of the all time legends of show biz on the air again. Johnny's guest list read like a who's who of Hollywood with guests like George Burns, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Rodney Dangerfield and many more.

I only have one complaint with these Carson episodes on Antenna TV. There have been very few musical guests and few performances by Doc and the band. People are speculating that the reason behind this is costs that have to do with music licensing. The royalties need to be paid through music agencies like BMI and ASACAP when these shows are re-aired. We have seen more musical performances in the second half of the year than in the first half, so hopefully that is a good sign. Antenna TV is probably doing well ratings-wise with the show, which would expand the budget for airing musical acts.

Antenna TV is tight-lipped regarding ratings numbers, but I have a hunch that they are pleased with the response to the show. Folks of all generations can experience the magic of Carson.

Carson fans will want to check out this Facebook fan page, dedicated to Johnny. At the beginning of 2016, it had 100 members. Now it has over 2700. No doubt the Antenna TV airings have increased the interest in the late night icon.

It's Cavett vs. Carson Once Again

First it was Johnny Carson returning to late night TV at the beginning of this year on Antenna TV. Now it will be Dick Cavett airing on the Decades channel. They will both air at 11:00 pm eastern, going head-to-head just like they did between 1968 and 1974. During that period, Carson was on NBC and Cavett was on ABC, with both shows originating from New York City.

In 1966, Ed Sullivan announced stand-up comedian Dick Cavett as "A young collegian from Yale". He had worked as a comedy writer for Tonight Show hosts Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. He also was a writer for the short-lived Jerry Lewis variety show in the 1960s. Writing for others was paying the bills, but Cavett wanted to try to be a late night host where he could perform his own jokes for a nationwide audience.

Cavett has hosted many shows in various time slots for various networks including ABC, CBS, PBS, USA, CNBC and TCM. These rebroadcasts will span the array of Cavett shows that aired between 1968 and 1996. He is a cerebral guy who is good friends with Woody Allen. The two of them share a similar comedic style. You could say that Dick Cavett is a "thinking person's" host.

The show begins airing on Decades on February 1. People already need to choose between Fallon, Kimmel and Colbert, and soon we will be able to add Carson and Cavett to the options. Find the Decades affiliate in your area here.

* Some information from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-cavett-carson-tv-0120-biz-20160119-story.html and
http://rwkates2001.wix.com/late-night-tv#!dick-cavett/cs11

Johnny Carson Returns to Late Night

The past couple of years, we have witnessed many changes in the late night TV landscape. David Letterman, Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson stepped down after many years as television mainstays. Stephen Colbert, James Corden and Jimmy Fallon stepped into new roles.

On January 1st, the Antenna TV network started airing episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The program airs 7 nights per week. Monday through Friday are the 60 minute episodes made between 1980 and 1992. On Saturday and Sunday, the 90 minute shows will air, which were produced previous to 1980. Tune in weeknights at 11:00 pm eastern and 10:00 pm eastern on weekends. Johnny's show aired on NBC from 1962-1992. Most of the shows made for the first 10 years were not archived. It was the practice back then to record over shows once they aired.

It is truly a pleasure to see these classic shows on TV again. It is obvious that so much of what we see on late night TV today was influenced by Carson. Younger generations will get exposed to the genius of this show. It is staggering to think about the groundbreaking comedians who got their big break with Johnny. A good appearance on the show would send struggling careers into the stratosphere.

Johnny's success can be traced to a couple of factors. Unlike many of today's hosts, he really listened to his guests. He was not glued to his notes, obsessing about his next question. Also, he wanted his guests to shine. He did not need to hog the spotlight and get all of the laughs for himself. He knew that if he had top-notch guests, it was good for the show. Between the celebrities, the skits by "The Mighty Carson Art Players", the outstanding big band jazz NBC Orchestra and the personalities of Johnny, Ed and Doc, this show was something special.

Those who enjoyed the show can check out the Facebook Johnny Carson Fan Club here.

More Late Night TV Changes

Tonight is the premiere of British comic James Corden as the fourth host of the CBS Late Late Show. Last year we saw the debut of Jimmy Fallon as the new host of NBC's The Tonight Show after Jay Leno left. We also had announcements of David Letterman leaving CBS later this year and Stephen Colbert taking over that coveted slot. The CBS Late Late Show has followed Letterman's program since 1995. Tom Snyder was the host from 1995-1999. Craig Kilborn then hosted the show from 1999-2004. The last host was Scottish comic Craig Ferguson from 2005-2014.

Since the arrival of Letterman in 1993, CBS has had a strong comedy presence in late night. For decades, NBC ruled late night with Johnny Carson's show, and the other networks struggled to keep up. The other networks and syndicators tried to compete with Carson with shows hosted by Dick Cavett, Joey Bishop, Pat Sajak, Merv Griffin, Magic Johnson, Chevy Chase, Arsenio Hall and more. From 1972-1989, CBS aired the late movie after the late local news. This started after the cancellation of Merv Griffin's attempt at a late night show. CBS tried various shows during late night such as their Crimetime After Primetime from 1991-1993. This lineup featured various crime shows such as Sweating Bullets, Scene of the Crime, Silk Stalkings, Forever Knight, Fly By Night and more. From 1992-1995, CBS aired Lorne Michaels' sketch show The Kids in the Hall on Friday nights.

* Some information from en.wikipedia.org.

Carson's Cash

In 1979, Johnny Carson was burned out. He had hosted The Tonight Show on NBC since 1962. His lawyer Henry Bushkin told the head of NBC, Fred Silverman, that he wanted out of his contract. A court case ensued and Carson was wooed by ABC. Eventually, Johnny reconciled with NBC and a new contract was signed. The deal turned out to be one of the most lucrative agreements in TV history. NBC knew that Carson's show was a cash cow for the network, so they would do whatever was necessary to keep him. The deal paid a staggering $25 million per year. Johnny had 15 weeks off per year and only had to work three shows per week. His show was trimmed from 90 minutes to 60 minutes. He also would have ownership of his show and the show following his which turned out to be Late Night with David Letterman. This turned out to be a lucrative part of the deal since Carson Productions would earn money from any airings of Johnny's show and Dave's show. Letterman secured a similar deal in 1993 when he signed with CBS. His production company, Worldwide Pants, owns the Letterman show and the show following his, The Late Late Show. That show has been hosted by Tom Snyder, Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson. Later this month, the fourth host will take over, James Corden.
Information from the book Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin.

New Website, "Late Night TV"

I made a website that looks at the history of late night TV in America. It profiles 20 late night TV hosts. Some had shows that were short-lived, like Magic Johnson, Chevy Chase and Pat Sajak. Others have been around for years, like Johnny Carson and David Letterman. 5 pages are dedicated to the man who will forever be the king of late night, Johnny Carson. The site has about 120 pictures, you tube videos and information about the different shows. Click here to access the site.

Late Night TV Demographics

Different groups of people tend to watch different late night TV shows. Letterman and Leno tend to get older viewers, whereas Fallon and O'Brien tend to skew younger. The late night TV landscape seems to be constantly shifting. Even basic cable channels like Comedy Central and E! have had success with shows like The Daily Show and Chelsea Lately. Soon, Leno will step aside as Jimmy Fallon will take over the coveted Tonight Show gig, following in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Steve Allen and Jack Paar. SNL alum Seth Myers will get the 12:35 am slot on NBC. This link looks at late night audience composition. http://theinterrobang.com/2013/11/your-guide-to-whos-watching-whose-late-night-show/

The Late Night TV Wars Heat Up

ABC has had the news program Nightline at 11:35pm for many years. Jimmy Kimmel has his ABC show at 12:05am. It is a good show, but he has never gone head-to-head with Leno and Letterman, instead starting 30 minutes after them. Starting in January of 2013, Nightline will move to 12:35am and Kimmel will start at 11:35pm. So, we'll see how it affects the late night TV landscape with the 3 major networks all starting their late night comedy shows at the same time. NBC has recently cut staff at Jay Leno's show and Leno took a pay cut himself. Since Comcast purchased NBC/Universal they have cut costs to increase profits. Starting in March of next year Nightline will move to primetime. Kimmel has a good chance to get more viewers since Nightline averages 3.89 million viewers and Kimmel currently averages 1.8 million. Leno leads in ratings, averaging 3.71 million and Letterman averages 3.22 million. It always seemed like the audience for Nightline and Jimmy Kimmel would be different. The ratings for Kimmel will depend on the ratings for the local 11pm news on local affiliates I would think.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-08-22/kimmel-moving-into-thick-of-late-night-fight

NBC's Unprecedented Late Night Blunders

NBC moved Jay Leno from 11:35pm back to 10pm only about 6 months ago. Conan O'Brien moved from 12:35am to Leno's old slot at 11:35pm as host of The Tonight Show. Conan has been working for NBC since 1993, when David Letterman left to get his 11:35pm show at CBS. The ratings for Leno at 10pm have been really bad, and he gets beat night in and night out, especially by the CBS dramas like CSI:Miami, CSI:NY and The Mentalist. His numbers are about what they were at 11:35, but in prime time those numbers do not fly. The numbers need to be there to get decent ad rates, and to keep the affiliates happy. Now NBC wants to end this little experiment and move Leno back to 11:35pm. His show may be only 30 minutes, putting Conan on at 12:05am. If this is the case, Jimmy Fallon would move from 12:35am to 1:05am assuming Conan's show is 60 minutes. If I were in Conan's shoes I would jump ship to Fox. ABC has Nightline at 11:35pm and Jimmy Kimmel at 12:05am, so Fox is probably the best bet. Maybe NBC should drop the unfunny Leno all together. I assume they will go back to dramas from 10-11pm on NBC and the affiliates are hoping their newscasts will get better numbers once Leno vacates after the 2010 winter olympics. Conan is not hurting for money. He gets $20 million per year for the next 4 years. Still, Conan has paid his dues, he deserves to be on at 11:35pm, and this is the biggest network blunder I can recall. Sure the networks have put on many shows that have flopped, but this was a 5 night per week, 10pm-11pm experiment that failed miserably. Their justification is that a talk show is cheaper to produce than a scripted show. But, what good does that do if the ratings are poor and you are affecting your affiliates numbers for their newscasts which provide a major revenue source? The once mighty peacock network has fallen a long way from the days of must see TV.

Leno will stay at NBC

People have been wondering what will happen next year when Jay Leno leaves The Tonight Show. Conan O'Brien will move to 11:35 pm to follow in the footsteps of Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, Jack Paar and Steve Allen. Former SNL star Jimmy Fallon will take over the 12:35 am slot on NBC, which was previously occupied by Conan O'Brien, who replaced David Letterman in 1993. The associated press, The New York Times and msn.com are reporting that Leno will stay with NBC to host a show which will air at 10 pm weeknights. There were rumors about Leno pursuing a late night deal with ABC, or Fox, or a syndicated show. This will be a cost saving measure for the peacock network since talk shows are cheaper to produce than the dramas that often air in the 10 pm time slot. Leno will be able to reach a larger audience at 10 pm as opposed to 11:35 pm. NBC has been struggling compared to the other broadcast networks in terms of ratings. CBS is number one, largely due to their popular crime dramas such as their 3 versions of CSI, Without a Trace, Cold Case, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and the like. Fox has American Idol to bring in the big numbers, and ABC has Dancing with the Stars. The last episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno will be May 29, and Conan's first episode will be June 1. I am looking forward to it, and I think that Conan will have more success than Leno since he is funnier and better at interviews. Also, Conan is not someone who "plays it safe" as Leno does. I have never been impressed with Leno's watered down style of comedy, and I'd like to see someone with more of an edge at the helm of that show.