Conan Slipping Fast

Not that he would do it, but NBC may need to replace Conan with Jerry Seinfeld as host of the Tonight Show. But I'm still locked-in to Comedy Central's "News" Hour of Stewart and Colbert.

I have been enjoying Jimmy Fallon as Conan's replacement for the 2nd hour of the late-late segment.

When I watch the Tonight show with Conan O'Brien it just seems artificial. Jerry Seinfeld would be a good idea.
 
Not that he would do it, but NBC may need to replace Conan with Jerry Seinfeld as host of the Tonight Show. But I'm still locked-in to Comedy Central's "News" Hour of Stewart and Colbert.

I have been enjoying Jimmy Fallon as Conan's replacement for the 2nd hour of the late-late segment.
I think Jerry is more than content doing occasional stand-up gigs and cashing all his royalty checks.
 
I was a big Letterman fan back in the early days of the Leno/Letterman wars but for some reason Leno got better and Letterman got bitter. Leno to primetime makes no sense to me and I've thought it to be a bad move.

Conan has always been annoying to me. REALLY annoying. To the point I can't understand how anyone could watch him. If that's all that's on, I turn off the TV.

Was excited to see that Jimmy Fallon would take over Conan's old show because I liked Fallon on SNL but the few times I've tuned in, he just looks really uncomfortable in this role. I hope he settles in.

Other people here keep mentioning Seinfeld. I don't know if there's any possibility of that but I think he would be good at hosting with other celebs and I'm a big fan. However, I'm not sure his stand-up style would work on the typical opening monologues we usually see on these shows. They usually comment on things going on in the news while his stuff seems to be more about simple everyday life things... but then again, do any of these hosts write their own material? In any case, definitely curious as to what he would do with a show like the tonight show.
 
I had the Tonight Show on and was not really aware of what time it was because the TV was mainly just on with that program and I was not really concentrating on it, but for a moment I forgot about all the recent ranglings. The shows were in their previous cantations much longer than their new ones, so i just thought I was watching Late Night with Conan O'Brien since that is what he was for so long. When Jay Leno took over the Tonight Show did Jay move from another show like Conan has? All this changing around seems sort of dumb because I identify with Conan in Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Late Night With Conan O'Brien is original. The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is still Conan, but it is copying the Tonight Show with Jay Leno which seemed original because Jay Leno just did not seem to be a copier. This Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien just seems like it is taking Conan and making him copy Tonight Show. Any show with Conan O'Brien should remain to be the show I know him with which is Late Night. Dump the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien and remain Late Night assosiated with him. I do not see why they had to do it like this. Stay original. Change the time is okay, but retire the Tonight Show if you want to retire Jay Leno. Do not try to squeeze somebody else into it. Conan is just fine as Late Night no changes. There will never be another Jay Leno dumb dumbs. Leno going into it for Carson was enough. Keep Conan with the Late Night moniker to me he owns it. Maybe have two Late Nights because Jimmy Fallon's show is pretty good, just no more new hosts of the Tonight Show. Networks listen to me, try my ideas. No one can ever make anymore Tonight Shows because they are never going to measure up to Jay Leno's original. Keep Conan's show original by not copying the Tonight Show and staying with his show as Late Night the way it was. It could have been done this way and I would like it better. Just my one cents worth.
 
I hate to burst your bubble but Carson and Leno were not the only hosts of the show. Steve Allen was the first and the Jack Parr was after him, before Carson took over. The "Tonight Show" name is a staple for the 11:30 pm est time slot.
 
Yeah, Tornado's youth is glaring in that post. I was a big fan of Carson and then I'd watch Letterman who came on right after him. I hated it when Leno would 'fill in' for Carson back in those days and when Leno took over for Carson I was very disappointed. That is why I said I was a fan of Letterman back in the early years of the Leno-Letterman wars.
 
And of course everyone has forgotten the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. :)

Oh I know that the Tomorrow Show was more serious one on one interview show, but Tom had this dry whit which has never been duplicated.

For those too young to know, even though Steve Allen and Jack Par hosted the Tonight Show before Carson, it was Carson who created the format so familiar with all the late night talk shows. The format has gone unchanged since Carson perfected it. Monologue, commercial, comedy bit at the desk or skit (Mighty Carson Art Players), commercial, guest, guest, guest, variety/music act, end. (when the show went from 90 to 60 minutes subtract a guest).

Everyone from Letterman to Hall, from Kimell to O'Brien has done nothing but adding their brand of humor to the format.

I have been watching both Letterman and O'Brien since the "big change". I find Letterman much more relaxed and very, very funny. Of course his humor is very familiar.

Conan's humor is forced and uncomfortable right now. His monologues are generally awful, but his ad-libs save the night every time. I am truly surprised he is still winning the ratings wars.

See ya
Tony
 
Not surprised and I also predicted this . NBC should have got Dana Carvey to host the tonight show.

I loved Letterman on NBC but I can't stand his CBS show. He comes across as a totally different person now. He seems angry and not very happy. His comedy is old . I've watched Conan and he's terrible. I could watch Leno but I didn't watch it on a regular basis.
 
One of the funniest moments ever on the tonight show . Remember Rod Hull? He was also on the Saturday Morning Hudson Brothers show . The bird also attacked Richard Pryor later but you don't see that in this clip. Richard was still recovering from his burns at that time. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LENwgWjB0"]YouTube - Rod Hull and Emu on The Tonight Show[/ame]
 
OOooh, Dana Carvey would be a GREAT fit.

I agree with you perfectly on the Letterman vs Leno thing. Like I said, Leno got better and Letterman got bitter. But when it all went down, Letterman was hands down the better of the two.
 
I hate to burst your bubble but Carson and Leno were not the only hosts of the show. Steve Allen was the first and the Jack Parr was after him, before Carson took over. The "Tonight Show" name is a staple for the 11:30 pm est time slot.
I knew this, although I am not sure I saw Steve Allen or Jack Parr because if either of them were still on when I was a child they might have been on after my bedtime. I do not care if they get rid of the "Tonight Show" name. Perhaps I am too radical. I want what makes me happy and I am out of tune with the reality of people being creatures of habit.





Yeah, Tornado's youth is glaring in that post. I was a big fan of Carson and then I'd watch Letterman who came on right after him. I hated it when Leno would 'fill in' for Carson back in those days and when Leno took over for Carson I was very disappointed. That is why I said I was a fan of Letterman back in the early years of the Leno-Letterman wars.

In more ways than one!!:D:D


Thanks for the complements. Are you guys old or something? I was around during the Carson era. I remember Leno guest hosting for Carson I think. I do not really remember a Leno's show other than the Tonight Show but if there was one I was around. I do not really remember the early days of Leno taking over The Tonight Show. I probably did not watch. Carson had to go because he was too old. I do not think Leno is quite so elderly and that is why I do not see why they had to take Conan off of his perfectly good show and make him replace Leno on another perfectly good show. I am okay now if they get rid of the name "Tonight Show".
 
Conan's humor is forced and uncomfortable right now. His monologues are generally awful, but his ad-libs save the night every time. I am truly surprised he is still winning the ratings wars.

See ya
Tony


I agree with this statement but Conan was fine on Late Night. If they wanted to get rid of Leno and keep Conan they should have just kept Late Night with Conan O'Brien the way it was and move the time up and retired the name "Tonight Show" since they were so set on not having the perfectly good Jay Leno hosting anymore. I do not think the earlier time slot will work for Leno. Also since Kimmel is good either have two Late Shows or come up with another title for him. The old title "Tonight Show" is old enough to retire if they have to take the perfectly fine Leno, O'Brien should not be forced out of his perfectly fine format and crammed into the old Tonight Show format although I am sure that it is quite an honor.
 
OOooh, Dana Carvey would be a GREAT fit.
I agree! Could you image Dana Carvey interviewing Martin Short or Robin Williams? It makes me laugh just thinking about it.

I agree with you perfectly on the Letterman vs Leno thing. Like I said, Leno got better and Letterman got bitter. But when it all went down, Letterman was hands down the better of the two.
I agree that Leno got better (he didn't look comfortable the first couple years) however when all was said and done Jay Leno was clearly the better comedian and hosted a better show - that's why he won the ratings 15-years straight. Additionally, about the time Leno perfected his delivery it seemed as though Letterman turned into a bitter and angry old man overnight. It's a shame because I loved the old Letterman show he was on NBC. Letterman may very well have been better than Leno at some point in the past, but it has been so long that I don't recall the last time he was funny.
 
I knew this, although I am not sure I saw Steve Allen or Jack Parr because if either of them were still on when I was a child they might have been on after my bedtime. I do not care if they get rid of the "Tonight Show" name. Perhaps I am too radical. I want what makes me happy and I am out of tune with the reality of people being creatures of habit.










Thanks for the complements. Are you guys old or something? I was around during the Carson era. I remember Leno guest hosting for Carson I think. I do not really remember a Leno's show other than the Tonight Show but if there was one I was around. I do not really remember the early days of Leno taking over The Tonight Show. I probably did not watch. Carson had to go because he was too old. I do not think Leno is quite so elderly and that is why I do not see why they had to take Conan off of his perfectly good show and make him replace Leno on another perfectly good show. I am okay now if they get rid of the name "Tonight Show".

Carson didn't "have to go because he was too old". He chose to go because he wanted to retire to a personal life. He could have kept doing it until death if he wanted to. Carson was a legend when he retired and there was much more to it than just being there for 30 years.
 
Carson retired on his own, but he was being ushered to the door, Carson and the GE execs were constantly at odds. He left the same way Cronkite left CBS, on their own terms with crocodile tears from the top execs.

See ya
Tony
 
How long was Leno host of the Tonight Show? All I am saying is if Mr. Leno had to go I think the show should go and Late Night with Conan O'Brien should have just been moved as it was into that time slot. I promise you if I look up and see The Tonight Show with Conan Obrien on the TV in the background I prefer and associate the image of Conan O'Brien more with his previous show Late Night with Conan O'Brien than the Tonight Show. In fact that is what I thought of last night as I looked up and saw his image on the TV screen Late Night and not Tonight Show. I would say I am a little more focused on TV now in my old age. These are just my opinions. The circumstances surrounding Johnny Carson's retirement are not real fresh in my thoughts like this is and this is a thread about Conan slipping fast. If things were done the way I think, I think it would be better. Thirty years is pretty long for Johnny to host the Tonight Show. How much longer did Johnny Carson live after retirement? How old was he? How was his health? Didn't he know that smoking and drinking are not good for you. Could Johnny Carson have continued much longer as the host of the Tonight Show. No disrespect to Johnny Carson, but I hope Jay Leno lives longer than Johnny Carson did after leaving the Tonight Show. If Leno came back as host of the Tonight Show I would be okay with that. I just do not think the same way as whoever it was that decided to do it the way it is being done. I know there have to be changes, just do it the way I said and it will be okay.
 
Carson didn't "have to go because he was too old". He chose to go because he wanted to retire to a personal life. He could have kept doing it until death if he wanted to. Carson was a legend when he retired and there was much more to it than just being there for 30 years.

I agree with this. If I said something different I probably missed it. How long did Jay Leno host the Tonight Show? What I am trying to say is Conan is good but I prefer his Late Night with Conan O'Brien format for him and not putting him in the Tonight Show format. When I see Conan I think of his Late Night. If I have the TV on in the background with the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on I really have to think about it to realize it is the Tonight Show and not Late Night because that image of him attached to that show is hard to forget and it is difficult to see why he had to move into the tonight show format. When I watch Conan O'Brien I forget I am watching the Tonight Show which I like with Leno and I have to remember that since it is Conan O'Brien it is not the Late Night with Conan O'Brien Show which Conan does well. Sometimes when The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is on I forget it is the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien and instead think I am watching the Late Show with Conan O'Brien. This is why I think these changes should have been done in my unconventional way if these changes had to be made at all. I am not afraid of change instead of having to be the same all the time in other words getting rid of the host of a TV show and take the host of another TV show and move him into the role of host of the TV show you got rid of the host of. I am okay with just eliminating the long running show you needed to make the host leave from so the host of another show could leave his show and replace the host of the long running show you needed to make the host leave from so the long running show will continue to be long running. It does not make much sense does it? I do not think Carson could have lasted much longer. I was sad to see him retire. It is not really fresh in my memory right now. Remember this thread is about Conan slipping fast and if there is any reason why Conan is slipping fast it is because if they had to do it they did not do it my way which is better. Just my one cents worth.
 

Rockefeller Concerned About TV Content and Kids

Cable Cops Four Drama Emmy Nods