NBC, are you OK?
NBC went through a lot of hoopla and bad press to replace Conan O’Brien with Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show, but the results so far do not bode well for NBC. Earlier this summer, we learned that the ratings for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for the second quarter this year were down by 20% over the same time period last year when Conan was at the helm.
You may find that funny, but I doubt NBC is laughing. NBC paid Conan $30 million to leave, and is now paying Jay $15 million a year more than what they were paying Conan. Ouch. That is a big payout to obtain lower ratings. Score: Conan 1; NBC 0.
Now, in another interesting twist of fate, we learned today that The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien earned an Emmy nomination.
Conan will compete against The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, Real Time With Bill Maher and Saturday Night Live in the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series category. But Conan will not have to compete with Jay Leno because, Jay was not even nominated. Double ouch. Score: Conan 2; NBC:0. In World Cup terms, this would mean a blowout win for Conan.
Good for you Conan. You may not have had the first, but you now have the second to last and the last laugh at NBC.
Conan will have a new show on TBS beginning in November.
LOVE YOU CONAN! Nothing against Jay, but NBC messed up bad on this one. If I were Jay, I would certainly be looking over my shoulder.
GO CONAN!!!
Conan is my hero! So glad NBC is getting the B’slap they deserve for the crap they pulled. To the victor go the spoils :o)