The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brein starting June 1!

[Deftones]

Originally Posted by mcnabb

So has Conan gotten better then his first few years when his ratings were dismal? I think he found his groove after his disasterous first few years, and the ratings did reflect, because he was going to get pulled back in 1995. Does it still sound screwy?

My point is that The Tonight Show is a cash cow for NBC, and if Conan is getting creamed in the ratings by Letterman, then NBC may regret putting him at 11:30, because they will lose ad revenue. If Conan was losing to Craig Ferguson last year, do you think he will fare much better against Letterman?

has he gotten better? of course he has. infinitely better. so what point does that prove about your comments? it doesn't. ratings are not indicative of a quality product. you keep harping on his ratings against Craig Ferguson. who gives a fuck? again and again and again, ratings have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the product. i don't know how many more ways that needs to be said for that to be pounded in to your head.

here's the kicker, though. Conan probably costs far less than Leno does now. So even if he doesn't get the same ratings, and gets beat by Letterman, they are still making money.

Personally, I think people are really underestimating Conan's draw. Once the Leno regulars decide to check him out, I'll bet many of them will be converts.

[mcnabb]

No message

[Deftones]

what, said something you regret?

[Numes]

^^mcnabb, you're missing the point completely. You keep comparing ratings to the quality of the show somehow. We are trying to tell you that they it is immaterial.

You don't like Conan. Noted.

For me, Conan is above and beyond any late talk show host. I don't even watch any other late night talk shows because they all pale in comparison to Conan. I haven't missed an episode (with the rare DVR not recording exception) for the past 5-6 years. For me, I don't really care what time Conan is on, as long as he is on.

[Rypro 525]

oh and conan is Leno's final guest tonight btw

[Rypro 525]

wow conan looks so young in that clip

[DarkestPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Deftones

what are you like 75 or something?

I'm 30 and there's no way anyone today is even close to Carson. His shit is still funny today. He's the king.

[Jimmy James]

Carson's stuff holds up very well if you ask me, but I don't think he's all that much better than some of the people who have followed. A head above, perhaps. Not head and shoulders better, if that analogy makes sense.

ETA: Jay may be (hell, is) the least funny guy out of the 5 folks with shows that start between 11:30 and 12:35, but the way he ended the show with the kids and the masterful recall of all those behind the scenes people shows he at least plays the good guy damned well. If it is an act, it's a pitch perfect performance. If it's not an act, he's a hell of a well-grounded nice guy.

[Mr.Briggs]

Well, I guess I'll watch Monday night just to see the first Tonight Show w/Conan and then It'll make 11:35 much easier as it'll be Letterman every night thereafter. Carson was King, Leno was a good replacement, Conan has almost never made me laugh.

[Numes]

I just noticed that "O'Brien" is spelled wrong in the thread title. Now that's going to bug the shit out of me.

I also can't believe how young Conan looked. It's been a while since I watched any of his old stuff, but wow. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the focus group bit.

[boogieman03]

That was a nice last show with jay Leno. I liked the shot with the 68 kids who are the results of their parents meeting on his 17 year run as host. Pretty cool. Looking forward to Monday to see Conan.

[shaun3000]

So was that 68 kids from couples who met working at the Tonight Show or 68 kids born to staff at the Tonight Show? 68 seems like a lot of kids to come from the handful of couples Jay mentioned.

Either way, it was a nice ending.

[Boba Fett]

I really think Leno is a genuinely nice guy. I heard Adam Carolla saying he plugged his movie 'The Hammer' to Leno and Leno said, he'd check it out. Carolla assumed Leno was just being nice and couldn't care less. A few months later, out of the blue, Leno called Carolla and started talking about how he liked the movie.

He's also apparently very appreciative of his guests and staff, unlike Letterman who apparently shows up at the last minute, does the show, and leaves. I've also never heard a bad 'fan' story about Leno.

All that aside, I just don't find the guy terribly funny. Lettermen has an old school humor to him, Conan is generally solid, but for my money Craig Ferguson is the funniest man on late night.

[cdollaz]

I met Leno once and he was very nice, even taking time to brush off his handlers, who were trying to rush him along, and talk to us for a minute or so.

[Giantrobo]

Originally Posted by Boba Fett

All that aside, I just don't find the guy terribly funny. Lettermen has an old school humor to him, Conan is generally solid, but for my money Craig Ferguson is the funniest man on late night.

To all that.

Leno to Conan is a HUGE leap in talent and natural comedic ability. Conan's bit is to play the geek but his comedy isn't geeky at all. Letterman will always be my favorite, and I hate that Ferguson is often overlooked because he's another natural.

[spamurai]

Just finished watching Leno's final show. Great ending...

Did Craig Ferguson really beat Conan in the ratings? Craig is definitely my favorite late night host but that's surprising. How the hell is Conan going to compete with Letterman then?

[kvrdave]

Originally Posted by spamurai

Just finished watching Leno's final show. Great ending...

Did Craig Ferguson really beat Conan in the ratings? Craig is definitely my favorite late night host but that's surprising. How the hell is Conan going to compete with Letterman then?

It's a really different crowd. I could see losing to Craig Ferguson for the really late crowd and still beating Letterman for the late crowd. I think it will have more to do with how he interviews than his gags. Carson was the master at making the guest look great, setting up lines for them, and letting them be the star while they were on. Conan is not at that level obviously, and neither was Leno, but no one is worse that Letterman, who always makes sure the interview is really about him.

[Jimmy James]

Those kids had to have been from all the births from everyone working on the show. The first child with the cookies was not from a couple hooking up who worked on the show. Leno just kind of mixed concepts (babies born during the show run and couples hooking up), and it led to a slightly confusing presentation.

[Cardiff Giant]

Watched Leno's final show. Jay is a very funny guy and seems to be a nice guy as others have mentioned. I just never really found him that funny on the Tonight Show (save for during the writers strike when he was doing more of his standup material). I'm a big Conan fan so I can't wait until Monday. I'm pleased to hear the Max Weinberg 7 will be around and that the Tonight Show theme will be a slightly reworked version of Conan's Late Night theme.
It'll be interesting to see how Jay's new show does. Hopefully he'll do ok but I have a feeling it may not last if the suits at NBC don't see the ratings they're looking for.

[kvrdave]

Originally Posted by Cardiff Giant

Watched Leno's final show. Jay is a very funny guy and seems to be a nice guy as others have mentioned. I just never really found him that funny on the Tonight Show (save for during the writers strike when he was doing more of his standup material).

This is well put. I think Leno may be one of the nicest guys in the business. But whether it was writers or him, he just didn't do all that well as host (to me).

[outcastja]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

It's a really different crowd. I could see losing to Craig Ferguson for the really late crowd and still beating Letterman for the late crowd. I think it will have more to do with how he interviews than his gags. Carson was the master at making the guest look great, setting up lines for them, and letting them be the star while they were on. Conan is not at that level obviously, and neither was Leno, but no one is worse that Letterman, who always makes sure the interview is really about him.

I think a lot of times Conan brings attention to himself during interviews. And I don't mind that at all. Most guests seems pretty boring to me anyway, so I like it when Letterman is giving them a hard time or Conan does something goofy during the interview to keep it entertaining.

I never watched much of Carson, but with him making an appearance on the Late Show and sending in monologue jokes, in my eyes that made Letterman the true successor for the Tonight Show.

[Giantrobo]

Originally Posted by outcastja

I think a lot of times Conan brings attention to himself during interviews. And I don't mind that at all. Most guests seems pretty boring to me anyway, so I like it when Letterman is giving them a hard time or Conan does something goofy during the interview to keep it entertaining.

Yeah the whole Conan taking over the interview thing still works my nerves but it's still tons funnier and more natural than Jay's lame attempts at comedy during interviews.

I never watched much of Carson, but with him making an appearance on the Late Show and sending in monologue jokes, in my eyes that made Letterman the true successor for the Tonight Show.

If I remember right, and I could be wrong, Letterman was Carson's choice but the studio heads at the time went with Leno and Carson didn't interfere. Letterman and Carson ar both Midwest guys and I think that was one of the things Carson liked about Letterman.

[Giantrobo]

Thinking back to Jay's last show, it was kinda lame. Other than Conan and the Hookup Babies at the end there was nothing really special about it.

[mdc3000]

^I think that's because he's not really going anywhere and this was sort of a faux finale. I liked the bit with the kids though, nice touch.

[Giantrobo]

Originally Posted by mdc3000

^I think that's because he's not really going anywhere and this was sort of a faux finale. I liked the bit with the kids though, nice touch.

Fair enough.