NBC’s has gone downhill so quickly and so intensely you never realized that around 10 years ago, it was a major powerhouse. With the 80s, they conquered prime time with The Cosby Show. In the 90s, there was the undisputed triple punch of ER, Seinfeld and Friends. Now, NBC has absolutely nothing, except for great Late Night television---and even that is going down the crapper. NBC’s decision to give Jay Leno a primetime spot and hand the Tonight Show duties to Conan was absolutely the stupidest decision any network has made since ABC when they decided to air Who Wants to be a Millionaire three times a week (Second place: Alias’ Super Bowl episode starting nearly two hours after the actual Super Bowl—ending its only chance for major-major ratings).
Jay Leno’s 10:00 slot would not only anger the Writer’s Guild and major affiliates, but it would take away viewers from Conan O’Brian, whom despite being a very talented man just isn’t as popular as Letterman and Leno. Why watch the Tonight Show when Jay Leno was on even earlier? Why even watch Conan as a successor if NBC still looks like they prefer Leno? The Jay Leno Show wasn’t as big a disaster as people are making it out to be (5+ million viewers at the 10:00 slot is still a bit impressive), but the entire morality of the issue was disgusting, as we see ABC and CBS constantly jab the network. Now, Jay Leno isn’t #1, Conan isn’t #1, and NBC is still losing. Two great prime-time hosts and neither one of them was getting the recognition they deserve. Now Letterman stands high and proud as the man that dethroned NBC’s Tonight Show; twice.
So what does NBC do? Move Jay Leno further up the late night timeslot and shaft Conan in ways never before seen. The Tonight Show was going to change its starting time for the first time in its massive, massive history. Luckily, Conan refuses the move, which is something we all expected from a man who deserves much more acclaim for his work in Hollywood. Conan and his cast moved from the east coast to the west coast, only to have his Tonight Show get jumbled around to make way for Leno. It was low, classless, disgusting.
If Jay Leno has any class left, and if he really wanted to deliver a death blow to the network, he should also refuse the Tonight Show shift, and refuse the Tonight Show seat. That would leave NBC with neither Conan nor Leno, whom can find another network and another seat instantly. Fox has been interested, and I am sure ABC wouldn’t mind either of the two hosts heading in their direction. Conan can move to ABC and air his program after Jimmy Kimmel, that way he can push the envelope a couple of times like he did when he was right before Leno. Jay Leno can move to Fox and take on Letterman and whomever NBC can drag into the Tonight Show.
Whatever the end result can be, my dream would be that NBC winds up with nobody. Conan is an excellent writer, an extremely smart comedian, and one with plenty of class and tradition in his bones (his refusing the timeslot change is the best example). I have followed Conan ever since his show started gaining recognition, and became a fan after learning that he had written a few episodes for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons; back when both programs were at their peak in the early 90s.
Bottom Line: NBC is a sinking ship, and managed to sink the ship even faster by destroying the one thing they had going correctly and that as Late-Night comedy. With Conan refusing, the ball is now on NBC’s court, which is sure to move to Leno’s court. Whatever NBC decides to do, the damage has been done, and the Tonight Show will never, ever be the same. Johnny Carson would be absolutely ashamed if he were alive to see this mess.
I am part of the Conan team all the way. Wherever he goes I shall follow. Leno should not take the seat in honor of Conan and the history of the program. If he does, well, I can’t say I won’t watch his show, but I won’t see it in the same light anymore.
The Tonight Show should be hosted by one man and one man only:
No comments:
Post a Comment