Late Night with Conan O'Brien

[Mutant Despot]

Have you kids seen this show? I think it's new.

It was great to see Artie Kendall back tonight. If Brian is still around, I have to know if that awesome line about being in Hell was improvised.

[nadsat droog]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37547

Bill Carter at the New York Times has a Monday story that assembles a speculative timetable for NBC’s late night transition:

Autumn 2008?: Jimmy Fallon starts Web-only talk show.
February 2009?: Conan O’Brien ceases hosting “Late Night.”
March 2009?: Fallon begins hosting “Late Night.”
June 2009?: Jay Leno ceases hosting “Tonight.”

O'Brien takes over "Tonight" subsequent to Leno's departure.

According to the Times piece, NBC is expected to announce its timetable on Tuesday.

[BillBrasky]

Official NBC press release:

Jimmy Fallon Takes Over the "Late Night" Hosting Duties from O'Brien in Spring 2009

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – July 21, 2008 – Conan O'Brien, the dominant late-night host at 12:35 a.m. (ET) for the past 14 seasons, will succeed Jay Leno as host of the preeminent series on late-night television, NBC's "The Tonight Show," in June of 2009. Beginning in Spring 2009, Jimmy Fallon will step in as the "Late Night" host. The announcement was made today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios and Marc Graboff, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" will begin on Monday, June 1, 2009 (11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET) with Leno's last "Tonight Show" telecast airing Friday, May 29, 2009.

"'The Tonight Show' has a remarkable history rich in tradition. We're proud of each and every show Jay has shared with America as we look forward to Conan carrying on that outstanding tradition next year," said Rick Ludwin, Executive Vice President, Late Night and Primetime Series, NBC Entertainment. "We also can't wait for Jimmy to showcase his winning style following Conan. Jay has left his personal stamp on 'The Tonight Show' for what will be 17 years. He is enormously creative, generous and professional."

"The Tonight Show" continues to be the most dominant late-night institution in television history. Since it first premiered on September 27, 1954 with Steve Allen, "The Tonight Show" has had just four permanent hosts, including Leno. Allen, host of the then titled "Tonight," eventually left late night to start his own primetime variety series on NBC. Jack Paar premiered on July 29, 1957. On October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson stepped on stage for day one of his tenure as host of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Leno, who began guest-hosting "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in September 1987, became host of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on May 25, 1992. O'Brien joined NBC as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 1988 and premiered as host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on September 13, 1993.

"The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" will originate from Stage 1 at Universal Studios and will be produced by Universal Media Studios. Jeff Ross is the executive producer.

[Famous Mortimer]

Countdown to The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien...

http://tinyurl.com/conan2009

[Famous Police Dog]

oh bummer, four months without conan

[metal2000]

Glad to officially hear that Jeff Ross will be the executive producer. Hopefully it's just the beginning with regards to current "Late Night" staff joining Conan in L.A. Obviously they can't completely remove every creative person from "Late Night", but I'm sure Jimmy will want to find his own voice with his own staff as well.

The creative team behind Conan is so good, that I can't even imagine a Conan-led "Tonight Show" without most of them.

[kwigibo]

oh bummer, four months without conan

4 months of Leno saying goodbye and not being funny (more so than usual) followed by Fallon trying to establish himself and probably not being any funnier, AND no Conan.

[BrianStack]

Mutant,

Sorry for the late reply. I haven't been able to check in here too often these days.

Thanks for the kind words about Artie Kendall, the Crooner Ghost. I always enjoy doing that character, and I'm glad you like seeing him. That last Artie bit I did was thrown in at the very last minute, but I'm glad it turned out okay. I'm surprised you could even hear that line I said at the end about being in Hell, but yes, that was improvised in response to Conan ad libbing the line, "You're the worst guy I've ever met".

-Brian

[mnarrance]

Been noticing some special Conan people (and other awesomes) on my brand spanking new TV FUNHOUSE DVD. Which I am LOVING.

[Jenny]

Hey Brian,

do you know what's gonna happen when Conan gets the Tonight Show? Are you moving to L.A. or leaving the show?

[mueXog]

Oh man, I never even thought about that! I really hope he doesn't lose Stack/McCann/Dorff/etc in the move to LA.

By the way, I finally started watching that online series "The Line" (starring Bill Hader and Joe LoTruglio), it's very funny and has lots of familiar NYC comics from Conan/UCB/SNL/etc. Brian & Miriam had a great appearance in (I think) the 4th episode. And I loved Jon Glaser's character in episode 5, the last one I watched as of now.

[BrianStack]

Jenny,
A lot of the "Tonight Show" details are still pretty up in the air right now, but I think things will become more concrete one of these days. I would love it if everyone from "Late Night" made the move to LA, but I'm not sure yet how it will all turn out.

muXog,
Thanks for the kind words about "The Line". Miriam and I had such a great time working on that with all those hilarious people.

[HouseClouds]

heard an interview with robert smigel who said he won't be making the move to l.a., which means no more of the bit with conan interviewing the tv with the cut out mouth...which is pretty much my fav thing they do. but anyway...conan is still pretty great.

[Jawa]

heard an interview with robert smigel who said he won't be making the move to l.a., which means no more of the bit with conan interviewing the tv with the cut out mouth...which is pretty much my fav thing they do. but anyway...conan is still pretty great.

And no more Triumph, I guess.

It'll be interesting how the show evolves. I imagine the change is exciting, terrifying, exhilarating for them.

[Shane]

Any word if Max Weinberg is making the move? I love the banter Conan and him enjoy together.

[kevin]

I'm willing to bet that Triumph will still be involved in remote pieces for the Tonight Show. I just hope the humor isn't dulled too much for the more tepid, mainstream gig.

[yumitree]

I just hope the humor isn't dulled too much for the more tepid, mainstream gig.

i was thinking the same thing watching the show last night. it's not just conan and his staff's sensibility/humor, but i'm worried about the guests he'll have in the 11:30 slot. i'm not really looking forward to more (boring or horrible) a-list guest interviews and outdoor, car-sponsored, american idol musical guests.

and what about vigoda?!

[TomHicks]

I am watching Conan right now. He was doing a bit on the atom smasher and they were going to smash stuff together, at which point NBC News broke in, the local one as it turns out, and said that Conan was going to smash some trains together (presumably the toy kind) and that with the recent Metrolink fatalities they felt it was inappropriate to air the segment. Conan returned when Celebrity Survey began.

Oops. I meant the one that aired Tuesday morning, with Diane Lane and Patton.

[erechoveraker]

Bizarre.

[metal2000]

Yes, because crashing 2 douchebags into each other using model trains so makes me think of the tragic accident in California. Glad the Boston affiliate (which is the NBC I get) didn't cut away.