After recent complaints from NBC affiliates about plummeting ratings for their local news around the country. NBC has decided to switch their evening linup following this years Olympic Winter Games. This shift however plans to move the Jay Leno Show from 10PM to 11:35PM...which will bump The Tonight Show hosted by Conan O'Brien past midnight to 12:05AM. Conan released a statement today that included the following...
"But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.
Yours,
Conan"
Conan expressed his regret and said the move would also be unfair to Jimmy Fallon who inherited "Late Nite" and to Carson Daly who would both be pushed back. Both he and Leno had their own little jabs at the situation during their respective shows...
"NBC said the show performed exactly as they expected it would and then canceled us. Don't confuse this [with] when we were on at late night and performed better than expected and they canceled us. That was totally different," Leno quipped.
O'Brien had the following to say on his show Monday:
-- "Good evening, I'm Conan O'Brien, the new host of 'Last Call with Carson Daly.' "
-- "This weekend no one was seriously hurt, but a 6.5 earthquake hit California. The earthquake was so powerful that it knocked Jay Leno's show from 10:00 to 11:35."
-- "On the positive side, I have learned a valuable lesson from all this: Never sign a contract that ends with the word 'NOT.' "
The dispute must play itself out and it no doubt will get more interesting in the coming weeks. So stay tuned and
-Use Your IMAGination
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