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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Conan won't budge
O'Brien rejects NBC's plan to make room for Leno
O’Brien says he doesn’t want to participate in The Tonight Show’s destruction. (NBC )
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PASADENA -- Conan is goin'.
Exactly where isn't clear yet, but the host of The Tonight Show has made it clear he won't take part in a scheduling move that will "seriously damage ... the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting."
All other business here on the TV press tour ground to a halt early Tuesday afternoon -- much to the chagrin of the producers and cast of the ABC mid-season drama Happy Town, who were in the middle of an interview session at the time -- when alerts started moving online that O'Brien had made up his mind.
In a statement released by O'Brien's management, the host/comedian said he has been put in a very public predicament and that his bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
The question, which has dominated entertainment headlines since late last week, is whether O'Brien would be willing to accept NBC's decision to move The Tonight Show from 10:35 p.m. to 11:05 p.m. (CST) in order to accommodate a half-hour version of The Jay Leno Show as a lead-in to the late-night block.
NBC announced on Sunday that Leno's low-rated new show will be pulled from the 9 p.m. slot it has held since last fall as a result of pressure from the network's local affiliates whose late newscast ratings have been hurt by The Jay Leno Show's poor performance.
Speculation was rampant that O'Brien would not accept the change because he believes, probably quite rightly, that it will simply make a bad situation worse. His statement made it clear just how deeply his sense of betrayal runs.
"Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me," O'Brien stated. "I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise far into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 (EST) is impossible without both.
"But sadly, we were never given that chance."
In his statement, O'Brien also said that he would consider leaving The Tonight Show to be an enormous personal disappointment.
"My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show," he said. "But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction."
During his press-tour session Tuesday, ABC Entertainment Group president Stephen McPherson called the whole NBC late-night unraveling unfortunate.
"Seeing a great network tumble is not something we rejoice over," he said. "We're all competitive, but we want a vibrant landscape. I think it's disconcerting when things like that happen in our industry, even to our competitors. We don't take any pleasure in that. We can compete against them, but we want it to be vibrant and we want them to be a good competitor.
"It's kind of like playing for the Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox decide to stop playing baseball. You don't get excited about that."
Last weekend was filled with speculation that O'Brien might find a friendly welcome at Fox Broadcasting if he leaves NBC and Tonight, but the host/comedian said he currently has no other options in play.
"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," he said. "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."
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 13, 2010 D3
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