The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

[Deadlydread]

Just watched Friday's Episode (well the beginning, before the guests) and I never laughed that hard at any of Leno's skits. The woman that lost her tent, and looked like she wanted Triumph to get the hell out of there, only to find it, and Max Weinburg comes running out of it naked was hysterical.

[Xero]

^ Conan has some amazing skits. I never was a big fan of Leno's but I will say I did enjoy his Jay-Walking bits.

Last few episodes were alright, guests were mediocre. Shia was arguably "outrageous" :laugh:

[Rob2687]

OMG. Max's moving platform dealy rocks :D

[Xero]

Yea that part was really funny. Bruno was awful though, talk about a painful interview. Not just him sitting on his leg like an idiot. That was rather funny.

[9UnknownMen]

TV Buzz: What Does the Future Hold For The Tonight Show? NBC Chief “Dethrones” Conan O’Brien. David Letterman Drinking His Milkshake.

This summer, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve overheard a line like, “Oh, I love Conan, but to be honest, I haven’t been watching [The Tonight Show].” Conan’s ratings, which continue to fall and have been widely scrutinized in the media, reflect this trend. Today, it was announced that The Late Show with David Letterman has bested The Tonight Show for four consecutive weeks, a record dating back to 1995. What I find curious about these aforementioned statements from fans, besides their frequency, is that so often they express guilt. Many 20somethings share a bond with Conan O’Brien incomparable to any late night host, and by not watching, it stings of geek treason. But these lounging confessions also pack a subtle tinge of Nikki Finke-like cutthroat satisfaction, and this is what I find most worrisome in terms of the long haul. Why is this?

I’ve started to wonder if this demographic indifference signifies a cultural break, if only—for the sake of Conan’s legacy—a temporary one. Many of Conan’s fans have exited the carefree, insomniac nights of university, and now find themselves gritting in the face of an exceedingly tough reality. It’s dog-eat-dog out there and perhaps this winner-all realization is translating into late night. Conan, long championed as the unattractive geek and underdog, is now facing David Letterman, one of the most reliable, most competitive and funniest men—a rare combination—in TV history. Even in the Digital Age, the Late Night Wars remain insanely relentless. And Letterman, who looks lean, tan, and healthy and seems enlivened by the recent upswing—he’s been waiting for this moment—is drinking Conan’s mother****ing milkshake with a signature “heh heh.” It’s that simple. And against such a high profile, experienced, not-so-young competitor, too simple.

Yesterday at a conference, NBC late-night-chief, Rick Ludwin, referred to a previously issued network press release appointing Conan O’Brien as The King of Late Night as “premature.” Ouch. Who the hell retracts a crown, especially weeks later? A faux pas. Still, as Mark Graham at Vulture points out, Ludwin followed his alarming admission by clarifying that NBC wasn’t disappointed by Conan’s current ratings. But of course they are. And with Jay Leno, aka The Chin, readying his new primetime show on NBC—ugh!—complete with a gimmicky racetrack, we predict that this is going to get ugly; maybe even surge to an unprecedentedly awkward level for Big Network TV.

There is something unsettling and disagreeable about the expansive acoustics in Conan’s pricey, posh new studio. His monologues can now feel incredibly lonely on television because of this, strained of their yesteryear pep. To be candid, I even find the sense of isolation a tad creepy, with shades of Rupert Pupkin auditioning to himself in The King of Comedy. This is not really Conan’s fault. I can hear the studio audience laughing in the distance, sure, but for a host who has established a moderately intimate, normal-geek M.O. over the years, it creates the impression that Conan is a ginger fish out-of-water. It’s not so much the N.Y.C-to-L.A. transition factor; it’s more akin to a Conan-gone-Vegas conundrum.

Since he debuted on The Tonight Show earlier this summer, the dissonance between host and studio has lead me to stay with the show from beginning-to-end only a handful of times. And as Conan and Leno continue to distance themselves in the press, the affable combination and comradery between Letterman and Craig Ferguson, currently my favorite late-night host (alongside Stephen Colbert, if you include that cable block), has never appeared more casual yet on the attack. So, where exactly does his famous Red Wave take Conan from here?

Interesting write-up and I thought I'd share. I have to admit that I'm one of the people mentioned in the article. I love Conan, but I just never watch his show. :(

[CentralDogma]

I know this will sound rather cynical, but I feel like Conan has copped out after moving up to the newer time slot. I understand he can?t do some of his bits from the old Late Night show and that he has to plug guess?s projects (?oh this is the best movie I?ve ever seen!?) because those come with the job. But the ?Blow up my car? bit was nothing but an in show commercial and watching him last night do a bizarre Paris Hilton joke because he?s made a deal with her to come on the show, that?s over the line. One of the thing that made Late Night great was the way Conan reacted to when things didn?t go well (the fire alarm going off during the show), but the Tonight Show removed all that.

Also, he needs to give up on the whole Coco bit. That?s not going to happen and he should stop trying to force it.

[Rob2687]

They`ve turned him into a corporate lacky.

You can definitely tell in the interviews with some his frequent guests from the Late Night show, which he usually has great chemistry with now seem more scripted. It seems like he`s hesitant or holding back something a lot of the time now.

[Xero]

While I do miss the old days I think he still has to get used to the new show. I do miss the raunchy bits he used to do and how "vulgar" he was. He was never rude but you know what I mean. "Bring it on Hormel" comes to mind lol. The part that really annoys me is that he seems to have picked his bits and stuck with them. Don't get me wrong, Twitter Tracker is funny but I miss his old sketches, Small talk moment was great between him and Max. Him going to the bar and getting yelled at by everyone was funny, I'm sure there are plenty more/better ones not coming to mind but you see what I mean. He's done the same bits over and over these last couple months.

I also would love for him to be on the attack more. He used to make fun of people more and companies and even himself. While I won't say thats completely gone, its as if they put a muzzle on him or an electric collar to keep him in line. It's no wonder ratings are down. Bring back the real Conan. I want to see the writer's strike Conan come back. Those few weeks of episodes were amazing. Also in his new sketch with his super serious producer (forget his name) you can definitely see the change, some of the things he'd say were so rude in the old ones. Funny for sure but in the last one you can see him trying to be a little less intense. And it's not the time slot to blame as Letterman gets away with a hell of a lot more. I have a feeling its NBC putting the pressure on.

[M_Lyons10]

I like Conan personally, but I don't think he has the ability to fill Jay Leno's shoes... I'm afraid pretty soon Jay will have a two hour slot... LOL

[SuperJediMedia]

Triumph is on Tonight!!!

[Rob2687]

It wasn't as good as his usual stuff this time.