Late Show UK

In a visit to NBC TV affiliate WKYC Channel 3, Conan O’Brien has been talking about becoming host of The Tonight Show.

He says “my analogy is, they’re handing me the keys to this beautiful Ferrari of The Tonight Show… I’ve been driving around in a Jeep Wrangler called the Late Night show. A fine Jeep Wrangler with a busted radio, but now they’re handing me the keys to a Ferrari called The Tonight Show… I want to get this thing up over 100 miles an hour. I want to clip some fire hydrants. I want to get it up on two wheels, on its side, like James Bond in that alley”.

Conan’s determined to make The Tonight Show his own and not try to copy Jay Leno or Johnny Carson. He says “every person has done it his own way… that’s just what I have to do” and “I was following in David Letterman’s footsteps… we did a completely different kind of show, and I think that’s the only reason it succeeded”.

In a different interview with Minnesota news channel KARE, Conan says he’s been on a tour of many NBC stations to promote his new show before it begins in June - “you have to take time to meet the people who work at the stations… you can’t be a snob about it”.

The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien begins on the 1st June on NBC.

Cleveland.com - “Conan O’Brien intends to make ‘Tonight Show’ his own”
StarTribune.com - “KARE bears meet Conan O’Brien”

After 16 years (2,725 episodes) Late Night With Conan O’Brien ended on Friday 20th February 2009. The final week saw some of Conan’s favourite guests booked on the show - Bob Saget, Stephen Colbert, Nathan Lane, Martha Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld and even an appearance from Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg. The final show saw The White Stripes perform. The final week was full of trips down memory lane with Conan looking back at some of the memorable moments from the past 16 years.

Other guests on the final show were former Late Night sidekick Andy Richter (saying “I told you you’d never last without me”), Will Ferrell with an impression of George W. Bush and John Mayer performing a song with the lyrics “LA’s gonna eat you alive” - a tongue-in-cheek lyric for Conan’s move to The Tonight Show.

In Conan’s final farewall speech at the end of Friday’s show he said he’d “never grow up” - a reference to how some people fear he may tame down his act for The Tonight Show. He said “it’s an incredible, amazing honor to do this show for you people… we’re going on to this next gig, and sometimes I read that it’s time for Conan to grow up because he’s going to 11:30… and I assure you, that’s just not going to happen. I can’t. This is who I am, for better or for worse”.

During his farewell speech his voice cracked a little as he must have felt very emotional leaving Late Night after so many years. Conan thanked David Letterman, who hosted Late Night on NBC before he moved to the Late Show on CBS after famously losing out to host The Tonight Show to Jay Leno. He also thanked Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live producer), the Late Night crew and band.

Ratings-wise, the final Late Night saw audiences “up a whopping 44 percent over the show’s season average, NBC said today” according to E! Online.

Conan now moves to LA to host The Tonight Show, which begins at the start of June. Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (which stays in New York) begins on Monday 2nd March.

E! Online - ” Conan O’Brien Takes a Bow on Last Late Night”
The Insider - “Conan O’Brien’s Last Late Night”
TV Squad - “How was Conan’s last show in New York?”
E! Online - “Conan Goes Out on Top; Dollhouse Shrinks”

Click here to watch a video tribute for Late Night With Conan O’Brien found on YouTube

The last ever new episodes of Late Night With Conan O’Brien air next week. The last 5 new shows air Monday-Friday in their usual timeslot on NBC.

There will also be a week of reruns after next week leading up to when Late Night With Jimmy Fallon starts on Monday 2nd March.

So far - guests announced for Monday are Bob Saget & thenewno2, Jason Sudeikis on Tuesday, Nathan Lane on Wednesday, Jerry Seinfeld & Craig Bierko are on Thursday’s show and The White Stripes are confirmed for the final show on Friday.

More guests are expected to be announced for next week soon.

Conan O’Brien will take over as host of The Tonight Show at the beginning of June.

Late Show UK - Guest Listings for Late Night With Conan O’Brien
Late Night With Conan O’Brien official website
Late Night Underground official blog
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon official website

It was Superbowl XLIII last night between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Advertising time throughout the Superbowl is always a high premium.

This year the Superbowl was broadcast on NBC giving them a chance to promote Jay Leno’s new 10pm show starting this year when he leaves The Tonight Show, and also gave them a chance to promote Conan O’Brien who’s taking over The Tonight Show on the 1st June this year.

Conan also had an advert promoting Bud Light.

This isn’t the first time late night talk shows have advertised in the Superbowl - David Letterman promoted the Late Show with an advert featuring Oprah previously.

Click here to watch this year’s Superbowl adverts

It’s been a known fact for some time now that Conan O’Brien will be taking over the reigns of The Tonight Show from current host Jay Leno in 2009. Conan O’Brien is rumoured to be finishing up Late Night With Conan O’Brien at the end of February to give him sometime to get ready for taking up The Tonight Show on the 1st June 2009. Jay Leno’s final episode of The Tonight Show will air on the 29th May 2009.

On media website Advertising Age they report Rick Ludwin from NBC Entertainment says “we hope to add from perhaps the younger part of the demographic that maybe isn’t watching late night at the moment”. Advertising Age also report “to get the word out about his ascent to “Tonight,” according to people familiar with the situation, NBC has discussed plans to send him on a cross-country tour of sorts, posting video on the web to tout the comedian’s antics, according to media buyers”. The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien is tipped to be more “edgier” than Jay Leno’s show. The new show will probably keep similar aspects to Conan’s current Late Night show - with wacky segments and “coarser” comedy.

So there’s only a few months to go before the last ever Late Night With Conan O’Brien - Jimmy Fallon will take over Conan’s Late Night show when he leaves. Jimmy could start doing Late Night in March or he could wait until Conan starts The Tonight Show in June. It’s rumoured Jimmy may start Late Night before Conan starts TTS so he can build up some viewership beforehand.

Advertising Age - “And Now, Conan O’Brien! … and Younger Viewers”

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno will end on Friday 29th May 2009 and Conan O’Brien will start new shows on the following Monday - 1st June 2009 - according to The Associated Press. The AP also say “what happens to deposed host Jay Leno after that is anybody’s guess”. Jimmy Fallon will probably take over Late Night in March/April 2009 to give him time to settle in before Conan starts on The Tonight Show.

The Associated Press - “Leno’s last ‘Tonight’ is May 29; O’Brien in June 1″

There’s been a lot of rumours flying around in recent months as to what Jay Leno might do when he retires from The Tonight Show next year to hand over the host chair to Conan O’Brien. Some say he will be offered a new job at NBC - either a talk show or a car show - and the latest rumour is he may be replacing Larry King on CNN. There’s been talk for a while about when Larry King may retire from CNN but the thought of his retirement has always been strongly denied by CNN and Larry. Entertainment Weekly (EW.com) says “Leno, though, is going to have plenty of time on his hands starting next year, and I’m sure he’s happy to irk NBC by letting other networks court him”.

DenverPost.com also reports on what Leno might do next, saying “rumors have him contemplating everything from a late- night show for another network or even a Larry King-style program on CNN”. They also give Conan a mention. Click here to read more on DenverPost.com.

Entertainment Weekly (EW.com) - “Is Jay Leno the new Larry King?”
DenverPost.com - “Conan O’Brien’s charm may be tough sell on “Tonight Show”"

According to the latest guest listings data for Late Night With Conan O’Brien, there will be a new episode on Saturday 14th June. Yes, that’s right… a Saturday. The guests for that show at the moment will be Mario Batali and The Lordz.

It’s not known whether this is a mistake in the listings or - if it is true - whether Conan will be going on-air six nights a week for the forseeable future until he takes over from Leno on The Tonight Show next year. Watch this space for more news.

Late Show UK - Guest Listings
TV Rage - Late Night with Conan O’Brien - 14th June 2008

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5th June 2008 update - Interbridge listings are now reporting that show will air on the following Monday, meaning there won’t be a Saturday show. However, TV Rage is still saying that show is going out on air Saturday 14th June. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

8th June 2008 update - We are 99% sure this was a mistake on TV Rage’s website, so the ‘Mario Batali, The Lordz’ should be going out on NBC on Monday 16th June. Keep up to date with the latest guest listings at www.lateshowuk.com/guest-listings

Entertainment Weekly (EW.com) has ranked Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report team as number two in The 25 Funniest People In America. They say “week-in and week-out, Colbert takes aim at the political-industrial complex — and I don’t care if there’s no such term — and spins the facts into truth. Or truthiness. Whichever’s easier”. The Judd Apatow Posse were number one in the list and Tina Fey came in at third place. Jon Stewart and The Daily Show team came fourth, Conan O’Brien ranked 11th, David Letterman came in at 17th place and Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson was 19th.

Entertainment Weekly (EW.com) - “The 25 Funniest People in America”

NBC last night announced that Jimmy Fallon will be the new host of Late Night when Conan O’Brien takes over at the Tonight Show next year.

Fallon joined NBC in 1998 on Saturday Night Live and went on to “co-anchor” the Weekend Update spot with Tina Fey two years later. The former MTV awards host also guest presented the Late Show in 2003. The announcement appears to put to bed rumours that NBC might be thinking about keeping Leno on as host of the Tonight Show.

More: NBC rolls out fall lineup by naming Jimmy Fallon to succeed Conan O’Brien (LA Times)

Jimmy Fallon will take over from Conan O’Brien on Late Night from next year, when Conan moves to The Tonight Show. It’s been long rumoured that he was top of the list for the Late Night job for a long time, so we can all now stop speculating.

Fox News says “it’s a done deal”. Fox News also says Jay Leno will be retiring from The Tonight Show in “May 2009″ - just over a year from now. Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com reports “NBC will make the formal announcement about Fallon around May 11 or 12, when the network presents the fall ‘08 schedule to advertisers here in New York”. The Associated Press also reports the story.

FoxNews.com - “Jimmy Fallon Cinches Conan’s Job”
The Associated Press - “Reports: Fallon to succeed Conan on ‘Late Night’”
LateByte - “Jimmy Fallon waarschijnlijk vervanger Conan”
Digital Spy - “Fallon replacing O’Brien on ‘Late Night’”

Thoughts are rolling in again as to who’s going to take over from Conan O’Brien on Late Night when Conan moves to The Tonight Show next year, and time is ticking away. Leno is, of course, retiring next year - unless NBC executives change their mind and keep him on for another year. Variety.com reports if that were to happen NBC “would have to pay O’Brien a penalty estimated at more than $40 million”. The most logical choice for Late Night - as has been said before - would be Jimmy Fallon who’s proved popular on Saturday Night Live. Not forgetting Carson Daly (currently host of Last Call which airs after Late Night With Conan O’Brien on NBC) - he could also be an obvious choice.

Variety.com says “some of the names floated for O’Brien’s replacement have included Jon Stewart, Dane Cook and Australian television star Rove McManus”. My personal favourite would be Jon Stewart. He’s become hugely well received on The Daily Show (Comedy Central) and also proves he’s liked on a mainstream level - the Academy Awards hosting duties for example. The last piece of the jigsaw for the talk shows in 2009 is whether or not The Tonight Show will stay in Burbank or if it will move to New York City - currently home to Late Night With Conan O’Brien (and the Late Show on CBS, of course). The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was based in New York. I feel The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien should be based in New York and perhaps moving Late Night With ???? to Burbank.

Variety - “Landing the next Conan”

Conan O’Brien will be stopping by to appear on The Tonight Show on Thursday 27th March, along with Anderson Cooper. Conan will, of course, be taking over The Tonight Show next year when Jay Leno hands over the reigns. Don’t forget to tune in! The show will be airing on CNBC for us folk in the UK on Tuesday 1st April at 11pm (the show returns to the 11pm UK timeslot because British Summer Time begins at the end of March). Conan was also a guest on The Tonight Show on the 27th April last year.

Once again, the rumour mill is in full swing with regards to Leno giving up The Tonight Show next year and what’s going to happen when he leaves and other subsequent changes at NBC. It’s been about 4 years since NBC announced Jay would be giving up The Tonight Show chair in 2009 but it seems Leno might be staying at NBC, with a brand new show, as NBC tries to sign him up to a new contract. Conan O’Brien would still get The Tonight Show gig and BND.com (New York Times) says “NBC has begun construction on a new studio for “Tonight,” as well as offices for O’Brien’s staff”.

According to reports, TV networks aren’t allowed to negotiate with Leno until November 2009. BND.com (New York Times) also suggest “executives who know the details of his contract said Leno would remain attached to NBC through the end of 2009, even though he probably would not be on the air for the last six months of the contract”. Jimmy Fallon - of Saturday Night Live fame - is thought to be the favourite to take over Late Night when Conan leaves, and it’s thought - if Jimmy were to get the job - Conan would leave Late Night several months before starting on The Tonight Show to give Fallon a good chance of settling in, with a lead-in from Jay Leno’s Tonight Show.

It’s also believed that - when Conan starts The Tonight Show next year - Leno wouldn’t be back on-screen hosting a new show until 2010, to give O’Brien time to get the show up and running without any competition from Leno. It’s not known whether Leno would get offered a primetime show on NBC, another late night programme on NBC or whether he would defect to another network to host a show - ABC, Fox and Sony Pictures Television are all interested in signing him up. If Sony Pictures Television got the deal, BND.com say they’re likely to offer him a “syndicated late-night show”. David Letterman is signed up to stay with the Late Show on CBS until 2010, and it’s not known whether he will retire after this, or renew with CBS - or another network - again.

BND.com - “Courting Leno, unofficially, for a new gig” (New York Times)

5th March 2008 update… More speculation;

The Columbus Dispatch - “Where will Jay Leno land next? Hard to tell”

Conan O’Brien and Stephen Colbert dropped by to The Daily Show on Monday, to put an end to the “Who Made Mike Huckabee?” debate. Colbert visits first, then Conan comes in - with the Moment Of Zen at the end involving the showdown with Conan, Colbert and Jon. The whole thing was pretty hilarious - video clips are embedded below.

^ Videos are from TheDailyShow.com