Conan: What's Next?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by dirwuf, Jan 16, 2010.

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  1. dirwuf

    dirwuf Misplaced Chicagoan Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fairfield, CT
    Let's leave all the Leno/NBC bashing to the other thread...

    Where does our Coco go next? The prevailing thought is that he will land at FOX, likely in the 11pm-midnight EST timeslot. This seems like the perfect scenario for him, getting a half-hour jump on Dave and Jay and giving people an alternative to the local news. Hopefully Andy and Max will come along with him.

    That leaves the question of whether he'll stay in Los Angeles or go back to New York. I'm a bit torn on this one, for as much as I think he fit perfectly in NY, I think he was beginning to settle in to LA and that it might be better for him in the long run.
     
  2. Evan L

    Evan L Beatologist

    Location:
    Vermont
    Conan is very loyal to his staff, and it must be eating him up inside that this situation is screwing people who changed coasts to work with him.

    He may not have been getting the ratings, but his show was way funnier than Leno's ever was.

    I would assume he'll end up at Fox. I hope his show goes back to New York.

    Evan
     
  3. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    I watched his show last night and don't think he's very funny. Apparently, based on the ratings, I'm not alone.
    He'll probably go to fox.
    ION or the CW could use him too.
    But if he's really smart, he goes to cable (like Comedy Central) where he can be edgier.
    I don't think he'll ever have mass appeal.
     
  4. Jack White

    Jack White Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    I imagine he'll end up at Fox with ABC an outside chance. I doubt if Comedy Central will bump Jon Stewart and Colbert from their 11 - 12 slots and I'm guessing Conan doesn't want to go back to a late, late night timeslot (i.e. start time 12 or later). He actually doesn't have that many options if he wants to do a "Tonight Show" type talkshow in that desired timeslot (start time 11 or 11:30).

    If I was a Fox executive negotiating with his management, I would have a frank discussion about the expected ratings. I have trouble imagining Conan winning more than 2 to 2.5 million viewers (on a good day) on Fox if he lands there. Not bashing him, BTW.
     
  5. I'm guessing FOX as well.
     
  6. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    Hasn't Fox tried this more than once over the years with the exact same pitch? Not knocking Conan, but I don't see the ratings being there to make this work out in the long run.
     
  7. Mister Kite

    Mister Kite Uncle Obscure

    Location:
    Columbia, MO
    I don't know. If Conan does land at Fox from 11p-12a and he takes everything that was good about his Late Night program (and IMO, there was a lot) and builds on it, I think he has a better than average shot at making some serious ratings noise. That Conan is a natural fit for Fox. The farther he stays away from his Tonight Show format (and persona) the better.

    In the short term (while NBC keeps him on ice) I would Love for Conan to be Dave's guest on March 1, the night Leno returns to 11:35...
     
  8. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    I didn't watch Conan a lot - still don't - until this whole thing started. (I'm a Letterman watcher.) However, I would be willing to tune in to Conan's new show to see what it is like.
     
  9. etzeppy

    etzeppy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas, US
    The contract buyout might keep him of the air a while.
     
  10. Batigol

    Batigol Active Member

    Location:
    New Haven CT. USA
    One thing to keep in mind is that FOX may not have the same expectations of ratings that NBC and CBS do in that time slot. If Conan brings in 2 to 2.5 million viewers that might be a enough to make everyone content and everything he achieves above that is gravy. How many viewers is FOX bringing in now in that time slot?

    Five to ten years from now do you guys really for see Letterman and Leno still doing there shows? As each one retires it might end up leaving Conan and FOX late night kings in five to ten years time.
     
  11. etzeppy

    etzeppy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas, US
    oops...."off the air"
     
  12. dirwuf

    dirwuf Misplaced Chicagoan Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fairfield, CT
    That's the thing, FOX doesn't have any network programing in that slot...just a lot of local affiliates showing reruns of Seinfeld, Simpsons and The Office. Not only do these local stations have to be convinced that Conan will rate better than these shows, many have to get out of syndication contracts which guarantee their shows a certain time-slot...it could be quite a while before everyone's on board.
     
  13. gottafeelin

    gottafeelin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Georgia
    I loved Conan's Late Night Show. Since he's been on the Tonight Show, he has seemed somewhat wooden. It's like he's trying too hard. This controversy has really loosened him up and now he seems like his old self more than ever.

    If Conan does go to FOX, I hope he keeps this 'nothing to lose' attitude. That's his trademark and what he does best.
     
  14. Downsampled

    Downsampled Senior Member

    I completely agree with that!

    What I really hope is that he has negotiated to take all his best bits with him. It seems like a lot of the really bawdy stuff got shelved when he moved to Tonight, but would play well on Fox.

    Although, I must say he has been fairly risqué recently, e.g. the porno movie names, which had me crying from laughing so hard.
     
  15. moople72

    moople72 Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC
    Hell, even Letterman, when he first went over to CBS, was bumped here in Kansas City locally a half hour for a rerun of Rosanne (or something like that)---for a number of months!
    I don't remember what percentage of affiliates had him starting at 11:30 (10:30 central) from the jump.
     
  16. bamaaudio

    bamaaudio Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Big fan since '94 or so. While I far prefer his version of The Tonight Show over Jay's, I can't help but imagine he's seriously pressured to water down his brand of comedy to please advertisers and reach a more mainstream audience beyond just college kids and young adults. Wherever he goes, Fox or elsewhere, I hope he's given the degree of creative freedom he had with Late Night.
     
  17. SoundAdvice

    SoundAdvice Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Fox may be thrilled to have the 2.5m numbers Conan was bringing. This will go up with btter lead ins, an earlier start time and not being after Leno.

    Letterman is only under contract for another year or two. Jon Stewart or Ferguson seem to be on the horizon. Leno may keep strong for another 5-7 years or he could fizzle in 2 years.

    Conan can get stronger guests - and therefore ratings - in LA. NYC may be seen as a step back.
     
  18. AKA

    AKA Senior Member

    I'd like to see Conan stay in Los Angeles, if only because I'd like to see Conan get all the good guests after Jay's show is (hopefully) blacklisted by potential guests and musical acts because of this fiasco.
     
  19. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I wanna know if he'll arrange another White Stripes performance for his last show on NBC.
     
  20. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    I can see Letterman hanging on as long as Carson did, but not Leno.
     
  21. Turnaround

    Turnaround Senior Member

    Location:
    -
    Variety: Conan O'Brien set to exit 'Tonight Show'

    (Excerpts discussion Conan's Fox and cable options below)

    http://www.variety.com/VR1118013893.html

     
  22. AKA

    AKA Senior Member

    If you count both his NBC and CBS tenures, Letterman is actually only two years away from tying Carson's record.

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - 1962-1992
    Late Night With David Letterman - 1982-1993
    The Late Show With David Letterman - 1993-present
     
  23. yashiro81

    yashiro81 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    If he does leave, I hope he goes back to New York with all his staff.
     
  24. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

  25. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    Well, I was thinking of age, not tenure. How old was Carson when he retired, and how old is Letterman?
     
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