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Is Late Night TV Coming to an End?
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Written by Zach Ellman, Online Entertainment Editor
Just seven months ago, there was a huge transition in late night television. Jay Leno was handing over the microphone to Conan O’Brien as the host of The Tonight Show. Conan chose Jimmy Fallon as his replacement for his show. However, just weeks before ending The Tonight Show, Leno signed on for a primetime talk show of his own at 10 PM. With months since both of these shows have premiered, ratings have increasingly dropped for Leno and O’Brien
As a response to these low ratings, Leno is now being taken off of primetime television and is being pushed to 11:35 PM for a half hour show, then proceeding with Conan O’Brien on The Tonight Show at 12:05 and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and 1:05. NBC Chairman Jeff Gaspin stated, “While performing at acceptable levels for the network, it did not meet our affiliate needs.” NBC is also hoping for this to boost up the network’s ratings during the spring and to bring back more scripted drama shows. The line-up will take place on February 12th, to make way for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Ever since the announcement, both talk show hosts have been poking fun at NBC and their network executives. Leno responded by saying in his monologue Monday “I take pride in one thing: I leave NBC prime time the same way as I found it: a complete disaster.”
Now after an announcement on Tuesday, Conan is refusing to continue hosting The Tonight Show. In his statement, he talks about how Johnny Carson was an inspiration to him as a child when he was hosting The Tonight Show. He says “The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t The Tonight Show. 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.”
However, Conan and Leno aren’t the only two people to respond to NBC’s decision. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has made some comments in which he believes that NBC has “mishandled” Conan on The Tonight Show. Seinfeld believes that the new change is “the right idea at the wrong time.” This isn’t surprising news being that it was rumored months ago that Conan would be replaced by Jerry Seinfeld as the host of The Tonight Show
In addition, it has been rumored Conan has been in talks with Fox for a new late night talk show that the network has been hoping to do for a while now. A source close Conan has stated, “Conan would be happier somewhere else.
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