![[a case of the blog]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SY-CjpYjN_U/VF0vl6CNPjI/AAAAAAAAEOo/kQO_lGphFIs/s1600/newblogheader19.gif)
http://www.popeater.com/2010/01/11/why-were-on-team-conan-obrien/?icid=mainmaindl2link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Fwhy-were-on-team-conan-obrien%2F
The above link does a far better job of pointing out how unfairly Conan has been treated throughout this ordeal, and how he was really destined to fail given the circumstances. Be sure to give it a read.
Admittedly, I have ALWAYS been partial to Conan. When he was hosting Late Night, I'd constantly refer to him as the best in late night television, better than Letterman and far funnier than Leno. I couldn't wait for him to take his seat at the Tonight Show desk -- a throne he has surely earned. And it's disappointing to see how this has played out.
Leno is quick to note the absurdity of being "canceled" when he was #1 in the industry. First off, that's an extremely egotistical low blow. The show wasn't canceled, the host was replaced. And secondly, NBC was put in a position where they needed to crap or get off the pot. NBC had invested over a decade in Conan when they signed him to that infamous contract in 2004. Quite frankly, they risked losing him, and that would have been a devastating loss given the amount of time they had already devoted to grooming him for the "main event."
On top of that, it's not as if NBC said to Leno, "finish up the month, then you're out." They gave him five years to prepare for his departure. That's longer than a term as President of the United States! And by the end of his tenure, Leno had served as host of the Tonight Show for 17 years. That's hardly being shoved out the front door.
And in regards to Leno being #1, I think a fair argument could be made that this transition wouldn't have worked, at all, in any other circumstance. Sure, the ratings took a decline when Conan took over (which should be expected), but if we had simply waited until the Tonight Show's well had dried, it very well could have marked the end of the franchise.
Point being: It was time for Leno to pass the torch, and for him to stick around really hurt his replacement (for great examples of how, click the above link).
Of course, Leno doesn't deserve all of the criticism, as NBC should have stuck with their guns and solidly hitched their horse to Conan's wagon. By attempting to hold onto Leno, they did severe damage to Conan's transition as Tonight Show host. And they're literally making the same exact mistake again, except now they're going as far as to give him Conan's time slot.
At least Conan drew a line in the sand, and in his statement, he exemplified how classy, intelligent, and humorous he truly is. Give it a read:
Click here to Read Conan's full statement
Oh, and you gotta love how Conan brought up the idiocy of how they're essentially airing "The Tonight Show" what is technically "tomorrow."
The above link does a far better job of pointing out how unfairly Conan has been treated throughout this ordeal, and how he was really destined to fail given the circumstances. Be sure to give it a read.
Admittedly, I have ALWAYS been partial to Conan. When he was hosting Late Night, I'd constantly refer to him as the best in late night television, better than Letterman and far funnier than Leno. I couldn't wait for him to take his seat at the Tonight Show desk -- a throne he has surely earned. And it's disappointing to see how this has played out.
Leno is quick to note the absurdity of being "canceled" when he was #1 in the industry. First off, that's an extremely egotistical low blow. The show wasn't canceled, the host was replaced. And secondly, NBC was put in a position where they needed to crap or get off the pot. NBC had invested over a decade in Conan when they signed him to that infamous contract in 2004. Quite frankly, they risked losing him, and that would have been a devastating loss given the amount of time they had already devoted to grooming him for the "main event."
On top of that, it's not as if NBC said to Leno, "finish up the month, then you're out." They gave him five years to prepare for his departure. That's longer than a term as President of the United States! And by the end of his tenure, Leno had served as host of the Tonight Show for 17 years. That's hardly being shoved out the front door.
And in regards to Leno being #1, I think a fair argument could be made that this transition wouldn't have worked, at all, in any other circumstance. Sure, the ratings took a decline when Conan took over (which should be expected), but if we had simply waited until the Tonight Show's well had dried, it very well could have marked the end of the franchise.
Point being: It was time for Leno to pass the torch, and for him to stick around really hurt his replacement (for great examples of how, click the above link).
Of course, Leno doesn't deserve all of the criticism, as NBC should have stuck with their guns and solidly hitched their horse to Conan's wagon. By attempting to hold onto Leno, they did severe damage to Conan's transition as Tonight Show host. And they're literally making the same exact mistake again, except now they're going as far as to give him Conan's time slot.
At least Conan drew a line in the sand, and in his statement, he exemplified how classy, intelligent, and humorous he truly is. Give it a read:
Click here to Read Conan's full statement
Oh, and you gotta love how Conan brought up the idiocy of how they're essentially airing "The Tonight Show" what is technically "tomorrow."
No comments:
Post a Comment