MovieChat Forums > Conan (2010) Discussion > CONAN Will Switch From a Nightly Talk Sh...

CONAN Will Switch From a Nightly Talk Show to Weekly Format:


http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/conan-weekly-format-conan-obrien-tbs-1201765056/



:(

**** JAY LENO....GO COCO!!!!!!!!!!

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Then again: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/05/could-conan-obriens-late-night-show-go-to-a-weekly-format/?utm_term=.43ff9f3bf4f4

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I really hope this story turns out to be false, but I don't see the motive for spreading a story that isn't true. My gut feeling is that the story is true, but that there's dissent at TBS over when to release- hence the conflicting reports.

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Sure smells like that, to be honest.

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*throwing my arms up in the air*

Oh, crap!

I sensed, with his ratings, that the time was near, but this really blows.

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.

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Seems to have been a miscommunication. It might change formats when Conan's contract expires in 2018 but he could retire by then too. Rest assured CONAN is however safe through this year and at least part of next. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/05/could-conan-obriens-late-night-show-go-to-a-weekly-format/?utm_term=.13f52fa4759d

Next time I'll just die on the river so Sam can see a waterfall.

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should go from 4 shows a week to 5 instead.....we need more conan shows, not less.

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That would be unfortunate if he were reduced to a once a week format. Having said that, (as far as I'm aware) only Letterman and Carson have hosted a nightly talk show longer than Conan has. And in terms of the overall quality of their respective programs, both Dave and Johnny stuck around longer than they should've. Conan's certainly got plenty of fuel left in the tank, but he doesn't want to make the same mistake those two guys did. Getting to do what he's done for nearly a quarter of a century is quite an achievement, so if it ended for him tomorrow, there's no denying he's had an extraordinary career.



Oh, and divic, this is how your signature should've been worded all these years:



**** NBC....GO COCO & JAY!!!!

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Agreed and we do have at least this year left with the traditional format.

Next time I'll just die on the river so Sam can see a waterfall.

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Having said that, (as far as I'm aware) only Letterman and Carson have hosted a nightly talk show longer than Conan has.


Yes, I was under the impression Conan (in his 24th year) was chasing Carson (30 years) and then Letterman (33 years) to become the Longest Reigning Late Night Talk Show Host. Presumably, even a weekly format would still qualify for this title, given the show doesn't move to prime time - a change Jay Leno might advise against ;)

alien! I hope you didn't think I would let these boards shut down without taking one more jab at Mr. Leno. I will miss our bickering.

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...given the show doesn't move to prime time - a change Jay Leno might advise against ;)



Oh, you sure got that right, hon! It's been clearly demonstrated that people do not want to watch a talk/variety show in prime time. Kinda deja vu for him, but Conan would do well to walk away from that time change, too.


alien! I hope you didn't think I would let these boards shut down without taking one more jab at Mr. Leno.



(lol) I guess that means you still didn't read the book, did ya'?



I will miss our bickering.



Had a lot of fun, didn't we, Drebin? Wonder if MrBlondeNYC is still lurking about somewhere, too.

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Conan would do well to walk away from that time change, too.


Interestingly, a couple of his recent specials where he travels abroad have aired in prime time rather than in place of a standard episode. I hope this isn't a sign of TBS toying with the idea. I've been really enjoying his international trips (remote segments were always a strength of his IMO, and you can see a renewed passion in him during these specials relative to his standard studio episodes), so I hope if he eventually evolves his format to be more remote-based, he stays at 11:00 ET.

I guess that means you still didn't read the book, did ya'?


I do love the closet story.

Wonder if MrBlondeNYC is still lurking about somewhere, too.


MrBlondeNYC and I cross paths on the WWE Raw board now and then. Although I never took you for a pro wrestling fan...

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No, I'm not a wrestling fan, but MrBlondeNYC did like to share his opinions of Jay.


I guess that means you still didn't read the book.
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I do love the closet story.



I mean "The War For Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Insane". You said before that you had a copy. Did you read it? Seems to me I mentioned how particularly interesting the first 50 pages are.

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I haven't read the books in full. My opinions and inferences were always shaped by the passages I've seen, journalists' extensive coverage of what was going on during that time (including stuff Bill Carter wrote for the NY Times), and watching all the shows of course.

I've also acknowledged I think Conan is a much more creative and talented entertainer than Jay, who I always perceived as the personification of unoriginal, uninspired comedy (or maybe too inspired, given the resemblance of some of his bits to others') and plain, boring interviews. I don't deny my bias.

But I still maintain that Jay has to share some of the blame for the strong negative public image he garnered in certain circles. My biggest gripe with your take on everything was your instinct to first displace blame to everyone but Jay - Jeff Zucker, NBC in general, Jay's boogeyman manager, Dave and Conan at times - but present him as innocently being in the wrong place at the wrong time, even if those times were decades apart. Like he's being held to a less transparent, accountable standard than his peers. I believe you once called him the most misunderstood man in show business? I think if it takes hundreds of pages across two books to understand Mr. Leno, he's either the most tragically complicated figure in the arts, or maybe he too made some errors in judgment along the way.

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I haven't read the books in full. My opinions and inferences were always shaped by the passages I've seen, journalists' extensive coverage of what was going on during that time (including stuff Bill Carter wrote for the NY Times),


Carter's book, however, is the more complete history for the "Tonight Show" debacle. And, after reading it, I have to say, Drebin, some of what you assumed regarding Jay's culpability in that scandal was just not correct.


...and watching all the shows of course.


So you watched "The Tonight Show" at that time to get Jay's take on what was happening, too?


I've also acknowledged I think Conan is a much more creative and talented entertainer than Jay,

I certainly feel that when it came to Late Night's stable of running characters, sketches, and when it came to doing remote pieces, Conan's show was the better of the two. Further, (though he was never in the same league as Letterman or even Kimmel), when it came to improvisation, Conan was the more talented performer. Thinking on his feet was not Jay's strong suit at all.


...who I always perceived as the personification of unoriginal, uninspired comedy (or maybe too inspired, given the resemblance of some of his bits to others')

I doubt Jay would ever deny he was a great admirer of Rodney Dangerfield, and his "The Economy's bad!" jokes were pretty much in the same style and rhythm as Rodney. However, he's hardly the only comic who borrowed from the masters: Carson patterned himself after Jack Benny and Jackie Gleason; Letterman's "Late Night" was Steve Allen's original "Tonight Show" (watch Dave get into a vat of Jello and compare it to Allen performing the same stunt years earlier); I recall you stating that Headlines was a steal from Dave's Small Town News, but Dave had no patent on that bit. They'd both kinda stolen it from Mort Sahl.

and plain, boring interviews. I don't deny my bias.

Fair enough there. Although I do think Jay was underrated when it came to being tough with politicians from sides of the political fence when they'd visit the show.

But I still maintain that Jay has to share some of the blame for the strong negative public image he garnered in certain circles.

Sure, he made some enemies along the way. The Joan Rivers feud, for example, is not one of Jay's finest hours. I understand his keeping her off the show out of respect for his mentor, Carson. But, when Johnny passed away, why maintain the ban? Jay stated that it was because of her comments about him in response to said ban, and that probably was a mistake on Joan's part. She was a very outspoken person and fought with a lot of people in her career. Still, it would've been better for all concerned if Jay had just called her up and settled their differences, and I do give Jimmy Fallon credit for inviting her back on "The Tonight Show" for his first telecast as host. As it is, Jay will always look like he let resentment and rather slavish devotion to Johnny rule his decision where Joan was concerned. Still, I doubt there are many who reach that level of success that don't leave some disgruntled people in their wake. Carson certainly was not universally adored. And, while I am encouraged by his personal admissions and more positive statements in recent years, the Dave Letterman I grew up revering turned out not even close to being as cool as I once thought he was.

I believe you once called [Jay] the most misunderstood man in show business?

The most unfairly judged man in show business, and this is because he was routinely denounced for doing things that others seemed to get a pass for, and because some folks either did not fully investigate the facts, or worse, just weren't even willing to consider his side of the story. And I think any one of us, if we found ourselves in a controversial situation, would hope that others would first consider the whole story before passing judgment on us. Only seems fair to me.

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So you watched "The Tonight Show" at that time to get Jay's take on what was happening, too?


Yeah. I used to DVR all of them and go back and watch the comedy half of the ones I missed live.

but Dave had no patent on that bit.


Comedy bits, barring intellectual property laws for networks or studios, are never "patented" by individual performers, and the fuzzy line between inspiration and plagiarism has always been debatable and subjective. I'm more inclined to accuse a comedian of being unethical if their material copies a fellow contemporary currently working in the same business, especially (as is the case with Jay and Dave) if they were direct competitors and whose "rivalry" was notorious and personal. Thus I always called out Headlines for that reason. But I wouldn't accuse Jay of stealing from Dangerfield, or Dave from Allen. In those cases I might even be more inclined to be happy they're keeping those guys' legacy alive.

the Dave Letterman I grew up revering turned out not even close to being as cool as I once thought he was.


Dave had his creepy moments, for sure. But I don't use them against him in these discussions because they aren't really related to the topic (unless you're thinking of something else). Sort of like how Casey Affleck's past sexual allegations are now being rehashed in an effort to discredit his brilliant performance in Manchester; that was my favorite movie this year, and I defend that saying that doesn't mean I endorse what he allegedly did. Whereas in Jay's case, unethical moves like hiding in the closet and his manager planting a false story are part of what we're talking about so of course I use it against him.

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I'm more inclined to accuse a comedian of being unethical if their material copies a fellow contemporary currently working in the same business, especially (as is the case with Jay and Dave) if they were direct competitors and whose "rivalry" was notorious and personal. Thus I always called out Headlines for that reason. But I wouldn't accuse Jay of stealing from Dangerfield, or Dave from Allen. In those cases I might even be more inclined to be happy they're keeping those guys' legacy alive.


Dave was allowed to emulate the work of other comic legends so a contemporary audience could enjoy it, but Jay was not? I don't understand that.


Dave had his creepy moments, for sure. But I don't use them against him in these discussions because they aren't really related to the topic (unless you're thinking of something else). Sort of like how Casey Affleck's past sexual allegations are now being rehashed in an effort to discredit his brilliant performance in Manchester; that was my favorite movie this year, and I defend that saying that doesn't mean I endorse what he allegedly did. Whereas in Jay's case, unethical moves like hiding in the closet and his manager planting a false story are part of what we're talking about so of course I use it against him.

With Dave, you have a successful television host building a so-called "bunker" so he could carry on with female employees of the Columbia Broadcasting System, and this occurs behind the back of the woman who bore his child. Now, we could overlook the damage he did his relationship with Regina as that aspect did not- to the best of my knowledge- have any effect on the workplace environment. However, hitting on and getting some from these female staffers is something I am pretty sure is not the kind of behaviour that CBS standards and Practices condones when they instruct all network employees (including hosts) in how to conduct office interpersonal relationships, and how to avoid potential sexual harassment law suits brought against the company. To me, that seems to be just as much a reflection of Dave's business, and, personal ethics, as anything Jay's alleged to have done.


Planting the story in the trades: I remember you once using the comparison of a parent being responsible for something their child had done, and I still maintain that's a false equivalency as that kind of relationship is not comparable to that of a professional entertainer and his manager. Helen was a middle-aged show business mover and shaker, not a minor with a curfew living under Jay's roof. How could he have known what she was going to do when it was her intention to conceal it?

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Conan O'Brien's half-hour revamped talk show plans to shoot beyond its timeslot, edit it down and put the extra content online

https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/conan-obrien-on-his-shorter-tbs-late-night-show.html

Conan, in the midst of a cross-country tour, spoke about his plans to reduce a 44-minute show to 22 minutes in conversation with Jake Tapper at the New York Comedy Festival. “We’re still playing with it a lot because I’ve wanted the tour and this experience to inform it,” he said, noting that "shorter” doesn’t necessarily mean easier. “What I’d like to do is shoot the show a little longer than 30 minutes, have it be very loose and playful, put out the best version of the linear show, and put the rest out online, so they work off of each other.” He added: “Part of what we’re trying to do with this new shift is, you should be able to see what I’m up to pretty much 24 hours a day. And if we have something funny that we can comment on in the moment, that should be put out there at 3:00 in the afternoon. I don’t want to be killing time. Especially in a world where there’s 175 late-night shows, and people are experiencing them in a different way (online). I want the linear show to match what we experience digitally.”

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