(Dave also mentioned Conan in the Top Ten List.)
conan obrien-related stories
What Dave was talking about while you were watching Conan
Actually, he was talking about Conan! Well, a little bit. He mentioned Conan and The Tonight Show in his monologue while Conan was starting his stint over on NBC. He talks about other things in the monologue too. I love how he calls Britain's Got Talent (where Susan Boyle performed) Who Loves Talent? Some exec get on that show right away!
(Dave also mentioned Conan in the Top Ten List.)
(Dave also mentioned Conan in the Top Ten List.)
Conan eases back into late night with The Tonight Show
Conan O'Brien's return to late night television as the fifth host of NBC's The Tonight Show (six if you count comedy genius Ernie Kovacs) felt like a jogger who is pacing himself for a long marathon.
That might sound like a bad review. But compare that to Conan's constant high energy Late Night and that makes The Tonight Show a Jack Russell Terrier on at least three Starbucks espressos.
Conan put aside the puppets and characters for his opening night on the Universal Studios lot for a very enjoyable transition to the new Tonight Show that's sure to get better in the months and years to come.
Continue reading Conan eases back into late night with The Tonight Show
Point/Counterpoint: The Tonight Show will fail Conan O'Brien
Here comes the response to Mr. Zaino's prediction that Conan O'Brien Irish eyes will smile for a long time to come on NBC's The Tonight Show. It's possible the whole deal could turn into a lament.My argument:
- It seems more like The Tonight Show isn't the best marriage for Conan O'Brien, rather than the host being wrong for the show. From SNL to The Simpsons to his own Late Night, O'Brien was a driving force in some of the most cutting edge network comedy of the last 15 years. But, The Tonight Show isn't about "cutting edge." It's about something mildly entertaining to watch before folks tuck into bed. It's a waste of O'Brien's chops -- though you can't blame the guy for knocking down the paycheck.
- Due to lazy NBC programming ideas, O'Brien's popularity could be damaged by his predecessor. No, Jay Leno is in no way out to sabotage his protege. But Leno's upcoming prime time, pre-news lead-in to The Tonight Show seems like overkill. Will audiences want to watch "Leno's old Tonight Show" followed by "O'Brien's new Tonight Show?"
Continue reading Point/Counterpoint: The Tonight Show will fail Conan O'Brien
Point/Counterpoint: Conan O'Brien will succeed on The Tonight Show
Today is the day Conan O'Brien takes up the mantle of one of the most beloved shows in TV history - The Tonight Show. And since feelings about O'Brien on some of my previous posts have been so strong, I thought it might be a good idea to do a point/counterpoint on the question, "Will Conan O'Brien succeed on The Tonight Show?" I will be taking the position that he will be successful, and my formidable opponent will be John Scott Lewinski, who will take the position that O'Brien will not be successful.
My argument:
Continue reading Point/Counterpoint: Conan O'Brien will succeed on The Tonight Show
What are you watching tonight after your local news?
So Conan O'Brien takes over The Tonight Show tonight, and I was wondering, what are you going to watch tonight? Conan? Letterman? Nightline? Something else?I'm going to assume (if I may be so bold) that a lot of people are going to be watching Conan tonight. Not just old fans of Late Night or even fans of The Tonight Show. I bet there will be a lot of David Letterman fans watching and maybe even people who don't regularly watch late night television. Tonight is an institution and a lot of TV fans are going to be interested in seeing what exactly Conan is going to do on his first night.
I'm going to predict here and now that he'll thank Jay Leno (unlike Leno, who didn't thank Johnny Carson on his first show). So what are you going to watch?
Continue reading What are you watching tonight after your local news?
Tonight Show test shows new show is just like the old show
Have you been anxiously awaiting the return of Conan O'Brien and company to late night television? Are you tossing and turning each night because you are lacking your nightly dose of string dancing? Do you find it impossible to get through the day without knowing if Conzie will return to television as the Conzie we all know and love and are thinking of seeking professional help? Thankfully, I've got the cure. Seek professional help. Make sure he prescribes some strong brain juice for you too, something you have to inject with a syringe.
A recent Ain't It Cool News report says that test shows of Conan's new Tonight Show are underway this week. And the reviews are overwhelmingly positive if you're a big fan of Conan's old Late Night show.
Continue reading Tonight Show test shows new show is just like the old show
Leno ends his Tonight Show run tonight. Should we care?
I don't ask this question because I've watched David Letterman a lot more and think he's better than Leno (though I have and I do). This isn't about quality, it's about what exactly we're saying goodbye to.When Johnny Carson left The Tonight Show in 1992, it was major news because ... well, jeez, he was Johnny Carson. He had hosted the show for 30 years and we probably weren't going to see him on television again (and we didn't, except for an appearance on Letterman's show).
When Letterman left Late Night, it was a big thing that he was saying goodbye because he was not only leaving the network, he was moving to another time slot to compete head to head with Jay. When Conan left Late Night earlier this year, it was a big deal because he was moving across the country to another location, and he was taking over the most iconic late night talk show in history.
Continue reading Leno ends his Tonight Show run tonight. Should we care?
Conan talks to reporters about "feeding the dragon" on the new Tonight Show
The world's armchair TV executives proudly proclaimed that the only way Conan O'Brien's cavalcade of foul-mouthed puppets and surreal pop culture mechanes could work every night at 11:30 p.m. is with a potent injection of Ritalin (present executive included).
O'Brien noted, however, that television has broken the time barrier.
"I think especially now, people don't watch an episode of Lost when they are supposed to watch it," he said during a recent conference call. "DVRs changed everything. The Internet has changed everything. People are getting it off Hulu and watching shows on their iPhone. What's most important to me with The Tonight Show is it needs to be funny so people can experience it at 11:30 or watch it the next morning while they're eating their oatmeal."
Continue reading Conan talks to reporters about "feeding the dragon" on the new Tonight Show
A quick tour of Conan O'Brien's new set (for real this time)
NBC has a fake tour of the new Tonight Show set up on the show's site (it features Conan, Andy, and Max doing the show in a giant warehouse with just a school desk and a bucket to bang on), but Access Hollywood's Maria Menounos got a real tour of the set from Conan himself. Spoiler warning: it features a desk, a mug, a couch, and curtains! (Video is also here.)
Conan takes over next Monday.
Conan takes over next Monday.
Here's the guest list for Conan's first week
Unless you've been in a coma for the past year and just woke up, you probably know that Conan O'Brien is the new host of The Tonight Show. He takes over on June 1.NBC has released the roster of guests for the first week of shows, and it's a mix of big stars, big musical guests, and one guest thrown into the mix that really sticks out. After the jump, the line-up.
Continue reading Here's the guest list for Conan's first week
Conan fans, stand up!
Last week, I wrote about Jay Leno's last week on The Tonight Show and his announcement that Conan O'Brien will be his last guest. Judging by the response, a lot of TV Squad readers have strong opinions about the change. A large share of the comments bashed O'Brien. Some people said they didn't find him funny and would watch Letterman. Some said they'd watch Leno's new show and go to bed early. Some got nasty, criticizing O'Brien's looks, some (who may need to take a break from TV for a while) said they thought the emergence of O'Brien was a harbinger of the downfall of civilization. And a small subset called him a "nerd" (to those people, your copy of Vision Quest is surely in the mail by now, you can skip late night TV altogether).
Continue reading Conan fans, stand up!
I want Leno vs. O'Brien in a bare knuckle drag-down brawl
James Taylor can be the guest referee. I like how now that Jay Leno is getting his own prime time talk/variety/whatever show on NBC, and he'll still be coming on before Conan O'Brien on The Tonight Show, there's no more hard feelings? Or maybe that was all tabloid crap. The rags have been known to spin stories from belly button lint and stray paperclips before.It's a nice transitional nod for Conan to be Leno's last guest on The Tonight Show, as Nick reported, but I don't even think they should talk. Conan walks onto the set. Jay says, "You want The Tonight Show, you're gonna have to fight me for it!" And then it's on!
Continue reading I want Leno vs. O'Brien in a bare knuckle drag-down brawl
Leno announces Conan will be his last guest
On a conference call with reporters today, Jay Leno announced that his final guest on The Tonight Show will be the man who will replace him as host, Conan O'Brien. He also mentioned James Taylor will be on the show (coincidentally making it an all-Boston panel). Leno praised O'Brien as a solid performer and someone who has always written great material, and said he expects the handoff to be pretty straightforward. "I'm glad that it's going to Conan, it couldn't go to a better person," he said. "He's the guy, we're friends, and it's a really smooth transition."
Continue reading Leno announces Conan will be his last guest
Here's a (second) first look at Conan's Tonight Show set
Last week we showed you the construction that was going on at Conan O'Brien's new Tonight Show studio in L.A. Now here's the finished product. TV Guide says that the set is twice the size of Conan's old studio and has a 25 foot doorway, which is "big enough for anything, including circus animals and Conan's hair." And Donald Trump's ego, when he comes on to promote the next Apprentice.Sneak Peek: A first look at Conan's Tonight Show
Yesterday we gave you a look at The Jay Leno Show, now here's Conan O'Brien with a message to fans about how things are going in L.A. with the new Tonight Show (he takes over June 1) It's not very funny until the end, when he runs down the stairs. It's impressive how the cameraman keeps up with him. After the jump, a time-lapsed look at the construction of the new studio. It looks massive, like the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Continue reading Sneak Peek: A first look at Conan's Tonight Show
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