NBC's Jeff Zucker Threatens Conan and Ends Up dead... Kinda
Here's some back and forth updates for NBC's late night shuffle which pretty much leaves us right where we left off... not knowing anything for certain.
Only hours ago, much to our horror, TMZ reported that Jay Leno had inked a new deal with NBC which would restore him as host of The Tonight Show in the 11:35 - 12:35 time slot.
Under the contract Jay had been working under, he was guaranteed the 10 PM hour. By moving him to 11:35, NBC was in breach of his contract and needed to negotiate a new deal.
This would seem to be a shocking but not surprising reaction from NBC in response to Conan O'Brien's correct and rightful public refusal to move the Tonight Show to 12:05am (technically no longer 'tonight'), and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to 1:05am, with the fate of Last Call with Carson Daly not known or mentioned in any regard.
There is a lump in my throat as I write this, even though I know that sources at NBC quickly denied TMZ's claim. We really don't know what to believe.
You can tell from our front page banner that we here at GeekTyrant support Team Conan. Even if NBC chooses to remain shameless, and puts Leno back in the Tonight Show chair, Leno's credibility and image will be hurt. Even though Leno may have more viewers, Conan's has a more loyal and motivated fan base.
Case in point? After Nikke Finke reported that Jeff Zucker was threatening to "ice" Conan O'Brien, by holding him to a three-and-a-half-year no-compete clause in his contract, people stared changing Zucker's Wikipedia page to say that the NBC Universal President and CEO had passed away on today's date.
Harmless and hilarious fun? Sure. A death threat? Well, it kind of is.
To add insult to injury, or to make themselves look even dumber for even considering the shuffle, NBC announced that Conan has been killing it in the ratings:
NBC’s The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien has topped all broadcast and cable competition in the key late-night demographic of adults 18-49 for the week of January 4-8. At 12:35 a.m. ET. Last week also saw Conan deliver bigger audiences than CBS's Late Show with David Letterman and the ABC lineup of Nightline and Jimmy Kimmel Live in adults, men and women 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. Conan has finished #1 or tied for #1 among broadcast networks in adult 18-49 rating for nine of the last 11 weeks. The median age of Conan’s audience last week was 45.6, nine years younger than Nightline's" 55.0 and 11 years younger than Letterman’s 57.3.
Smoooooth. Like sandpaper. Leno, please walk away from the late night game and stop tarnishing the Tonight Show's legacy.
Let us know what you think of the new developments in the rant back section below.