MSNBC

The Peacock network’s decision to hand the The Tonight Show over to Conan O’Brien in 2009 may well go down as one of the biggest mistakes in television history.

Audiences haven’t had a new late-night host to chew up and spit out in quite some time. Remember Chevy Chase? Magic Johnson? Joan Rivers?

They all tried to send us off to sleep each weeknight, but in return we sent them to the showers. Chase’s exit was particularly cruel, given the hype surrounding his Fox gig. His career took a significant hit from that six-week stint.

So why is NBC all but chasing away Jay Leno, the surest thing in late-night history since Johnny Carson last swung his imaginary golf club? You can expect a bidding war for the avuncular Leno in the months to come that will make Katie Couric’s romance with CBS look like a teenage crush.

No decision has been made on whether O’Brien, whose show is New York-based, will move to California for “Tonight,” but that’s considered likely because its Hollywood connections help in booking guests, particularly since competitor Letterman is in New York.

The Article
by way of pajamasmedia

ShareThis