MR

It looks like Jay Leno may be going home to The Tonight Show if Conan O'Brien walks, but after NBC tries to convince us that it was "all a dream" (anyone else remember how they brought Bobby back to Dallas? ), and Jay Leno reigns for a few more years, who could take over the show when he really does retire?

I don't think anyone on the current latenight lineup would be a good choice, so who is out there that could connect with audiences, deliver a funny monologue, and make interviews with celebrities entertaining? Who is the next Johnny Carson? And I do think a woman could do the job, but it can't be someone who has shown a nasty streak like Joan Rivers - the host needs a certain degree of likeability and political neutrality to appeal to the masses.

Any ideas? Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert are funny on their shows - would either translate well to a show like The Tonight Show?

The late-night nightmare is almost over. Conan O’Brien is leaving NBC and receiving a payout—and he’ll be free to appear on another network before his contract expires, Kim Masters reports.

The NBC-Leno-Conan war is close to ending, according to a knowledgeable source. According to the outlines of a settlement, Conan O'Brien will leave NBC and the network will make an as-yet unspecified payment. The comedian will be free to appear elsewhere on television well before his contract expires, despite earlier threats from NBC that it would prevent him from working anywhere else.

There is still opportunity for the negotiation to fall apart, but clearly, at this point it is in NBC's interest to put an end to this dismal episode.

It seems that Ron Meyer, the affable chief of the Universal film studio, played a key role in bringing the parties together when they were at an impasse and talks had broken down. Meyer is a former agent whose industry relationships run deep and wide. And of course, he has lots of negotiating experience.

According to the source, the resolution to the epic and highly public battle came down primarily to the size of the check that NBC would write to O'Brien. That amount remains shrouded in mystery for now, and no doubt the parties will have to agree to confidentiality as part of the deal.

According to a knowledgeable insider, NBC Universal started out sincerely hoping that it would be able to keep O'Brien on NBC in a 12:05 a.m. slot behind Leno, who is to be reinstated at 11:35 p.m. Part of the resolution was getting executives there to understand that the plan simply was unrealistic.

At that point, with late-night comics across the television landscape piling on night after night—and with Leno being increasingly vilified and undoubtedly chafing at the public lashing he was getting—it was obvious that the situation had to be resolved.

• Video: Clips of the Late-Night Showdown

• Bryan Curtis: Good Riddance to Conan It remains unclear where O'Brien might go next. The most obvious place is Fox, but top executives at the company have been scrupulous about avoiding any appearance that they tried to lure O'Brien there while his relationship with NBC remained unresolved. Should Fox go forward with a late-night show with O'Brien now, it will take months before he would be ready to go on the air.

SherriBerry wrote:Any ideas? Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert are funny on their shows - would either translate well to a show like The Tonight Show?

Jon Stewart mayyyybe. I could see that. I used to watch his talk show every single night and I was really suprised when it went off the air... he's really good at it... he's even better at the DAily Show, but I'd still watch him if he was back in talk show format.

Stephen Colbert is so much better suited for what he's doing now, in my opinion. He'd have to change his style too much to fit with something like the Tonight Show and that wouldn't work... his style works for him and for his show and his brand of comedy.

Stephen Colbert is a fuckin homo, he reminds me of the all the weirdos you'd see sitting in the student lounge every hour of the day in college.

NBC fucked Conan over, what dicks. I hope Conan goes to Fox or somewhere else and crushes it.

'nuff said

Carlitto H@kk wrote:Chelsea Handler and her little tostada, Chewie, should take over!
Best "late-night-format" show on TV

lol...
love them too!!!

Jimmy Kimmel, who made fun of Leno the night b/f, was on Leno and bashed him on his own show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axwO6BkCtIo

Carlitto H@kk wrote:Chelsea Handler and her little tostada, Chewie, should take over!
Best "late-night-format" show on TV

I love Chelsea's show. Some hysterical interviews.

NBC Universal Sports chairman Dick Ebersol -- fed up Thursday after a week of hearing Jay Leno ripped by his late night peers -- called Conan O'Brien and David Letterman “chicken-hearted and gutless to blame a guy you couldn’t beat in the ratings.”

“What this is really all about," Ebersol told the NY Times, "is an astounding failure by Conan... we bet on the wrong guy.”



Ebersol said O'Brien didn’t make the necessary adjustments -- in particularly, how to appeal to audiences in the Midwest -- NBC brass advised him to, three weeks prior to switching from his longtime 12:35 p.m. EST slot to the Tonight Show.

“I like Conan enormously personally,” Ebersol said, “[but] he was just stubborn about not being willing to broaden the appeal of his show.”

Ebersol, a confidante of NBC head Jeff Zucker, insinuated O'Brien is not taking responsibility for his seven-month slide in the ratings.

“Jeff and I are big boys -- when we do something big in the public forum and it doesn’t succeed, we know we’ll be the butt of criticism -- but you don’t personally attack someone who hasn’t done anything," he said, referring to Leno.

Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

Well, if anyone from the MR community were to get the gig
I'd have to go with putting Dean and Dan together

Of course, it'd have to wind up on Showtime or HBO so
it wasn't 90 minutes of "BEEPS"

Not sure of her name at the moment, but this chick that hosts her own show on late nights is great. She's savvy and VERY quick witted with her mouth (that's what she said.) She has a cocky (that's what she said) attitude to her and talks with such swagger. She is sometimes harsh and says whatever comes to mind. Her name might of been mentioned already, but it escapes me.

YoungJRNY wrote:Not sure of her name at the moment, but this chick that hosts her own show on late nights is great. She's savvy and VERY quick witted with her mouth (that's what she said.) She has a cocky (that's what she said) attitude to her and talks with such swagger. She is sometimes harsh and says whatever comes to mind. Her name might of been mentioned already, but it escapes me.

Wanda Sykes?

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

YoungJRNY wrote:Not sure of her name at the moment, but this chick that hosts her own show on late nights is great. She's savvy and VERY quick witted with her mouth (that's what she said.) She has a cocky (that's what she said) attitude to her and talks with such swagger. She is sometimes harsh and says whatever comes to mind. Her name might of been mentioned already, but it escapes me.

Wanda Sykes?

Nah, I just searched the one suggestion above and it is indeed Chelsea Handler. This chick is great, cute and just barbaric! She'd be PERFECT.

YoungJRNY wrote:

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

YoungJRNY wrote:Not sure of her name at the moment, but this chick that hosts her own show on late nights is great. She's savvy and VERY quick witted with her mouth (that's what she said.) She has a cocky (that's what she said) attitude to her and talks with such swagger. She is sometimes harsh and says whatever comes to mind. Her name might of been mentioned already, but it escapes me.

Wanda Sykes?

Nah, I just searched the one suggestion above and it is indeed Chelsea Handler. This chick is great, cute and just barbaric! She'd be PERFECT.

Chelsea is great...her round table discussions w/guest comedians are hysterical.
The games she plays..."Who Would You Rather Have Sex With?" funny stuff!! Anyone within her
reach is a target and she will fire away~Love her!!

Michigan Girl wrote:Chelsea is great...her round table discussions w/guest comedians are hysterical.
The games she plays..."Who Would You Rather Have Sex With?" funny stuff!!

LOL!! One of my friends and I play that game ALL the time!
We didn't get it from that show though - never saw that show.

Fun (and sometimes SICK) game though!!

I have to say I watched Conan last night. His monologue was great. So was Dave's. Switched back and forth. But Conan botched his interview of Rob Lowe. he overtook the interview and it was very forced and exhausting doing his sthick and even bringing his sidekick Andy in on the interview trying to be funny. Rob hardly got a word in edgewise. So bad. I finally couldn't take the interview anymore and switched. He's not usually this bad, but maybe he was trying too hard b/c of all this pressure. I don't know.

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

At this point with the late night crap, I could care less right now!!

I MISS CARSON!! I would rather NBC put on classic carson for a while!!

lights1961 wrote:At this point with the late night crap, I could care less right now!!

I MISS CARSON!! I would rather NBC put on classic carson for a while!!

They could bring back Monty Python or Benny Hill & let us toke on a doobie & laugh ourselves silly.

JasonD wrote:

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

I was think "with steve and jason.you would be the gay ed mcman with the annoying laugh,only it sound like a girls.I wouldn't want ellen.she dresses like a guy and would have gays on there or flirt with all the female guests

JasonD wrote:

lights1961 wrote:At this point with the late night crap, I could care less right now!!

I MISS CARSON!! I would rather NBC put on classic carson for a while!!

They could bring back Monty Python or Benny Hill & let us toke on a doobie & laugh ourselves silly.

fuckin pot head

stevew2 wrote:

JasonD wrote:

lights1961 wrote:At this point with the late night crap, I could care less right now!!

I MISS CARSON!! I would rather NBC put on classic carson for a while!!

They could bring back Monty Python or Benny Hill & let us toke on a doobie & laugh ourselves silly.

fuckin pot head

I wasn't serious, Steve. It's been 10 years since I've done that. Years ago that was my "thing".... to smoke a little weed & watch Monty Python or Benny Hill.

Don't be a hater. You've probably toked a few back in your day, I bet.

stevew2 wrote:

JasonD wrote:

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

I was think "with steve and jason.you would be the gay ed mcman with the annoying laugh,only it sound like a girls.I wouldn't want ellen.she dresses like a guy and would have gays on there or flirt with all the female guests

could I be part of the on air personalitys?

ScarabGator wrote:

stevew2 wrote:

JasonD wrote:

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

I was think "with steve and jason.you would be the gay ed mcman with the annoying laugh,only it sound like a girls.I wouldn't want ellen.she dresses like a guy and would have gays on there or flirt with all the female guests

could I be part of the on air personalitys?

Thinkin' about exploring your bi side a little bit Tator Pooh??????

Who gives a fuck!!! That show has sucked since Carson left. They all suck. A bunch of fucking hacks.

ScarabGator wrote:

stevew2 wrote:

JasonD wrote:

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

I was think "with steve and jason.you would be the gay ed mcman with the annoying laugh,only it sound like a girls.I wouldn't want ellen.she dresses like a guy and would have gays on there or flirt with all the female guests

could I be part of the on air personalitys?

you be the fuckin tator,the southern rednecks would love your made up drinkin stories

Fact Finder wrote:

Saint John wrote:Who gives a fuck!!! That show has sucked since Carson left. They all suck. A bunch of fucking hacks.

I'd put Limbaugh in there..an 11:30 P.M. dose of Rush would do the USA good.

I can't stand Limbaugh (and I'm an Independent Conservative) and they are not going to have a host on TTS that has already alienated a significant portion of their audience! It cannot be someone that politically one-sided.

JasonD wrote:

stevew2 wrote:Me and jason could take it over and make it all gays jokes and shit

"It's The Tonight Show with Jason & Steve ...... All Gay.....All The Time."

Seriously though, my vote would be for Ellen but she's busy with her own show & American Idol so it's not likely they'd even ask her. There's talk they'll offer it to Kathy Griffin.

I think Kathy Griffin is funny, but since her career has been built on tearing down celebrities and so many avoid her like the Plague, I doubt someone that controversial would get TTS either. Chelsea Handler is great, but I think she is too edgy for the show too - TTS appeals to moderate, middle-America and I can't see her changing that much.