"Leno" Writes Letter, Letterman Slams NBC, Conan Leaves

Yesterday Jay Leno issued his own open letter to the People of Earth, and even though it was just a parody, we imagine it wouldn't be far off from what the man himself would have to say. Which would be nothing in comparison to Our Hero Conan O'Brien's letter. But the big news today is Conan is leaving NBC. According to Bill Simmons, at least, "Next week is Conan's final week hosting the Tonight Show. His staff is trying to book big guests so he goes out with a bang. It's true."

Meanwhile, over at CBS, someone is enjoying this fiasco. Last night Letterman used his Top 10 list to attack the mastermind behind the Tonight Show mess: NBC CEO Jeff Zucker.

UPDATE: Zucker is pulling out the threats. Deadline Hollywood reports that "the NBCU chief has been talking tough during the negotiations with Team Conan. To counter O'Brien's principled public statement which the late night host issued this week, Zucker 'is threatening to ice Conan,' according to his reps. Zucker said, 'I'll keep you off the air for 3 1/2 years.'"

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on January 14, 2010 12:02 PM

Comments [rss]

Wza

You know, I never liked that Ari Fleischer dude, even when he was press secretary for Bush.

Ugh, what a douche!

NannyState

Maureen Dowd nailed Zucker. The asshole thinks Fox wouldn't buy out Conan's contract and that Comcast wouldn't take the money? Zucker's own contract is for 3 years. That's one everbody would be happy to pull to keep that retarded shitbag on the sidelines.

thewildpansy

NOTHING BAD WAS DONE TO CONAN. THEY WERE SIMPLY GOING TO CHANGE HIS TIME SLOT. HOW DARE PEOPLE HATE ON A MAN RUNNING A BUSINESS, CONAN ISN'T DESERVING OF A SPECIFIC TIME SLOT, WHAT A SPOILED FUCK THINKING HE OWNS A CERTAIN TIME.

goteamdagger

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE YELLING!

JRod5417

Okay Jeff Zucker...

robingee

It's got nothing to do with him personally "deserving" a certain time. It's the integrity of the "Tonight Show" name that he does not want to mess up. And he doesn't want to screw Jimmy Fallon over either. Read the letter he wrote.

And caps lock OFF.

thewildpansy

Times are -achangin'. No need for the "integrity" of the Tonight Show and Fallon isn't "owed" anything either. It is a business.

airtech1

He went to Harvard. Of course he's entitled to time slots and networks of choice.

longacre

This story needs to go away. This is TV we're talking about, not something important...like Twitter.

robingee

White Castle, don't be a douche.

Leno ruined late night with his pablum. Conan is being sacrificed to the gods of mediocrity.

whitecastlerock

yeah, how inconsiderate of me to put things in perspective. Thousands of people dead or an overpaid lame comedian quitting his job-it's a tough decision I made. Sorry I shit on this rainbow of a story

robingee

See now, you're still doing it.

Wza

I read somewhere Zucker is threatening to keep Conan off the air for awhile.

whitecastlerock

Conan is leaving NBC!!!—that trumps any news on the rising death toll in Haiti

MochaFrappNYC

this entire thing is a freakin' debacle!

nikralm17

How the hell would that hack Bill Simmons know anything?

Jen Carlson

the post clearly states the letter is a parody

kane

Reply button fail.

ab_bklyn

I always thought Leno was a d*ck, but halfway through this letter I knew it was a parody. Please set the record straight: Leno didn't write this, it's clearly stated in the linked article that it's faked.