Earlier this week we took a look back at some of David Letterman's more interesting (and shirtless) moments prior to his 30th year anniversary in late night television. Letterman is now the longest-serving host in late-night TV history. That milestone was reached last night, and the host celebrated on-air with his pal Howard Stern, who says he's the only one still fighting the late night war. Watch below as the two talk about Jay Leno, complete with an impersonation from Letterman himself. more ›

Did David Letterman just pull a Regis and announce his retirement last night? Maybe! During a chat with Howard Stern the shock jock asked the late night host "how much longer are you doing this, really?" To which Letterman responded "I don't know. Maybe two more years?" more ›

Remember when NBC fired Conan O'Brien for not getting good ratings, moving Leno back to his old post at The Tonight Show? Then most of America got on Team Coco while Leno prepped for his comeback and O'Brien took his show on the road? Well the numbers are in, and Leno is not only getting lower ratings than O'Brien did, but he's not beating Letterman either (they're tied). Probably should have seen this coming when O'Brien joined Twitter and within hours had double the amount of Leno's followers. [via WWTDD] more ›

Conan O'Brien was finally back on the air last night, albeit briefly. He sat down for an interview, his first since leaving NBC, that aired on 60 Minutes. We already knew some of what he'd be saying—but he added that the interview probably wouldn't have taken a different tone even if he didn't have an agreement barring him from disparaging Jay Leno and his former employer. He also discussed how small victories like finally growing a beard, and larger ones like his current stage show, have helped him get through the year, where he's admitted to getting "very depressed at times." Here's a clip from last night's show: more ›

President Obama took his speech at the White House Correspondent's dinner as an opportunity take shots at Jay Leno, his approval ratings, and even birthers! He opened with saying Biden told him to come because it was a "Big F---ing Dinner," and joked that though his approval ratings are low, they're still high in the country of his birth. He also took a moment to give a shout to Jay Leno, saying, "I'm glad I'm speaking first, because we all see what happens when someone takes the time slot after Leno's." Other victims of the president's rapier wit include Hillary Clinton, the media and former half term Governor Sarah Palin. Check out the whole speech below: more ›

A taste of Conan O'Brien's first on-air interview has made it online. This Sunday the 60 Minutes segment will run, in which the show's Steve Kroft goes face-to-face with the late night talk show host, who until now hasn't been allowed to speak on-air... though he still can't make any disparaging remarks about his former employer or Jay Leno. more ›

Et tu, Weinberg? It appears Conan O'Brien's longtime bandleader, Max Weinberg, may be crossing the late night war battle lines and joining Team Leno! According to Movieline "Weinberg recently made overtures to Leno about joining the new Tonight Show as Leno’s bandleader. He’d be replacing Kevin Eubanks, who announced in February that he had plans to leave the show." The shocking news may be welcome to those on the inside; allegedly he wasn't a favorite amongst staffers. Why's that? "When O’Brien’s show was still located in New York, Weinberg would send interns to do gardening work at his house on the New Jersey shore." Make a note of it, Leno interns. more ›

Jay Leno managed to get some of the spotlight from Conan O'Brien, who has recently kept relevant the only ways he can (until September): via Twitter and an untelevised stage show. Leno seems to be playing the victim; according to the Daily News he recently told Joy Behar that he got screwed just as much as Conan did (video). He added, "I don't quite get why I get beat up over it. I know people don’t really understand sort of how this business works. It's all numbers. You know, the affiliates wanted us back, so we came back. Conan got screwed and I got screwed." more ›

After the Leno-Conan disaster and the Black History Month menu NBC was reportedly so happy to see Jerry Seinfeld show up at the office, it didn’t even care what he was pitching. "If you know the Yiddish term kvelling, that's what the executives were doing. They were rejoicing. Jerry's back! Seinfeld's in the house again!" one source told the Post, adding that “a show based on a guy sitting with a paper bag over his head...would have been green-lighted." But it wasn’t a show about paper bags, or a show about nothing. It was a show about marital spats, which, since airing after the Olympics, has gotten bad reviews and ratings that aren’t much better, causing TV pioneer Al Primo to predict the Marriage Ref will come back to “haunt” Seinfeld and the network that broadcasted it. more ›

Jay Leno made his return to television last night, reclaiming The Tonight Show desk from Conan O'Brien (who has been banished to Twitter). One of Leno's many, many critics, Howard Stern, was on CBS's Early Show today where he said, "Just the mere mention of Jay Leno's name makes me to want to vomit. I don't like this guy. I don't disguise it. [He] seems to be the kind of showbiz animal that won't let go. Jay is a lap dog." He said if Leno was a real man, when he was originally replaced by Conan he would have moved to another network and tried to beat both him and Letterman in ratings. Well, last night he did beat Letterman, but Conan still has almost a half million more Twitter followers! more ›

Jay Leno is doing some damage control after his role in the Great Late Night War of 2010. He went on Oprah today to talk about taking back the The Tonight Show from Conan O'Brien, saying he doesn't regret anything, because the decisions made weren't his. He told the daytime host, "Anything they did would have been better. If they had come in and shot everybody, it would have been, ‘Oh, the people were murdered.’ But it would have been a two day story.” more ›

The day is finally here: tonight's Tonight Show will be the last hosted by Conan O'Brien. With the departure deal now signed, the Wall Street Journal discusses how the host will do with that whole nondisparagement clause thing. At any rate, he had no pause when it came to taking shots at the network during last night's show (though Robin Williams did most of the dirty work). He's also joked about some loopholes: like being able to trash NBC in Spanish, or in song. more ›

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." more ›

When Conan O'Brien took on hosting duties of The Tonight Show, he had a team of lawyers negotiating his terms. Unfortunately, they neglected to specify a time slot, meaning NBC could put Conan on at whatever time they wanted, as long as he was still hosting The Tonight Show. more ›

When we asked last week if Conan O'Brien should stick around NBC after they gave Jay Leno his old time slot back — leaving Conan to decide whether he wanted to stay and air later, or leave — you said he should LEAVE! Well, yesterday we heard of rumors he may be moving to Fox... and now the Wall Street Journal has printed that rumor, too, saying the talk show host has already met with the rival network. more ›

Rumors that Jay Leno will get his nighttime slot back from Conan O'Brien were confirmed today by NBC. The switch comes after the failure of The Jay Leno Show, a prime-time clone of The Tonight Show which "didn't meet affiliates' needs," according to Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment. more ›

This week was filled with speculation about what would happen to Conan O'Brien now that Jay Leno is taking his old 11:30 time slot back. Conan has allegedly yet to make a decision about his next move, or whether or not he'll stay at NBC... but last night he finally addressed the rumors on his show: more ›

With word coming in yesterday that Jay Leno would be reclaiming his 11:30 p.m. time slot on NBC, the question mark was where Conan O'Brien would land in the shake up. TMZ now reports that network execs are letting him decide if he wants the midnight to 1:00 a.m. slot; "if he does, Leno's show will only be a half hour. If Conan walks, Leno will get a full hour." more ›

Earlier there were apparently concerns of NBC canceling Jay Leno (who was concerned about this?), but now TMZ reports that Jay will be staying with the network. However, he'll be moving back to his old 11:30 time slot, which means the future of Conan O'Brien is currently up in the air. They say, "We've learned Jay's 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1. After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided — whether Jay's show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay's show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O'Brien." Will Conan come back to New York now? Watch your back, Jimmy. more ›

Barely 24 hours after causing a stir for dissing Taylor Swift—while she was accepting an award—at the MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West appeared on The Jay Leno Show. West was a musical guest, along with Jay-Z and Rihanna, but agreed to speak with Leno before the performance. The rapper seemed very contrite, saying he felt terrible for hurting someone, it's “extremely difficult to deal with the fact that I hurt someone and took something away from a talented artist." more ›

Last night, Conan O'Brien officially took over hosting duties for The Tonight Show and opened the show with a taped bit that showed him running across the country from NYC to LA (with scenic stops at the Wrigley Field in Chicago, St. Louis Arch, and a Victorian Doll Museum somewhere else). more ›

President Barack Obama visited the Tonight Show last night, becoming the first sitting president to appear on the program. He discussed the hoopla as Commander in Chief ("Michelle jokes about how our motorcade -- you know, we've got the ambulance and then the caboose and then the dog sled. The submarine."), explained his Final Four picks, and, responding to a question about being judged after only 59 days in office, said, "We are going through a difficult time. I welcome the challenge. You know, I ran for President because I thought we needed big changes. I do think in Washington it's a little bit like 'American Idol,' except everybody is Simon Cowell." more ›

Conan O'Brien came to New York sixteen years ago as an unknown underdog that left most people scratching their heads trying to figure out just why this awkward Simpsons writer was chosen to replace the legendary David Letterman. He said goodbye to the city last night just as awkward, but now almost universally loved and respected as a comedian who was able to take what at times is a very "out there" sensibility and make it succeed with mainstream audiences. more ›

Jay Leno confirms today what had been a longstanding rumor that David Letterman's show invited him to be a guest on the first show following his departure from The Tonight Show. But Leno says, “It would look like an insult to Conan. I would never do that.” In today's interview with Late Shift author Bill Carter, Leno reveals that the deal for his new nightly 10 p.m. show came after he turned down NBC's initial offers of a weekly Sunday night show and then an 11 p.m. show on USA. Leno initially agreed to NBC's wishes for him to move aside for Conan back in 2004 because he says, “I’ve never been one of those guys, when the girl says ‘I don’t think we should see each other anymore,’ I go, ‘Why? What can I do?’ No, I’m ‘O.K., babe, I’m gone.’” He explains that the 10 p.m. show is now ripe for success now because recent NBC efforts like Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy haven't taken off and also says, “Five years ago this wouldn’t have been a good idea, but more people — and younger people — are going to bed at 11 o’clock because they carpool or they have to get up at 6.” Carpoolers, buckle up. more ›

All you Tonight Show Headlines and Jaywalking fanatics, stop your worrying: Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that Jay Leno will be staying at NBC when his Tonight Show contract is up--and will be moving into primetime with a Monday-to-Friday weekday at 10 p.m. talk show. more ›

Last week, descendants of Macy's founder Isidor Straus sued Jay Leno and a NYC parking garage owner, claiming they had swindled the late John Straus out of his antique cars. Now, the Post reports that Dennis Ricca, co-owner of the Windsor Garage on East 76th Street, shot himself in the head last week--and a mourner blamed the lawsuit. The Straus family insisted that Ricca's garage took advantage of the ailing Straus, but a lawyer for Leno, Ricca and others blamed Straus for non-payment his account and said auctioning the valuable cars off was their right. Still, the Strauses claim it was a "sham auction" since Leno was able to buy a 1931 Dusenberg worth $1.2 million for $180,000 and Ricca bought a Rolls Royce Phantom worth $500,000 for $0. Ricca and Leno's lawyer said, "We hope the press will respect his family and let them grieve in peace." more ›

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain visited The Tonight Show last night and chortled over his age with Jay Leno. McCain, who turns 72 on Friday, had jokes like, "My social security number is eight" and "You forgot to mention that I warned the people about the British coming." When Leno asked, "For $1 million, how many houses do you have?" McCain brought up his five years as a POW in Vietnam, "I didn't have a house. I didn't have a kitchen table. I didn't have a table," and said of his wealthy wife, "I’m very proud of Cindy’s father. ... He made the American dream." more ›

At a press conference set to take place today, it's expected that Jimmy Fallon will be announced as Conan O'Brien's successor on the "Late Night" show. WNBC reports that the early chatter came in from an anonymous source. The announcement doesn't come as a surprise, since reports of the late night changes began to leak last year; last month Fallon's new position was all but confirmed. more ›

In the past year there have been murmurings of Jimmy Fallon taking over Conan's "Late Night" seat, when the latter moves over to the Tonight Show. Variety reports that NBC will officially announce the former SNL star's new position within the next few weeks, reuniting the actor/comedian with the Peacock network as well as Lorne Michaels (who executive produces the show). more ›

Late night television is back, with two hosts not crossing the picket line (David Letterman and Craig Ferguson), and three still getting WGA picketers outside of their studios (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel). Only two hosts were willing to grow, and keep, their strike beards -- and we want to know whose you like best! more ›