Results tagged “thetonightshow”

The sorry state of the Mets isn't just a local issue at this point. Last night on The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien got in on the fun showing just how deep dysfunction runs within the organization right now.

Unless you were one of those people on Friendster who used to list "Kill Your Television" under Favorite Shows, you probably have heard that Conan O'Brien will be taking over later this evening. As New York officially lets go of its red-headed late night stepchild once and for all, Conan introduces himself to Los Angeles with an inaugural show that has a distinct '90s feel to it: his guests are Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam and the return of old sidekick Andy Richter as his new announcer. Will Pimpbot 5000 return as well? In an interview with today's Times, Conan said, "I can’t go anywhere without people saying, ‘Good luck in LA’ Or, ‘What’s it like in LA?’ Osama Bin Laden is in a cave somewhere saying, ‘I wonder how Conan will be in LA.’”

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.

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.

Last week we mentioned that Brendan Keefe, late of WCBS, is now and anchor at the ABC affiliate in Cincinnati, WCPO. He started this week and he revealed to the Cincinnati Post some of his reasons for leaving New York for Ohio. He told the paper, "We wanted a place to raise a family that we could call home for a long time."

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an armed robbery on East 91st St. in Brooklyn, a confined space rescue at JFK Airport in Queens, and a pedestrian was struck at East 23rd St. and Lexington Ave. in Manhattan.
• A dump truck jack-knifed and rolled over, crushing the car next to it and killing the car's two occupants in Brooklyn.
• Jay Leno is auctioning off the set of The Tonight Show and donating the proceeds to fund an after-school program at Brooklyn's Paul Robeson High.
• Streetsblog notes dueling Google ad placements for and against congestion pricing in New York.
• One of the men who was shot by police with Sean Bell was arrested last night and arraigned on charges of assaulting his girlfriend, driving without a license, and harassment.
• A NJ town that enacted strict ordinances against hiring or renting to illegal immigrants three years ago has repealed them after discovering that the negative impact on the town's economy was significant.
• Maybe the Yanks or Mets should look into whoever is having sex with BushwickBK's neighbor, because he or she has quite an arm, as evidenced by the steady stream of panties landing in his yard.
• The sections of the Brooklyn Bridge rated "poor" during recent inspections will be refurbished over the next few years.

Fred Thompson was never an actual Manhattan District Attorney, he just played one TV. He used the same medium to announce that he was running for President by pursuing the Republican nomination Wednesday night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Unlike California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who announced his gubernatorial candidacy by appearing on The Tonight Show in person, Thompson made his announcement via a taped message that Leno aired. Speculation about the possibility of Thompson's imminent announcement has been growing recently.

In February rumors started to fly about Jimmy Fallon becoming the next Late Night host when Conan O'Brien leaves his current spot to take Jay Leno's spot. It's an after-hours game of musical chairs! (Though no one knows where Leno will end up, it is said he'll likely stay in the late night game.) NBC chief Rick Ludwin says that Fallon is now at the top of the short list for possible Late Night hosts.

Last night Beverly Sills lost her battle with lung cancer, she died at her home in Manhattan at the age of 78. While she was a lifelong non-smoker and only found out about the cancer a few weeks ago, this wasn't her first experience with it - she underwent a successful surgery for cancer in 1974.

Dave Rubin, Comedian

In a re-election year stumping opportunity, the Mayor visited Conan O'Brien's talk show last night and asked him to bring the Tonight Show back to NYC. And Gothamist says, "Please, do!" The AP says that Mayor Bling "jokingly tried to make a deal," offering to give O'Brien a park permit for the Late Night softball team if he stayed in NYC. Conan said, "It's not up to me, I work for the man. If he says 'yeah,' we're fine. So we'll talk." Is the man Lorne Michaels in this case? Or Jeff Zucker, which sounds like "hooker," not "f***er," as we learned when watching Fat Actress? When O'Brien was announced (finally) as Jay Leno's successor, the NY Times' Bill Carter suspected Conan and the gang would move to LA. Gothamist hopes that in the meantime, CBS develops another LA talk show, in the post-Letterman era, and The Tonight Show will have to stay in NY. For starters, Conan will need LOTS of sunblock if he's living in LA.

Carter reports on the TV business for the NY Times and wrote a book about the Leno-Letterman fight, The Late Shift. In our opinion, it's the best book about issues in current state of television - money, talent, and ego. And in today's paper, Carter analyzes the decision to give Leno a five year good-bye. The NY Daily News' TV critic, David Bianculli, who had complained about NBC giving the Tonight Show's 50th Birthday the short shrift the day before, thinks that NBC made the right decision. And after the jump, NBC's press release of Conan's statement last night:

Here's the NY Times obituary, as well as the Times' extensive Reagan article archive, including an interesting interactive feature about Reagan from Times reporter Steven R. Weisman. Check out the Washington Post's coverage, including articles about his legacy as the Great Communicator, as the White House's best actor, as an optimist, as the key in the rebuilding of the GOP.

Anyway, one reason to watch The Tonight Show would have to be Jay's correspondents, who include director Kevin Smith and Fred Willard, but the correspondent I will watch the Tonight Show for is intern Ross Matthew, aka Ross the Intern. Incredibly gay and smarter than he is gay, his celebrity interviews are maybe the best in the business today - especially in this age of panderers on Entertainment Tonight, E! News Daily, and Access Hollywood. (When trying to get George Clooney's attention, he yelled "Jorge!") If you're stuck inside because of the weather, check out Ross's escapades. The video of him and Gwyneth Paltrow is killer. And yes, he really is an intern.