When Conan Takes over the Tonight Show..., Will it be in NY or LA? Options

[haynie]

is it wrong i don't want conan to move to beverly hills? he so isn't the "beverly hills" type and i hope he doesn't turn into one either. i mean, buy a lovely house for your family in a great school district but just don't turn beverly hills on us with your $400 silk shirts. he's seems so down to earth and if he becomes a materialistic ho i'm gonna have to, well i won't do anything, but i'll be disappointed.

My thoughts exactly

[SonOfJoel_1]

I think he's just looking for a house in LA, not necessarily to live for the Tonight Show, but just to have when he visits over there, since most celebrities have a place in both NY and LA. It has not been confirmed that he will do the Tonight Show in LA, so I'm not making any assumptions.

(emphasis mine)

Aren't you? I just don't think that a $25M mansion would be for stopping over for visits, do you?

I'm also kind of astounded at the level of incredulity that some people have about Conan owning a $400 shirt or being able to buy a $25M house. I mean, the guy is a big TV star--what do you think, he's making $100K a year? If you could afford to own a $400 silk shirt, wouldn't you buy one? I mean, I felt lucky when I went to T.J. Maxx the other day and found a black and blue striped silk shirt on the clearance rack for $12. It's a size too large, granted, but it's for informal wear, anyway. (I got my latest driver's license picture taken wearing the shirt. It looks a lot more expensive than what I paid for it.)

Sorry if I sound like I'm angry, I just wonder how realistic some of the fans on the board are about the level of bank involved in show business. All those commercials and on-air endorsements aren't for nothing. For the millions Conan makes every year, he's making more for the network, or else they wouldn't have made him Jay's successor. Am I right?

I will say, though, that Conan gave up making Leno and Letterman money to get The Tonight Show. Fox reportedly offered him about 20 mil to jump ship for their network the last time Conan's contract was up. But he passed it up to have a chance at getting a show with a lot of history and class. Doesn't that say something important about Conan?

SOJ

[SonOfJoel_1]

you are a better man than i am, soj. thanks for bringing us back to reality and teaching us what hypocritical people we really are. i'm going out to get you a scooby snack now.

Hmm. I'm detecting sarcasm.

$25 mil for a stopover house.

SOJ

[SonOfJoel_1]

[latenightgoddess]

I'm also kind of astounded at the level of incredulity that some people have about Conan owning a $400 shirt or being able to buy a $25M house.

Conan having a $400 shirt for the office doesn't seem as incredulous as it does vain, wasteful, and ridiculous. But I also think everyone should wear tie-dye or rainbow shirts, patchwork skirts, and sandals (including Conan) ... so maybe I'm not the best person to ask. I don't like the frills, baby! I think most of us are aware that Conan's salary is well into the land of 7 figures, even though he'd like us to believe otherwise with all the "12:30am doesn't bring the scratch" jokes. Jay & Dave are at ~$30 million a year or some such insanity.

And yes, Conan turning down a huge wad of money to hypothetically do the "right" thing and stay with NBC does say something good about him. He is a decent guy, despite a slight obsession with his vanity.

p.s. Is your birthday coming up, SOJ?

[severina80]

Conan having a $400 shirt for the office doesn't seem as incredulous as it does vain, wasteful, and ridiculous.

I really don't care if he has 18 closets full of $400 shirts. I know he's got more money than he knows what to do with, and he should spend it however he chooses since he worked for it. What I find ridiculous is the fact that he pointed out that the shirt cost $400. So Koman rips the shirt and Conan says, "D.amn it, you @ss! This is my favorite shirt!" that's understandable. Koman rips the shirt and Conan says, "D.amn it, you @ss! This shirt cost $400!" That's vain (good word choice, LNG!) Even if he didn't realize he was doing it, it's kind of a jerk thing to do considering he was probably within earshot of people who have trouble making their rent payments every month and live paycheck to paycheck.

[sweet_cone_zone]

It kind of implies that he does only have the one of them though!
I know if I had one thing that cost an absolute fortune and someone wrecked it I'd at least point out that it was very expensive!
Though he does seem slightly like a jerk if he's not careful

[latenightgoddess]

Right, I know Conan has more money than he knows what to do with. One piece of clothing is the last thing I'd be spending $400 on in his situation, so I guess I don't get it. And I wouldn't go around telling people a shirt cost $400, but he probably said that to make Koman feel guilty if for no other reason. If he said it to brag (which I doubt), that would be conceited. Don't get me wrong, he deserves everything he's made because he is so hardworking and has changed so many people's lives (cliched but true). But like Sev has pointed out in the past, he has a tendency to do things on TV that make it appear he's excessively concerned with himself, such as constantly looking at himself in the monitors. Would it even be possible for a guy with hair like that NOT to be vain? He's just a tad in love with himself, but I've also heard people in showbiz say everybody in showbiz is. Something I don't like is how Conan acts a lot more self-important now than he did, say, 10 years ago, and his ego is much more inflated (at least in his "act").

What this has to do with Conan "taking over" The Tonight Show, I'm not sure.

[Beyond_the_pale]

I think there's a 50-99% chance that he was kidding when he said that it was a $400 shirt.

[sexy_conan418]

I think it's fantastic that Conan has $400 shirts and can afford a $25 mil. house, I see nothing wrong with that, he deserves it.

It bugs me when people assume that he'll be in LA for the Tonight Show, nothing has yet been confirmed. That's what I was talking about. I wasn't being hypocritical. If people think that he's buying a house in LA just for the Tonight Show, I find that irritating. My assumption of him just looking for one in LA because most celebs have a house on both coasts is nothing like the assumption of him doing the Tonight Show in LA. I was being reasonable, and going with the present facts given. I think that the only thing we can safely assume right now is that he just wants a place on both coasts, since no one is giving out information about the Tonight Show yet. So I don't think my assumption should be compared with the assumption that he'll do the Tonight show in LA, they're totally different.

[ClaraLou]

I see a lot of good points in this thread, but all I can say is that it would be great if when Conan takes over the Tonight Show, they come out with a DVD collection of all the Late Night years. That way, if nothing else, the fans can always watch the good old days.

[sexy_conan418]

I really hope they do that!! I'm so mad that I didn't start watching until 2005. I missed so much good stuff!!

[SonOfJoel_1]

I think it's fantastic that Conan has $400 shirts and can afford a $25 mil. house, I see nothing wrong with that, he deserves it.

It bugs me when people assume that he'll be in LA for the Tonight Show, nothing has yet been confirmed. That's what I was talking about. I wasn't being hypocritical. If people think that he's buying a house in LA just for the Tonight Show, I find that irritating. My assumption of him just looking for one in LA because most celebs have a house on both coasts is nothing like the assumption of him doing the Tonight Show in LA. I was being reasonable, and going with the present facts given. I think that the only thing we can safely assume right now is that he just wants a place on both coasts, since no one is giving out information about the Tonight Show yet. So I don't think my assumption should be compared with the assumption that he'll do the Tonight show in LA, they're totally different.

You know, I really had let this go, but if you read back over my post, I never once called you a hypocrite. HOWEVER, now that you mention it, it becomes clear to me that it actually is hypocritical in a way. You object to the "assumption" that Conan is moving to the West Coast to host The Tonight Show, but then you replace it with an unconfirmed assumption of your own? They aren't different assumptions at all. Your "annoyance" only applies to other peoples' assumptions, but your own so-called "reasonable" assumptions somehow escape scrutiny? And where exactly did I say this this is proof of any sort? I explicitly said that I don't always believe Page Six. I'm no logician, but this just doesn't add up, at least to me.

I used to do this to my students who would complain when I took off points for not following directions: you show me where the things you claim happened actually happened.

SOJ

[sexy_conan418]

achhkk. I didn't mean to start a fight or anything, let's just remember that this is all about the Conan/Late Night lovin'. sorry to cause a stir

[SonOfJoel_1]

achhkk. I didn't mean to start a fight or anything, let's just remember that this is all about the Conan/Late Night lovin'. sorry to cause a stir

Hey, sorry, I wasn't really replying to you, I was replying to conansmypimp.

SOJ

[repgreek]

It would be a shame to lose Conan to LA. The show's NY audience is what makes it so great. I don't like the LA audience. Plus, Conan is an NY guy not an LA guy. I hope he really does leave NBC and moves to another network to avoid this situation.

[SonOfJoel_1]

i get serious pangs of emptiness every time i think about it and i foresee another teary night tonight. overreaction much? not if you knew me. sorry but Conan's humour is what runs through my veins and keeps me breathing.

i'll never watch another nbc show if they can Conan on late night and reneg on their promise to hand over the tonight show in 2009. they can blame themselves for the network being crippled so badly - if they now do this they might as well close up shop as far as i'm concerned.

peace out...

rosie

Gaia Rose,

If I were you, I wouldn't worry. This isn't like Letterman assuming that he'd be offered the show once Johnny retired. Conan has very publicly been made the heir to the throne. Very publicly and very officially, I might add--I think that the world would be shocked if, in 2009, someone besides Conan gets The Tonight Show.

For a much more level-headed analysis of this situation, I'd suggest you link here:

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2007/06...real_motiv.html

I don't often plug Aaron Barnhart, frankly because of his he||-bent Letterman bias, but in this case, he's actually got a great take on the Jon Stewart situation.

My own personal theory goes like this: Jon Stewart wants an 11:30 pm show on one of the major networks. He's been building his career up to an 11:30 show forever. I think that this is a carefully planned ploy to get his name out there in the industry press, so Les Moonves at CBS or Bob Iger at ABC will wake up and say, "I've got to have this guy to compete against Conan in 2009." I personally don't believe that Jon Stewart would take a 12:30 am show--let's face it, that would probably be a terminal assignment for Mr. Stewart at this stage in his career, and who the heck else would be a viable competitor with Conan? Do you really think that Jay or Dave would win long-term against Conan? Even I don't think that, and if you know me, you know how significant a statement that is. CBS is the likely place that a Conan competitor will go, since after all, Dave won't be there forever, and that network is in the middle of a boom phase right now. As far as late night TV goes, there are really only two networks in the U.S. that have any history of success, with NBC being the obvious #1 and CBS the close second. I think that Jon Stewart is trying to force a deal out of CBS, and perhaps by extension, Worldwide Pants, Letterman's production company. I think Jon Stewart figures that now is the time to make his move.

So, yeah, read Aaron Barnhart. He's got the scoop.

SOJ

[Pernod]

It would be a shame to lose Conan to LA. The show's NY audience is what makes it so great. I don't like the LA audience. Plus, Conan is an NY guy not an LA guy. I hope he really does leave NBC and moves to another network to avoid this situation.

Conestoga O'Bronsky is DYING to get to the West Coast, just like Letterman who bought property at Point Dume to be near Johnny Carson in anticipation of hosting the Tonight Show.


Pernod

[SonOfJoel_1]

I know this doesn't exactly fit this thread, but putting it elsewhere risks publicizing an earlier misunderstanding...

Ben Silverman, the new head of Entertainment at NBC, came out with the message, again, that Conan will indeed replace Jay in 2009. And, just as I had predicted earlier, they say they're looking for something for Jay in primetime, Mr. Leno being an important asset to the network. Perhaps Jay will pull a Steve Allen.

SOJ

[ClaraLou]

Perhaps this would be more appropriate elsewhere, but in all this talk about Conan taking over the tonight show, it's got me thinking about the board. I'm guessing it will just be deleted / replaced.

It was random thinking, I know, but it just made me think of it.