Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Programming, Celebrities, What To Watch Tonight, Predictions and Trends, News and Gossip

Here comes the response to Mr. Zaino’s prediction that Conan O’Brien Irish eyes will smile for a long time to come on NBC’s The Tonight Show. It’s possible the whole deal could turn into a lament.

My argument:

• It seems more like The Tonight Show isn’t the best marriage for Conan O’Brien, rather than the host being wrong for the show. From SNL to The Simpsons to his own Late Night, O’Brien was a driving force in some of the most cutting edge network comedy of the last 15 years. But, The Tonight Show isn’t about “cutting edge.” It’s about something mildly entertaining to watch before folks tuck into bed. It’s a waste of O’Brien’s chops — though you can’t blame the guy for knocking down the paycheck.
• Due to lazy NBC programming ideas, O’Brien’s popularity could be damaged by his predecessor. No, Jay Leno is in no way out to sabotage his protege. But Leno’s upcoming prime time, pre-news lead-in to The Tonight Show seems like overkill. Will audiences want to watch “Leno’s old Tonight Show” followed by “O’Brien’s new Tonight Show?”

Continue reading Point/Counterpoint: The Tonight Show will fail Conan O’Brien

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 5:58 am and is filed under TV Celebrities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.