The TV Zone

Here are your numbers from last week - a hugely important one given the fact that it was the second week for "Conan" and Palinpalooza week for "Letterman."

Any questions resolved here?

Not really. Bragging rights to no one. NBC has to be pleased with the18-49 vic, but CBS has to be pleased with the near-tie in total viewers. ABC has to be pleased to be in the game as well as it is. A word of caution on the "Letterman" figures: These hardly establish that viewers are flocking to Dave; there was a tide of idle curiosity last week because of the Palin daughter controversy.

So, nothing is conclusive here. But one can surmise (at the very least) that some viewers are checking out of "Co" to see what's going on on the the other networks. The third week numbers will be more interesting.

Viewers / A25-54/rtg/ A18-49/ Rtg

ABC “Nightline” 3,410,000 1,450,000/ 1.2 1,270,000/1.0

CBS “Late Show” 3,670,000 1,490,000/ 1.2 1,130,000/ .9

NBC “Tonight” 3,770,000 2,050,000/ 1.6 2,010,000/1.5

Funny interview with William "The Shat" Shatner on last night's "Tonight."

Shat talks about hitchhiking, a naked woman, the Vulcan Salute, his new book (barely), and other matters. (Gawker posted, or I woulda missed...)

(AP/NBC)

Conan killed last night. And by "killed" I don't mean "killed" (in the showbiz sense).

Let's put it this way: Jay Leno was the happiest man in California last night. David Letterman, the happiest in New York.

This beginning was not auspicious.

Allow me - if you will - to be perfectly clear. The first night of what will probably be the first night of the rest of Conan O'Brien's professional life was not a disaster. Not at all. But it was far from a success.

Let me put it another way: A few million "Tonight Show" habitues turned to their spouses and said, "tell me AGAIN Mabel why NBC dumped Leno for this guy?"

What were the problems? There were a few, and I'll go to individual bullets in a minute. But for Conan to allay doubts, to quell misgivings, to make viewers realize there was a bona fide reason for this change (as opposed to a slick strong-arm move by Co and his agents five years ago that panicked Jeff Zucker) he needed to come out and kill. He needed a great monologue, excellent material from start to finish, and a set that didn't diminish him, but somehow enhanced his stature.

He had none of those. He was annoying. He cackled. Andy Richter looked like some insane guy he pulled off the street. Will Ferrell was painful. Even the great Max Weinberg Seven seemed shrill.

And all this is coming form someone - me - who thinks Conan is close to being a comedy genius.

What happened? Opening night jitters. They'll be worked out.

I hope.

Continue reading "Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show": OK, not great" »

(Getty)

OK, I stretch the truth a bit...First read!

Here it is and very good first line...

-Well, I’ve timed this moment perfectly. I'm on a last place network, I moved to a state that's bankrupt, and tonight’s show is sponsored by General Motors.

-A lot of people have been asking me, "Will your show be any different now that you’ve moved to Los Angeles?" I tell them all, “No. Mi programa no va a cambiar porque estoy en la ciudad de Los Angeles.”

[Insta-translation from TV Zone: My program will not change because I'm in Los Angeles...]

-This is a huge night for me. I remember watching Johnny Carson when I was a kid and thinking, "That's what I want to be when I grow up." And I’m sure right now somewhere in America, there's a little kid watching me and thinking, "What is wrong with that man's hair?

-I think they’ve built us a beautiful studio here in Los Angeles. This studio holds 380 people. It’s exactly like being at a Clippers game.

-We’re here at Universal Studios. It’s exciting to tape the show on the Universal lot because we’re just around the corner from Wisteria Lane where they film “Desperate Housewives”. In fact, in a lot of recent scenes you can see me playing the “Creepy Guy in the Bushes.”
!

(Kevin Winter/ Getty)

On balance, I believe the answer is yes.

What seems to be overlooked in this very skillful "Tonight Show" transition from Jay Leno to Conan O'Brien is that five years ago, nothing was a given. Conan's in this gig simply because he too displayed some TV-style sang froid. As hot as just about anyone in TV at the time, he and his agents demanded some love from NBC, and love not in the form of cold cash. They wanted "Tonight" and suggested - or perhaps promised - that they would walk without it. Conan was shopped and there was much interest elsewhere - remarkably this set Dave in play, too, and the upshot was that CBS ended up giving their late night man a lot more love too.

Jay? At first he pretended to take it all in stride, but there's no doubt that once the shock wore off and the realization of what had just happened had set in, he began to plot his revenge. Jay pretends to be a nice guy, and I do believe that he genuinely is. But you don't spend a lifetime in show business without knowing how to throw knives.

Now, Jay's the big winner. Conan's "Tonight" ascendancy feels anti-climatic because Jay's ascendancy to ten really is an historic change. Meanwhile, Jay wins no matter what happens. If ten is a debacle - it won't be - or simply a place-holder until NBC figures out what to do at that hour, then he leaves, sits on his non-compete for six months, then joins Fox, ABC, or (conceivably) CBS when Dave retires.

At that point, the battle that NBC always feared will take place.

Jay, you see, is a very smart guy. He learned long ago: Don't get emotional. Get even.

>> 7 sins, 7 strengths of Conan O'Brien
>> Conan O'Brien photos

We in the media have tended to make some noise outta the fact that Jay will hypothetically have better access to guests than Conan, insofar as he's earlier in the night and - ipso facto - Conan will be in BIIIG trouble when he takes over "Tonight" next Monday.

But lo and behold, Co thinks the whole darn thing is "overblown." Said so in a conference call not too long ago, and he said a bunch of other things too.

- Guests? "There are so many people out there and I think the thing has been over-blown...I got terrific guests on 'Late Night' and I was farther down the totem pole than I am now. I'm not worried about the guest situation. To me it's not about who gets the guest first but what you do with the guests and how my chemistry might be different than with other people..."

- How will the advent of Jay at 10 affect the advent of Co at 11:35? Good question! And Co said so too..."It's a good question and nobody has the answer. This move is kind of unprecedented in television, but what I keep going back to is at the end of the day nothing has changed for me. I'm host June 1, 2009. I'm hostin ghte Tonight Show. 'Don't worry about what anybody else is doing...I have to do my thing and to the best of my ability and hope good things will come from that..."

- That biz about middle America and how Co may be too New York or too Boston (whatever that may be) for people who live near cornfields? "I try not to put that in the forefront of my mind. My best stuff that I've done over the years is just funny and I don't think there's anything hard to get. At my best, the show has always just been silly and should work for all kinds of people. But I don't put that in the front of my brain ever night. I do think the audience is smart and know when you pander to them."

Yes, Will Ferrell is first guest. And first musical guest:Pearl Jam.

On Conan's very first "Tonight" in a couple weeks.

Trivia quiz!

His first guests on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien?"

Answers on the jump...

"Will Ferrell will be the first guest on the couch for the debut of "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" on June 1. Ferrell, who helped usher O'Brien out of New York on the final "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," will help welcome O'Brien to his new home in Los Angeles. In
addition Pearl Jam will be the inaugural band on Conan's "The Tonight Show." Pearl Jam will perform songs from their upcoming studio album. "

(Pix: Getty)

Continue reading "Ferrell First Conan Guest" »

I add that "!" because jeez, it's a month away, and we already got a first look at our boy in Universal City (what kind of name is that? "Universal City?" Do people live there? Digress, digress...)

But TVtattle.com has found this, and you must watch. Very funny: NBC's new website for "Tonight Show" and a Conan O'Brien I-guess-you-could-call-it-a-webisode. He looks good: Tan, relaxed, rested, and he's even grown a couple inches over his summer vacation.

Appears that he'll do what Jimmy F did during his run up to "Late Night" stardom - post periodic I-guess-you-could-call-it-webisodes. Meanwhile, NBC's got a new "Jay Leno" site too...

TVGuide.com just posted this first look at Conan's new logo...

And...here's the old one...

So...what think you? Me? I like it just fine but wish I had Tim Gunn here to tell me whether I like yellow on gray? Is yellow on gray the new black? I don't know. My only other mild criticism: It seems kind of austere, and slightly dry. It seems so - grown-up, too.

Has Conan gone and grown up on us during hiatus?

At least he's not calling the show "Tonight Show Starring Conan O'Brien."

That would cause days and days of agita in the blogosphere...

Conan's explanation, posted on the jump...

Continue reading "TV Guide: Conan's Logo" »

Andy is back.

Yes, Andy. Who left. Moved back to the Evil Empire in California. Tried his hand at a couple of sitcoms - one of 'em, per my recollection, pretty good. Learned about the cold cruel fate of cancellation.

And probably wished he'd never left in the first place...

...And has now been re-united with Conan O'Brien.

Big news.

Herewith the details:

"Andy is one of the funniest people I know and we've maintained a close friendship since he left "Late Night," said O'Brien. "We have a proven chemistry that will be an incredible asset to "The Tonight Show." I'm looking forward to working with Andy on a daily basis again, particularly since he owes me $300."

Actor and writer Andy Richter rose to fame while having the best seat in the house on NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" as O'Brien's sidekick since its premiere on September 13, 1993. Since his departure from the show in 2000, Richter starred in the Emmy nominated "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" for the Fox network, and most recently starred in the series "Andy Barker, P.I." for NBC. Richter has been very active in the feature film world as well. His many appearances include such films as Robert Altman's "Dr. T and the Women" and "Scary Movie 2", "Elf" and "Madagascar: (both 1 and 2), "Talladega Nights", "Blades of Glory" and "Semi-Pro". This summer, he can be seen in the Fox feature "They Came From Upstairs". Richter attended the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign and Columbia College, where he studied film and video."

Good for Andy. And good for Conan.

(Above Pix from Makefive.com, which voted Andy the 13th best sidekick in pop culture history; number one? George Costanza...)

So long...for now.

Hey, kids, why wait for tomorrow's paper when you can get Uncle Verne's review of Friday's finale right now!

In a word, the show was boffo...

[Oh man, a smart and well informed reader has just told me that Conan will actually originate "TS" from Universal City; I guess I knew that but I just can't bring myself to say "Beautiful Downtown Universal City." So, I'll just leave this the way it is. Thanks anyway, Rick.]

"Warm, funny, gracious, emotional and even muted, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" ended a very good and very long run Friday night. Next stop for the host: Beautiful Downtown Burbank.

As far as fans were concerned, the finale was all they could have hoped for while audience members even left with a memento - chunks of the set which was demolished by the host himself. As there have been all week, clips of classic bits were shown, including one described by O'Brien as his personal favorite - a day of old-time baseball at Old Bethpage Village. Special guests stopped by - they always do at these sorts of things - including Will Ferrell reprising a certain former commander-in-chief; longtime sidekick Andy Richter, who observed, "I TOLD you that you would never last without me;" and the White Stripes singing their old hit, "We’re Going to Be Friends."

You don’t get much more muted than that. David Letterman's last musical guest on "Late Night" was Bruce Springsteen.

Especially gratifying to fans, however, was this promise: "We're going on to this next gig and sometimes people have said, 'it's time [for me] to grow up, and I assure you, that's just not going to happen. This is who I am for better or worse."

What was best, however, about this finale was just how clearly it demonstrated to fans - and a few million doubting Thomases still out there as well - why a relative nobody and former TV scribe with about as much on-air experience as YOU was picked so long ago to replace a legend.

The whole last week of "special" shows also demonstrated how the once-implausible had somehow morphed into the once-unthinkable: On June 1, O'Brien becomes host of the most famous franchise on all of television. How in heaven's name did something like THIS happen? Simply put, he's a nice guy who just happens to be immensely talented and funny. The latter is a given in this job, but the former is not necessarily. On Friday O'Brien offered a long and gracious post-script to the many staffers, band members, on-air support, NBC execs - even his brother Neil - who made "Late Night" such a success over sixteen seasons. Such valedictories are common-place in TV farewells, but not ones that stretch for eight minutes and which thank everyone - up to and including the parents - for Making All This Possible.

Conan even teared up when thanking the brilliant if somewhat imperious TV legend Lorne Michaels for choosing him to replace Letterman, and it seems almost redundant to point out that few have ever choked up when thanking Lorne.

But Friday's finale served primarily a reminder, and a bittersweet one at that. New York television has just lost a unique and indelible talent. Let's hope Burbank appreciates the new guy as much as we did."

(Pix: AP)

If you haven't seen his final show last night (I've posted a couple of clips below) you should know that he cited his favorite piece of all time - or at least of the last sixteen years.

And it was his "old time baseball" remote from Old Bethpage...

( OBV patrons know what this is, and here's the description from the site:

"One of Old Bethpage Village Restoration's most popular attractions is our old time baseball league. The Village sponsors two vintage baseball leagues: 1864 Rules and 1887 Rules. Each features teams recreated from actual baseball clubs that played on Long Island. In all, there are ten teams in the program. The 1864 league is made up of the Knickerbocker BBC, Mineola Washingtons, Hempstead Eurekas, and Brooklyn Excelsiors. The 1887 league consists of the Glenhead Zig Zags, Hicksville Ozones, Bellmore Seminoles, and the Seacliff Idlewilds. In addition to the eight regular season teams, the league has its own traveling squad, the New York Mutuals, who represent Old Bethpage at various tournaments and whenever other traveling clubs come to town.")

Heeeeeere's Conan's clip, again...

Conan's last night was (ummm) last night and...

Hey! Wait a minute. Why read about it when you can watch this?

I've posted a couple of clips that NBC's hard-working Dot Com crew has put together, and if you want to see the full episode, head on over to NBC.com for the full show.

Suffice it to say, this will be 42 well-spent minutes this cold Saturday morning...

Ooooh, boy. Where to begin? All these years - that went by far too quickly - and tonight it all comes to an end.

"Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

Conan, of course, continues. "Late Night" continues. But the specific show that he improbably hosted for sixteen seasons and which made him into one of the great late night talk show hosts ends in about twelve hours.

There's been a ton of press on this ending, but in a strange way, it's been an amazingly muted departure. We all remember the Letterman exit tour, accompanied by a giddy press spasm of gossip, speculation, rumor-mongering and (on occasion) actual reporting. Covering Leno/Letterman was like covering a war - a Marx Brothers war, to be sure, but a war nonetheless. Imagine! Front page stories, week after week, on "will David go," or "will Jay stay?" Yes, it did happen, and yes, it was a terribly silly and innocent time (wasn't it? )

In contrast, Conan leaves and hardly anyone pays any attention at all, relatively speaking. Why is this so? There are many reasons. NBC, a mess in so many other ways, long ago learned how to handle late night transitions. This one almost blew up in its face, but by virtue of the fact that this also played out over so many years, the network actually had the time to adjust. By contract, Letterman/Leno played out over months, even weeks, complicated further by the fact that no one running the company had a clue what CARSON intended to do, until the moment he stood on the Carnegie Hall stage and told a thousand advertisers that he was going. (Bill Carter's fine book on all of this, "The Late Shift," even became an HBO MOVIE; there will be no movie this time.)

And in a way, the trend-setting part of pop culture - that mega-sharp tip of the spear that restlessly, relentlessly seeks out that which is HOT - long ago moved past Conan. Who knows why this happens, but it's to Conan's enormous benefit. One does not aspire to "hotness" when one assumes the role of "Tonight Show" host. This role is the anti-thesis of hotness; it is a slightly chilled role. The "Tonight" host is a bread-basket persona. The ideal host is someone who appeals to a middle-aged white person in Lincoln, Nebraska, who works hard all day, and wants to go to bed forgetting about everything that happened over the previous twelve hours. The perfect "Tonight" host - Allen, Leno, and of course Carson - allow them to do this. (Paar was probably too hot.)

Finally, there's Conan. He's a fundamentally decent guy - smart, talented, funny, and all that. But fundamentally decent. Yeah, sure, Jay and Dave are as well, but they are also insane. Conan is not: A balanced person who wanted something badly (this show) and didn't blow it because his head swelled or he started to believe his press clips or he became a raving, ranting a-hole.

Honestly, it's very very easy to become Larry Sanders. The great ones - from Carson to Conan - do not.

Enough. I've said my piece. Now, quickly, let's pull just four little clips from the years past. They're not necessarily representative of this remarkable run but they are funny.

The last one: I've posted the first nine minutes of very first show. (Pay close attention, and you'll see that Conan gets his revenge on John Tesh in the "satellite survey" clip...) In these first few minutes you instantly realized, this will be a long and splendid run. It was.

The Shatner Funk. Do not adjust your computer.

Wise-arse Finnish Kids

Satellite Channel Survey

September, 13, 1993...

(Pix: NBC)

Continue reading "Adios, Conan O'Brien" »

No one seems able to push Conan off his line that the move to "Tonight" will be un-marred and uncomplicated by his "terrific...friend...and that splendid...late night...genuis...who I really love and admire," Jay Leno.

Leno, as you know, goes to 10, while Co goes to the middle of the night, so to speak, at 11:35...

This morning, Matt Lauer asked - again! - about what must be Conan's deep ambivalence about this state of affairs.

Said Co:

"They told me five years ago, would you like to host the Tonight Show at 11:35, and I said I would very much like that. Nothing has changed. This is the Tonight Show at 11:30. I like Jay ...He's a terrific guy. The fact that he stays is good for me. No one knows what's happening in television - it's changing quickly as you know. Will there be unforeseen circumstances? Possibly, but we'll work them out...I can pick up the phone to Jay to work them out."

I noticed that some unidentified exec in the Times' wrap this morning noted how he almost "felt sorry" for Conan. Feel sorry!! Only in television...can you become the host of one of the great franchises in television history...make 15 million a year...have your every whim catered to...and still have someone out there feel sorry for you.

Good Lord.

And probably keeps his house in Jersey close by Bruce.

(How will he accomplish all of this? Teleportation is my guess.)

Yes, this is the big news tonight, and thanks to the ever-vigilant TVtattle.com for breaking this.

Here's the scoop from NBC's "Late Nite Insider Blog:"

"Up top, I've got some great news: Max and the band will be joining us out in LA!!! That's right, baby! You know what that means: GET READY FOR SOME SWEET LA MW7 ACTION!! With all that sun, LaBamba is gonna have to wear TWO hats!!"

Max had debated staying in New York, but the loss would have been considerable: He's not only a great band leader but essential to Conan's act, and he has been for years. Honestly, I can't imagine one without the other (Andy Richter? Imagining him gone was easy; Max, never.)

Why is Max essential?

1.) As mentioned, he's a first-rate musician - the Buddy Rich of his generation.

2.) He gets Conan Bruce Tix.

3.) His schtick plays off of Conan pretty effortlessly - he's dry and smart.

So...to summarize: This is a huge break for Conan O'Brien as he embarks on this next big adventure.

Conan last night officially retired some of his better-known bits of "Late Night" as he gets ready to split for "Tonight."

Among the casualties: The Bear which pleasures itself; the gator with gaydar; the cat in a maze; and the Hasid robot.

You can go to the clip below to watch the entire "state of the show" address.

So ... I have some questions. Does this mean the following will be showing up on the West Coast this June...? Please go to the jump to see clips of these (ummmm) splendors ... But I warn you - if you are under 18, TVzone will automatically refuse to let you proceed. (Don't ask me how we know how old you are. We just do.)

- Vomiting Kermit ... the Kermit with regurgitation issues.

- Horny Manatee ... Conan bought the Web site Hornymanatee.com, after mentioning it on the air a couple years ago. Ownership is good for 10 years.

- If they Mated ... a collage of mated pairs.

Triumph ... Needs no introduction.

Continue reading "Conan O'Brien: Well, what about that manatee? " »

Well...this is a surprise. NBC just announced that Conan will leave "Late Night" on Feb. 20.

Let that sink in - this means he'll basically be sitting around on a beach somewhere, and sipping Long Island Ice Teas for three months. That's a long long time to be out of the public eye, but I'm guessing that - rather than the beach business - he'll probably be moving staff and production crew out to LA to set up shop at the "Tonight" studios.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon will start March 2.

Who needs TV critics when you got Conan? And Max?

Watch this brilliant deconstruction of the saddest network in the land.

(And then, I'm gonna get you Katie's riposte to Sarah; oh, I just love media feuds. Can't we get Oprah in this fight some way? Letterman?) Thanks to TVtattle.com for finding the gem you are about to click on...

Monologues!

(If only I knew how to spell the word.)

In any event, the rumor is, Conan O'Brien - the guy who used to write for "The Simpsons" and has also done a great job at "Late Night" and now must deal with press speculation about his "state of mind" - had a monologue tonight, too.

NBC sent me the whole thing, via e-mail (mmmm, e-mail.)

Herewith the relevant parts, and on the computer monitor, they REALLY DO LOOK sincere:

"Let's talk about this on a serious note for just one moment, I've had many people calling me today saying, "What is all this? ' "What's happening?" Jay Leno is going to be going in at 10:00 on NBC. I wanted to make something very clear here on the show this evening. I've known about this for a while. I've talked a lot about this with Jay. I am thrilled. I am absolutely thrilled that Jay is staying at NBC. He has been my lead-in on this program for 16 seasons. He is a fantastic lead-in. He is a huge part of my success. I am indebted to Jay Leno. And I love the idea that that relationship is going to continue. He is going to be my lead-in continuing, I hope, for a long, long time. So congratulations to Jay Leno. (APPLAUSE) This is a happy ending. It's very nice. We're thrilled for him and we're thrilled for everybody at the Tonight Show. Also I've talked it over with my producer and that means I can keep doing my Jay Leno impression."

Like I said, it looks like Conan really means this.

Next...Jon Stewart's monologue...and Ferguson's...and Kimmel's..and

(This wonderful photo was published in "EW" after the Writers Strike. Photo by Justin Stephens.)

And speaking of parties, NBC held one for the press and advertisers last night over at 30 Rock under a tent; theme was "The NBC Experience," and the whole point was to remind everyone that NBC was still in business even though it was not unveiling a new fall schedule this week along with all the other networks. (NBC took the wraps off its lineup in April ...)

Conan O gave a few remarks to those assembled, and here are some outtakes: Since NBC always liked to be ahead with announcements, he wanted to take the opportunity to say that he would be retiring in 2025 from "The Today Show"; (at that time, he'll be relaxing with his third wife and planned to "audition for [my] second wife right after this speech..."

He mused on NBC's choice of a tent for the party: For previous upfronts, the network had thrown galas in wonderful places: One had been held a few years back at some "historic" venue, then another the following year at the "hallowed" Radio City Music Hall ... "Now we're all sweating under a tent; please join us next year when we're at the falafel stand on 42nd Street."

He gave a nod to his successor, Jimmy Fallon, in the crowd; JF takes over at "Late Night" when CO moves to "The Tonight Show." He then said: "Because of a great negotiation and a very good agent, this show will still be called 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' after I leave ... "

And because there's a YouTube for everything...here's the YouTube...

(Above: MSNBC pix of CO; no monkey suit or mustache last night, though.)

I know you - you're just like me.

You like to get your official announcements tied up with a nice neat bow, maybe a cherry on top, or some whipped cream (or whatever...this doesn't sound very appetizing, does it?)

In any event, as I - and virtually everyone else on planet TV with a blog - has been reporting almost since the dawn of man, NBC has finally made Jimmy Fallon official - Conan's replacement - and just to prove it sent out a press release with lots and lots of quotes. Here are just some of them:

"We couldn't be happier to have Jimmy back on NBC and to have our number one-rated late night team fully in place for the future," said NBCE big cheese, Ben Silverman, "Jimmy is more than just a likeable guy and a great comedian, he is genuinely interested in what people have to say."

"Jimmy's proven track record and personality make him a natural for this important role that will bring a new generation of fans to 'Late Night,'" said Big Cheese # 2, Marc Graboff. "He will put his own distinct mark on late night humor just as he did on 'SNL' and in his other creative endeavors."

Added Rick Ludwin, Executive Big Cheese in charge of Late Night and Primetime Series, NBC Entertainment, "Simply put, Jimmy has all of the qualities for a late night host -- in addition to being funny, he loves talking to people on and off camera, he's a talented comedy writer and his time at 'SNL' demonstrated not only his ability to entertain, but also the work ethic and dedication it takes to succeed at hosting a nightly show."

(Above: Image stolen from some website called Lemon Pepper; nice pix of our boy after a long night out on the town.)

Jimmy Fallon as Conan O'Brien's replacement? Absolutely, positively, no ifs, no ands, no buts? That's what Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com is reporting and no reason to doubt him - but I'm intrigued. Why did NBC (and Lorne Michaels) forgo that process they went through last time: A long audition process that turned away the likes of Jon Stewart but yielded instead a talented, lanky redhead who had never hosted a talk show and was gloriously rusty in his first few weeks on the air?

AKA, Conan (if you haven't guessed who that was.)

Maybe Lorne did do auditions and it never got reported. But...

If Fallon's the one then this means a couple obvious things: 1.) Conan is definitely heading to "Tonight" next year, and Jay is definitely heading elsewhere. 2.) Lorne is sticking to his old reliable play book, which reads (chapter one, verse one), "Much better to have a talented, versatile and creative performer in this job than a talk show host, which - after all - grows on trees."

Fallon's been off "SNL" a few years, working the comedy circuit, pursuing the silver screen, and - otherwise - staying out of the limelight. There's nothing wrong with that, but didn't he have a LOT more cache a couple years ago when he was an "SNL" star? Fallon's terrific - actually a not-bad singer either and a gifted impressionist - but also an acquired taste. If Roger is right, and Jimmy's the one, how will he get a national audience to acquire it? Don't forget though - Conan got hit with the same question, and earned (initially) even worse press than Katie Couric has. Look where he is now.

There's much Fallon to choose from on the Web, but this clip is good because it's a reasonably amusing parody of lonelygirl15, plus it's got "Car wash for Peace." Take it away...