Conan O'Brien announces microfracture surgery to stop NBC from moving his time slot

I really hope some of these concessions I've read that he's had to make aren't true like "you can't make fun of NBC or you have to pay us a penalty" or not having the rights to the characters he and his writers created like the Masturbating Bear, Pimpbot 5000, or maybe even Triumph.

 

Can't he simple make tweak? The masterbating gorilla?

 

Where did you read that? NBC taking the characters would just be another dick move. It's not like they would use them, they would just want to prevent Conan from using them.

 

I think making the most minimal changes would work. The Masturbating Panda and PimpBot 5001. Triumph was Robert Smigel's creation and even though he premiered on Conan, he's had a career outside of the show. I don't think NBC could claim any right to the character and Conan wouldn't have the authority to give it to them anyway. NBC has no more right to Triumph than they do Abe Vigoda.

FWIW, when Letterman left for CBS, NBC tried to keep the top 10 list. That didn't work either.

 

Because a show like that in primetime does not have a 55 year history of working like the show Conan took over does.

 

O'Brien's NBC departure leaves bits behind

NBC owns rights to popular trademarked characters
By Matthew Belloni and Nellie Andreeva

The Masturbating Bear is dead.

As a deal nears for Conan O'Brien's exit from NBC, one thing is certain: The characters and recurring comedy bits O'Brien originated during his 16-plus years on "Late Night" and "The Tonight Show" will not follow the host when he leaves NBC.

The Peacock owns the intellectual property behind such popular O'Brien characters as Pimpbot 5000 and Conando, as well as recurring segments such as In the Year 3000 and Desk Driving. Sources involved in the settlement negotiations say NBC is keeping the copyrighted and trademarked elements of O'Brien's shows as part of the deal. That means the bits and characters will likely never be seen after O'Brien's "Tonight" ends its run Jan. 22.

While the vast majority of the characters O'Brien introduced are said to owned by NBC, it's unclear who controls Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the crass canine puppet that is perhaps O'Brien's most popular recurring bit. Triumph was originated by writer and longtime O'Brien pal Robert Smigel, whose reps declined to comment on whether Smigel or NBC owned rights to the character.

In 1993, David Letterman got into a dustup with NBC when he departed "Late Night" for CBS' "Late Show." NBC attorneys attempted to prevent Letterman from taking intellectual property originated on "Late Night" to the comic's new home. Letterman responded by dropping certain bits and renaming other recurring segments -- "Viewer Mail" became "CBS Mailbag" and frequent guest Larry "Bud" Melman began referring to himself by his real name, Calvert DeForest. Letterman mocked the dispute on his first "Late Show" when NBC anchor Tom Brokaw interrupted the monologue and stole cue cards in the name of securing NBC's intellectual property.

O'Brien, if he lands at another late-night show, might be in a tougher spot. Unlike comic personalities Letterman and Jay Leno, O'Brien began his career as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons," and his shows relied more heavily on the cleverly scripted bits and outrageous characters.

Losing those assets could hurt O'Brien as he looks for another home, although his "Tonight" had featured fewer of the characters than "Late Night" and the host -- who is considered one of the top comedy writers in the business -- may be looking for a fresh start. Sources close to him said he was not interested in taking his NBC characters with him.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr...sion/news/e3id3e0b71b5f1a6df49c39fb3f3749b81d

 

Pssh. Conan doesn't need those old characters(except for may nostalgia sake). What I'm hoping for is for Conan to get on Fox and use all their copyrighted films and tv shows for his new bits.

What he really needs, of course, is a new "Walker, Texas Ranger" lever. That thing was just crazy funny.

 

Letterman came out ahead with his CBS contract. They gave him guaranteed slot, money and most importantly, publishing rights and content.

I'd think Conan would've read up on the Late Shift and used it as his negotiating bible.

 

Adiós Conando: http://www.tonightshowwithconanobrien.com/conando/

 

I wonder what the ratings for The Tonight Show has been ever since this debacle started. I bet it's through the roof.

 

Zucker is on the Charlie Rose show right now.

 

I'm betting he won't ask any hard questions. Charlie is a corporate shill and kissass.

 

Jay explains his POV

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The latest from all the shows:

http://tv.gawker.com/5451462/as-let...o-skirts-blame-conans-show-was-not-doing-well

Fun times...

 

Jay Leno has 175 staffers? Really? Does he employ people to fold napkins and dust doorknobs?

 

I love how the story has shifted from reality: The affiliates were going to preempt Jay's show because it was killing their news ratings....to NBC's version: Conan is being fired because his ratings sucked.

 

? I watched Leno's video and he specifically said that he was losing his job because the affiliates weren't happy with the ratings.

 

So, Jay's side:

In 2004, Conan wanted the Tonight Show and would've left without a promise to it.

NBC wanted to keep Conan so they told Jay, who, at the time, did not have any plans to retire, that they would be giving the show to Conan in 2009.

Jay didn't want a repeat of what happened to him and Letterman so he announced that he'd retire*. It's a bit vague: retire from the show or show-business, completely; however, ultimately, Jay wanted to have a show after he steps down.

NBC, not wanting to lose Leno, conceived the Jay Leno Show for primetime. Jay was skeptical of the timeslot and NBC, itself, admitted that (1) Jay would get killed by traditional primetime shows. However, the premise was that he'd pick up once other networks start showing re-runs. Jay says OK.

The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien airs. Ratings eventually fall.

The Jay Leno Show airs. The Tonight Show's ratings fall even further. There was actually a hope that The Jay Leno Show would help Conan's ratings, even though NBC already admitted (1).

Affiliate complaints over-power the plan. The Jay Leno Show never makes it to the spring and summer where it was supposed to become an actually decent lead-in to the Tonight Show.

The rest is history.

 

Not buying it

 

ditto...........In theory, O'Brien's ratings were on a better shape than when Leno took over Carson's show......And O'brien is actually hitting key demographics..once he's comfortable with the 11:35 slot, I believe the Tonight Show would take off...

Sad to say, NBC and Leno would deny Conan such an opportunity.............


I don't think Leno could overcome such a PR disaster, He might have dodge Letterman, but he's not dodging Conan and the Internet...