I remember Howard Stern telling Conan NBC would never honor their commitment to him in 5 years. He knew NBC..("Never Believe your Contract"- Jay Leno.)
That’s complete nonsense. NBC created a brand new studio from the ground up. What other Tonight Show has that? He didn’t do a good enough show. If he had, they would’ve written Leno a contract and gone on his own way. You think they would not give him the show if it was good after all the wait, all the money for the new studio.
4:21 In show business, when someone offers you a job, you usually take it. 7:11 Pay-or-Play vs Pay-and-Play 8:39 ABC executive says that they would still have given Leno another look despite bad 10pm ratings. 9:23 Leno still seduced by The Tonight Show. 11:46 The Tonight Show as an institution. 12:11 Both times, someone over-rated the Tonight Show as an institution. 14:11 Letterman's surprise once Leno took over in the ratings. Letterman didn't respect Leno as a creative comedy guy (but did as a stand-up). Letterman doesn't want to do what it would take to beat Leno. 15:12 Letterman no longer tapes a show every weekday. Friday show is done on Monday. 17:33 Letterman would go 6 months without talking to his executive producer. 18:22 Letterman saw what Carson was like after leaving *his* show. 19:21 Letterman doesn't work as hard. Doesn't rehearse show. 21:16 Letterman has the most talent... even more than Conan. 34:21 Conan's people were who hurt him. Didn't guarantee 11:30pm. 35:48 Conan's Tonight Show wasn't good. 37:28 Carter surprised that Conan didn't realize he wasn't clicking. 37:46 NBC should've taken Conan off the air once he was going to get cancelled. 40:50 Conan still doing too much victimization on his stage show. 41:05 Conan should've gone to Fox. 41:56 Conan in denial that he should've gone about 2004 in a different way. 42:29 Conan's supporters felt he blew it by staying at NBC. 44:08 Bill's favorite anecdote is Conan saying, "What does Jay have on you?" 45:30 Conan's venom scared NBC executives enough that they warned Leno not to call Conan. 45:50 Letterman's pre-show sugar rush. 47:08 Seinfeld's vociferous defense of Leno. 48:49 Helen Kushnick hated Carson. Jeff Zucker's decisions after the Conan decision is like sports GM's who make a bad trade and then the next 5 decisions relate to that bad signing. 49:53 Jeff Zucker’s big flaw was his refusal to pick Leno or Conan.
@YE24 Clips NP, I actually did it for myself to use as reference but don’t mind if other people find it useful. Keep in mind, I don’t timestamp everything, just the parts I find interesting.
Simmons: "And [Letterman is] one of those guys that when he's done, he'll be done that day. And it won't be one of those 'hey, nine months from now will be my last show. Let's have a nine month lead up to it.'" Got that one quite wrong. Like Johnny, Dave announced his departure well before he actually stepped down.
It turns out that everyone is stealing from everybody. Those Letterman segments like him jumping into a tub of water with Alka Seltzer tablets or talking to people on the street? I thought that was his ideas too. Turns out Steve Allen, the first host of the Tonight Show, was doing it way before Dave.
I remember Howard Stern telling Conan NBC would never honor their commitment to him in 5 years. He knew NBC..("Never Believe your Contract"- Jay Leno.)
That’s complete nonsense. NBC created a brand new studio from the ground up. What other Tonight Show has that?
He didn’t do a good enough show. If he had, they would’ve written Leno a contract and gone on his own way.
You think they would not give him the show if it was good after all the wait, all the money for the new studio.
4:21 In show business, when someone offers you a job, you usually take it.
7:11 Pay-or-Play vs Pay-and-Play
8:39 ABC executive says that they would still have given Leno another look despite bad 10pm ratings.
9:23 Leno still seduced by The Tonight Show.
11:46 The Tonight Show as an institution.
12:11 Both times, someone over-rated the Tonight Show as an institution.
14:11 Letterman's surprise once Leno took over in the ratings. Letterman didn't respect Leno as a creative comedy guy (but did as a stand-up). Letterman doesn't want to do what it would take to beat Leno.
15:12 Letterman no longer tapes a show every weekday. Friday show is done on Monday.
17:33 Letterman would go 6 months without talking to his executive producer.
18:22 Letterman saw what Carson was like after leaving *his* show.
19:21 Letterman doesn't work as hard. Doesn't rehearse show.
21:16 Letterman has the most talent... even more than Conan.
34:21 Conan's people were who hurt him. Didn't guarantee 11:30pm.
35:48 Conan's Tonight Show wasn't good.
37:28 Carter surprised that Conan didn't realize he wasn't clicking.
37:46 NBC should've taken Conan off the air once he was going to get cancelled.
40:50 Conan still doing too much victimization on his stage show.
41:05 Conan should've gone to Fox.
41:56 Conan in denial that he should've gone about 2004 in a different way.
42:29 Conan's supporters felt he blew it by staying at NBC.
44:08 Bill's favorite anecdote is Conan saying, "What does Jay have on you?"
45:30 Conan's venom scared NBC executives enough that they warned Leno not to call Conan.
45:50 Letterman's pre-show sugar rush.
47:08 Seinfeld's vociferous defense of Leno.
48:49 Helen Kushnick hated Carson. Jeff Zucker's decisions after the Conan decision is like sports GM's who make a bad trade and then the next 5 decisions relate to that bad signing.
49:53 Jeff Zucker’s big flaw was his refusal to pick Leno or Conan.
@YE24 Clips NP, I actually did it for myself to use as reference but don’t mind if other people find it useful.
Keep in mind, I don’t timestamp everything, just the parts I find interesting.
Simmons: "And [Letterman is] one of those guys that when he's done, he'll be done that day. And it won't be one of those 'hey, nine months from now will be my last show. Let's have a nine month lead up to it.'"
Got that one quite wrong. Like Johnny, Dave announced his departure well before he actually stepped down.
Don’t blame Conan.
He's not that kind of guy. He would never do that to himself.
Don’t make a big deal about losing 30 minutes to a guy who you took a show from.
Jay Leno copied Letterman and stole a whole bunch of ideas and segments from Howard Stern too
It turns out that everyone is stealing from everybody.
Those Letterman segments like him jumping into a tub of water with Alka Seltzer tablets or talking to people on the street?
I thought that was his ideas too. Turns out Steve Allen, the first host of the Tonight Show, was doing it way before Dave.