Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien share an intriguing connection, and it’s not just because they’re each famed speak present hosts. In 2010, they had been engaged in a extremely publicized dispute involving NBC’s The Tonight Present. The state of affairs introduced adverse publicity to the community on the time and, since all the pieces went down, some have been below the impression that O’Brien and Leno aren’t on good phrases. So over a decade after the late-night TV drama, the place does their relationship stand? Effectively, an insider dropped some alleged particulars on the matter.
Conan O’Brien, who’d been the host of Late Evening since 1993, was finally named Jay Leno’s Tonight Present successor and formally took up the place in 2009. All in all, evaluations of O’Brien’s flip on the large desk had been principally constructive. On the identical time, execs sought to maintain Leno within the fold and did so by giving him an eponymous speak present that aired after TTS. As a result of neither present acquired sturdy rankings out of the gate, the powers that be sought to repair that by bumping Leno as much as 11:35 p.m. ET and O’Brien again to 12:05 a.m. ET. The latter was displeased with that transfer and, finally, he and his employees reached a settlement to depart this system in 2010. O’Brien would transfer to TBS, whereas Leno can be reinstated because the Tonight Present host.
What Did The Insider Declare About Conan O’Brien And Jay Leno’s Relationship?
If a supply is to be believed, the previous Conan host nonetheless isn’t proud of how the matter panned out. The individual – who claimed to be a buddy of the SNL alum – informed Radar On-line the enterprise determination nonetheless “nonetheless sticks in Conan’s craw to this present day.” They are saying that the star allegedly feels that point slot switch-up was prompted not by rankings however by one other purported issue:
Conan’s satisfied Jay went behind his again after Jay had second ideas about leaving the late-night platform, and he feels he by no means acquired the possibility to indicate what he may actually do. Conan has by no means forgiven Jay and has by no means talked to him in all of the years since. He’s acquired a dart board at dwelling with Jay’s face on it.
These sentiments must be taken with a grain of salt. Jay Leno has by no means truly admitted to having had second ideas about exiting his former present. Contemplating what’s been alleged right here, one can’t assist however carry what each media personalities have mentioned on the matter extra lately.
What Conan O’Brien And Jay Leno Have Stated About The Tonight Present Debacle In Latest Years
The previous host of Late Evening opened up concerning the controversy throughout an interview with Adweek in 2022. Conan O’Brien defined that he considered the “screwed-up” and “unjust” state of affairs as being “essential” to him. He additionally opened up concerning the public outcry that emerged on the time, which noticed various individuals coming to his protection:
I’ll admit to you, I’m not a seer. I am not a tech visionary. I am not a revolutionary thinker. Speak about luck: I occur to exist at a time when the web at that time, 2010, is absolutely beginning to flex its muscle groups. There was this explosion on-line, and that took me utterly abruptly. I did not see it coming. I bear in mind on the time, there have been individuals at NBC that—I all the time image them of their black tower, going: [shocked indignation] ‘How is he doing this? Launch one other falcon. Cease him!’
He didn’t goal to say his fellow speak present alum by identify throughout the chat, although the now-73-year-old Jay Leno did point out Conan O’Brien whereas reflecting on the state of affairs close to the tip of 2022. He shared his ideas on Invoice Maher’s Membership Random podcast. Throughout that chat, Leno denied the belief that he “intentionally sabotaged” O’Brien:
Oh, Leno intentionally sabotaged his present to attempt to get The Tonight Present.’ No, that does not work, it would not work that manner. You attempt to do the most effective you may, and it did not work. After which they mentioned, ‘How about approaching at 11:30?’ I mentioned, ‘Look, I do not need to undergo this once more.’ [NBC’s Jeff Zucker] goes, ‘If Conan strikes again to 12, would you do a half-hour at 11:30?’ I mentioned, ‘Discuss to Conan. If he’ll go to 12, I will do a half-hour, simply do a monologue and one visitor.’ And, in fact, Conan did not need to try this, and that is when he wrote the letter. And so they put me again in, and we turned primary once more.
Jay Leno, who doesn’t miss internet hosting on late-night TV, ultimately departed The Tonight Present for good in 2014, and Jimmy Fallon took over internet hosting duties. On the opposite aspect of the equation, Conan O’Brien’s self-titled collection on TBS resulted in 2021 with a collection of reveals that includes main friends like Mila Kunis and Martin Brief. We will’t say for certain if there’s nonetheless any friction between the 2 males, however what might be agreed on is that they each managed to maneuver on to different prime skilled endeavors.
