Insiders close to “The Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien say he is unhappy with NBC’s proposal to move “The Jay Leno Show” to the 11:35PM slot, reports Variety.
Under the proposal, “Tonight” would move back a half hour to 12:05AM, effectively becoming “the tomorrow show.”
“It’s radically unfair what happened to him,” said a source to Variety. “He turned down a massive offer six years ago with the promise of eventually getting the ‘Tonight Show.’ And then he never really got the ‘Tonight Show.
O’Brien reportedly turned down lucrative overtures from FOX in 2004 under the notion that he would replace Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” in 2009. While O’Brien did indeed assume the reins, the promotion did not mean as much as it should have–soon after O’Brien debuted at 11:35PM, “The Jay Leno Show” moved to NBC’s primetime schedule with a daily airing at 10PM, effectively becoming the flagship talk show for NBC.
With “Leno” failing to deliver in its 10PM timeslot, NBC made the decision this week to pull the show from primetime and re-situate the veteran host in the late night block.
Though Variety’s insiders note that O’Brien was “stung” by NBC’s decision to move “Leno” back to the key late night slot, it remains unclear how O’Brien will ultimately react to NBC’s proposal. Beyond questions about whether or not he could contractually exit NBC, there is also the issue of whether or not a better home exists.
FOX has expressed preliminary interest, and some cable networks would certainly entertain the idea, but interest and deal-making initiative are quite different.
NBC and Conan’s camp will meet again Monday to discuss the future of the late-night schedule. Though NBC’s Jeff Gaspin admitted no deal had yet been reached when discussing the news at the TCA press tour, he expressed confidence that the proposal should come across as a fair compromise to O’Brien.
“I think Conan’s motivation will become more clear as time goes on, but what was important to me is that I gave Conan something that was very important to him, which was The Tonight Show,” said Gaspin.
If accepted, the move would produce a new late-night schedule for NBC: “Leno” at 11:35, “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” at 12:05 and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” at 1:05. Where Carson Daly’s late-night talker would fit into the schedule is unclear.