NBC is considering a significant schedule change for its late-night lineup that would push The Jay Leno Show back to Leno’s old Tonight Show spot of 11:35 p.m., according to The New York Times. Under the plan, Leno’s show would be reduced to 30 minutes; as a result, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien would shift to 12:05 a.m. (instead of 11:35 p.m.), and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon would begin at 1:05 a.m. (instead of 12:35 a.m.)
NBC’s new late-night schedule would go into effect after the Feb. 28 conclusion of the 2010 Winter Olympics, which the network is covering.
Earlier today, NBC responded to Internet rumors that the network was considering canceling The Jay Leno Show in wake up of the 10 p.m. program’s dwindling ratings. “Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today,” NBC said in a statement. “As we have said all along, Jay’s show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network. It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve performance.”
Maybe a lightbulb went off in NBC’s head and they are starting to realize the failure that is Jay Leno at 10?
Jay isn’t funny
Not funny at all.
Never has been funny.
Not in the least bit funny
couldn’t BE funny if his life depended on it
He was funny in the 80′s when he was irreverent and edgy. A bloated a** kisser is what he became. Hurray for Hollywood.
Drop Leno, keep Conan? Keep Leno, drop Conan? Keep Leno and Conan? NBC has handled the whole situation so poorly that it seems they’re damned if they do, and they’re damned if they don’t.
This is crazy cakes.
Jay Leno needs to do something different.
NBC needs to let Conan step out of that shadow- he’s getting such a raw deal being stuck behind Leno. Let Conan have his show without any type of Leno lead in.
Only good news is 10 may be free for new shows.
But seriously now NBC, are you just trying to push viewers away?
Jay Leno is funny. It’s the 10:00 time slot that’s not funny. That time always was and should continue to be devoted to a good drama. Hello, NBC, drama.
Jay Leno is not funny. You are so wrong.
By “different”, I just meant move on from NBC late night talk show format.
I wasn’t passing judgment on his comedy. While I’m not a fan, my dad does think he’s funny (yet still doesn’t watch at 10.)
I agree with you, Linda, but there’s a problem; NBC isn’t doing drama very well right now, either.
Walk Conan Walk,
Go to ABC where the execs are not tards.
This is idiotic thinking on NBC’s part. If Leno fails at 10PM, it’s because the majority of TV watchers during the 10PM hour do NOT think he’s funny!
Conan took a bit of getting used to on Lat Night…give him the time he deserves.
If anything, put Leno on at 1:05
Leno is like those annoying co-workers who put in their notice to quit or retire from a job, and then come back as “contract” workers, and then end up worming their way back into the SAME JOB they said they didn’t want anymore! It’s just total BS. Leno could possibly be funny if he had a variety show ONCE a week, focusing on his few popular “bits” and god, please no more “earn your plug” spots. Conan–just leave NBC. They have messed with you long enough.
i agree. this is so insulting to Conan, and like Jay did with the whole Letterman ordeal back in the early 90s, he is once again smug and deceitful. he acts like a nice guy and then somehow stabs you in the back by stealing the job you worked hard to get.
Jenny, your comment made me realize: Jay Leno = Brett Favre! At least Green Bay had the decency to stand behind their new QB when Favre demanded his old job back…doesn’t look like the NBC suits will have the same kind of honor.
Yeah and look where that got them- looks like the Vikings are doing quite a bit better than Green Bay right now…
Would anyone really care if Leno just went off of NBC? All I want is for Jimmy Fallon to stay where he is. That show is great.
thanks for saying this. people like to rag on Jimmy Fallon. but, while Fallon wasn’t funny when he first began b/c hosting a late night show isn’t easy and requires a rhythm that you have to learn w/ time. on his show, “Slow Jam the News”, the “Thank You letters” and “Real Housewives of Late Night” are hilarious!
So YOU are the ONE person watching Fallon?? He is hardly talk show material. Craig Ferguson is the best of ALL the late night guys.
Also, I like Leno at 10. I don’t see anything wrong with it. Conan is SOOOO unfunny (like Fallon). And Letterman is now just a grumpy old, mean pervert. I actually watch Nightline, 1st half of Kimmel and then Craig. If Leno did move to 11:30, then maybe I’d watch him instead of Nightline.
Jay Leno is “one of the most compelling entertainers in the world” that no one is watching.
I like Leno at ten. I like watching it at ten and then going to sleep right after.
And Conan O’Brien replaces Dave after a lengthly contract dispute with NBC.
Sickening! Disgusting! conan O’Brien should be allowed to develope the Tonight Show into his own. The unfunny Jay Leno should hit the road. This is obviously an attempt by NBC to push Conan out the door and put Leno back on the Tonight Show. NBC and Jay Leno are repulsive entities. They both deserve bad karma.
I believe EW has it wrong. Other services are reporting that Leno will be returning to The Tonight Show and Conan is out. If this is true, it is a welcome development. Conan is NOT funny, never has been and never will be. He’s immature and if NBC keeps him, they need to push him back to late, late, late, late night.
My local affiliate used to never air him when he came on at 12:30 am. They delayed him until 2:30 am. Are you listening NBC?
WTF??
No. Leno should’ve retired already, he’s irrelevant. His ratings are poor and the only reason Conan’s ratings are worse is b/c Leno gets all the A-list guests and Conan gets mostly B-Listers, once all the A-listers have already promoted their work on Leno’s show.
NBC should get rid of Leno, give Conan A-list guests and allow him to increase his ratings with time. Conan deserves this. Anything less for Conan is deceitful and a slap in the face to him. I can’t believe this mess.
But if any of this happens, can Conan come back to NYC??
Conan OR Leno could be successful on NBC. At this point, both cannot be.
So obviously, NBC would rather just burn it all down.