by Carter, Bill
A more reasonable response, said the longtime late-night figure, was a drastic change in how late-night shows got produced. “In a way, these shows are doomed and protected at the same time,” the player said. “They’re doomed for all these reasons; protected because what else can you put on television that’s cheaper than this? But for sure the days of the $30 million salary for a host are gone forever. The days of the twelve-, thirteen-, fourteen-person writing staff are gone forever. Frankly, the days when there are house bands might come to a close.”
The models for how to produce late-night shows for much less money were certainly out there. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had smaller writing staffs and no house bands. Then there was Live with Regis and Kelly, ABC’s morning entry. As the late-night participant put it, “They come out. They talk. They interview guests. There’s your show. It costs a nickel.”
But would a show like that ever seize the attention of the nation, the way Letterman had during his sex scandal? Or the way Conan had after he told the people of earth he was cutting the cord with NBC? No, said the late-night principal. “I think all the important and cultural relevance of these shows is done.”
Maybe not yet. Another late-night leader of long significance, Lorne Michaels, refused to capitulate to the notion of inevitable extinction—or diminution. “They’re wrong,” Michaels said of the late-night eschatologists. “Of course these shows can still make money.” Michaels could hardly believe anything less, having just thrust Jimmy Fallon upon the world. Lorne was convinced that Fallon had the rare talent to establish an audience, build it, and then emerge as their personal star, the way Letterman had, the way Conan had.
If nothing else, Michaels pointed out, the events of January 2010 had proved the continued relevance and impact of late night. They accomplished something for Conan that he had not quite been able to do for himself. “The big thing this did, at the end of the day, was make Conan O’Brien truly famous,” Michaels said. “He wasn’t famous before.” It was the Hugh Grant comparison expressed a different way. But of course Jay Leno had been able to ride his Hugh Grant moment to long-term triumph. Conan had ridden his right out of NBC. And that was unfortunate, as Michaels saw it. Justified, perhaps, but still unfortunate.
Lorne looked at the situation from the truly long view, the view of the hardened, occasionally scarred veteran of many network conflicts. “The fact that the network behaved badly?” Michaels said. “If you read the charter, that’s what they do. Their thing is, they behave badly, and you can’t go, ‘Really? They did this?’ Because they’re the network. That’s what they do.”
Resigning in the face of network ingratitude, Lorne said, does not provide the anticipated satisfaction—an experience, he stressed, he knew well. In 1979 Michaels quit Saturday Night Live and NBC. He was unhappy with his treatment at that point, tired of battles with the network over things Lorne knew far better than they did would only improve the show. At the time, the executive in charge of NBC Entertainment was Irwin Segelstein, a small bear of a man, a generation older than Michaels, who was then not yet thirty-five. Lorne walked into Segelstein’s office, sat down, and laid out all the reasons he had decided to resign. And Segelstein, who had a sardonic streak, listened patiently, not uttering a word until Michaels had finished. Then he launched into a story, a parable of sorts, one that touched on the religion of television.
“Let me just take you through what will happen when you leave,” Segelstein began. “When you leave, the show will get worse. But not all of a sudden—gradually. And it will take the audience a while to figure that out. Maybe two, maybe three years. And when it gets to be, you know, awful, and the audience has abandoned it, then we will cancel it. And the show will be gone, but we will still be here, because we’re the network and we are eternal. If you read your contract closely, it says that the show is to be ninety minutes in length. It is to cost X. That’s the budget. Nowhere in that do we ever say that it has to be good. And if you are so robotic and driven that you feel the pressure to push yourself in that way to make it good, don’t come to us and say you’ve been treated unfairly, because you’re trying hard to make it good and we’re getting in your way. Because at no point did we ask for it to be good. That you’re neurotic is a bonus to us. Our job is to lie, cheat, and steal—and your job is to do the show.”
Lorne’s reaction had been a solitary word: “Whoa.” The speech had left him mostly speechless because he realized that Segelstein was exactly right. Being in charge of Saturday Night Live or The Tonight Show or the Nightly News, Michaels concluded, was not an entitlement—it was a job. That got confused at times because the people involved in these shows put so much emotion and passion into them—and it was these very qualities that made the shows so good.
With that insight and all his own experience behind him, Lorne Michaels did his best to stand back and survey the television landscape after all the action on the late-night field from late 2004 to the middle of 2010. He saw the plans that had been laid, decisions that had been made, moves that had been played.
As he worked through it, breaking it all down, he believed he had a grasp of exactly what had transpired, and why. But then a piece wouldn’t quite fit. Where did that piece come from? Did it make sense? For a time, Lorne thought he really had it, but then he realized he clearly didn’t. Finally, he decided, it was probably time to shrug it off and just walk away.
“It’s Chinatown,” he said.
On September 24, 2010, just as the fall television season got under way, Jeff Zucker announced that he was stepping down; the new corporate owners at Comcast were inclined, after all, to install their own boss. No one should have been surprised, Zucker said; yet he knew that many inside NBC would be. Comcast offered no specific reason, and Zucker resigned himself to the fact that “ninety-nine times out of a hundred, when a company spends billions to buy another company, they want to put their own team in place.” He certainly didn’t believe that the late-night crisis of 2010 had played a hand. “That was just a risk that didn’t work out,” he concluded. Whatever the rationale, the departure removed Zucker from the only employer he had ever worked for, the only building he had ever worked in. “It’s all I’ve ever known,” Jeff said. “I met my wife here. My four kids were born while I was here. I endured colon cancer twice here.” The pain of separation from an institution he had devoted his professional life to stirred “gut-wrenching” emotions in Jeff Zucker; it was something he suddenly had in common with a late-night host of his previous acquaintance. That, and Harvard.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book is almost exclusively the product of firsthand reporting. I gained information from several other sources, especially in-depth interviews in Rolling Stone magazine. I also relied on some of my own reporting for The New York Times. But I was most fortunate to have the encouragement of some extraordinary editors there. I want especially to thank Bruce Headlam and Steve Reddicliffe.
At Viking, thanks to the president, Clare Ferraro, and the executive editor, Rick Kot, as well as Laura Tisdel, who rode herd on the copy. And of course I must once again thank my stalwart agent, Kathy Robbins, a supplier of great advice and confidence.
My fondest appreciation goes to Rich and Nikki Carter, Catherine and Dan O’Neill, Alexandra Carter and Greg Lembrich, Rich and Brittany Carter, John Carter, Bridget and Danny O’Neill, Tom and Regina Lembrich, Phil and Denise Andrews, Frank and Diane Guercio, Lori and Thom Peters, Aine and Paul McCambridge, Kathy and Eric Davidson, Leslie and Paul Marchese, Gerry Uehlinger, and Dr. Tom Ziering.
Thanks to Pat Berry, and a shout-out to the “cool kids” table on the 14th floor. I also benefited immeasurably from having an early reader, and always friend, Eric Mink.
From Fox, my great thanks to Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice. From ABC, Anne Sweeney. From TBS, Steve Koonin. From the E Channel, Ted Harbert.
I am grateful to two complete professionals from NBC, Allison Gollust and Rebecca Marks, as well as Cory Shields, Jeff DeRome
, and Tracy St. Pierre. Others I am indebted to at NBC include Marc Graboff, Rick Ludwin, Nick Bernstein, Alan Wurtzel, Ron Meyer, Michael Bass, and Michael Fiorile. Jeff Gaspin supplied his recollections with impressive frankness. Dick Ebersol has always related his experiences with color and candor—never more so than this time. Lorne Michaels, as he has often in the past, found remarkable ways to express the essence of what was really going on.
I want to express special appreciation to Jeff Zucker. He was, as he has always been, open, thoughtful, and giving with his time and his perspectives.
Thanks also to Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Alan Berger, Andrea Wong, Robert Morton, Jeff Garlin, Bob Thompson, Don Ohlmeyer, Marc Liepis, Brian Williams—and for great laughs and observations, Jerry Seinfeld. Others contributed reflections and comments and asked not to be identified. All of them have my deepest appreciation.
From The Late, Late Show, thanks to Craig Ferguson, Michael Naidus, and two of the best people I know, Peter and Alice Lassally. From Late Night, thanks to Jimmy Fallon and Mike Shoemaker. From Late Night with David Letterman, I greatly appreciate Tom Keaney’s efforts on my behalf, as well as Rob Burnett’s valuable contributions. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert share a common thread: their irrepressible agent, James Dixon. Big thanks to James and his clients, especially his third one, Jimmy Kimmel, whose extraordinary generosity of spirit has always extended to me.
Jay Leno has never been anything but warm and welcoming to me. I especially thank him for his thoughtfulness to me this year. I also appreciate the help and insights of Jay’s wise and essential producer, Debbie Vickers.
From “Team Coco,” thanks to Gavin Polone, Mike Sweeney, Drew Shane, and Andy Richter, as well as Ari Emanuel and especially the class act that is Rick Rosen. Throughout this effort, Conan’s executive producer, Jeff Ross, was, as he has always been for me, the gold standard for generosity, dependability, and decency.
I have been privileged to chronicle much of Conan O’Brien’s amazing ride through late night. This year, Conan displayed only more openness, honesty, and grace under pressure. He was generous beyond the call. Special thanks as well to Liza O’Brien.
Three people make everything in my life possible. My children, Caela Ellen Carter and Daniel Houston Carter, fill my days with the purest form of joy. Their mother, the love of my life, Beth Keating Carter, remains the wisest editor, most enthusiastic reader, and greatest partner anyone could ever have. No man has ever been more blessed.
INDEX
ABC
proposal to Conan
proposal to Leno
Affiliates
Jay Leno Show failure with
opposition to Conan
Agoglia, John
Alexander, Jason
Bass, Michael
Berger, Alan
Berman, Gail
Bernstein, Nick
Birkitt, Stephanie
Braun, Lloyd
Conan’s shift to 12:05, reaction to
hires Kimmel
network experience of
Brecheen, Leigh
Bromstad, Angela
Burnett, Rob
comments about Leno
and Conan
and Kilborn
on “late-night war,”
Carey, Drew
Carolla, Adam
Carson, Johnny
advice about SNL
-Conan meetings
jokes, sending to Letterman
last show
leaves Tonight Show
Leno alienation
and Letterman
and Seinfeld
successor. See Tonight Show, The with Jay Leno
CBS, Letterman signs with
Charles, Larry
Chase, Chevy
Chernin, Peter
proposal to Conan
proposal to Leno
Colbert, Stephen
as comic, development of
family background
Colbert Report
Comcast, Universal takeover by
Cook, Michelle
Costas, Bob
Creative Artists Agency
Crystal, Billy
Daily Show, The
cost of show
Emmy Awards to
Kilborn as host
Stewart as host
Daniels, Greg
Davies, Michael
“Devil-Bear,”
Dixon, James
as Colbert’s agent
as Kimmel’s agent
as Stewart’s agent
DVDs, impact on ratings
Ebersol, Dick
improving show, suggestions to Conan
Jay at prime time, negativity toward
and late-night programming
as Leno supporter
and NFL deal
post-war position of
Tonight / Conan, negativity toward
Elliott, Chris
Emanuel, Ari
and Conan move to Tonight Show
Conan’s shift to 12:05, reaction to
and Fox/Conan talks
Emmy Awards, Conan as host
Endeavor
and Fox/Conan talks
See also Rosen, Rick
Fallon, Jimmy
as comic, development of
family background
Late Night with
on SNL
upfront week performance
Ferguson, Craig
as comic, development of
family background
Late Late Show host
Ferrell, Will
Finnerty, Dan
Fiorile, Michael
Fox
acquiring Conan, efforts in
pitch to Kimmel
proposal to Leno
See also Chernin, Peter
Friday Night Videos
Garlin, Jeff
on late-night wars
Gaspin, Jeff
on Conan as financial liability
Conan’s Manifesto, interpretation of
expectations of Leno
on late-night wars
Leno leaves prime-time meetings
Leno leaves prime-time strategy
NBC Entertainment under
post-war position of
Glaser, Patty
Gollust, Allison
“Gossip,”
Graboff, Marc
and Conan move to Tonight Show
Conan’s Manifesto, interpretation of
and Leno contract negotiations
Leno leaves prime-time meetings
Leno leaves prime-time strategy
at upfront week
Groundlings
Halderman, Joe
Hale, Boyd
“Happy Happy Good Show, The,”
Hartman, Andrea
Harvard, Conan’s activities at
Harvard Lampoon
Harvey, Allan
Iger, Bob
proposal to Conan
proposal to Leno
Immelt, Jeff
and NFL deal
Zucker relationship with
Jay Leno Show, The
cancellation leak
canceling, NBC alternative ideas
departing statement
failure with affiliates
first show
format of
the “Leno effect,”
Leno’s contract
Leno’s negativity about
as NBC “don’t lose Leno” strategy
NBC negativity toward
pay-and-play agreement
ratings
Jay Leno Show, The (special 1986)
Jean, Al
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Kimmel hired for
Leno parody
“10 at 10” with Leno
time slot changes
upfront week performance
during writers’ strike
Kilborn, Craig, and Daily Show, The
Kimmel, Jimmy
career, development of
comments about Leno
family background
on future of late-night show
late-night show. See Jimmy Kimmel Live!
and Leno
Leno’s package deal for
as Letterman fan
post-war position of
on Super Bowl promo
Kinnear, Greg
Klein, Howard
Koonin, Steve
Koppel, Ted
Kudrow, Lisa
Kushnick, Helen
Lasko, Regina
Lassally, Peter
Carson jokes, sending to Letterman
pitch to Ferguson
relationship with Letterman
Late Late Show, The
Ferguson hired
improv approach to
ratings versus Conan
Snyder, first host
during writers’ strike
Late-night show, future view for
Late-night wars
post-war commentary
See also specific shows, executives, entertainers
Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Conan’s audition
early feedback
first renewals, thirteen-week
first show
improving, NBC notes ignored
last show
new host, Conan as choice for
positive turnaround
Prince of Wales contract option
ratings, rise in
