The War for Late Night
Page 51
Ross as producer
sidekick. See Richter, Andy
Stewart as competitor
successor. See Fallon, Jimmy
during writers’ strike
Late Night with David Letterman
Carson jokes submitted to
head writer/producer, offer to Conan
Leno appearances on
Letterman leaves NBC
search for successor
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Later
Late Show with David Letterman, The
beginning of
McCain, bits about
on 9/11
Palin insult/apology by
ratings versus Conan
ratings versus Leno
reinvention of show
revenues
during writers’ strike
Leno, Cathryn Muir
Leno, Jay
ABC proposals to
attorney. See Ziffren, Ken
automobile collection
as Carson successor. See Tonight Show, The with Jay Leno
“closet moment,”
comments about Conan
comments about Letterman
contract renewal (2004)
earnings at NBC
family background
finances, handling of
image, post-war rehabilitation of
and Kimmel
Late Night appearances
lifestyle of
NBC “don’t lose Leno” tactics
negative portrayals of
outreach to Michaels
at prime time. See Jay Leno Show, The
public image of
relationship with mother
representation, lack of
school difficulties
self-comparison to Letterman
Sony offer
special (1986)
Super Bowl promo
Tonight with Conan, Zucker meeting
upfront week performance
wife of
work ethic of
Leno, Mavis
Leno, Patrick
Letterman, David
affair/extortion incident
Carson, relationship with
comedy, personal style
comments about Conan
comments about Leno
Conan’s shift to 12:05, reaction to
earnings at NBC
Emmy Awards to
leaves NBC
Leno at prime time, reaction to
versus Leno for Tonight Show
negative life events
personality traits
politicizing, refusal
relationship with Conan
social anxiety of
staff ostracized by
and Super Bowl promo
wife of
See also Late Night with David Letterman; Late Show with David Letterman, The
Liepis, Marc
Littlefield, Warren
and Conan on Late Night
on Conan’s ratings
Lopez, George
Ludwin, Rick
on ABC/Leno proposal
and Conan’s move to Tonight
Leno’s blame of
strike shows, impression of
Tonight with Conan, informs Leno about
trust in Conan
MacDonald, Norm
McKean, Michael
McManus, Sean
McPherson, Steve
Mad About You
Markoe, Merrill
Marks, Rebecca
Medeiros, Joe
Meyer, Ron, as NBC/Conan intermediary
Michaels, Lorne
on Jay at upfront
Late Night, search for host
on late-night wars
Leno at prime time, reaction to
Leno’s outreach to
on power of the network
relationship with Conan
Tonight / Conan, negativity toward
See also Saturday Night Live
Midnight Special, The
Miller, Dennis
Moonves, Leslie
and Kimmel
and Letterman
Morton, Robert
NBC
Conan’s contract
Conan’s litigation threats
executives. See Gaspin, Jeff; Graboff, Marc; Silverman, Ben; Wright, Bob; Zucker, Jeff
late-night profitability
Leno replaced, press release
Leno’s contract
power over creatives
ratings, downturn
Universal, Comcast takeover
upfront week
See also specific shows, executives, entertainers
Nightline
Not Necessarily the News
Obama, Barack
O’Brien, Conan
ABC proposals to
agent. See Rosen, Rick
comedy, personal style
as comic, early development of
comments about Leno
comments about Letterman
earnings at NBC
as Emmy Awards host (2002)
family background
Fox proposals to
Harvard, comedy-related activities
introduced on Leno show
Late Night, Conan as contender
Leno at prime time, reaction to
Letterman admired by
manager. See Polone, Gavin
NBC creative input ignored by
NBC payout to
as performer, decision about
personality traits
post-war position of
rejected as Letterman writer
relationship with Carson
relationship with Kudrow
relationship with Michaels
relationship with Ross
as Simpsons writer
as SNL writer
string dance
Super Bowl promo invitation
TBS program
tenth-anniversary special
Tonight, Conan as host. See Tonight Show, The with Conan O’Brien
tour
upfront week performance
wife of
See also Late Night with Conan O’Brien; Tonight Show, The with Conan O’Brien
O’Brien, Jane
O’Brien, Liza
Odenkirk, Bob
O’Donnell, Steve
Ohlmeyer, Don
and Conan on Late Night
and Conan’s first renewals
replacing Jay, reaction to
Palin, Sarah
Conan refuses to interview
Letterman insult/apology
on Tonight with Conan
Pay-and-play contract
“Polly, the NBC Peacock,”
Polone, Gavin
on Conan’s departure
Conan’s shift to 12:05, reaction to
and first renewals
and Fox/Conan talks
hired by Conan
and Late Night deal
Leno at prime time, reaction to
restrictions after settlement
sees Conan perform
Pope, Maria
Powel, Liza. See O’Brien, Liza
Prime time, Leno show. See Jay Leno Show, The
Prince of Wales clause
Provenza, Paul
Reilly, Kevin
acquiring Conan, efforts in
at NBC
Reynolds, Rick
Rice, Peter
Richter, Andy
begins as sidekick
reviews of
on Tonight Show
Rogers, Mimi
Rosen, Rick
and Conan’s shift to 12:05
and Conan Tonight Show deal
Leno at prime time, reaction to
Ross, Jeff
and ABC negotiation
and Conan’s audition
Conan’s shift to 12:05, reaction to
and Conan’
s success
and Fox/Conan talks
Late Night producer offer
Leno at prime time, reaction to
Leno leaves prime-time meetings
personality traits
post-war position of
relationship with Conan
Ryan, Shawn
Saturday Night Live
Conan as writer
Conan quits
and Ebersol
Fallon on
See also Michaels, Lorne
Segelstein, Irwin
Seghetti, Cynthia
Seinfeld, Jerry
on late-night wars
relationship with Leno
upfront week performance
Shaffer, Paul
Shales, Tom
Shandling, Gary
Shapiro, George
Silverman, Ben
Silverman, Fred
Simpsons, Conan as writer
Smigel, Robert
Smithberg, Madeleine
Snyder, Tom
Sony, courting Leno
Sotzing, Jeff
Stern, Howard
Stewart, Jon
ABC pitch to
agent of. See Dixon, James
as comic, early development of
Conan’s view of
Emmy Awards to
family background
as late-night threat
Worldwide Pants, holding deal with
See also Daily Show, The
Super Bowl, Letterman, Leno, Winfrey promo
Sweeney, Anne
Sweeney, Mike
TBS, signs Conan
Team Coco
Tolan, Peter
Tonight Show, The with Conan O’Brien
age of viewers
versus Colbert
Conan prepares for
Conan’s contract
Conan’s salary
Conan supporters near end
decision to leave, satisfaction with
final shows
first show
improving, NBC suggestions ignored
jokes about 12:05 shift
last show
Leno at prime time, impact on
versus Letterman
Manifesto/departing statement
as NBC “don’t lose Conan” strategy
NBC negativity toward
NBC settlement with Conan
and Olympics weeks
Palin on
promos
ratings
salary
shift to 12:05, Conan’s reaction to
time-period protection, lack of
Tonight Show, The with Jay Leno
Conan as guest
guests, Leno’s disinterest in
last show
Leno replaced, NBC reasons for
Leno’s return after Conan
Leno wins over Letterman
ratings versus Letterman
replaced, Jay tells staff
replacement decision, Leno reaction to
replacement plan, secrecy of
revenues
during writers’ strike
Turner, Bonnie
United Talent
Upfront week
Leno performance
Vickers, Debbie
Conan’s ratings, tracking
and format of Leno show
Leno leaving prime-time meeting
relationship with Leno
replacing Leno, reaction to
Wells, John
West, Howard
“Wild Blue Yonder,”
Williams, Brian
upfront week emcee
Wilton North Report, The
Win Ben Stein’s Money
Winfrey, Oprah
Leno interview
and Super Bowl promo
Winstead, Lizz
Wolf, Dick
Wong, Andrea
Worldwide Pants
pitch to Ferguson
power of
and Stewart
Wright, Bob
relationship with Conan
Zucker as successor to
Wright, Suzanne
Writers’ strike
Wurtzel, Alan
Ziffren, Ken
and Leno contract negotiations
Leno leaves prime-time meeting
Zucker, Jeff
comments about Letterman
Conan as “king” proclamation
“don’t lose Conan” strategy
“don’t lose Leno” strategy
improving shows, notes to Conan
NBC, status under
post-war position of
prime time, moves Leno out
professional experience of
relationship with Conan
threatens icing Conan
Tonight / Conan, negativity toward
Tonight with Conan, informs Leno about
and upfront week
Frontispiece Photo Captions and Credits
TOP ROW: NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker with his two surviving late-night stars, Jimmy Fallon and Jay Leno (NBC Universal Photo Bank/Paul Morse); Conan O’Brien onstage at Late Night with his creative brain trust, executive producer Jeff Ross (left) and head writer Mike Sweeney (NBC Universal Photo Bank); David Letterman, for twenty-eight years a star of late night, at his post behind the desk at Late Show (JP Filo CBS/WORLDWIDE PANTS).
SECOND ROW: Jeff Gaspin, the new leader of NBC’s Entertainment operation and the man with the plan to revamp late night (NBC Universal Photo Bank); Gavin Polone, manager to Conan O’Brien, agent provocateur to NBC (photo credit: Sarah Shatz); Jay getting advice from his longtime executive producer and closest adviser, Debbie Vickers, while a special guest shows some interest. It was the first visit ever for a sitting president to a late-night show (NBC Universal Photo Bank).
THIRD ROW: James Dixon (left), the busiest agent in late night, with one of his three stars, the multi-award-winning Jon Stewart (Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel are also his clients) (photo credit: James Dixon); Craig Ferguson, CBS’s Scottish-born original in late night is joined by robot Geoff Peterson on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Monday, April 5, 2010, on the CBS Television Network (© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS); Marc Graboff, cochairman of NBC Entertainment and chief deal-maker at the network (NBC Universal Photo Bank).
BOTTOM ROW: Dick Ebersol (right), the chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, played many roles in the career of the NBC CEO Jeff Zucker, including mentor, close counselor, and longtime friend (Ben Hider/Getty Images Entertainment); Rick Rosen, one of the captains of Team Coco, agent, adviser, and friend to Conan O’Brien (Matthew Simmons/Getty Images Entertainment); Jimmy Kimmel channeling Jay Leno and “Headlines”—and generating headlines of his own (photo credit: Don Barris).