Leno got the Tonight slot but Conan may walk

Boys from the Bay State duke it out

NBC is an cheap attempt to get publicity took all weekend to confirm the TMZ story that the prime time Leno show is out, Leno moves back to 11:35 PM and Conan is up in the air.

The whole episode got more airplay than anything…well excepting Letterman’s roving hands.

“The Jay Leno Show” will end with the Feb. 12 start of the prime-time Winter Olympics coverage, said NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin.”

“Gaspin said he wants O’Brien, another Bay State-bred funnyman, to retain his job with “Tonight” but at the later hour of 12:05 a.m. Under that scenario, Jimmy Fallon and his “Late Night” show would be pushed a half-hour later as well, to 1:05 a.m.”

“My goal is to keep Jay, Conan and Jimmy as our late-night lineup,” Gaspin said, adding later that they “have the weekend to think about it” and discussions with them will resume today.” Boston Herald

That may be NBC’s aim but their shots may miss the target if Conan takes his wounded pride and moves to Fox, a deal rumoured to be in the works.

Remembering how tough Jay played hardball to get the Tonight Show over Letterman, don’t expect this to be the last of the fight. Leno is a street fighter over his career. He duked it out with NBC bosses to beat Letterman back then.

TMZ opines Conan has three choices: beach, walk or eat crow. We predict…nothing although taking a walk to Fox would be a logical ego boost after being screwed by NBC. Leno knows that – he wins either way.

We’re told NBC is in breach of it’s agreement with Conan by moving the start time of his show. As a result, Conan now has three options.

Option 1: Quit the show and spend the next four years at the beach. If Conan does this, our sources say NBC would have to pay him the value of his contract. We’re told it’s a five-year deal, worth as much as $20 million a year. With four years to go, Conan could conceivably get $80 million. But given his skin pigmentation and, possibly, his ego, the beach is unlikely.

Option 2: Go to either FOX or ABC. This is where it gets complicated. If Conan were to strike a deal with either network to do a competing show, any salary Conan pulls in would offset the obligation owed by NBC. So, for example, if Conan made $20 million a year at NBC and ABC were to pay him $15 million a year, NBC would only owe Conan $5 mil a year for the four years remaining in his contract.

Option 3: Eat crow and take the 12:05-1:05 time slot. If Conan takes this option, our sources say it’s likely NBC would negotiate a new contract with the same salary Conan was getting before. Even though the salary isn’t supported by the time period, it’s cheaper than paying him off. NBC, we’re told, prefers this option, because Conan would not be splintering Leno’s rating by going to another network.

So, Conan, will it be door #1, 2 or 3? TMZ

“Time will tell who has fell and who’s been left behind”, Bob Dylan