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Ratings: O’Brien Off to a Strong Start on ‘Tonight’

Jun 2, 2009  •  Post A Comment

New "Tonight Show" host Conan O’Brien got off to a rousing ratings start Monday, crushing CBS’s "Late Show with David Letterman" and generating strong sampling.

O’Brien’s debut notched a 7.1 rating/17 share in Nielsen’s 56 overnight metered markets, the best Monday metered markets for the "Tonight" franchise in four years. "Tonight" outdrew "Late Show" (2.8/7) by a wide margin, and beat the combined average of the CBS broadcast and a repeat of ABC’s "Nightline" (2.7/6)/ "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.2/4) by 154 percent, NBC said.

Compared to what "Tonight" had been averaging in the most recent quarter, O’Brien boosted ratings by 82 percent. He also improved on his final edition of "Late Night" (2.6/8) by 173 percent.

Overall, NBC said O’Brien’s debut gave "Tonight" its seventh-highest Monday overnight ratings since Jay Leno arrived in 1992. It also boosted "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (2.5/9) to its best overnight numbers ever.

O’Brien didn’t outdraw Leno’s Friday farewell. Last week’s swan song averaged an 8.8 overnight rating, according to Nielsen.

Overnight ratings aren’t the most reliable gauge of a show’s true performance, since they don’t measure what counts most to network executives: Demographic performance. However, O’Brien’s healthy households debut bodes well for how he’s likely to do when adults 18-49 numbers come out later.
 

107 Comments

  1. I watched the first 30 minutes and I was bored spitless!! I will not be a regular watcher like I was with Jay. I will probably switch to Letterman. I don’t really like him too much either but he is a lot better than Conan!

  2. Peg, you are old and boring. Good riddance.

  3. no shit, die grandpa

  4. Anyone who watches Conan: likely young and very boring. Letterman: old, liberal, and without a sense of humor.
    Get a life people.

  5. Letterman sucks.It’s time for someone much younger on CBS. Letterman can still do shows at retirement homes.

  6. Most of the show seemed to be pre-taped video segments and Will Ferrell was a horrible choice as first guest.
    Overall the show was sub-par and we all know Conan is capable of much more.
    I’ll stick with Conan as I would never go to Letterman. Letterman’s a cantankerous liberal old fart that hasn’t been funny in 20 years.

  7. Conan? — or Letterman. Hmmm … let me consider … I think I would rather go with the “extensive dental work without novacaine” option.

  8. I’m spastic and like to spaz out for the first 5 minutes of every show which is the most entertaining part each night. When I don’t take my Ritalin I spaz out for the entire show and talk over my guests. The 18-45 year old demographic really likes it when I touch myself on air and I like doing it, what a great dynamic.
    To up my ratings I’ll spaz and dry masturbate in a Speedo before my monologues all next week….after that who knows?
    Ain’t America great?

  9. Does he still clap his hands together over and over and over and over again during his monologue? I have not watched Conan in years, but he use to be incredibly unfunny.

  10. at least peg had the balls to use her name

  11. Conan stop posting about yourself!! You forgot to mention the hair, playing with the hair, that is sooooo funny, I love it when you flip your hair. Keep up the good work you beautiful tonight show host!

  12. You have to be kidding, Conan O’Brien’s first night on the Tonight Show stunk.
    Gee Whiz! Are the people stupid?

  13. Vrooom, vroooom PARTY STARTER!
    That ad spot was less obnoxious than my “comic” routine. Was everyone laughing at it becaue it was just such an underspoken comment about my latently homosexual self-love? Gee, I hope so.
    Pardon me, I need to get back to work on my “gank-dance” choreography for tonight…it takes a lot of work you know!

  14. The reason the first show had such high ratings is the curiosity factor. I tuned in because I wanted to see what it would be like.
    It will be a short-lived show. Conan isn’t funny most of the time, and when he is, his humor is base/crude. What really bothers me is that he’s a left-wing political activist. He used to intern for Barney Frank! Look it up on wikipedia!
    However, I gave him a chance. The checklist was moderately funny (4/10). Then I watched him sprint around the country in a 3-piece suit (2/10 on the funny scale).
    I loved his new set! The redesigned band area looked like it did when Doc Severenson played trumpet for Johnny Carson! They even had some guy pinching out the high notes on a trumpet. Even though it was noise, it was a tip of the hat to the Carson era (Yeah, I’m 50).
    They even had a fat guy forcing out laughs a la Ed McMahon. My thought at that moment was that this show might have a chance!
    However, it didn’t take long for O’Brien to get too serious, and when he endorsed Sotomayor as Supreme Court Justice with a straight face and applauded, I turned off the TV. I want to laugh and be entertained, not force-fed DNC talking points!
    At least Jay Leno didn’t get so serious with politics: he did make too many Palin jokes, but they were JOKES! He wasn’t pushing serious policy issues. Fu*K O’Brien.
    I can live without late-night TV. I’m not one who has to drink either Pepsi or Coke. I never liked Letterman and tuned into Leno only on occasion (once a week at most), and then usually only for the monologue or perhaps I’d watch the next segment, too, which was something like Leno’s JayWalking, Stupid People on the Street, Battle of the All Stars, Funny Newspaper Articles, etc.
    However, I will not watch The Tonight Show again until Leno is forced to take it back due to sagging ratings.

  15. Okay I can see we have an older crowd in here. Let me break it down for you folks. All of those with hearing aides can still get their old-folks humor from Leno at 10pm starting in the fall. Meanwhile, the rest of us with a sense of humor in the 18-49 demographic will make that show a hit. Months from now, when show is doing very solidly, remember these words.

  16. I would rather watch reruns of “My Mother the Car” than watch David Letterman. He is an over the hill old unfunny has-been.

  17. His large viewership was people viewing that wanted to see how the show would look or have never seen him before.
    They found out whaat a dud looks like and won’t be back. He is still juvinal and his show lacks lafable humor.
    comb back Jay !!!
    Larry

  18. Ok, I am 58; I could watch Jack Parr reruns. But something new could be ok. I just can’t seem to find it. Letterman is stuck on the Bush bashing, don’t watch him anymore. So let’s give the new guy some time to find his legs. Maybe NBC will let him entertain us. After all that’s the real reason they are on the air. If not, my remote will vote for me.
    There are now other things to watch at this time. It need not be NBC, CBS or, oh yes there is ABC; I think they are still on the air.

  19. Jay Leno is not very funny at all. Its a shame that hes still on television. Dumb Dumb Dumb jokes.
    David Letterman is funny but in a more snarky way. I enjoy his attitude and the way he toys with people.
    Conan beats them both by a mile. Hes genuinely funny. Its great that he makes fun of himself. Last night wasn’t his best performance–but over time–hes your best bet for a good laugh.
    And Joshua Friedman,
    “What really bothers me is that he’s a left-wing political activist.” ?
    I hope YOU’RE joking. Jay Leno tried to appeal to conservative audiences by dumbing down the humor. Face it. The best and brightest in comedy are going to have a center-left viewpoint.

  20. I watched Conan last night to see how he would do, but I didn’t really find it funny. I hope he can work it out to become viable to the earlier slot.

  21. The younger set thinks feces, masturbation, Jacka$$, South Park, and Family Guy are off the charts funny. Their idea of comedians is just about anyone on Comedy Central who can see how many times they can get the f-bomb bleeped out of their routine and talk about their sex lives as if anyone gave a rat’s patootie.
    I’ll admit I go back to truly funny comedians like Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Milton Berle, Burns & Allen…and earlier than that Laurel & Hardy, Our Gang Comedies…and so on. They never used bad language or talked about sex & they were far funnier than so-called modern funny people. Example: Will Farrell, that cluck from the Office (40 Year Old Virgin – another terrible movie that lambasts people who abstain from sex as if they’re abnormal.) I don’t get Will Farrell’s ‘humor’ – it’s just not funny. Not at all.
    Too, idiots like Conan O’Brien non- funny. I’d rather watch paint dry. That’s far funnier. Like his bud BHO, I hope Conan fails, too.

  22. I realize the high ratings last night can be attributed to a curiosity factor, but Conan was a huge success at 1230 and already has me and many others I know setting the Tivo for 1130. I may be grown up but I’ve never outgrown my sense of humor. Conan is hilarious.

  23. Conan needs to keep his politics to himself. If I want political late night shows I’ll watch CNN or FOX. Lettermans constant liberal diatribes are the reason I quit watching him. Also Conan’s Ford Taurus video was one of the most unfunny things I have seen in a long time.
    Overall the show just wasn’t funny. Jimmy Kimmel is a much better interviewer.
    However, I did really like the new set.
    Unfortunately, NBC has hitched their wagon to Conan and couldn’t drop him even if they wanted to without looking like the morons they apparently are.

  24. The best and brightest comedians are going to have a center left view???
    Based on what? Comedy Central and Air America? It didn’t work of them and it will not work for Conan. The problem is since center left is your standard for comedy 70% of the country is NOT center left.

  25. Juan Valdez – you gotta be kidding me ! That Taurus skit was totally hilarious. You need a sense of humor dude !!

  26. I thought Conan did a good job! He is a funny guy. If you don’t like Conan, then, um….don’t watch him. If you do like him, watch the Tonight Show. If you like Letterman, watch him. It isn’t going to hurt my feelings. Switch the channel and all else fails, read a book.
    Who cares about other people’s personal prefeneces anyway???
    If you are bored, then that is your problem. Move a finger and push a button on the remote. There are bigger problems in the world to be crying about.

  27. Learn how to spell dumbass.

  28. We wish the best for him at http://www.AmericanParchment.com, but we will be watching…

  29. I can’t understand this tunnel vision on HAVING to watch a talk show everynight. “I’m going to Letterman” “I want Leno back.” For the love of God,even if you want to just watch TV at night, we live in an age of hundreds of channels. Why the focus on watchig shallow celbrities talk about their vapid lives?!?! Go exploring, there are countless options, not just 2.

  30. Hahahahahahahahhaha, you’re old.

  31. You don’t need to be a flaming liberal to laugh at a joke that mocks organized religion, home schooling or closeted gay republicans for example. You also don’t need to be right-winger to laugh at a joke about michael moore’s weight or gay stereotypes for example.
    It just seems to me that the funniest things on tv lean liberal. Comedy Central’s Daily Show, Colbert Report, South Park, Strangers With Candy, or on Fox with all the Sunday night animated shows and Arrested Debelopment. NBC’s 30 Rock and the Office. I find David Cross and Dave Attel funny too. Do you remember Kids in the Hall? Great entertainment! and alot of it seems to lean to the left.

  32. I do not watch late night television or really any television even though I have satellite with two HDTV receivers and two large screen HDTV televisions in a three bedroom condo. It is a waste of my time and life really. None of these guys is worth me watching even if I recorded it to waste my time later. But I am sure that this is really important to some of you but I concern myself more with paying my everyday expenses and planning for retirement.
    So to each his own! Good luck with your television watching. Myself I will do what helps me later in life.

  33. American’s just love hating eachother. All this anger and conflict displayed in these comments, over stupid talkshows. What the hell is wrongwith you people.

  34. I do not watch late night television or really any television even though I have satellite with two HDTV receivers and two large screen HDTV televisions in a three bedroom condo. It is a waste of my time and life really. None of these guys is worth me watching even if I recorded it to waste my time later. But I am sure that this is really important to some of you but I concern myself more with paying my everyday expenses and planning for retirement.
    So to each his own! Good luck with your television watching. Myself I will do what helps me later in life.

  35. Conan sucks…he’s always sucked and always will. I couldn’t watch him when he first came on the late night scene and he is still trying the same tired schtick. The worst comedians are the ones who believe that they are God’s gift to comedy, and you can put beanpole it that category. Good luck to NBC for hitching your wagon to this dumass with an overinflated sense of self-importance ….It’ll be interesting to see how long they’ll tolerate languishing in the ratings cellar.

  36. Hes always making fun of himself. I think he comes across as a humble person and he works hard to make the show a success. Even his opening skit was physically demanding. I’m also thinking back to his epic fight with Colbert and John Stewart.

  37. I think that he is too political for the job. He is a Socialist Liberal who will use this platform to expound the liberal, say socialist, communist, views. I have no time for him. My hope is that noone tries to compare him to Johnny Carson. HE IS NO JOHNNY CARSON AND I WILL NOT WATCH HIM.
    gENE mUMMAU LANCASTER PA

  38. 18 – 49 Segment: If you want to watch something that is actually funny, watch Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network. Family Guy from 10 to 11 (central), and the plethora of shows from 11 to 12. You will get more laughs per hour than Letterman or O’Brien. I stopped watching the ‘talk shows’ long ago. Jimmy Fallon seems it might be pretty good tho.

  39. I completely agree with you!

  40. GO Conan!! He might be a bit of an acquired taste, but give him a chance. I miss watching late night but can’t stay up for it anymore. They did a good job of keeping with the old show. It will take some time for him to hit his stride but I think he’ll do a lot better. The pressure has to be on this week, wait til he gets comfortable.
    All these years, can’t believe he made it this far. Been a fan of his since day 1, and never watched Leno.

  41. I love Conan. He’s so creative and innovative. He’s the logical progression in a line starting with Steve Allen, Ernie Kovacs, Parr, Carson, & Letterman when he still had it. Letterman is just stale now. He ceased being funny years ago. Leno had too much Arsenio in him and buried the Tonight Show in a politically correct hole. I go from Conan to Craig Ferguson-who, by the way, is quite funny, putting on an energetic, quality performance nightly. I don’t care for Fallon. Alas, now I don’t have to be yawning the next day if I stay up for Conan. I welcome the 11:35PM start time. It’s good to see Andy back–it’s about time! Will there be trips all the way into the future, all the way to the year 2000? Will the masturbating bear make a comeback (pardon that, please.)? Will Joel Goddard marry his gay Asian lover in retirement? Stay tuned, NBC just got a shot of caffeine at 11:35 PM….

  42. Apparently people under thirty find funky chicken dancing, nose picking and dry humping themselves as enormously hillarious. They also can’t get enough of people lampooning conservatives even while the best material is being produced by Pelosi/Frank/Reid and Obama who are actually running the country.
    It isn’t as funny to kick people when they are down and conservatives are definitely down right now. Remember 0bama stating “I won.” Pick on somebody that is shaping policy and apparently matters. Oh yeah, I forgot that this really wasn’t about humor as much as it was about ideology. Apparently the left can conflate party politics with humor and then come up with the idiotic notion that comedy is center left….just like the news apparently.
    Conan will flop, like MSNBC and Olberman (who trails 3rd in line at Fox Beck by nearly half of the viewers). Can anyone say government bailout for GE, Immelt, and potty “humor”?

  43. Conan can’t carry Letterman’s jock.

  44. Kids in the Hall was a Canadian show syndicated in the U.S. Not really an apt comparison.

  45. I hate to break it to you BUT if you’re a 40 year old virgin and have never been in the seminary or a variation thereof, socially you are the “odd man” out in ANY generation. In fact, if you look at marriage as a point of sexual reference (as you seem to be playing some morality card) people were getting married a lot younger 50 years ago. So there were no good ol’ days when 40 year old virgins weren’t “lambasted” as you put it. People of your generation were probably less understanding.

  46. If people are bored by Conan and seek refuge watching the gap-toothed geek, let em go! They don’t fit any advertiser’s profile.

  47. Doctor Pepper all the way!

  48. What late night host isn’t a left-wing, slobbering Accolyte?

  49. It is obvious from all the wingnut comments that this article was linked from Drudge. You wingnuts are all a bunch of losers always flooding comment boards like this with your dreck. No one cares what you idiots think. O’Brien did well and will continue to do so. Deal with it and go back to FixNews to listen to that moron Beck.

  50. Doctor Pepper all the way!

  51. Conan is funny and an excellent host for the Tonight Show. Letterman is a very bitter old man who used to be funny but all he does now is lick the boots of obama. He has become an unfunny bitter bootlick.

  52. I have watched the Tonight show for more than 40 years and I always enjoyed it. Jay was a good choice when Johnny left. I watched Conan struggle to be funny last night, unfortunately without any success. I am honestly surprised at how pitiful it was. He looked so desperate an I felt a bit sorry for him. I will give him a few more chances before I tune out for good. I look forward to Jay in the fall.

  53. I missed it last night but I’ll definitely check it out tonight… used to watch Conan all the time with my roommates in college, he’s more of an acquired taste but I’m sure he’ll grow into the role.
    I really don’t understand people who watch Letterman and think he’s funny… these are probably the same 5 people who think MSNBC’s prime-time line-up is the best thing since sliced bread lmao!
    There’s really nothing good on TV anyway these days, with the exception of South Park and some of the stuff on Adult Swim, minus Family Guy… that show should have stayed cancelled… same lame jokes and it goes WAAAAAYYYY out of its way to make political or social points and ends up being not funny at all. People watch Family Guy because their friends watch it and think that it’s cool.

  54. conan was great. i will watch the tonight show again (and i’ve always been a letterman fan.) thank god leno is gone, he was worthless. now all they need to do is replace jimmy falon with joel mchale and they will have this biggest night time power house ever.

  55. Why would anyone care about those twinks?

  56. WHAT A WASTE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY. CONAN CAN NEVER REPLCE LENO. HE ACTS LIKE A REAL JERK. NO ENTERTAINMENT JUST SILLY TALK AND NO CLASS. LETTERMAN IS NO BETTER.
    BRING JAY BACK. NBC IS THE REAL LOSER.
    TURNED IT OFF

  57. Letterman lost me long ago with his unfunny politically biased attacks … I was one of his original watchers years ago, but his time is done. Leno always seemed to be playing to the old crowd and didn’t appeal to my sense of irreverance. Conan has me ready to turn off the dvr and watch late night again. GOOOOOOO!

  58. Letterman lost me long ago with his unfunny politically biased attacks … I was one of his original watchers years ago, but his time is done. Leno always seemed to be playing to the old crowd and didn’t appeal to my sense of irreverance. Conan has me ready to turn off the dvr and watch late night again. GOOOOOOO!

  59. I think the person who said south park is left wing on this thread is clueless. They are Right leaning Libertarians.
    As for Leno…never a fan. Letterman? He needs to pack it up. He is awful and there is a reason why he has never been #1 in late night…his politics and jokes are just the same crap in a blender re-poured every night.
    Conan is a leftist as well…and if he wants to keep high ratings he will keep himself in check. Leno knew enough to rag on everyone and was able to maintain.
    Different audience watching at 11:30.
    I’d give his debut last night a 7 out of 10. Will Ferrell is awful and his shtick is old as well…the guy needs an off button. He tries so hard to be funny and he is finding out on his own that his movies are not doing as well as they were 5 years ago.

  60. Sophomoric and surprisingly unfunny. O’Brien can barely deliver a cue-card joke, and his silly antics remind me of watching a couple of 9 year olds play. He is an abysmal interviewer, always missing the key points, and a sycophantic liberal who sucks up to his new latino audience. Letterman sucks just as bad- an old dinosaur ready for retirement, so it’s off to bed early from now on.

  61. I suspect that he lost viewers after the show was on a half hour.

  62. On second thought Leno was a sorry replacement for Joooohnny.

  63. CONSERVATIVES FOR CONAN! From a long time fan:
    First of all, let me point one thing out. Yes, Conan is a liberal. And yes, he had a number of silly “Bush is dumb” jokes, and he had the clutch cargo Bush face skit for years. But he also did his lion’s share of “Clinton is a deviant” jokes AND the clutch cargo Clinton face skit. In the rare instances when he brings his politics to the limelight (read: never), he is doing so to SETUP A BIT. In the case of Sotomayor, he mentioned her ONLY to setup a bit that MOCKED VP Biden. If you had watched that in its entirety, instead of getting your adult diaper in a wad, most of you would have understood.
    Trust me, if you are new to Conan, he WILL NOT turn you off with his politics. Give him a chance with humor, and if you don’t like it, try Kimmel. He’s a liberal, sure, but he won’t get you so peeved you forget to take a Centum Silver before you go to bed on your Sealy Posturepedic.
    I do not think Conan will beat Letterman on a consistent basis, as Letterman is an institution, and all the old people who think Jay Leno was the bee’s knees will probably turn to Nightline so they can find out if Smeckler’s Powder is contributing to their chronic Alzheimer’s. That’s a Simpsons reference. Conan O’Brien wrote for that show. For what mega successful show did Jay Leno write? Time’s up, gramps. Answer: This one
    Now, for you geriatrics still reading this, way to go, you learned how to use your computer. How about this internet?
    Conan is not Jay Leno, just as Jay Leno was not Johnny Carson. It’s something new and fresh and different. Was his opening show great? Not really. Probably because he was appealing to you octogenarian hacks out there who want to dig up Danny Kaye and prop him up at the dinner table to make you laugh. I bet most of you feebs miss blackface too.
    In conclusion, old people should stay at home until they die.
    The End (from a Conservative)

  64. Ditto! That guy is horrible!!! I’ve watched Jay since 95… I guess it’s time to get a DVR/Tivo recorder so I can watch someone before bedtime… Sad.

  65. Ditto! That guy is horrible!!! I’ve watched Jay since 95… I guess it’s time to get a DVR/Tivo recorder so I can watch someone before bedtime… Sad.

  66. You are such a dumb @ss.

  67. I did not like Conan at midnight and seeing him an hour earlier will not make any difference.

  68. I now go to sleep when Conan comes on, I cannot stand Conan. He is the worse person that NBC couls have picked to replace Leno. NBC was scrape-ing the outhouse floor when Conan was selected.
    …and my wife is happy that I am in bed an hour early..
    I have enjoyed Johnny Carson and Jay Leno quite a few years as I will be 70 in a few months. Now, I can enjoy retirement even more—or at least until this Fall when Jay is back on TV..Thank The Lord!!!!

  69. “Red-Eye” is far funnier than Conan O’Brien ever will be. If you voted for Obama, then most likely, you find O’Brien hilarious.

  70. I have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to liberal vs conservative comedians. Jay Leno and his wife are some of the biggest Democrats – all his jokes about conservatives make fun of their politics and all their jokes about the Democrats is about their physical problems. He’s the most liberal comedian on late night.
    Conan on the other had always tries to be even-handed. He’s a smart comedian – he graduated from Harvard.
    Good comedy is smart enough to be able to poke fun at oneself and not run hateful diatribes against other people (like Family Guy).
    By the way, South Park is fairly conservative – have you not seen Team America which was done by the same people?
    There’s been great conservative comedians (in Canada we had Air Farce) and liberal ones. The best comedians are those who don’t sound preachy (like Colbert or worse, Stewart).
    Conan did a great job last night. The only thing that made Leno funny were his newsclips and people on the street – things that he didn’t write!

  71. I watched Jonathan Winters on one of those late, late night shows the other night.
    He was asked about the comedians of today, he said you could be racy, gross, even rude and still be funny without being filthy!
    If masterbation and flying around in a thong at MTV is humor, I fear for the future of the country!
    Leno was funnier when his writers were on strike, and Conan would do better at a high school skit.

  72. Letterman is an old man and isn’t funny anymore. he has been doing the same old crap for the last 15 years. I used to think he was the best, but he thinks we are fools and will watch the same old sorry crap over and over again.

  73. I voted for McCain, but whatever. I stated that and I guess you chose to ignore it.
    You don’t have to be liberal to enjoy Conan.

  74. Conan O’Brien talks about politics so he can make funnies. He hasn’t let his power go to his head like Jon Stewart. Stewart is the one conservatives(and all humans) should dislike.
    And Jay Leno isn’t funny, people. “Hey guys Britney Spears is bald! Did you hear about Britney Spears? Hey guys, Britney is fat now! GEORGE BUSH GEORGE BUSH!!!”
    And you simply can’t go wrong with a show that has Andy Richter. It’s not physically possible. Trust me, I know.

  75. Conan O’Brien talks about politics so he can make funnies. He hasn’t let his power go to his head like Jon Stewart. Stewart is the one conservatives(and all humans) should dislike.
    And Jay Leno isn’t funny, people. “Hey guys Britney Spears is bald! Did you hear about Britney Spears? Hey guys, Britney is fat now! GEORGE BUSH GEORGE BUSH!!!”
    And you simply can’t go wrong with a show that has Andy Richter. It’s not physically possible. Trust me, I know.

  76. You people really need to get a life, or even easier– Get Cable. There’s like 9,000 channels available if you don’t like NBC during The Tonight Show timeslot. I can’t believe there are people (with a pulse) that think Jay Leno is funnier than Conan O’Brien, but Conan’s been around for a while, so last night shouldn’t really be a first time experience for anyone. The NBC execs know Conan gets ratings and has an audience, and talent. But for somebody to watch these boring old formatted TV interview shows every night at 10 or 11:30 or 12:30, a format which should have gone out about 20 years, you guys are the real bore.

  77. I was one of the many that tuned him in for curiosity,,,but like the others,quickly changed channels.
    If anyone that thinks he is funny,,,well,,get a mental evaluation for your sake.
    Zucker at NBC is not a very bright person for making this move.Letterman will probably get a jump in audience whether viewers like him or not…..I am sure,without a doubt, CBS is laughing the loudest about this NBC debacle….The tonight show will drop in viewership…Anyone that worked for Barn yard Franks tells it all.

  78. I was one of the many that tuned him in for curiosity,,,but like the others,quickly changed channels.
    If anyone that thinks he is funny,,,well,,get a mental evaluation for your sake.
    Zucker at NBC is not a very bright person for making this move.Letterman will probably get a jump in audience whether viewers like him or not…..I am sure,without a doubt, CBS is laughing the loudest about this NBC debacle….The tonight show will drop in viewership…Anyone that worked for Barn yard Franks tells it all.

  79. Leno is a “likeable” host with a great work ethic, but that’s about it. Despite your personal taste, Conan and Letterman will be remembered as the more ground-breaking hosts that helped re-define the late night comedy/talk show. Conan and Letterman are the performers young comics aspire to become. No one’s sitting at home saying, “I want to be the next Jay Leno.”

  80. Conan was not interesting on the Conan O’Brien show and he is not interesting here either. All puff – limited humor. Very few opportunities to laugh are served up.

  81. Conan just isn’t that funny. He has this nervous style that makes him overcompensate in every joke or bit he does. He may have been a good writer, but I just don’t think he’s a great comedian. Letterman hasn’t really been that funny since he left NBC in 1993. He used to be cutting edge, but now he just seems slightly bitter. I suspect he thought he would beat Leno and show NBC how they screwed up when they didn’t give him (Letterman) the tonight show. Turns out NBC was right. Leno typically bested Letterman in the ratings game. The problem is none of these guys have any class, they’re all bums. Carson had class, and he didn’t have to be edgy or crude to get a laugh. And lest anyone think I am an old fart, I am in my 30’s. If you think that’s old, you’re simply wrong.
    Cheers,
    Pete

  82. He should do well with the 20 to 30 yr. age group. Comical expressions and body gyrations! No thanks. I doubt I will be watching. He’s no Leno.

  83. Jay Leno was mediocre middle of the road lameness.

  84. Jay Leno was mediocre middle of the road lameness.

  85. Watched the first show, thought it was herky-jerky. Some of the “funny” bits were long and really not that funny. Will Ferrel stole the show. The band is loud and Andy Richter alone will make me not watch Conan. Then this evening the ‘president’ of the united states (lower case on purpose), on a day it was announced GM is laying off people, closing plants, and selling off parts of its business, under government control, does a skit on the show. I’ll be watching infomercials over this crap any day.

  86. I watched LETTERMAN.
    Don’t care for Conan.

  87. You’re stupid.

  88. I find Conan to be absolutely hilarious and I can assure you all that there is NOTHING wrong with me. I’m a 26 year old woman. These comments really do surprise me. I don’t mean this as insulting but I’m guessing most of the negative comments are coming from older people? Leno was…okay. Funny enough but I really think Conan is much more entertaining. Leno made my Grandparents laugh, god love ’em. Time for a changing of the guard.

  89. All you old people who don’t like Conan can just go to bed from now on then. Nobody cares about your opinion if you’re over 49 anyway.
    Out of key demographic, out of mind.
    Go sleep old fucks!

  90. “He’s no Leno.”
    Thank goodness.

  91. Haven’t you twits had enough change already? And 0blahblah nearly ran off the rails without his teleprompter during that uhhh ummm ahh skit, even Conan pointed it out. 0blahblahs remark about managing the transition and running the show was totally unfunny given his totally serious connections with NBC, its parent company GE and the sycophantic fascist Immelt.
    But keep clapping and whooping it up as the spaz pretends to ski (or whatever) and flip his hair for three minutes while waiting for the “applause” to die down.
    The genuflection on GM’s Wagoner was idiotic too, lets see what jokes he has lined up on that subject when lifetime egghead and wonk Brian Deese does even worse. My bet is that Conan won’t be making a peep then no matter how low hanging the fruit is.

  92. Thank God Jay is off. Time for that generation to take a seat, time for some fresh blood. No s&^% Jay is taking over for the early bird special.

  93. Thank God Jay is off. Time for that generation to take a seat, time for some fresh blood. No s&^% Jay is taking over for the early bird special.

  94. I like how the most you’ll ever contribute to entertainment, Fake Conan O’Brien, is this lame attempt at humor in an Internet comment thread.
    Thank God Jay and dinosaurs like you are taking a backseat. It’s time to let go — we had to step in, you f###ed up the country, the economy, and even humor. Enough is enough. 😉

  95. I thought Monday Night was really funny. Conan running…as if he was late for work.

  96. I thought Monday Night was really funny. Conan running as if to say no way am I going to be late for this job

  97. I thought Monday Night was really funny. Conan running as if to say no way am I going to be late for this job
    I think you will do well…we have to be patient.

  98. I thought Monday Night was really funny. Conan running as if to say no way am I going to be late for this job
    I think you will do well…we have to be patient.

  99. I didn’t even know about Gonad taking over for Leno this soon?
    Probably because I was reading about Angie Harmon, on Town Hall- letting people know how she felt about what she thought of the job Maobummer’s doing.
    Go Angie! …and all you Hollywood Conservatives.

  100. I didn’t even know about Gonad taking over for Leno this soon?
    Probably because I was reading about Angie Harmon, on Town Hall- letting people know how she felt about what she thought of the job Maobummer’s doing.
    Go Angie! …and all you Hollywood Conservatives.

  101. Why doesn’t ANYBODY on here have a genuine sense of humor? I find Conan, Leno, Letterman, Jon Stewart, The Three Stooges, and I Love Lucy all to be funny in their own way (and I’m a 28-year-old Republican). When people try to force someone to tell the same types of jokes they’re used to instead of being open to the different types of humor, they will be disappointed. Conan has always been hilarious. If you have ever seen an early Simpsons episode and laughed, you have to agree seeing how he was the writer! Classic stuff! Craig Ferguson, however, is a totally unfunny doofus who needs to be fired.

  102. Maybe those were the numbers at the start, but after twenty minutes of one of the dumbest shows I’ve seen, I’ll bet many left the show for greener pastures.

  103. After Conan’s first night I was baffled at how ridiculously stupid the show was. So bad I even felt sorry for Conan. I decided to give him one more shot. Night two was no better. Who in their right mind selected this man to replace Leno?
    And who is that sorry excuse for a buffoon that stands at the podium in front of the audience. Even if Conan didn’t suck so bad I would have turn the show off just so I would not have to see this idiot.
    I do like the set though.
    I miss Johnny and Ed. I am permanently turned off and tuned out from the Tonight Show, at least until NBC replaces Conan. If for some reason his ratings keep him on the show I will become seriously concerned for the mentality of the average American. If you find him funny, you need a do-over starting from birth.

  104. Bring on some younger comics! Conan yuck.

  105. Conan sucks! Letterman could lay down and die and kick that dumbass in the long run.

  106. Cool article it’s really. Friend on mine has long been awaiting just for this content.

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