Jay Leno tries to claim he Felt ‘Blindsided’ by Conan Replacement

**Laurent** · January 24th, 2014, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sasha

I posted this because I suspect Leno is gearing up to do the same thing to Jimmy as he did to David and Conan.

I wondered about that, too. Leno doesn't seem any more eager to retire now than he was when Conan attempted to take over. Unless Jimmy's ratings remain absolutely stable or jump up, it seems that Leno could do the exact same thing he did to Conan.

Too bad smoking will kill you, because all these shows were a lot more entertaining when celebs didn't mind smoking a half pack and having a highball or two during an interview.

**Trixie** · January 24th, 2014, 04:54 PM

^ I don't think NBC will make that move again, but I agree, Jay would if he could. I also agree with the OP that Leno didn't sound thrilled--"It's not my decision, and I think I probably would have stayed if we didn't have an extremely qualified, young guy ready to jump in," he admits." If it's not his decision, and his contract was up, then how could he have stayed? And nice way to slam Conan, is he saying he wasn't "an extremely qualified young guy?"

Whether he wants this or not (and he obviously doesn't) he could be a little more gracious, damn just lie and pretend he's happy to move on to other things. Instead, he just sounds like the same whiny jackass he's always been.

**NoNoRehab** · January 24th, 2014, 07:03 PM

NBC executives said today that Mr. Leno was instrumental in making the new arrangement, having agreed when he signed his latest deal in March that he would be willing to step aside for Mr. O'Brien in 2009. He will be 59 at that point, while Mr. O'Brien will be 46.

In a statement, Mr. Leno said: "When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor, and there is no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised my wife Mavis I would take her out for dinner before I turned 60."

Leno's statement in 2004 when Conan O'Brien was named his successor.

**ConstanceSpry** · January 24th, 2014, 07:09 PM

I want Jay to knock up Laura Jean Poon. The chin on that kid would be epic.

**Beeyotch** · January 24th, 2014, 07:31 PM

Get Jenni Aniston in on that, kid would be pure chin.

**levitt** · January 24th, 2014, 08:09 PM

Guys, are you all forgetting the only and only Potato Head Willis? Come on now!

**darksithbunny** · January 25th, 2014, 09:13 AM

I would LOVE to see a Leno and Fallon struggle for power. He got away easy from Conan, but I think it would go absolutely crazy if he tries to bump Jimmy. *runs for popcorn*

**Chalet** · January 25th, 2014, 09:58 AM

It was in such bad taste for NBC and Leno to do a 10 pm show before the 11:30 Tonight Show with Conan. He just had to slide right in there.

Originally Posted by Laurent

I wondered about that, too. Leno doesn't seem any more eager to retire now than he was when Conan attempted to take over. Unless Jimmy's ratings remain absolutely stable or jump up, it seems that Leno could do the exact same thing he did to Conan.

Too bad smoking will kill you, because all these shows were a lot more entertaining when celebs didn't mind smoking a half pack and having a highball or two during an interview.

So true. Here's Groucho smoking a cigar and Johnny lights up at the end of the video.

**Sasha** · January 25th, 2014, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Brookie

Y'all are trying on very large tinfoil hats today, right?

What tinfoil hats? Leno is now claiming to 60 Minutes that he was 'blindsided' by Conan replacement, I posted irrefutable proof that he's baldfaced lying:

ThatsNotOkay
Wow. That's an outright lie. When Conan signed on to stick with NBC in 2004, the condition of his remaining was that he'd inherit the Tonight Show in 2009. Leno wasn't blindsided at all in 2009, unless he put on his own blinders. Can't lie anymore Leno. It's too easy for people to refute your spin:
"Conan O'Brien to Succeed Jay Leno in 2009, NBC," BY BILL CARTER; Published September 27, 2004: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/27/business/media/2...

I don't know why Leno is making a public spectacle of his fictional victimhood, exactly, but considering his well documented history of stabbing presumed TNS heirs in the back and then walking over their corpses to get to that desk, I think it's fair to make a few assumptions.

**LameAnn** · January 25th, 2014, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Sasha

Yeah, whatever.

Are you ready to feel Jay Leno's pain? [no, never!~ Sasha]"I was blindsided … [NBC executives said] 'You're out…' and I went 'OK,'" the Tonight Show host says about his 2009 ouster on his upcoming 60 Minutes interview. As for his depiction as a villain during Conan O'Brien's subsequent dismissal, Leno explains, "I didn't quite understand that, but I never chose to answer any of those things or make fun of any other people involved. It's not my way." He doesn't sound totally thrilled about Jimmy Fallon taking his job either. "It's not my decision, and I think I probably would have stayed if we didn't have an extremely qualified, young guy ready to jump in," he admits. Ah jeez, Jay. Break our hearts, why don't you? May your tens of millions of dollars and the Dancing Itos offer you solace during this tough time.

Vulture.

CBS news video at link that I don't' know how to embed.

He's outright lying, as this commenter proves:

ThatsNotOkay
Wow. That's an outright lie. When Conan signed on to stick with NBC in 2004, the condition of his remaining was that he'd inherit the Tonight Show in 2009. Leno wasn't blindsided at all in 2009, unless he put on his own blinders. Can't lie anymore Leno. It's too easy for people to refute your spin:
"Conan O'Brien to Succeed Jay Leno in 2009, NBC," BY BILL CARTER; Published September 27, 2004: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/27/business/media/2...

And here's more info about how Leno wrenched what Letterman thought would be his inheritance right out from under him:
"BEHIND THE HEADLINES IN THE LENO -- LETTERMAN WAR," BY BILL CARTER; Published: January 30, 1994:
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/30/magazine/behind-...

I'm not reading any sincerity from this guy in this performance/"interview"….

also..

sunnymiller
I can't be sure of this, but it also sounds like a lie when Leno claims he 'didn't quite understand' Conan's subsequent dismissal. It was my understanding at the time that Leno was also 'instrumental' in that decision.

He's not lying when he says he was blindsided when asked to step down for Conan. He's not saying the actual time he stepped down. He's talking about years before when they came to him and told him at the end of his newest contract he would be stepping down for Conan. At the time his show was the highest rated show in the genre and I think was truly shocked. They wanted to keep Conan and not lose him and skew with a younger demographic range that the advertisers like. That's what he is talking about and has before talked about that. Then when the time came in 2009 to step down he was still the highest rated nighttime show. Then they were freaked out because now other networks were courting Jay big time, and they were really worried about going up against him. That's when they offered him the deal for the ten o'clock show, to keep him there and not becoming a competitor in the late-nite talk show wars.

**gas_chick** · January 27th, 2014, 11:44 AM

Bullshit. He knew it didn't matter what his ratings were. Hell he is still number 1 in the ratings now so why replace him again?

**KrisNine** · January 27th, 2014, 12:03 PM

I'm not a fan of Leno's by any means, but I do think that NBC saw that Conan wasn't the replacement they were looking for and he was never going to be. Conan doesn't appeal to the people that were big fans of the Tonight Show. I don't even blame Leno for taking the job back when NBC offered it to him. I'm sure that Leno was somehow behind the scenes, but Conan wasn't going to make it either way. I love Conan, but I don't watch his show unless someone I like is going to be on. I'm more of a Letterman girl, but I really don't care for the late night shows either way.

Now, Jimmy Fallon is a different story. I think he's going to make it work and make a good transition. I think Jay and his Tonight Show are over.

**gas_chick** · January 27th, 2014, 01:39 PM

I still think that 7 months wasn't long enough for NBC to make any kind of determination regarding Conan especially with Leno's lead in. I also believe NBC will find a way to fuck Fallon over too.

**Trixie** · January 27th, 2014, 01:44 PM

I agree 7 months wasn't long enough, even #1 Jay tanked his first year or so, so much that they wanted Letterman back. But I also agree that Fallon will make it work and seems to have a broader appeal than Conan.

**czb** · January 27th, 2014, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Trixie;3145890...[COLOR=#333333

Whether he wants this or not (and he obviously doesn't) he could be a little more gracious, damn just lie and pretend he's happy to move on to other things. Instead, he just sounds like the same whiny jackass he's always been.[/COLOR]

i am not a jay fan nor do i watch the tonight show, but i did watch 60 minutes last night. while i wouldn't call jay gracious, but he acted like he knew his time was up. he didn't appear bitter, but just seemed to accept the whole thing. as an aside, i do like jimmy but probably *still* wont' watch the tonight show ....