Conan O'Brien: I Would Never Do What Jay Leno Did to Me

If the tables had been turned during their late-night dispute, Conan O'Brien says he knows what he would – and wouldn't – have done to Jay Leno.

"He went and took that show back and I think in a similar situation, if roles had been reversed, I know – I know me, I wouldn't have done that," O'Brien, 47, says in his first post-Tonight Show interview, scheduled to air on 60 Minutes Sunday.

In the interview, the new TBS late-night host tells Steve Kroft that he would not have "surrendered The Tonight Show and handed it over to somebody publicly and wished them well – and then … six months later… But that's me, you know."

Adding that "Everyone's got their own, you know, way of doing things," O'Brien, who's been on the road for his 30-date North American tour, says if he had been in Leno's shoes, he would've "done something else, go someplace else."

Leaving NBC, he says, was like severing a "toxic" relationship, especially one he didn't see having a future with.

And though he may negotiated with the network, O'Brien says he "started to feel that I'm not sure these people even really want me here."

Conan O'Brien Jokes About Next Career Move: I Will Do Nudity

After an ugly shakeup at NBC over the late-night lineup, Conan O'Brien hosted the Tonight Show for the last time Friday.

"We've a had a lot of fun being here these last seven months, but like everything in life, the fun has to come to an end a decade too early," the comedian joked during his opening monologue. "As I set off for exciting new career opportunities, I just want to make one thing clear to everyone listening out there: I will do nudity."

The red-headed host is getting $45 million to leave his late-night hosting gig on NBC so that Jay Leno can return to the 11:35 pm slot from prime time, where his ratings had been sagging.

As for how history will remember the late-night showdown, O'Brien has at least one idea. "HBO, when you make the movie about this whole NBC late night fiasco, I'd like to be played by Academy-Award winning actress Tilda Swinton," he cracked.

Leno's new Tonight Show will premiere March 1st, followed by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:35 a.m. O'Brien is free to sign a contract with another network beginning on September 1st, NBC said.

Although his opening monologue was light, before wrapping up the show by singing a song with guest Will Ferrell, O'Brien expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his fans and took the high road, thanking NBC for all the years he spent at the company.

"There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can't say about NBC. To set the record straight, tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this: between my time at Saturday Night Live, The Late Night Show, and my brief run here on the Tonight Show, I have worked with NBC for over 20 years. Yes, we have our differences right now and yes, we're going to go our separate ways, but this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.

"Walking away from the Tonight Show is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Making this choice has been enormously difficult," O'Brien continued. "This is the best job in the world, I absolutely love doing it, and I have the best staff and crew in the history of the medium. But despite this sense of loss, I really feel this should be a happy moment. Every comedian dreams of hosting the Tonight Show and, for seven months, I got to. I did it my way, with people I love, and I do not regret a second. I've had more good fortune than anyone I know and if our next gig is doing a show in a 7-11 parking lot, we'll find a way to make it fun.

"Finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous creativity on the Internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational. To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I'll think about it for the rest of my life. "

Although O'Brien did not end up winning the late-night battle, he remains optimistic about his future, he said, and hopes his fans do the same.

"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism – it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere," he concluded. "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.

Conan O'Brien & NBC Seal the Deal for His Exit

Amid confirmed reports that Conan O'Brien will pocket $45 million to leave his 7-month gig as Tonight Show star, NBC on Thursday morning said that it and the red-haired host have reached an agreement for him to exit the late-night franchise – permitting Jay Leno to return to the 11:35 pm program he hosted for 17 years.

Conan's final show will air tonight, with Tom Hanks scheduled to appear as well as Will Ferrell (who was O'Brien's first Tonight guest last June) and musician Neil Young.

The "new" Leno incarnation of Tonight will debut March 1st, and NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will continue to air from 12:35 to 1:35 am. NBC aIso confirmed that O'Brien is clear to appear on another network as of September 1st.

The bad news: Triumph the Insult Dog will have to remain behind on NBC.

Conan O'Brien Reportedly Leaving NBC Next Week

Conan O'Brien's last night as host of 'The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien' will likely be next Friday, January 22nd, a source close to O'Brien told the media. "Conan does not currently plan on doing any more new shows after next week," says the source.

To add to rumbles, NBC released its post-Winter Olympics schedule -- which did not include the 'Tonight Show.' Though his departure is looking increasingly likely, NBC is insisting a departure date is not yet set.

But if January 22nd is indeed O'Brien's final broadcast, the show will have ended two weeks before NBC's scheduled preemption for its 2010 Winter Olympics coverage. Meanwhile, TMZ is reporting that Jay Leno has made a new deal with NBC, which gives him 'The Tonight Show' from 11:35 pm - 12:35 am.

On Tuesday, the host released a statement saying that he would not go along with NBC's plan for him to host a relocated Tonight Show at 12:05 am, following The Jay Leno Show at 11:35 pm.

"I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is [The Tonight Show's] destruction," said O'Brien.

In his statement, O'Brien expresses deep respect for the 'Tonight Show' legacy, which includes such icons as Johnny Carson and Jack Paar, and flatly states he cannot participate in what he believes is the franchise's systematic dismantling.

"My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction."

David Letterman Jumps into Late-Night Fray

Late-night TV can usually be counted on for a steady diet of jokes. Now it is the joke.

David Letterman joined in the skirmish Tuesday by making jokes about NBC's late-night host shuffle on the Late Show, according to a transcript of his opening monologue.

NBC vowed Sunday to push Conan O'Brien and the Tonight Show back to 12:05 am to make room for The Jay Leno Show at 11:35 pm. O'Brien balked at the idea, saying he refused to take part in the "destruction" of the Tonight Show brand and blasted the network for trying to patch up its ratings problems in prime-time by toying with its late-night lineup.

Letterman gleefully called the back-and-forth "chaos and craziness and mayhem" and quipped that an O'Brien departure would be good for his show on CBS. "You know what this means – that's right, I knocked off another competitor," Letterman said.

He also joked that President Barack Obama will have to name O'Brien's replacement if he leaves and suggested that the shakeup could be an act of terrorism.

"And now, according to The New York Times, Al Qaeda is claiming responsibility for the wreckage at NBC," Letterman said.

As for his experience with the situation, Letterman cracked that it's been "tough on my mom because for the last six months she's been forced to watch me."

Conan O'Brien Takes a Stand Against Moving Tonight Show to 12:05

The late night saga continues!

In a statement released Tuesday, Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien describes his disappointment at the schedule shake-up announced by NBC on Sunday and the chance that The Jay Leno Show could move to 11:35 pm, bumping the Tonight Show by a half hour.

"For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news," O'Brien said in a statement. "I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 am simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.”

Here's O'Brien's full statement:

In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I've been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over the Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of the Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

It's Official: NBC Canceling Jay Leno's Prime-Time Show

Jay's walking off prime time.

Confirming days of rumors, Jeff Gaspin, the chairman of NBC Universal Entertainment, on Sunday announced that starting February 12th, The Jay Leno Show will no longer air at 10 p.m. but that the network hoped to keep Leno for an 11:35 pm show, Conan O'Brien for 12:05 am and then Jimmy Fallon after that.

But, Gaspin adds, "It's not a done deal yet."

Gaspin admits that The Jay Leno Show "did not meet affiliate needs" but that through it all, Leno and O'Brien have been "incredibly gracious and professional."

"Beyond that is a private conversation and when it all settles, you can talk to them about that," Gaspin says. "We're back in conversation tomorrow."

When asked why O'Brien would choose to remain at NBC with other networks interested in him, Gaspin says, "Conan's motivation will become more clear as time goes on. We gave something important to him, which was The Tonight Show, made it clear that it was moving with him. Conan wanted the franchise of The Tonight Show; Jay wanted to tell jokes at 11:30. Still things [need] to be worked out."

Is Jay Leno Headed Back to Late Night?

Jay Leno's time in prime time may be coming to an end – or not – depending on whom you believe and how you read a network statement.

Conflicting reports hit the Internet on Thursday that the talk show would either be canceled, moved back to 11:35 pm (ET), in a half hour format, or none of the above while discussions continue with his Tonight Show replacement Conan O'Brien. Sources said if Leno is moved to 11:35 pm, then the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien would be pushed forward to start at 12:05 am.

Fueling the confusion is an NBC statement that neither confirms nor denies the reports, but does allude to concerns by network affiliates over the sagging ratings.

"Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today," says the NBC statement. "As we have said all along, Jay’s show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network. It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance."

Leno professed to be in the dark, joking about the reports during his monologue on Thursday's taping of The Jay Leno Show.

"I don't think there is any truth to the rumors," he said. "See, it's always been my experience that NBC only cancels you when you're in first place. So we are fine. We are OK."

Later, he joked, "What does NBC stand for? Never Believe your Contract."

Sources have stated that the changes would go into place during or after the Winter Olympics.

Jay Leno Delivers His Final Tonight Show Monologue

Jay Leno left 'em laughing as he performed his final monologue from The Tonight Show stage Friday, taking time to thank those who made his show successful – Monica Lewinsky, Michael Jackson, and Bill Clinton – and to reflect on how much time has passed since he first took over the stage from his mentor Johnny Carson in 1992.

"When we started this show," Leno told a cheering crowd in the standing-room-only studio in Burbank, "my hair was black and the president was white. When we started the show, Jon and Kate were both eight."

Before his successor, the younger, taller and visibly more nervous Conan O'Brien, took a seat on the couch next to him, Leno noted that the same security guard who has checked him in for the last 17 years offered the same greeting as he drove a blue Corvette onto the studio lot Friday night: "And you are?"

As for souvenirs, Leno said, "NBC has been nothing but great. [President and CEO of NBC Universal] Jeff Zucker said for $40, I can purchase the robe that's hanging in my dressing room."

After Friday's taping, which marked the 3,775th Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the host said, "I'm going to be going to a secluded spot where no one can find me – NBC prime time."

In closing, which he called, "the hard part," Leno reflected on the good and the bad of the last 17 years, including Sept. 11, 2001.

"When times are serious, you make silly jokes. When times are silly, you make serious jokes. But you always want to have jokes," he said. "That's what we've been trying to do for the last 17 years – make you laugh. And it's been an honor and a privilege to do that."

Leno thanked the viewers, his staff of writers, Kevin Eubanks and his band, the crew and his wife, saying simply, "Thank you, honey."

Leno's new hour-long comedy show will premiere on NBC at the 10 p.m. timeslot on a date to be announced in September.

Prince Books Four-Night Leno Gig

It's not U2, but "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" will get its own multiple dose of pop royalty this month.

Prince will perform on three consecutive nights on the NBC program as he girds for the release of a pair of new albums. The mini-residency will run March 25-27; he also plans to hit the "Tonight" stage May 28 for Leno's next-to-last night as host of the venerable talk show.

No word on whether the notoriously press-shy musician also will sit down for a chat.

The announcement comes the week after U2 did a five-night run on rival late-nighter "Late Show With David Letterman" in support of its new record. Prince's new albums, "Lotus Flower" and "MPLSound," will be available March 29 exclusively from Target. The $11.98 package will include an album by rookie artist Bria Velente.

Prince's "Tonight Show" performances apparently are part of a larger rollout for the CD package in Los Angeles. An e-mail Prince sent to fans and media this week read -- including the usual wacky spellings, grammar and such: "Purple Electricity. Calling all Purpleheadz: ready 2 get plugged in? From the 24th on, there will b a slew of NPG-related events happening around electric LAlaland. we don't want 2 give away all the details yet, but b prepared 2 get yo groove on, numerous ways 4 numerous days. We know $ is tite but the adventures will b worth ur while! Stay 2ned 2 this outtaspacestation."