Conan’s Ratings Are In: Solid, If Not Remarkable
The creative success of Conan O’Brien’s big Tonight Show debut is still being debated, but in the black/white world of Ratings Land, he appears to have pulled it off. Conan’s first show gave the late night program its highest Monday numbers in four years.
O’Brien’s 7.1 rating was a full 173& higher than his February Late Night goodbye episode, though in Tonight terms, it still came in lower than old guard Jay Leno’s Friday night sign-off. Perhaps people prefer a goodbye to a hello.
The important thing that remains to be seen is whether Conan can hold onto any of the old Leno fans. He’s sure to bring his rabid Late Night fan base to the earlier slot, but judging by certain fussy old people’s “We miss Leno… :(” reactions, his caustic absurdism may not play well with the watching-in-bed-til-the-Gas-X-kicks-in set.
- Next Post: Will Arianna Huffington Be Paying You This Month? »
- « Previous Post: New York Rich Kids Show To Make The Case For Being Old And Poor
Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@EatMySleep: Whenever you finish drinking that giant bottle of haterade let's throw you out there and see what kind of numbers you pull in, shall we?
In what way is Conan a "frat boy"? He doesn't exactly strike me as the keg stand type so can someone translate what that article actually meant for me?
Anyone could have pulled those numbers on a post-Leno debut. The actual content was dreadful. Bombed.
I think they were just fussy people in general who ragged on Cone-sie. Some of them liked little bits and pieces. I loved the show though, and I'm sure I'm the only person on Gawker Media who loves Jay Leno (I know, I'm a horrible person, blah blah).
@VoxPopuli: Couldn't agree with you more. I felt awkward just watching him!
@Sev: Oh, it's the same as Jay and Eubanks, but that's not a good thing. They need to turn down Andy's mic when he's laughing, because it was oddly distracting.
1)Oh, Miss Lohan, you say the darndest things: Conan can't interview a non-funny person and make that interview seem memorable.
2)Know your audience: Conan isn't up against Leno. He's competing against Letterman.
3)Toad Away: The toady factor of Richter will now be measured directly against Shaffer. Who will become head toady?
GreyGander
@LBJeffries: Yeah, I realized the typo a few seconds after I hit the button. I didn't care enough to check beforehand.
@VoxPopuli: We're Angelenos.
LBJeffries
@GORDONGARTRELLE: Which is TOTALLY different from Jay and Kevin Eubanks. Totally.
@DaeSu: Unlike this comment, which is hilarious and insightful. Who knew such comedic genius could be expressed in so few words? I laughed, I cried, I wet my pants...
@DaeSu: Nice of you to troll here. Between you and all the unfunny right-wing commenters on Gawker these days, this has been a long and tiresome week.
@Madge Gristle: Hah, yep.
O'BRIEN: [something]
RICHTER: HA HA HA HA!
GORDONGARTRELLE
@Cheap Shot: My, aren't we all sensitive about that unfunny redhead!Forgive me, but I just think comedians should be, you know, funny.
DaeSu
@kookla: Yeah, Vedder was looking a bit bloated and old, and the mountain man hair wasn't helping. He reminds me of this creepy mechanic that I used to avoid eye contact with when I used to take my car to the shop years ago.
Dammit! I even had Mavis do the typing to throw you off the scent. (But still, mark my words...)
NigelAstydameia
@NigelAstydameia: Hi Jay!
It was like any premiere of a late night show. They'll work out the kinks. Conan will be making fun of Angelenos in no time. Oh and Eddie Vedder needs to cut back on the carbs and hire a personal trainer. Maybe he and Richter can go in on a group plan.
@Pope John Peeps II: I like that he summed him up as "Conan the frat guy". Um, OK. At least she enjoyed Pearl Jam!
The-Littlest-Hobo
Why worry? Leno fans are (literally) dying by the minute.
PSPS: Basically, I think through no fault of the players, NBC really fucked up on this one (not a big surprise, I know). I predict they'll be regretting this plan within a year, but if it finally gets Zucker and Silverman fired, so be it.
NigelAstydameia
Conan O'Brien managed to accomplish something in the first 5 minutes of The Tonight Show (where he barely said a word) that Jay Leno never did in all his 17 years.
Be funny.
I also saw Jimmy Fallon's show for the first time last night, since I was already watching Conan. He looked really nervous and wooden during his monologue and I was afraid his voice might crack at one point.
I can't see Fallon lasting long in that show if he hasn't loosened up by now. I felt kinda bad for the guy and I had to shut it off when he was "slow jamming" the news.
I like Conan, but last night's show wasn't great. He needs to pick up the pace. There are a lot of Leno bashers who pretend Jay is only for oldsters from the midwest, but the numbers don't lie. Jay has his flaws but his show moved quickly--long, joke-filled monologue, come back and do a bit, come back with guests. Conan's show crawled last night. A few average jokes, a lot of faces plus bits that lasted way too long (although I liked the effort put into the opening). Pick it up, Conan. You can't get away with that "hanging with friends in the basement" vibe that worked at 12:30. P.S.: What the fuck's with Andy's hair? Does Conan's 'do get all the attention?
NigelAstydameia
@Richard Lawson: "You mean I can sit down now??! But.... I spent 40 dollars buying this inflatable donut and.... well, what do I do with it now?"
THat's the Leno Paradox. Once you get used to garbage, you can't admit to yourself that's what it is.
@Pope John Peeps II: It's both hilarious and frustrating. In a wonderful way.
@DaeSu: What are you a Dane Cook fan? Shouldn't you be trying to evolve functioning lungs and burrowing into mud somewhere?
Haha. I love that article.
"For now, all I'm feeling is Leno deprivation"
That's like missing your hemorrhoids after they're gone.
@Bob Wiley: Yeah, he had Cosby on. Way to court the olds!
@DaeSu: not a lot of people here are going to agree with you, bucko.
johnny_carsick
@DennyCrane: Pay this commenter no mind. I just scanned his 'contributions' and he/she has nothing to add.
@DaeSu: Except when he IS funny, which is ALWAYS.
@DaeSu: You are an idiot.
I'd be curious to know what Letterman's numbers were for last night.
@CoffeyWasHere: That wooden lectern didn't do him any favors.
Where are the fossil Leno viewers going to go? They despise Letterman and Kimmell. For now, they'll watch Conan and grumble and groan. And in September, they'll go to sleep after the late local news weather forecast.
Conan O'Brien = Not funny. Ever.
DaeSu
I thought it was OK - I liked Conan better on Late Night and I hated seeing him kiss up to the Angelinos, but still he made the Tonight Show watchable. That's more than Leno ever did.
Dutch oven jokes. That's your answer. That's how you reach the Leno-ites while you wait for them to die.
Andy needs to tone it down a bit and lose 15 lbs. Other than that, looking good.
CoffeyWasHere
@Cicada: Did DaeSu die?
holdenfunk
@VoxPopuli: Critics trashed Conan when he first started his original late night talk show. Fallon is a novice, but he'll get his groove. just wish he'd stop laughing at his own jokes. I hate when comedians that do that.
@VoxPopuli: Reminds me of the guy who was smogging my car and told me, "I love exotic chicks like you."
Yeah, so do I pass or fail?
This would be the perfect opportunity for Zombie Joe Franklin to emerge, and court the olds demo.
@bitsytimelord: That struck me as odd too. Of course, frats were a completely different entity 40 years ago. Carson would've been a frat back then (was he?)