Late-Night Watch: Conan O'Brien signs off

 

It's all over but the packing. Conan O'Brien has breathed his last as a "Tonight Show" host, though not necessarily as a talk-show host; indeed it's hard to picture him as anything else. (His writers have gotten some mileage in recent days out of that attempt.) Into just what form he may regenerate is news for another day, when his end-of-contract contract allows him to work again. This disagreement over whether a show that starts at 12:05 a.m. may properly be called "The Tonight Show" will cost NBC a lot of money, but at least the network get to keep the Masturbating Bear and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

"Like everything in life, the fun has to come to an end," the host said at the top of Friday's show, "a decade too early."

Still, there was an hour to go of O'Brien's last stand, "exactly one hour to steal every single item in this studio."

Everything at the top was protracted in a don't-let-this-end way; the shouts of "Conan! Conan! Conan!," the orchestra's suspended last chord, drummer Max Weinberg's final cadenza -- even sidekick Andy Richter's introductory "Conaaaan O'Briiiiiiieeen" -- seemed especially, specially long. The host had to fight to contain the ovation. A party atmosphere reigned over the hour, which was a particularly funny episode of late-night TV, but also heartfelt and warm. His guests, who were clearly also his friends, were Tom Hanks, who appeared in the first week of the Conan "Tonight Show," and remembered him as a young pup writing for "SNL," and Will Ferrell, who also appeared on the last night of his "Late Night," not so very long ago.

There was an essential difference between this last show and that one, of course. Sentimentally speaking, leaving "Late Night" represented only a goodbye to New York and a studio; the old gang was not breaking up, the most fabled franchise in television comedy was beckoning on the horizon, and they were taking all their intellectual property with them. Friday's show had the tang of finality, and of real occasion -- remarkably so, when you consider the brevity of his "Tonight Show" tenure, less so when you consider, as O'Brien paused to do late in the hour, the length of his association with NBC. 

The pre-guest comedy included another expensive (but not really, as O'Brien admitted) bit on NBC's dime, this time of "a rare fossil skeleton of a giant ground sloth ... spraying Beluga caviar on an original Picasso." It was the sort of surrealist assemblage you don't get often on network television, and certainly won't be getting on the new old Leno "Tonight Show." Possible future uses for the studio were considered, including as a "storage facility for apology notes to NBC stockholders," and a plan to "leave the studio cold and empty and rename it World's Largest Metaphor for NBC Progamming." But he stopped short of calling his bosses "morons," as he did the other night, and didn't mention Leno at all.

There was a supposedly required "exit interview conducted by an NBC employee," who turned out to be Steve Carrell. "First question," said Carrell, all business. "Would you describe your experience here at NBC positive, very positive or extremely positive?" Finally, he put O'Brien's NBC ID badge into a shredder.

Hanks, who gave O'Brien his current nickname (Coco) strolled out wearing sunglasses and carrying two drinks, one for O'Brien. "It's been some week, Coco," he said, as if wrung out. (The drinks were played as Scotch, revealed as cream soda.) Neil Young, who had called asking to perform, sang a raggedy acoustic version of "Long May You Run": "We've been through some things together/With trunks of memories still to come." It's a song about his car, but the sentiment still applied.

It was anything but a long run in the end. And yet O'Brien forced this moment -- surely in the hope that by refusing to move his show after midnight the masses would rise up behind him and show NBC the error of its ways, but surely also in the knowledge that they might not. Ultimately, it was a choice, his choice, and for all the abuse O'Brien and his supporters, on the streets and on the Web, have heaped on the network in days past, he took the time toward the end of the night to honor them.

"I've worked with NBC for over 20 years," he said, not insincerely. "We have our differences right now, and yes, we're going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for all my adult life. ... I want to thank NBC for making it all possible."

Leaving the show, he said, is "the hardest thing I have ever had to do," but "despite this sense of loss I really feel that this should be a happy moment. Every comedian dreams of hosting 'The Tonight Show,' and for seven months I got to do it." Addressing himself to his viewers, and especially to "young people," he said, "Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism ­-- for the record, it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. 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."

As proof of that, he directed our attention to Will Ferrell, dressed as Lynyrd Skynyrd's late Ronnie Van Zandt, his pregnant wife by his side, out in front of a band that included Weinberg, Beck, Ben Harper and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and, after a moment, O'Brien too strapped on a guitar. They played "Free Bird," whose lyrics begin, "If I leave here tomorrow/Would you still remember me?" They played it loud, and they played it long, and Conan got a solo. It doesn't get any less cynical than that.

-- Robert Lloyd

[Corrected at 1:02 a.m.: A previous version of this post referred to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog as Insult the Comedy Dog.

Corrected at 7:45 a.m.: An earlier version of this post, in the first reference to O'Brien's previous show, "Late Night," called it "Late Show."]

Related

Late-Night Watch: It's not over 'til the skinny guy sings

Late-Night Watch: Conan O'Brien, NBC and the storm before the calm

Late-Night Watch: The revenge of Conan O'Brien

Late-Night Watch: Conan O'Brien begins the countdown

Comments

[LAW]

Wow, the BEST late night host show I've ever seen! Funny, touching and intelligent. He went out with such class, his big lineup of guests is obvious that he's respected. Geez, what in the world was NBC thinking when they let this guy go? They are going BACKWARDS to Jay Leno - seriously, who can watch Jay after this? They must be kicking each other in the crotch. Oh well. I'm not going to watch Jay, I'm going to wait for Conan on FOX! Shame on NBC, big dent in your like-ability. Booooo

[Jill Duggan]

I think you are wonderful. I won't watch Jay Leno anymore. He had his turn. You are fresh and fantastic. My husband and I were in New York in 1996 and saw your show. We are behind you all the way. Whatever show you have we will watch it!
John and Jill Duggan
Vancouver BC

[Kevin]

It is so pathetic when major newspapers make stupid mistakes like calling "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog" "Insult the Comedy Dog". No, it's not a major error, but stupid mistakes like this and typos really undermine the status of a newspaper like this so that it is on par with a random blogger. At least wait for second paragraph before screwing up.

[Connan Thash]

Dear Internet,

First!!!

[I am disappoint]

Insult the comedy dog? REALLY?

[forbin]

Epic television

[JB]

Great ending. He will be back very soon. Lets put the animosity towards Leno and NBC behind us and wish all of them success with their future shows.

[Dan]

I've never been a part of internet discussion...but Conan is tight and I can't wait to see him again!
Dan

[Frank Fong]

Boycott the Jay Leno Tonight show on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=267735781506&index=1

[Mary]

I stopped watching the Tonight Show when Jay left. I am so glad hes coming back. I'm sure a lot of people liked Conan but I was not one of them. Obviously I'm not the only one because if Conan was any good, he wouldn't be cancelled. Yeah Jay.........

[Fred]

More cow bell!

[Larry]

I like conan and believe he's much funnier than Leno, but it's to be lectured in cynicism by a guy who walked away from his dream job because it was bumped a half hour - then spent weeks trashing the company who made him rich and famous - and gave him every opportunity he wanted.

He got a crack at the Tonight Show - yes it was only seven months, but ask any Broadway actor how long the producers will put up with poor audience performance before pulling the plug. He wasn't the right guy for the job, that's all. Leno is.

Will Ferral tried to make the final segment about him and that really annnoyed me.

[Kelley]

I THOUGHT THE ENCORE IT WAS F A N T A S T I C !!!! DOESN"T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT ! I THINK HES HILARIOUS AND WILL MISS HIM...........

[Kelley]

We all love you Conan and know NBC messed up..enough of Jay Leno already. MANY of us will be watching YOU only from now on. Keep up the funniest work ever and bring joy and laughter to a tired America !

[David seow]

You're a class act and a real role model for kids. I've been a fan for a long time. You are a fantastic host and did an amazing job on the Tonight Show. Now you're on to more better things. You're # 1 in my book. Look forward to seeing you on the air again soon. God Bless.

David
Singapore

[mb]

Ummm...Will Ferrell was NOT Conan's last guest on Late Night. He was Conan's FIRST guest on the Tonight Show (and the last). Combine this with the other outlandish errors listed above, and one has to wonder whether this writer has ANY expertise or even familiarity with his topic. What a sorry state for The Times, a publication that used to feature iconic critics like Howard Rosenberg, Robert Hilburn, and Martin Bernheimer.

[Rip Rense]

O' Brien: "I hate cynicism ­-- for the record, it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. 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." I would file this weighty pronouncement with "Mean People Suck." What is taken to be cynicism by the likes of "Coco" is better described, perhaps, as broken-hearted idealism. Or, in my view, realism. One points out the futility of trying to keep corporate influence out of government, for example, and one is absurdly marked as a "cynic." O'Brien is too unaware to figure out that much of his show's humor is mocking and snide---not necessarily bad things---and that these qualities stem from. . .cynicism. What he perhaps means here is "pessimism." As for his assertion that "If you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen," this is true. You are most likely to wind up broke, which is definitely quite amazing. Or even more amazing: you will wind up with $32 million in order to not work. And celebrated for it by the public.

[Keenan]

He really could have been an epic Tonight Show host. NBC screwed up big time. Oh well.

[Gary Olivas]

Whats the average Salary of a Conan O'Brien Staff member, Conan is either a good boss or he's using his Staff as a negotiating lever to exit the Tonight Show as gracefully as Humanly possible. Conan was too young to head the show and I'm glad to see Jay Leno back, who could'nt walk in Johnny Carsons foot steps. He seems to be walking fine.

Welcome Back Jay Leno!

Gary Olivas
Georgetown, Texas

[Clara]

Thank you NBC for (at least for the next... *counts* 7 months) giving me a good reason to get some extra sleep. But don't worry, it won't be because of you that the extra sleep will end when that time is up! ;)