O'Brien Pulls No Punches Against NBC

On 'Tonight Show,' Conan O'Brien Jokes About Network Tension, Jay Leno Moving Back to Old Time Slot, Destination Unknown for Conan O'Brien

Hours after releasing a statement that he will not do "The Tonight Show" if his new airtime is 12:05 a.m., late night comedian Conan O'Brien took to the airwaves pulling no punches. After receiving more applause than usual, O'Brien urged his fans to settle down, quipping that "I may not have that much time."

His employer, NBC, had planned to unceremoniously oust the host from his 11:35 p.m. ET time slot come February to make room for a Jay Leno program.

"My name is Conan O'Brien and I may soon be available for children's parties," he announced.

He then reminisced about watching the "Tonight Show" as a child. "I remember watching Johnny Carson and thinking, someday I'm going to host that show for seven months," he said.

But O'Brien, seemingly uninterested in currying favor with NBC, let one of his staff writers, Deon Cole, deliver some of his harsher barbs. In a racy bit, Cole compared O'Brien to a prostitute and the network to his pimp.

"Is your job making people happy before they go to sleep?" Cole asked O'Brien. "Has Charlie Sheen ever been on your couch?"

Verteran NBC newsman Tom Brokaw was O'Brien's first guest of the evening and started by comparing himself to the crazy old uncle who gets wheeled out to a family reunion without realizing a feud was brewing.

"I also understand your anger and I wish you only happiness in your life," Brokaw told O'Brien. "It's hard for me to imagine you not a member of the family."

In the statement released today, the late night comedian did not make clear whether he plans to stay with NBC. In the wake of releasing his statement, the Internet rallied around O'Brien, turning him into a trending topic on Twitter, with fans voicing support for "Team Conan."

Below, the full text of O'Brien's statement.

People of Earth:

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.

Yours,

Conan