Before I became a big time hot shot trucker - yeah right - I worked at the National Broadcasting Co., as Director of Corporate Logistics. It would be one of a small number of other management jobs I would suffer through. My first few days at NBC, during orientation, what was instilled in me was the importance of commercials. In fact, the programs are considered quite secondary. Understand that the more 18-25 year old women watch a show, the more the network can charge for commercials. Commercials are like passengers to an airline and loads to a trucking company. The more popular the show, now matter how stupid the content, the more commercials can be sold, the more the network can charge for the commercials and bottom line, the more money the company, in this case, NBC, makes. We are all familiar with the $1 million dollar a minute "spots" during the Super Bowl. Well, you get the point. It's all about money and demographics. So this brings us to the Tonight Show, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Surprisingly Leno is being replaced by O'Brien this May. For the longest time, after Johnny Carson "retired", I did not like Leno. For many years, I did not watch him. When I went on the road, Mrs. Grumpy started taping (VHS) the Tonight Show for me and I really enjoyed it. Along with Law & Order, the Tonight Show provided "comfort" television for me - consistent likable entertainment. I could settle down in the bunk and know the next 60 minutes would be fun. Right after the Tonight Show comes Conan O'Brien, a two-time president of the Harvard Lampoon and Simpson's' writer (one of many) and producer. Just like Leno, I like O'Brien, a lot. But, his show is not the Tonight Show. Conan has a different flavor, a different tone than the Tonight Show. Some guests on Conan do not appear on Leno, and although I'm not positive, the opposite must be true. Both shows are excellent, but here's the rub, so to speak. A more profitable demographic watches Conan. Leno appeals to an older less profitable demographic, despite high ratings and the popularity of the Tonight Show. So with what I consider a stupid decision, Leno is out and Conan is in. I would surmise that there is more going on here. Things like this don't happen without "other" supporting reasons. Perhaps Leno's relationship with NBC's management soured over money, production or other problems. Who knows - the decision has been made. I'm very sorry to see him go. As a millionaire many times over who receives six-figures to do 45-minutes of stand-up on the road, he'll be fine. Still married to his first wife, with no children, I'm sure he's smarter than Ed McMahon and won't need a hand-out years from now. And then there's the possibility that Fox or ABC will give Leno millions more to do a show on their network. Conan, in anticipation of his move to LA next year, has just purchased a $10.5 million dollar mansion.
Before I became a big time hot shot trucker - yeah right - I worked at the National Broadcasting Co., as Director of Corporate Logistics. It would be one of a small number of other management jobs I would suffer through. My first few days at NBC, during orientation, what was instilled in me was the importance of commercials. In fact, the programs are considered quite secondary. Understand that the more 18-25 year old women watch a show, the more the network can charge for commercials. Commercials are like passengers to an airline and loads to a trucking company. The more popular the show, now matter how stupid the content, the more commercials can be sold, the more the network can charge for the commercials and bottom line, the more money the company, in this case, NBC, makes. We are all familiar with the $1 million dollar a minute "spots" during the Super Bowl. Well, you get the point. It's all about money and demographics. So this brings us to the Tonight Show, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Surprisingly Leno is being replaced by O'Brien this May. For the longest time, after Johnny Carson "retired", I did not like Leno. For many years, I did not watch him. When I went on the road, Mrs. Grumpy started taping (VHS) the Tonight Show for me and I really enjoyed it. Along with Law & Order, the Tonight Show provided "comfort" television for me - consistent likable entertainment. I could settle down in the bunk and know the next 60 minutes would be fun. Right after the Tonight Show comes Conan O'Brien, a two-time president of the Harvard Lampoon and Simpson's' writer (one of many) and producer. Just like Leno, I like O'Brien, a lot. But, his show is not the Tonight Show. Conan has a different flavor, a different tone than the Tonight Show. Some guests on Conan do not appear on Leno, and although I'm not positive, the opposite must be true. Both shows are excellent, but here's the rub, so to speak. A more profitable demographic watches Conan. Leno appeals to an older less profitable demographic, despite high ratings and the popularity of the Tonight Show. So with what I consider a stupid decision, Leno is out and Conan is in. I would surmise that there is more going on here. Things like this don't happen without "other" supporting reasons. Perhaps Leno's relationship with NBC's management soured over money, production or other problems. Who knows - the decision has been made. I'm very sorry to see him go. As a millionaire many times over who receives six-figures to do 45-minutes of stand-up on the road, he'll be fine. Still married to his first wife, with no children, I'm sure he's smarter than Ed McMahon and won't need a hand-out years from now. And then there's the possibility that Fox or ABC will give Leno millions more to do a show on their network. Conan, in anticipation of his move to LA next year, has just purchased a $10.5 million dollar mansion.
