Host bids farewell to fans in final show
Source: Agencies |
January 24, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ON his final "Tonight" show, Conan O'Brien said walking away instead of accepting a demotion is the hardest thing he's ever had to do.
Despite the rancor that led to his US$45 million buyout, the red-haired comic urged fans not to be cynical and said their support made a sad situation "joyous and inspirational."
He thanked his viewers and even thanked NBC for more than 20 years of employment but not before getting in a few final jabs during an earlier monologue.
O'Brien, who keeps a collection of guitars in his office, strapped one on to join Will Ferrell, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons and Beck for a raucous rendition of "Free Bird."
O'Brien will be replaced on March 1 by the man he took over from seven months ago, Jay Leno. In the interim, reruns will fill the slot, followed by Winter Olympics programing next month.
Faced with the flop of its prime-time Leno experiment, NBC sought to move him back to 11:35pm and asked O'Brien to move "Tonight" a half-hour later, past midnight.
O'Brien refused, opening buyout negotiations that ended early Thursday, and triggering a remarkable period of late-night comics taking brutal shots at NBC and at each other.
Despite his sense of loss, O'Brien told fans on Friday that "I really feel this should be a happy moment.
"Every comedian dreams of hosting the 'Tonight' show and, for seven months, I got to," he said.
"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-Eleven parking lot, we'll find a way to make it fun."
Although, he quickly added, "I don't want to do it in a 7-Eleven parking lot."
Earlier, he showed a package of clips from his seven-month stint, including a mock run from New York to California used on his first show, and ended it with a placard saying "To Be Continued."
Despite the rancor that led to his US$45 million buyout, the red-haired comic urged fans not to be cynical and said their support made a sad situation "joyous and inspirational."
He thanked his viewers and even thanked NBC for more than 20 years of employment but not before getting in a few final jabs during an earlier monologue.
O'Brien, who keeps a collection of guitars in his office, strapped one on to join Will Ferrell, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons and Beck for a raucous rendition of "Free Bird."
O'Brien will be replaced on March 1 by the man he took over from seven months ago, Jay Leno. In the interim, reruns will fill the slot, followed by Winter Olympics programing next month.
Faced with the flop of its prime-time Leno experiment, NBC sought to move him back to 11:35pm and asked O'Brien to move "Tonight" a half-hour later, past midnight.
O'Brien refused, opening buyout negotiations that ended early Thursday, and triggering a remarkable period of late-night comics taking brutal shots at NBC and at each other.
Despite his sense of loss, O'Brien told fans on Friday that "I really feel this should be a happy moment.
"Every comedian dreams of hosting the 'Tonight' show and, for seven months, I got to," he said.
"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-Eleven parking lot, we'll find a way to make it fun."
Although, he quickly added, "I don't want to do it in a 7-Eleven parking lot."
Earlier, he showed a package of clips from his seven-month stint, including a mock run from New York to California used on his first show, and ended it with a placard saying "To Be Continued."
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