Money Matters, Simplified.
Conan O’Brien leaves ‘Tonight Show’ for $45 million
by Ishita Sood - January 22, 2010 - comments
Under the terms of agreement, Conan will be getting more than $33 million while the rest would go for people who worked for the show. NBC will be paying an additional $600,000 over and above the $12 million, to “Tonight” employees who will be thrown out of work after Conan’s exit.
New York, January 22 -- Conan O'Brien has finally bid goodbye to the “Tonight Show” after taking $45 million for the remaining 2.5 years of his contract. The host, who took the throne from former host Jay Leno, stuck on only for 8 months.
After weeks of speculation, NBC finally took the call for the "Tonight Show."
A statement issued after the news on Thursday said NBC was "pleased” that Leno will be returning “to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for so many years.”
Under the terms of agreement, Conan will be getting more than $33 million, while the rest would go to people who worked for the show.
Meanwhile, Leno, who had been hosting “Tonight Show” since 17 years, will be returning on March 1. The stand-up comedian is currently on the weeknight prime-time hour.
What will Conan do now?
NBC will be paying an additional $600,000, over and above the $12 million, to “Tonight” employees who will be thrown out of work after Conan’s exit.
Conan's manager, Gavin Polone, spoke regarding the same, “Conan appreciated what NBC did to take care of his staff and crew, and decided to supplement the severance they were getting from the network out of his own pocket.”
After the much hyped exit, everyone wants to know what Conan will be doing next. Several cablers, like Fox, Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime have reportedly sent out feelers to know the possibility of bringing O'Brien into their respective areas.
With his charm and witty sense of humor, the stand-up comedian would do wonders for the cable world.
However, Polone said, “We don't know. While we have had expressions of interest, we have not had any substantive conversations with anybody.”
Recently, it was also reported that O'Brien might conduct off-camera business with his old bosses.
“We do have a continuing development relationship with Conan's (production) company. So we still keep the door open,” said Marc Graboff, chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.
Leno’s back!
Meanwhile, all Leno supporters are ecstatic. Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment predicts, “We believe Leno will be very competitive right away and that over time Leno will be the late-night leader again.”
Just two days ago, NBC had proclaimed that it was going to move “The Jay Leno Show” back into the old 11:35 p.m. slot, while “Tonight Show” would have to cut its time down to 30 minutes.