As you may have heard, Conan O’Brien, late night television host for 17 years, has been booted from the NBC lineup after taking over the Tonight Show on June 1, 2009. Analyst Bill Carroll told the New York Daily News that Conan was not the same, edgy host for the Tonight Show as he was for his previous show, Late Night, and that this change in his sense of humor led to his low ratings.
Rather than accepting low ratings as justification for O’Brien’s defeat, I decided to spend a couple of hours on Wisconsin Avenue to hear what my fellow students had to say about this NBC debacle and whose side they were on: Conan’s or Leno’s?
“I was upset in the first place when Conan was taking over anyway, so I’m pretty happy Leno is going back to his spot now.” – Lindsay Swanson, junior in the College of Education
“100 percent Team Coco. So much funnier! Jay Leno is really arrogant and Coco is not.” – Nick Leak, senior in the College of Business Administration
“Conan will appeal to more people because he appeals to a younger audience while Leno appeals more to an older audience. Conan just needed time to sink in. It was a big mistake.” – Justin Carrol, junior in the College of Arts & Sciences
“Leno should be on the Tonight Show just as Brett Favre should be on the green and gold.” — Adam DeCock, sophomore in the College of Business Administration
“Conan!” — a Milwaukee County Transit System bus driver.
“I like Conan because I feel like he’s more about his comedy more than having his name and face out there.” – Gabriela Dorantes, senior in the College of Communication
“[A news article I read] identified [Conan] with a lot of people who lost their jobs with this whole down turn of the economy. People love to see him kick back at NBC because who else gets a chance to make jokes about their boss before they have to leave the office? I probably like Leno’s stand-up routine better, but I like Conan’s wit throughout.” — Fr. Hughson, theology professor at Marquette
“Leno’s funnier to me. Conan thinks he’s too funny.” — Amanda Avalos, freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences
“I like Conan, because I don’t like Leno’s face.” — Elliot Higbee, senior in the College of Nursing
“I just want the Walker Texas Ranger Lever to come back.” — Aaron Griedl, junior in the College of Business Administration
“I think Leno has more longevity. He’s a better business man.” — Michele Derdzinski, sophomore in the College of Communication
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno begins again on March 1. As for Coco, who settled to leave NBC for $45 million, he is not allowed to host anything until Sept. 1. Even though rumors say he will be joining Fox, it is unsure what he’ll decide within the next seven months.
