[mkjessup]

I've said it already and I think my solution is a true "win-win-win" for NBC and it's viewers, here it is:

At 11:30 Eastern Time, Jay Leno comes out on stage just like he used to, except Kevin Eubanks & Doc Severinsen open up with the classic Tonight Show intro that used to be the trademark of Johnny Carson, Jay welcomes the audience and the TV viewers to 'The Best of Johnny Carson Tonight'.

Jay does his monologue of about 20 minutes or so, plus the usual commercial breaks, taking him up to Midnight Eastern, where he motions to the old style Carson-era curtains and Doc Severinsen calls out ala Ed McMahon "and now, herrrrre's CONAN!"

Conan O'Brien comes bouncin' out on stage, he and Jay high five each other, and joined by Doc Severinsen, they proceed to sit down at a nice big desk (something similar to the NFL pre-game talk shows), and they proceed to screen the very best of Carson's shows, from the earliest to the last years, just enjoying themselves, laughing it up, and there is no doubt in my mind that the viewership would be off the charts, why?

Because it would not matter who is hosting, for those who prefer Conan, they would tune in, for those who prefer Jay, THEY would tune in, and just about EVERYone would tune in for Doc Severinsen's recollections, Kevin Eubanks and the Tonight Show Band would continue jammin' in and out of the commercial breaks, and EVERYONE would enjoy a nightly serving of the finest late night host bar none:

The one, the only Johnny Carson.

How on Earth could they go wrong with that?

And the best part? EVERYbody gets to 'save face', no personal humiliations, no embarrassing bumps to another time slot, and I'm willing to bet that NBC could charge even higher commercial rates for that time slot (11:30 to 1:30 Eastern Time) than they do now.

Call me a genius, or call me a bozo, I think that formula would work like gangbusters.

[Political Junkie Too]

How on Earth could they go wrong with that?

They could follow it with repeats of Tom Snyder from Tomorrow. Maybe they can make the 10:00PM slot "Retro Hour" and show classic NBC shows from the 1950's and 1960's.

-PJ

[John W]

I miss Johnny and have for a long time.

[abb]

Interesting concept. If Sylvester (Pat) Weaver were still around, he would figure out how to make something work.

http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=weaversylve

Sylvester (Pat) Weaver enjoys a deserved reputation as one of network television’s most innovative executives. His greatest impact on the industry came during his tenure as programming head at NBC in the late 1940s and early 1950s. There he developed programming and business strategies the other networks would imitate for years to come. He is also remembered for supporting the idea that commercial television could educate as well as entertain, and he championed cultural programming at NBC under a policy he labeled “Operation Frontal Lobes.”

I recommend highly his book.

The Best Seat in the House: The Golden Years in Radio and Television. New York: Knopf, 1994.

[gigster]

Well, you may be a bozo, but this idea is genius.

My girl and I were watching some Timeless Moments From The Tonight Show DVD’s two nights ago, and we laughed until tears were streaming.

That was the best show ever, in my opinion, and showing it to new generations would be a good thing.