[IMG:L] It’s hard to imagine exactly what shape the new Tonight Show will take when Conan O’Brien replaces Jay Leno on June 1, but we have a few suggestions for Conan …
1. Stay Silly.
“I think that, at my best, I’m just a silly man having fun.” That’s what Conan told Parade magazine in a recent article, and it’s the key to his continued success. From a masturbating bear and a horny manatee to the Walker, Texas Ranger lever and the random staring contests, Late Night was all about the silliness — which was largely what made the show great. And if Conan & co. want to retain their devoted twentysomething following, they’ll stick with what works. Sure, it’ll take some getting used to for the leftover Leno baby-boomer viewers who are stretching their bedtimes to watch the new Tonight Show, but it’d be a very bad move to suddenly pander to the older folk (even if the Jack Donaghy-esque suits at NBC think otherwise) — and frankly, it’s impossible to imagine Conan tonin’ it down. Which brings us to our next wish …
KEEP READING: Less Jay Is OK! [PAGEBREAK]
2. Do NOT Become Jay Leno!
The Tonight Show was so popular under the Leno regime because the humor was broad, obvious and somewhat low-aimed, and Leno himself had an easygoing, nonabrasive quality that, to put it nicely, did not prevent people from falling asleep to his show. Well Conan is not Jay, and Conan shalt not turn into Jay for the sake of continued ratings domination. Conan must remain true to his cerebral, offbeat, wired and, yes, slightly edgy sense of humor — and if he does, the latest iteration of The Tonight Show can easily trounce the Leno era and be as fun and funny as it was in the Carson days. Indeed, Conan is ready for primetime late-night.
KEEP READING: Say No to Tonight Show Drama! [PAGEBREAK]
3. … But Do Make Nice With Jay.
Even though Jay consistently claims there’s no bad blood or animosity between him and Conan, let’s be honest: NBC has demoted Jay and promoted Conan — it’s gotta hurt. And on the flip side, Conan secretly must be a little miffed about once again following Leno’s show on a nightly basis — just when he probably thought he’d wrested the late-night spotlight from Leno for good! So, Conan, when you appear on Jay’s final Tonight Show, gush to him, in one of your endearing Serious Moments, about how much of an impact he has had on your career … blah, blah. Make nice, because the last thing NBC needs right now is an in-house Leno-Letterman situation!
KEEP READING: Let It (Continue to) Rock! [PAGEBREAK]
4. Stay Chummy With the White Stripes.
Conan and the White Stripes have struck up a most unlikely friendship — and the result has been a somewhat exclusive (save for that one appearance on The Daily Show) deal: The color-coordinated ex-husband-and-wife rockers never seem to decline Conan’s invitations. To that end, Late Night typically showcased the best musical acts of any late show, and it was plain to see that they were often bands Conan was personally fond of. Here’s hoping that trend continues, with, say, Grizzly Bear taking precedence over Kid Rock. After all, the first-ever musical guest on Late Night was none other than Radiohead — as in, pre-mega-popularity Radiohead. ‘Nuff said.
KEEP READING: The Richter Scale! [PAGEBREAK]
5. Rekindle the Andy Richter Magic.
Some of Late Night’s indisputable high points came during the seven years when Richter served as Conan’s sidekick. After a fruitless attempt at solo TV stardom (despite headlining the superb but criminally under-watched Andy Richter Controls the Universe), Richter was brought on as the announcer of the new Tonight Show as well as an occasional sketch player. Conan and Andy are comedic soul mates capable of churning out gold by simply sitting next to one another, so the potential exists for some true hilarity. We welcome Andy back with open arms — and the more he’s on the show, the merrier. As a bonus, it’ll allow Max Weinberg to focus more on what he does best: drumming, not comedy!
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