O’Brien Plays it Safe, Smart in ‘Tonight Show’ Debut
by S.T. KarnickConan O’Brien played it safe in his debut as host of NBC’s Tonight Show last night. That’s a good choice, actually. The big question is: Will it last?
As I noted in an article reporting on NBC’s choice of personable Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon to host its Late Show as O’Brien moved to the Tonight Show, Fallon was closer to the style that had worked so well for the latter program in the past: intelligent, likable, and not too challenging or edgy.
O’Brien, I noted, was much less winsome and much more ambitious in his comedy, and for the Tonight Show to have success, either he or the audience would have to change, with the latter being highly unlikely except through serious shrinkage. And of course that would be a disaster for the Peacock Network.
Fallon has done well at Late Night since taking the reins on March 3, in both entertainment value and audience ratings. Late Night appears to be in very capable hands, and although it’s simply a timewaster, that’s all it is intended to be, while delivering consistent audience numbers for NBC’s advertisers.
Exercising the better part of valor, O’Brien kept the masturbating bears and foul-mouthed puppets out of the picture during his debut as Tonight Show host last night. Building on former Tonight host Jay Leno’s established practice of supplementing his monologue with pre-recorded video segments (and on O’Brien’s own approach at Late Night), O’Brien played to his strengths–interviewing and clever writing–and minimized his weaknesses as a joke-teller and personality.
Like Leno before him, O’Brien played the straight man instead of trying to be a comic actor as Carson had done so successfully over the years. O’Brien’s choice to let guest Will Farrell get the laughs during their interview segment was correct, and he even served as the butt of Farrell’s extended joke about O’Brien’s chances of succeeding in the show. Very smart.
O’Brien’s debut episode featured a new, sleek set with the obligatory urban skyline background, and it projected a greater sense of intimacy than Leno’s setting. It’s another step in the program’s evolution from a broadcast of a theatrical show, as it was during Carson’s tenure, into something more obviously designed expressly for television.
That, too, reflects a change from the show’s glory years.
Under Carson, everything about the program marked it as a central stopping point for American show business, your place to go to find out what was going on in the American culture. Under Leno’s tenure the Tonight Show continued its evolution from being a very good window on the culture, which Carson had made it during his best years as host, into just another thing to watch if you wanted to.
It is difficult to imagine O’Brien restoring to the Tonight Show the kind of value it once had, but if he keeps on its current, humble course, it could turn out to be an enjoyable and nontoxic timewaster. That amounts to a positive accomplishment in today’s culture.
–S. T. Karnick, editor of The American Culture
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25 Comments
Conan O'Brien is unwatchable. When he does a filmed bit, he's clearly a bright and funny comedian. But as an interviewer, he tries to hard to be part of the conversation, injecting himself and self-deprecating jokes into places where he should just shut up and let the guest speak. He's like the guy at the party with the lampshade on his head saying "Hey everybody, look how funny I can be!".
He has been hilarious in some filmed pieces though, including this one filmed on the border between the US and Canada.
http://www.videosift.com/video/Conan-OBrien-in-Ca...
The liberal comedians will continue to play it safe until they see President Obama's popularity shatter like the government takeover of GM & Chrysler; they are the ultimate followers pretending to be trend-setters. President Obama is a joke considering his hatred for America, business, & his disdain for Middle America in general. The man uses at least 2 teleprompters daily. He acts like he's bored stiff. And he cannot stand being the President. Why? He's bored already. Obama reminds me of a little child who gets a new, expensive toy & plays with it for 5 minutes; then he pitches a fit about wanting another toy he does not have. The comedy writes itself.
I thought Conan did a great job in his new post. I grew up on Carson, and Leno always seemed to be the permanent guest host (for 17 years!) while NBC looked for a Johnny replacement. I can honestly say that I think they finally found it in Conan. And having Andy Richter back is another throwback to those Carson days. As for the filmed bits, they simply take the place of those on stage bits Carson did. There is no way today's audience would ever go for staged bits when technology allows us to go out into the world and due things on a bigger scale.
Johnny Carson is and will forever be irreplaceable and the constant comparisons are getting tired. I wish Conan luck and with the jab at VP Biden last night, maybe the POTUS jokes aren't to far behind.
[...] O’Brien Plays it Safe, Smart in ‘Tonight Show’ Debut by S.T. Karnick [...]
I just can't believe they're putting Jay Leno in prime time. Way to punish your audience, NBC.
I miss Johnny Carson and Floyd R. Turbo.
I watched last night and had enough after the Hollywood sign sketch. It was completely unfunny from opening to when I stopped viewing. I don't what Mr. Karnick liked about the tired taped sketches that didn't cause me to so much as smile, but Conan's I'll-do-anything-for-a-laugh-including-acting-like-a-dope-and-jump-up-and-down routine wore thin with me the few times I bothered to watch him on Late Night. He's like the guy who desperately wants to be funny, but manages only to be annoying. The current crop of talk show hosts (Conan, Dave, Craig, and both Jimmys) give me a good reason to go to bed early and not bother to record them. If they're doing well in the ratings, it must be because insomniacs are tuning in. Leno had a few funny moments over the years because he's a good standup comedian (although his fawning over Obama was annoying), but Johnny Carson put his mark on the Tonight Show and no one has been able to replace him. Conan will continue to do lame junior high level stuff and NBC will keep him because he has a contract. I won't be watching though.
Conan did great in his debut on the Tonight Show. (Yes I'm already a fan so I'm biased) The opening was great, funny and very well done. The tram tour bit went on a little too long. Richter was good, but get him away from the podium and on the couch in true sidekick fashion.
And this has to do with Conan how? Beyond your shaky premise about liberal comedians…How is your comment relevant?
I thought Conan did a good job last night- I like the new set, the band is DEFINITELY better than Jay's, and as another poster noted, the filmed opening with Conan running from NY to LA was inspired. That said, the challenge is to make the show's opening, including monologue, funny every night. The pressure is on Conan's writers- the writing will make or break the show. The guests will come- the show is taped in Hollywood's backyard- and if Conan's writiers can give him a handful of even moderately funny jokes every night, the rest will work itself out.
I enjoyed Conan's show last night, he is the only late night comic I do enjoy now. (Used to like Letterman before he got so bitter and partisan.)
Conan is funny because he doesn't take himself too seriously. Hopefully he still finds ways to be a bit edgy as that is a big draw for him.
I thought Jay Leno got boring in his later years and I stopped watching. Conan O'Brien looks like more of the same. And they always trot out the usual, dull guests, promoting their usual, dull movies. Will Farrell? I'd rather chew on tinfoil.
Agreed, SG.. when Conan's willing to take the brunt of the jokes, he's usually spot on… (I was loving his Rodeo Rd. skit from last night… I dunno why, but he just seemed to make it work for me.)
And I'm glad to see Andy back… Conan and Andy always seemed to make each other better (although I do agree with the idea of getting him off the podium and back over on the couch with the guests..).
Oh yes, and thumbs up to the shout-out to the Jack Benny comment too.
I totally agree with your comment. But I think the article was more about Conan playing it safe in general during his debut, not necessarily playing it safe regarding making fun of Obama. That's what I thought the article was about, too, when I read the tite.
"they are the ultimate followers pretending to be trend-setters."
Ouch.
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There's plenty who dislike Leno, but he was the "king" for all these years. He pulled the biggest ratings and he could shake things up. I never thought he was that funny, but there are tons of people who do. Who knows?
http://www.newsy.com/videos/more_than_just_a_chan...
For any performer, maintaining and building a mass audience has to be the toughest job in show business. And given the instant and continuous rebirthing requirements of wit, achieving that as a comedian must be like going to war with a box of rubber bands of varying size and reliability.
So good luck to Conan. Ultimately he's not trying sell political outlooks or mock anyone you may like, he's just trying to create release in laughter for everyone he can. …A noble pursuit, really.
I will take Conan O'Brian seriously when he portrays himself as President Obama in a sketch. Some other man can play Michelle Obama. While the dog could be the Vice President Biden.
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Karnick is an idiot and he obviously reflects what middle America wants — boring, safe comedy. Conan's first show was a real snoozer. If he wants to become Leno then fine, but he'll be giving his old audience a big middle finger as he does it. Why are Karnick and middle America up at 11:30 anyway? People that boring should be fast asleep having dreams of watching grass grow.
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