After making the biggest mistake in Late Night TV Programming history by giving Jay Leno a daily talk show at 10pm, NBC decided to move The Jay Leno Show back to 11:35pm and push back The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien to 12:05am (which would be the next day). Conan O’Brien has just issued an official statement announcing that he will have no part of the Tonight Show move and will, instead, do something else … even tho he claims he has no offers from any other networks. Here is the full text of O’Brien‘s just released official statement:

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

O’Brien‘s statement continues after the jump …

So … Conan O’Brien started his new gig as host of The Tonight Show this week and a few folks noticed something … familiar about the backdrop background of his newly designed set. After careful consideration (and genius side-by-side comparison), it seems pretty obvious that Conan‘s new background came straight from the Mushroom Kingdom of the Super Mario Brothers video game:

From Gizmodo: Conan’s new Tonight Show set sure is nice, but the guys at Serious Lunch noticed that his new monologue backdrop looks pretty familiar. As in Mushroom Kingdom familiar. Chen and I are in disagreement as to whether or not this is intentional. I say it’s a coincidence, but he’s convinced that Mario was a definite inspiration for this background.

OMG … of course this background was inspired (to say the least) from the Super Mario Brothers video game. There is no way in hell that the indenticalness of the background to the layout of the video game can be mere coincidence:

LMAO! I bet Conan had no idea … but, yep, seem pretty clear to me. What do y’all think?

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Last night Conan O’Brien officially took the reigns and became the 5th host (after Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno) of NBC‘s long-running late night TV program The Tonight Show (in the wake of Leno‘s departure from the show last Friday night). Here are a few screencaps from the cold open of Conan‘s first show as host of The Tonight Show:

The video gag (showing Conan‘s move from NYC to LA) was very cute, very Conan … in case you missed it, you can watch it online HERE. After 17 years as host of Late Night, now is the time for O’Brien to take his place in the earlier timeslot … and he got things off to a hilarious start:

Conan O’Brien debuted as host of “The Tonight Show” with a jog across the country to Los Angeles and other comedy bits on his entry into a strange new West Coast culture. He joined a line of predecessors — Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno — on television’s most historic late-night franchise. “I think I’ve timed this move perfectly,” he said in his opening monologue aired Monday night. “I’m on a last-place network, I moved to a state that’s bankrupt and ‘The Tonight Show’ is sponsored by General Motors.” O’Brien spent 17 years as host of NBC’s “Late Night” in New York, and the move up one hour has been in the works for five years. Leno, his immediate predecessor, will do a weeknight prime-time show on NBC. The workaholic Leno will start “in two days, three days tops,” O’Brien joked. Actually, it’s in September. O’Brien christened a new studio on the Universal City lot with a handsome art-deco look. The stage has a blue glass background for the opening monologue, before O’Brien retreats to a desk in front of a sparkling backdrop of Los Angeles. From the top, O’Brien showed the silly comic style that sets him apart from Leno, with more comedy skits filmed earlier and less reliance on jokes in front of the studio audience. The first one showed O’Brien marking off a to-do list for his new show. “Move to L.A.” was the last item, as a camera panned a New York skyline outside his window. A frantic O’Brien went out in the street to find a cab. When he couldn’t, he began running. He ran out of New York, and sprinted across the country — across Wrigley Field in Chicago, past the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, by the Rockies and through the desert to Las Vegas. Finally he arrived at the locked door to his new studio, only to realize he’d left his keys behind. In other segments, O’Brien commandeered a tram filled with tourists on a Universal Studios lot tour and took his used green Ford Taurus for a ride into Los Angeles’ car-obsessed culture. Fabio complimented him on his ride. O’Brien appeared nervous at the long-awaited opening night, pacing onstage during his monologue and mugging with his red pompadour. “I remember watching Johnny Carson when I was a kid and thinking: That’s what I want to be when I grow up,” O’Brien said. “I’m sure right now in America there is likely a kid watching me, thinking: ‘What is wrong with that man’s hair?’” Longtime sidekick Andy Richter slid smoothly into the role Ed McMahon once played for Carson, standing at a podium to the side of the stage and loudly laughing at his boss’ jokes … Comic Will Ferrell was O’Brien’s first guest, his appearance less manic than some of his memorable “Late Night” visits. He offered O’Brien some “tips” for L.A. living, including a good burger joint in Pasadena “called Burger King.” Pearl Jam was the musical guest, debuting a song off an upcoming album. Ferrell sang his own song in tribute to O’Brien, a version of “Never Can Say Goodbye” that “bewildered” the host. Why sing a goodbye song on the first night? “Don’t get me wrong,” Ferrell said. “I’m pulling for you. But this little thing is a crapshoot at best.”

I think Conan taking over for Leno is a genius move. O’Brien is ridiculously funny and absolutely lovable. I’ve always felt that he deserved to be on TV at an earlier time (when people are still awake) to enjoy his hilarity. He’s waited a long time for this opportunity … I’m certain he’s going to be an amazing Tonight Show host. Congrats on your new gig, Conan … and Welcome to LA!! Oh — and don’t eff it up, OK?

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