jay-leno-and-conan-obrien

(“frenemies” (c) jomo jones)

What a hot stinking mess….and the rot started back around February of last year, when Conan O’Brien inherited the Tonight Show on NBC. And Jay Leno left in a flurry of fawning farewells…except that then suddenly, NBC announced that Jay Leno wasn’t riding off into the sunset in an antique car….in fact, he was getting a primetime slot for a Jay Leno variety show…which sounded exactly like the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, except that it had 30% more stupid skit time, and played during the time that we normally got to watch a scripted sitcom or drama series (which is way more expensive to produce…hmm, what a coincidink. Remember Tina Fey’s subliminal diss at the Emmy’s?).

All this NBC action sent rivals and viewers into a tizzy. We kind of thought Conan would benefit from his big bump up to LA. We thought Leno was just getting a cushy gig to ease him out of our lives. We thought Jimmy Fallon and the Roots would be edgy and youthful on the Late Night slot. We thought Carson Daly would finally go away. Meanwhile Jimmy Kimmel thought about moving up to 11:35 and deading Nightline. And Letterman thought, now is probably a good time to not have any more bypass surgery, and dust off that intern sex scandal (just keeding).

So…how’s that working out for us? Well, Conan is stale and inexplicably un-awesome. Fallon is painfully corny and annoying apologetic (The Roots seemed to humor him like a visiting relative). Kimmel is Kimmel (pretty funny in a fratboy way). I still have no need to remember that Irish Scottish guy’s name. And Letterman is back to feeling himself, watching the drama around him.

That drama got even crazier today….first there was a rumor that NBC had given up on that awful Leno primetime show. But no, that would be too good to be true. Instead, TMZ reported that Leno is taking a hiatus, and then, come February 1….he’s not only coming back, but he’s taking the 11:30pm time slot!?!!

Which means, either Leno will only get 30minutes to yap his maw. And then The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien will start at midnight…hmm. Or…Conan will get the boot…*gasp.*

Is it possible that we’ll end up with the Jay Leno then Fallon then Carson Daly? Blech! Or will Leno nativeamerican-give on Conan, and Conan nativeamerican-give on Fallon. I’m 100% sure Fallon won’t be able to nativeamerican give on Seth Meyers at SNL. Or…can Letterman thaw out a space in his heart for Conan to move over to CBS, and get rid of that Irish guy? All I know is…if Carson is left standing, he’s officially f–king for slots.

Related: Gawker had a hilarious breakdown of Conan’s less than enthusiastic response to Jay Leno’s retirement renege last year. and Tina’s sublim Leno diss after the jump

Tina Fey’s sublim NBC and Jay Leno diss…