© (C) 2008 NBC Universal Jay Leno posing as a reporter at NBC 2008 TCA Press Tour

Television:

Breaking News: JAY LENO POSES AS REPORTER ALA KIMMEL TO GRILL NBC EXECS ABOUT HIS EXIT

NBC finally answers questions about Leno getting the boot and Conan's promotion to TONIGHT SHOW host

By CARL CORTEZ, Contributing Editor
Published 7/21/2008

LOCATION: The Press Corp.

THE SKINNY: Like Jimmy Kimmel posing as a reporter at ABC’s Executive Session to grill Entertainment President Stephen McPherson about Jay Leno possibly coming to the network after his contract with NBC expires, Leno got into the act today at NBC TCA Summer Press Tour making fun of his exit on THE TONIGHT SHOW.

Unlike Kimmel, Leno went the extra step by sporting a bald cap and goatee in the press seats while he grilled Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff, Co-Chairmen, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios about his own exit – though the joke wasn’t immediately clear and clearly not as funny as Kimmel's back and forth last week.

Here’s the exchange:

JAY LENO: When is Leno’s last show?

MARC GRABOFF: Well, I figure we’ll get right to that. OK. Jay’s last show will be May 29, 2009. That’s a Friday. And Conan’s first show as host of THE TONIGHT SHOW will be on June 1, 2009 – the next Monday night.

LENO: Will Leno be paid for the rest of the year?

GRABOFF: Yeah, sure. Sure.

LENO: Now, Brett Favre retired and then wanted to come back, and the Packers said no. What do you make of that?

BEN SILVERMAN: Well, everyone’s entitled to change their mind, but I would imagine that puts management in a possible situation.

LENO: Let me ask you something. Do you think what Jimmy Kimmel did – the four-time Emmy-nominated Jimmy Kimmel – do you think it was kind of cheesy coming in disguise and harassing you reporters?

SILVERMAN: You know, I can’t imagine anyone stooping to that level.

LENO: I know Leno got a nomination for his website GARAGE, but none for THE TONIGHT SHOW. Do you think people like him better as a mechanic than a talk show host?

GRABOFF: He’s equally skilled at both.

LENO: Is it true that you offered Leno a fifth hour on the TODAY show?

GRABOFF: That’s a great idea actually.

SILVERMAN: Would that work?

LENO: No, it’s a crappy idea. [beat] I know you brought back KNIGHT RIDER. Any chance MANIMAL will be coming back?

SILVERMAN: We’re negotiating for AIR WOLF and MANIMAL’s original creator will not share the rights with us.

LENO: Alright. Thank you.

After Leno left, Graboff thanked Leno, or as he referred to him as “Mr Weissman” for coming to the event.

“This was just a great show of support for NBC and we can’t thank Jay enough,” adds Graboff. “He’s a class act.”

After that very awkward moment, Silverman explained that transitions are not uncommon at NBC. In fact, no matter how the press writes about how they’re waffling, it's clear they’re moving forward with Conan taking of THE TONIGHT SHOW in full force.

“We’ve gone though a number of transitions, whether it’s our great morning franchise the TODAY SHOW,” says Silverman. “I can imagine people were taking shots at NBC for allowing different transitions to happen out of the TODAY show, but we really believe in the decisions we’ve made with our partners including Jay. We’ll really be standing by them because we love the talent we have on NBC and we love the franchise that we have on NBC and we think there’s opportunity for a lot of great talent to play.”

Graboff also adds that they’re still actively talking with Leno about a position on NBC although nothing has come of that yet.

“We’re still talking to Jay about staying within NBC Universal beyond his deal on THE TONIGHT SHOW,” says Graboff. “So we’re not even going to concede that at this point, but again, we’ve made our decision, and we’re happy with it, and we’re very confident that THE TONIGHT SHOW will continue to be dominant in its time period.”

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