Conan O' Brian

[rickboone1]

Is about the most obnoxious, silliest looking idiot on primetime television.

He is NOT funny. He looks like a darn rooster. How do people get into that show?

 

[FreezerBurns]

Is about the most obnoxious, silliest looking idiot on primetime television.

He is NOT funny. He looks like a darn rooster. How do people get into that show?

Conan had is place. Since his recent move to the earlier time-slot, his antics suddenly seem juvenile and nonsensical. It's clear he made absolutely no changes to the old show (besides the move to LA) and should have remained for the rest of history in his original late late night time slot. Suffice it to say, Conan is hilarious to watch two hours past the time you should be asleep.

 

[marvin100]

Is about the most obnoxious, silliest looking idiot on primetime television.

He is NOT funny. He looks like a darn rooster. How do people get into that show?

Aside from the rooster bit, I feel about the same way about Leno, who was never funny, and Letterman, who hasn't been funny since some time in the 80's.

 

[Piper Down]

Conan wrote for the Simpons. 'Nuff said.

IMHO, Letterman's a genius. No one will know those other guys in 50 years.

 

[mike72]

Is about the most obnoxious, silliest looking idiot on primetime television.

He is NOT funny. He looks like a darn rooster. How do people get into that show?

my wife would second that, she don't like him either.

 

[blue_titan]

For me Letterman and Leno are pretty bad for different reasons. Letterman's opening monologue is awful and I think it's because the writing is bad. As far as his interviewing skills I think he is at the top of the list of hosts. Whereas Leno is an unbearable interviewer.

I think Conan has better writers and is a decent interviewer, but he is quite silly...but that's why you choose to watch him (or not).

I think the absolute worst guy out there, and perhaps the worst in the history of late night shows, has to be Jimmy Fallon. I can't believe they gave this guy a show. Maybe he was funny on SNL but his timing during his monologues is absolutely awful. His writers might be good, but it's hard to tell because his delivery is atrocious. On top of that, he is a terrible interviewer. The only thing about his show that is good is the band they put together for him.

 

[Groundhog]

............and Letterman, who hasn't been funny since some time in the 80's.

Agreed....his best stuff was in the 80's and early 90's after going to CBS. For the last few years, he almost seems like he's turning into a cranky old man.

 

[gaseousclay]

I like Conan. sure, he can be an absolute idiot but it's his humor that does it for me. he was a producer on The Simsons long ago, so you see where his humor comes from. I don't find Leno or Letterman the least bit funny. it's like their writers churn out the same crappy one liner's every show. that said, I think each host caters to its own audiences.

 

[paulboeck]

I think the absolute worst guy out there, and perhaps the worst in the history of late night shows, has to be Jimmy Fallon. I can't believe they gave this guy a show. Maybe he was funny on SNL but his timing during his monologues is absolutely awful. His writers might be good, but it's hard to tell because his delivery is atrocious. On top of that, he is a terrible interviewer. The only thing about his show that is good is the band they put together for him.

+100

For my late night entertainment, I turn to Jimmy Kimmel. Am I immature? Yes, but he cracks me up, and as FreezerBurns pointed out earlier, he's on about an hour after I should be in bed sleeping so I'm not usually firing on all cylinders.

Leno's new show is pure awful. If it's purpose was to save NBC, I think we'll be losing a major network in the near future.

 

[airplanedoc]

If I could find something else to watch between the news and Craig Furgeson, I wouldn't watch Letterman, Leno or Conan at all. Never was much of a Conan fan, and like someone else already said. Letterman and Leno are equally bad for different reasons.

 

[castlecraver]

I've always liked Conan, although I didn't follow him to his new timeslot (always been a Letterman guy).

Its that Ferguson guy I can't stand. His style is just so... juvenile and goofy. Not funny IMO.

 

[The Knize]

I have not been watching any of these guys, but I have really liked Conan in the past because he seems more willing to take a chance. Also way back I think Conan had trouble getting it going, but then really figured it out. I think he really appeals to the young, whcih I am not, but that seems like a good thing when it comes to humor. Leno seemed too middle of the road and nice to me. Letterman seems kind of sour these days. He was great way back. I liked him better in the earlier slot when he and bandleader were closer together.

Kimmel seems a little swarmy or something. I feel bad about Jimmy Fallon. Have seen a little and heard lots. I have hoped he could get his feet under him, but he seems to have a bit of a deer in the headlights look about him on this show.

This format has really not worked for lots of folks. Dennis Miller (better right at the end, especially his last show), Chevy Chase. Liked the guy that gave it up. Can't remember the name, but his annoyance started to show through.

Carson did some great work and some utterly mundane phone it in work. How he did it for so long, I will never know. Jack Parr was pretentious in retrospect. Dick Cavett seemed insufferable to at the time, but had some great guests.

 

[kwk285]

I grew up watching Carson. I have seen a little of Letterman and a little of Leno. Everything I have seen has paled to Carson.

I am actually greatful that I feel these shows stink. It makes less time wasted on watching TV.

 

[arcman]

Conan wrote for the Simpons. 'Nuff said.

IMHO, Letterman's a genius. No one will know those other guys in 50 years.

Bringing up Conan's association to a hugely successful and iconic comedic TV show doesn't exactly paint him in a negative light, if that's what you were going for.

Conan's self-deprecating humor has it's appeal, and it seems to be serving him well in his new show/timeslot. If you want to see a truly terrible handling of late night, watch five minutes of Jimmy Fallon's show. Holy God is that an unfunny man. Jimmy Kimmel and even Carson Daly appear to be brilliant late night hosts when put up next to Fallon.

 

[kongjie]

In general I don't watch too many late night talk shows but lately I have been getting Ferguson on TiVo. He is a little repetitive and plays a little too much to his live audience but he has flashes of honesty and humanity that I find quite refreshing. Too many callbacks lately, though.

I watched Conan in the early days and loved him. Back then you couldn't tell when he was setting up a bit that it was going to be a joke...it was fresh enough that you thought it was going to be real when he said, "Take a look at this..." I still think the guy is a genius but his laughter is starting to get a little fake for me. I also think that he needs to work on his monologue technique. He's fallen into some bad habits, particularly that awkward "Yeah, uh huh" thing he does after the initial joke setup. It's a little lazy.

 

[blue_titan]

If it's purpose was to save NBC, I think we'll be losing a major network in the near future.

Who decides the programming and time slots for this network? Weeknights have talk shows for at least 4 hours hours (maybe more, I don't know the exact length of "Last Call") EVERY WEEKNIGHT! There is a break for local news coverage, but 4 HOURS?

10:00 PM The Jay Leno Show
11:34 PM The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien
12:37 AM Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
1:36 AM Last Call With Carson Daly

 

[infotech]

I like Conan. I don't see what "time slot" has to do with making some one funny or not. His antics were halarious later and they are funny earlier.

Out of them all I think I like Letterman the best, but I agree his openings suck. Leno was actually pretty funny with his, but I couldn't stand watching him for more than that opening for some reason.

I think my favorite (of recent times) late night host was Craig Kilborn. It was one show that I never got tired of - it was funny, had good bands performing all the time, and was just a bit different than all the others. I followed him over from the Daily Show when he hosted it. It's a shame he decided to work producing...

 

[Monkeydad]

I have always been a big fan of Conan. I have not seen his show in his new time slot, or for a few years, actually, but when he and Andy Richter were a team....hilarious. He has a goofy style of humor and will make fun of himself more than other people. He seems like he;d be a fun guy to hang out with, unlike other hosts who are obviously reading other people's lines or always denigrating others nonstop. Yes, I knew Conan has writers too, but he seems like he has a great sense of humor himself, which really comes through in his wacky stunts.

As for the late night guys, I'd rank them:

1. Conan
2. Leno








<BOTTOM OF LIST FOR ALL-TIME> Letterman (even before his recent transgressions, he's just a very rude, unfunny, miserable man.)

 

[masonjarjar]

I like Conan and watch him as much as or more than Letterman. Actually, I've found that Conan has tamed down his show quite a bit since he moved. I actually kind of miss the old show. The self-depricating stuff does get a little old, but that's just part of his thing.

Now, that Craig Ferguson, I swear, I've laughed so hard at some of his stuff that I can hardly breathe.. it's been a long time since I've laughed that hard.

 

[Mr. Clean]

Conan wrote for the Simpons. 'Nuff said.
....

Ahhh, that explains it.

my wife would second that, she don't like him either.

+1

I concur with the OP, I can't stand to watch him for more than 5 minutes at a time. No big deal really.