NBC: Leno Still Leaving in '09
NBC is sticking with its Jay Leno retirement plan.
Jeff Zucker, president and CEO of the Peacock parent, NBC Universal, said Monday that despite some recent remarks Leno made suggesting he doesn't want to give up his Tonight Show gig, he will step down in 2009, as originally announced three years ago.
"Conan O'Brien will take over The Tonight Show in 2009," Zucker told students of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Zucker reiterated that Leno has been asked to remain with the network in an unspecified capacity and that the two parties "are in those conversations now," but he declined to elaborate further.
"I'm hopeful that Jay will be with us," the executive said.
Friends with benefits?
Meanwhile, the silver-haired comedian cracked wise about his late-night predicament during Monday night's monologue. When the crew notified him he was running over and he should skip to the last joke, he quipped, "Oh man, I thought I had another two years."
Leno inked a six-figure contract extension with NBC in 2005 to keep him at the Tonight Show desk through 2009, when he turns 59 and the 17th anniversary of his succession from Johnny Carson. Leno agreed to cede the coveted post to O'Brien, the longtime emcee of Late Night.
"When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor, and there is no one more qualified than Conan," Leno announced at the time with much fanfare, joking that he'd promised wife Mavis he'd finally taker her out to dinner before he hit the big 6-0.
However talk of tension between the two parties surfaced when the New York Times quoted NBC insiders as saying that Leno was feeling "frustrated" and having second thoughts about exiting his top-rated chatfest.
Earlier this month, when NBC broke the news that it was selling the network's "beautiful downtown Burbank" digs and longtime home of Tonight, the network said O'Brien would break in a new set when he grabbed the reins.
The Big Picture
If You Could See Her Now... Fun activities aboard the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship include macramé and a Rihanna concert!
More PhotosMost Commented
- Twilight Rewind: Hot Dish From the Cast Last Year! (798)
- Costars and Suits Give Robsten Their Blessings! (648)
- Blab Blab Blab: Is Twilight Sexist? (551)
- Bitch-Back! What's Eating Angie? (546)
- Truth, Lies & Ted: Twilight Special (477)
- Bitch-Back! What's Brad Got to Do With It? (425)
- Why Won't Sarah Palin Go Away? (424)
- Is Ugly Betty Ending? And Who Gets the Girl? (374)
- Ridiculous Twilight Hookups in an "All Taken" Cast (348)
- Dishy Rob Pattinson: Kristen Stewart Cooks a "Mean Spam" (284)
Top 10 Stories
- Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray & More Continue Singing Oprah's Praises
- Michael Jackson's Doc Shipped Propofol From Vegas to L.A., Records Show
- Unleashed Fangirls Derail Justin Bieber Appearance
- Miley Cyrus' Tour Bus in Deadly Crash
- Good News for Miley: She's Officially Not a Racist
- New Moon's "Absolutely Freakish" Debut
- Snipes Appeals Overly Taxing Prison Sentence
- Carrie Prejean's Biblical Boobs Are A-OK!
- Project Runway: Everybody Cries, One Designer Wins
- Ellen: Oprah Will Always Be the Queen of Daytime TV
Fashion Police
Green With Envy?Not quite, but we do give Kristen props for this shot of color during her New Moon press tour
More Photos
Latest Movie Reviews
Get Your E! News Now
9 Comments
-
Show the next 1 - 0 of 9 comments
Now loading...