Letterman Outdraws Conan

thrfeed.com:

The "Late Show" drew more viewers than the "Tonight Show" in last week's ratings -- the first time the CBS program has pulled a larger audience for a full-week average since 2005. NBC's program still firmly won among the key adult demo .

Read the whole story: thrfeed.com

Comments

[KarateKid]

All this makes me appreciate Johnny Carson all the more. I don't even watch any of these shows any more, unless I'm trying to fall asleep.

[KarateKid]

The comment section on Live Feed was hilarious to read. It's because there is no censorship on that blog, unlike this increasingly sanitary, and manipulative, one.

[KLordsha]

So...the human stick figure isn't funny. You don't say... Interesting.

[sleeperd]

You can't get any lower than losing to Dave Letterman.

[CaliTLC]

What on earth was NBC thinking replacing Jay with Conan? I was already watching Dave half the time anyway. Now, I turn straight to Dave on the other network. Does Conan still pull the corners of his pants up or do the thing with the imaginary string?

[NoSillyName]

Conan is so lame. Is he still using his hair as his one-trick pony?

[learntofly]

Ummm Hmmm.

He is so boring.

[Martampa]

NBC really laid an egg pushing out Jay Leno.

[Mij13]

I think all the late night hosts are funny, and I've enjoyed watching all of them at different times. I hope they give Conan a chance, because I am really enjoying him on the Tonight Show. Dave is fun too, and it is nice to have a choice between two great talents.

[TurgidCaterwauling]

All of these guys are talented; however, the real problem is the format of these shows may have played itself out. In his last years on the show, even Carson phoned it in. Sure the monologue was usually entertaining, but the rest was a recycling of his favorite guests. Dave is too crusty and Conan just never seems comfortable.

[crayola 08b]

"Dave is too crusty and Conan just never seems comfortable."

that's what they're known for, it's part of their shtick.

[thebirdstheword]

yeah, it's like saying that don knotts just never seems comfortable.

[MuchMadness]

I always thought Leno was pretty bland. His monologue was OK, but his skits and comedy segments were often painful to watch, especially that "Jaywalking" bit.

Conan seems uncomfortable as The Tonight Show host. The only bit I have liked so far is the "Twitter Tracker" with the cute graphics mocking the banality of Twitter and other internet fads.

Johnny Carson was the complete package --- decent monologues, good skits, and the ability to even make the celebrity interviews entertaining.

[Martampa]

Nobody was as good as Jack Parr. I am really dating myself with this comment.

[NoSillyName]

Steve Allen.

[GoodFeathers]

You are too old!

[KarateKid]

Hey, be respectful. You'll be there before you know it, and some young punk will be saying that to you.

[SharpDressedMan]

I remember watching Conan's show when it started in 1993 but stopped watching after a few months. His humor was and still is too sophomoric and insipid for me. His fans are mostly college age kids who grew up with him. Unlike Carson, Letterman and Leno, Conan has a hard time appealing to a broader audience consisting of other generations.

NBC has a train wreck. The gifted programmers NBC pays top dollar for turned out to be not so gifted.

[Pleneras]

I didn't like Conan but suprisingly his show/interviews are very good! I could do without the birdie, but his guests have actually participated instead of drifted.

As for the ratings, If Leno was ruling the evening then that means Letterman was always behind. Yet Letterman was still big... so does it really matter? It didn't hurt Letterman one bit.

[jweider]

I've tried watching "The Tonight Show" since Conan took over. Conan's just not funny. I don't know what NBC was thinking.
Conan is definitely not ready for prime time.

[inorbit]

I watched Conan a bit earlier in the week and he looked so uncomfortable it was painful.

I had to change the station to Dave.

[repugnicansfearme]

Letterman = Coward. Backed down against the Big Bad Sarah Palin. What a wuss. Goodbye, enjoy your retirement. Adios.

[bogues]

Letterman was smart enough not to be played by Palin. She feeds on this kind of thing and Letterman refused to fuel her ego.

[eleanorhawking]

Yeah! That's why he invited her on his show. He'd LOVE to be played by her - versus what he's used to.