"The internet rose up" — Conan O'Brien breaks silence about losing The Tonight Show's hosting

Conan O'Brien recently talked about one of the lowest points in his illustrious career: his brief, difficult spell on The Tonight Show from 2009 to 2010. After barely seven months at the helm, scheduling issues and internal network instability forced his unexpected departure, leaving him publicly upset and unclear about his future in late-night TV.

In a conversation on the MeSsy podcast with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, the 62-year-old comedian reflected on how profoundly the cancellation devastated him and how he worried it would mean the end of his career at a moment when he felt the most vulnerable.

“But lo and behold, this thing called the internet rose up, and I got this huge groundswell of love and appreciation that I didn’t expect,” O’Brien shared, describing the unexpected wave of support that flooded social media in the weeks following his departure.

He acknowledged a devoted internet community, many of whom were years younger than him, reminding him of his broad popularity and eventually assisting him in embracing new creative directions. He stated that what appeared to be a career-ending setback turned out to be a springboard for other opportunities, as he went on to conquer various platforms, including award shows and podcasts.

Conan O’Brien talks about how The Tonight Show fallout led to online support

When Conan O'Brien was given the reins of The Tonight Show in 2009, it seemed like the realization of a longstanding dream. At 46, he felt confident taking over late night's most prominent chair, until the network's schedule changes forced his unexpected leave from his position as a host just seven months later.

"I had no regrets about giving [The Tonight Show] a shot. And when, for all these complicated reasons, it blew up, I was deeply upset," O’Brien recalled. "I thought, 'I’m in real trouble and this could be the end of my career.'"

In the weeks following his departure, Conan struggled with uncertainty. He questioned if audiences would stick with him or move on, fearing that his late-night chapter had ended too soon.

Then something unexpected happened: the internet united.

"You don’t get a chance to understand fully that there’s a generation of people out there that have been watching, they’re younger than me, and they all knew how to use the internet,” O’Brien reflects. “So, they all got on social media and it was this big thing."

The outpouring of online support proved transformative. Fans demonstrated their loyalty by organizing email campaigns, launching trending hashtags, and flooding NBC's inboxes. Conan realized that digital technology has provided him direct access to audiences far beyond traditional broadcast measurements.

Inspired by this outpouring of support, he shifted his focus to new channels, experimenting with podcasting and streaming specials before eventually establishing a digital community that kept his humor fresh and current.

Trending

Fans can watch episodes of The Tonight Show on NBC.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback