While the story was outside our scope of coverage, Conan O’Brien’s ugly battle with Jay Leno and NBC for “The Tonight Show” was one of the biggest media stories of the past couple of months and ended with the network and Leno looking bad, and O’Brien walking away with $33 million in severance and an agreement not to go on the air until next fall. Unfortunately, for his production staff of about 40, they were left with about $12 million to split between them and for many who moved families and lives across the country, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
O’Brien is set to give his staff some steady work as he gears up for a “30-city live comedy/music revue” “The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.” In addition, Deadline Hollywood reports that talks are underway to film the tour for a documentary, with veteran TV director Rodman Flender in talks for the director’s chair.
With the tour starting in a few weeks, New York City dates at Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden have already sold out and its pretty certain tickets will go fast around the country. A documentary might be the only chance many of us get to see what goes on at the revue and will also provide some nice residual income for the staff. Go Team Coco!
Here’s one of our favorite bits from the “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” days: