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If someone at Bostonist isn't rooting for our boy, Conan, they didn't say it. We're psyched that Andy Richter is back. Max Weinberg moved to the Left Coast. Fingers are crossed that the masturbating bear hitched a ride...
We may see a tentative opening monologue (Obama, Octo-mom, MTV Movie Awards, Schwarzenegger, etc?). Hey, Tom Brady may not complete a 60-yard pass on the first play of the season. Let's hope a previously filmed "Conan is new to town" segment will excel like so many times on "Late Night." Whatever else happens, Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam should keep things on track for the second half of the show.
12:39 am: Instant verdict -- Conan will have a long, successful run. Looking forward to a more natural rhythm and the friendly rapport among Conan, Andy, and Max. Most Leno fans will probably stick around; some will flee for older, folksier Letterman. A sizable chunk of Dave's viewers will likely switch. Net gain for Conan. All told, the first couldn't have gone much better. It certainly could have seemed awkward, but O'Brien rode the wave to the very end.
12:35 am: Yes, Conan. The show did move quickly. It was hyperactive.
12:33 am: It wasn't a classic PJ tune, but they could be harking back to the heyday with new material. I think that was a replacement lead guitarist. Didn't one guy get mugged recently?
12:30 am: Pearl Jam is ripping it up. Some new fans might even download it for free.
12:29 am: Okay, it's a new song from the upcoming CD...
12:28 am: [commercial break] Letterman seems slow and tense. He's got Conan on the brain.
12:27 am: If anyone who knows Liza is watching, she probably won't be able to understand that Ferrell was joking. Damn, I wish Jay Leno had been bumped years ago.
12:26 am: Pearl Jam could be up after the commercials. The NBC website said they're going to do a song off the first CD.
12:23 am: Does Billy Crystal think Will Ferrell is making fun of him with the crappy singing schtick. I hope so.
12:22 am: The film clip wasn't bad. Will still wait for DVD...
12:20 am: Time to pimp "Land of the Lost" movie. Sleestaks will still move slow.
12:19 am: On his Tony award rival, Ferrell: "Liza Minnelli is a communist. A vote for Liza Minnelli is like urinating on the flag."
12:19 am: It would be better if Andy was sitting on the couch.
12:16 am: [commercial break] Is Cosby high? Why is he wearing dark sunglasses?
12:15 am: O'Brien asks for tips about LA tips. Go to LAX on Sundays for picnic. Borrow a cop's gun. Dress like a ninja and drink a bottle of Midori is the best tip! One laugh. Leno fans may be overwhelmed, but others should be enjoying it.
12:10 am: Will Ferrell is carried out on a platform by 4 Egyptian dudes. Conan pretends to like it.
12:08 am: Nice try, but not much going for that piece. Good to see the '92 Taurus. The overall pace is fast. It looks like they're throwing a lot at the viewers, so they don't have a reason to flip channels. Not likely to see this barrage every night.
12:05 am: Conan and his Ford Taurus make the ladies go crazy in next video segment. Makes a pedestrian pregnant. Fabio is impressed.
12:02 am: Technically, the "D" from Hollywood sign is the first guest. Meh.
12:01 am: Right after the break, Conan takes a minute to kiss Jay's ass. Glad that he mocks the Leno voice.
11:59 pm: The new set had a bigger budget, and it shows. Switched to CBS at commercial break, and Dave is counter-programming with Bill Cosby.
11:57 pm: It looks like the whole band has moved out. Twenty minutes in, and it's way better than Leno!
11:55 pm: Taking the tram through the San Fernando Valley works. Conan stops at 99-cent Store and buys stuff for everyone. End of clip.
11:53 pm: The Universal Studios tour looks kinda crappy...
11:52 pm: Video segment of Conan as Universal Studios guide. Batting .500 so far.
11:48 pm: Andy and Conan will improv some funny stuff -- wah? Another clip for a Lakers line. So-so.
11:47 pm: Another clip for the Sotomayor joke?
11:46 pm: The Desperate Housewives joke was wrong, Conan! Did you borrow the Hillary clip from Letterman?
11:43 pm: A little "string dance" before the monologue. Conan seems relaxed. Starts with a GM joke, then an LA/Spanish language followup.
11:40 pm: Andy Richter as announcer! Was Joel too old to move?
11:39 pm: Tractor through the studio wall. Good start. Very Conan.
11:37 pm: First laugh -- running on Wrigley Field during game. Second laugh -- stopping at a doll museum.
11:35 pm: Conan brushing teeth and looking at pre-show to-do list. Forgot to move to LA. Running through NYC across USA. "Surrender" by Cheap Trick!
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WSJ says too much conan (uh, he's the host?) and too many prerecorded clips: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/02/AR2009060200566.html. guess they never watched late night? anyway, i'll try to watch tonight... if my roomies aren't hogging the tv with their video games. arrgh!
Based on the entries I count 6 prerecorded clips, which is a bit on the high end.
I know they didn't want to screw up the first show, but I'm looking forward to the funny moments when the show falls off the tracks and Conan improvises. I hope to see Andy a bit more too.