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Conan Pushes Back: Now What?

Roger Friedman
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conan obrien Conan Pushes Back: Now What? Read Conan O’Brien’s statement. He’s pushing back at NBC. He’s not leaving. He just won’t do the “Tonight Show” at 12:05 a.m.

What did I tell you yesterday? “The Tonight Show” has aired at 11:30 p.m. or 11:35 p.m. since 1954. Conan’s right, essentially.

Is it a legal joust? Probably. He’s not quitting. He just won’t do what’s in violation of his agreement.

So now what? A Conan insider responded with these words: “Don’t know.” And they mean it. No one knows what the next move is’ for either Conan or Jay Leno.

What could Conan do at NBC? Primetime? Switch him with Jay? That’s not going to happen. And so even though Conan says he has no plans, the odds are now that he’ll leave NBC for Fox or whatever. I just hope he comes back to New York. His value is lost on the Left Coast.

One thing’s certain, though: Dave Letterman is having a ball. His monologue last night was brilliant. And his imitation of Jay was absolutely brilliant. So all is not lost. Yet.

Related:
THR’s James Hibberd on what’s wrong with Conan’s statement
THR Esq.: Parsing the legal ramifications of the Conan/Leno madness

Music Biz Buzz: Grammys, Lundvall, and Jacko Law

Roger Friedman
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The music business ‘ what’s left of it ‘ is getting ready for Grammy weekend at the end of January and there’s a lot going on.

Not the least of it is Sony selling 4 million and more copies of Susan Boyle’s debut CD. It’s like the old days! And talk about easy listening. Boyle’s renderings are the perfect backdrop to almost anything.

Over at EMI Records, beloved longtime chief Bruce Lundvall is giving up the daily grind, so to speak. He deserves a break after all this time. Bruce has been running Blue Note for 25 years. Lundvall has worked with every jazz great, and cultivated Blue Note into one of the few important labels left. He also was responsible for Norah Jones, one of the few stars with a lasting career to be created in the 00s.

Taking Bruce’s place is the phenomenal Ian Ralfini. He came to Blue Note in 2001 and re-started Manhattan Records with legend Arif Mardin. Now Ian, who is a man devoted to his acts ‘ especially Celtic Woman ‘‘takes the reins. It couldn’t happen to a better guy. It shows that EMI is not just giving up.

Meanwhile, the lawyer who guided the whole Michael Jackson executor mess this year is being honored. Joel Katz, who has really steered the Jackson camp through murky waters, is getting the 2010 Service Award from the Grammy Foundation at the annual Law Luncheon on January 29th. There should be a gold plated Advil bottle on the plaque for what Katz accomplished this past year!

P.S. Universal Music’s Doug Morris is the Grammy honoree at Clive Davis’s annual dinner this year. This means in addition to Clive’s acts, like Alicia, Whitney, and Leona, the Beverly Hilton gang will probably get a little GaGa, if you know what I mean! Clive, Doug, Bruce Lundvall ‘‘these are the last of the great music men. We’d better appreciate them while we can. And Clive’s party is the event of the year, hands down. Whitney had better be there to sing “Million Dollar Bill”!

Awards Week: Clooney, Streep, Eastwood Make the Rounds

Roger Friedman
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This commences Awards Week. It’s sort of the first round leading up to the Oscars, with the Broadcast Critics Association handing out the Critics Choice Awards on Friday (VH1, 8pm). And then on Sunday, the Hollywood Foreign Press passes out the Golden Globes (NBC, 8pm).

During the week, there are two significant awards to be addressed in New York. The more realistic one is from the New York Film Critics Circle. Tonight, they honor “The Hurt Locker,” director Kathryn Bigelow, Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Christoph Waltz and’Mo’Nique. The latter, who still doesn’t get it, won’t attend. “Precious” director Lee Daniels will accept for her. Even so, the New York Film Critics are simply that, the main reviewers in the most important city. The public doesn’t attend, and there are no membership fees.

Then on Tuesday night the National Board of Review tosses a gala. For $600, you can buy a ticket to this thing. The NBR will give an award or a citation to just about every movie that come out this year with the exception of “Precious.” (They tossed Gabby Sidibe “Breakthough Performance” as a bone but otherwise ignored it.) They are giving Clint Eastwood his annual award because his archivist, Jeanine Basinger, is on their board. Eastwood gets Best Director for “Invictus“’even though even the DGA didn’t include him this year, and “Invictus” has turned out to be a disappointment. That doesn’t stop the NBR!

Meryl Streep didn’t get Best Actress ‘ they gave it to Carey Mulligan of “An Education” ‘ but Meryl will be there because her movie, “It’s Complicated,” was given Best Ensemble. “Up” will get Best Animated Feature, so Disney will buy a table. But where does that leave Fox Searchlight’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox“? Fox Searchlight has no other nominees, which means “no table” to the NBR. So they’re giving Wes Anderson “Special Achievement in Filmmaking.” What is the special achievement? Isn’t “Mr. Fox” just another animated film? But doesn’t it also star ‘ wait for it ”George Clooney and Meryl Streep? And won’t they be there anyway? Eureka!

Jay/Conan In PR Mess of All Time

Roger Friedman
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Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien are in the worst PR mess of all time.

It almost doesn’t matter how they got here ‘ that’s another story ‘ but here’s how they can get out of it.

On Sunday, NBC cancelled the “Jay Leno Show,” which no one watched anyway. They’ve invited Jay back to 11:35 p.m.. That’s the “Tonight” show, no matter what they call it. Since Steven Allen started it in 1954, the “Tonight” show was broadcast at that hour after the local news. So Jay is back in charge, which only leaves one problem: Conan.

O’Brien signed on for the “Tonight” show. Under the new plan, he would essentially be doing his old show, only a half-hour earlier. He might ask, like us, what’s the point in that? In order to do the “Tonight” show, Conan and his staff had to leave New York after many years. Families were uprooted, there was a lot of upheaval.

The truth is, Conan was better suited to New York. He’s edgy and quirky. He’s smart. He has East Coast written all over him. In L.A., he’s a fish out of water. He’d be better off coming back, and restarting whatever he does from New York.

Interestingly, much of what’s happening is coming out of New York. This is where Jeff Zucker is, and this is where Lorne Michaels is. NBC has always been bipolar. The News Department, the Today show, and Saturday Night Live are on the East coast. Prime time television is on the West. Rarely did the twain meet. But Michaels also has “30 Rock” under his aegis, which has only increased his power on the West Coast. If anyone’s in a position to broker a peace and calm every one down, it’s him. He’s also got Jimmy Fallon to worry about. (Fallon joked last week that soon he’d be doing his show opposite infomercials.)

In the end, Conan may have no choice but to stay and do his best work at midnight. ABC doesn’t need him now, with “Nightline” flourishing again. Fox is a dicey choice; they’ve never had success in talk shows, from Joan Rivers to Chevy Chase to “The Wilton North Report.” They run local news at 10pm on most stations, followed by a half hour of syndicated reruns on local stations. By 11:30, their earlier, stronger audience from 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. has drifted off.

The real winners here are television production companies, and the dozens of actors who have been unemployed this season because NBC had no dramas at 10 p.m. All the hospital, doctor, and lawyer shows, cop shows, and nighttime soaps will now flood the banks of 10 p.m. There’s talk of yet another “Law & Order” ‘ “Law & Order: Altoona” is still to come ‘ set in Los Angeles.

Simon vs. Simon: Idol Will Soldier on Without Him

Roger Friedman
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120744 cowell simon fox 341x182 Simon vs. Simon: Idol Will Soldier on Without HimSo Simon Cowell is really leaving “American Idol.” How will we manage?

Two words: Just fine. “American Idol” is not dependent on its judges anyway. It’s all about the talent. The judges are merely trimming.

For years Simon has been abrasive and cruel. It won’t be hard to find a replacement. There are plenty of embittered former record execs dying to take that spot.

“AI” will be smart to rely more on Randy Jackson in the 2011 season. He’s a musician, a producer, and he’s signed acts to labels. Randy is like “AI’s” secret weapon. Notice how he stays out of the madness when Simon is fighting with this one and that one. Randy is the judge to whom everyone will turn once Simon is gone.

And my guess, take it for what you will: Paula will be back. “AI” is very publicity-mad about headlines. When Simon exits, it’s not out of whack to predict a huge Paula return. They will do it for consistency, if nothing else. And by that time, Ellen DeGeneres will be bored and return to her own show.

One guy they might try out this season, if only as a guest judge: Desmond Child. The songwriter-producer of many, many hits would be just professional enough and a little bit flamboyant. Like Kara DioGuardi, he has the resume. And anyway, how about a night of “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “Dude Looks Like A Lady”?

Directors Guild Nails It � Their Noms Are the Top 5

Roger Friedman
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The Directors Guild nominations are out, and they’ve nailed it. The choices they made reflect what are certainly going to be the top five vote getters for the Oscars in Best Picture and Best Director.

The DGA chose Kathryn Bigelow, Lee Daniels, James Cameron, Jason Reitman, and Quentin Tarantino. Their respective films ‘ “The Hurt Locker,” “Precious,” “Avatar,” “Up in the Air,” and “Inglourious Basterds” ‘ were the ones I predicted would go the distance. If the Academy had only five Best Picture nominees this year, these would be the choices.

Who would be the runners up? As I said the other day, the Back five would be “Nine,” “An Education,” “Up,” “Invictus,” and “A Single Man.” Certainly, the combination of nominations from the Broadcast Critics and the Golden Globes would reflect that.

But good for the DGA for giving some authority to the season, and organizing what’s been a scattershot year of films into something cohesive.

Paul Allen’s Brave Fight Against Cancer Continues

Roger Friedman
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Mega-billionaire Paul Allen continues to battle cancer bravely.

Sources tell me he did indeed have his annual party aboard his yacht, Octopus, back on December 30th in St. Barth’s. But the party was scaled down to just about 150 people and not the usual 500. Allen, they say, had just finished a round of chemo for non Hodgkin’s lymphoma and wanted to celebrate.

As usual, Allen did manage to play some rock and roll with his house band. His good friend Jon Bon Jovi joined in at one point. Bon Jovi’s David Byron, who wrote the Broadway hit, “Memphis.” played keyboards. But one guest overheard Bon Jovi express surprise when he first saw Allen. The Microsoft co-founder is said to be quite thin, and has lost most of his hair during treatment.

Nevertheless, Allen did entertain a crowd that included his other music pal, Robbie Robertson, of The Band, as well as Usher, Orlando Bloom, George Lucas, Lorne Michaels, Larry Gagosian, and Bob Shaye. And, of course, lots of pretty girls.

Sources say Allen talked about fighting the cancer. He resigned from the board of Charter Communications last December, but said it was not health related.

“His friends rallied around him and convinced him he must live his life normally,” one guest’ told me. “Once he played with his band, he seemed to have a lot of energy and went around talking to everyone. It was good for him.”

Woody Allen Alum Gets Restless; “Knots Landing” Star Tackles Ephron

Roger Friedman
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…Michele Lee spent 14 years on “Knots Landing,” but now she’ll spend four weeks with sisters Nora and Delia Ephron. Lee opened last night in Ephron’s off Broadway hit, “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” with the play’s newest cast including Debra Monk, Tracey Ellis Ross, Casey Wilson, and Tony winner Katie Finneran. Michele plays the lead role of Gingie, the main character and sort of narrator in the Ephrons’ hilarious femlit recitation of shopping and living. This little staged reading at the WestSide Theater has become a mini hit, with famous actresses traipsing through it every month. This new group is pitch perfect, of course. Lee has just the right authority as Gingie, and keeps the four other ladies on track. Now, someone find Michele Lee ‘ former Tony nominee ‘ a musical already. But in the meantime, we can enjoy her here. P.S. Ross, a vet of sitcoms and the eldest daughter of Diana Ross, is a surprise hit here too.

…This is right out of believe it or not: Caroline Aaron, the great character actress who was featured in four Woody Allen classics, is toiling on a soap right now. (So is James Franco. Is this a trend, just as soaps are being cancelled?) Aaron was featured in Woody’s “Husbands and Wives,” “Alice,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” and “Deconstructing Henry.” She’s also one of the hardest working SAG members in town, appearing sort of everywhere all the time. Nevertheless, I just about did a spit take when I noticed she’s now playing a “Dog the Bounty Hunter” character on CBS’s “The Young and the Restless.” It’s totally out of character for her, but shows Aaron’s range. She’s great, and everyone in her scenes looks amused. Talk about inspired casting!…

X Factor in Conan/Jay Soap Opera: Lorne Michaels

Roger Friedman
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There are reports all over the place since yesterday about Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno. Their situation is a mess. One of them will have to go, or both of them will have to share the time slot from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weeknights.

lorne conan X Factor in Conan/Jay Soap Opera: Lorne Michaels But here’s what everyone’s missing: Lorne Michaels is the guy behind Conan. Lorne, the executive producer of “Saturday Night Live,” has been a fixture at NBC longer than almost anyone ‘ since 1975. He handpicked Conan to replace David Letterman years ago, and was executive producer of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien.”

On top of that, Lorne is also the guy behind “30 Rock,” NBC’s biggest hit and award-winning comedy. How ironic: the hottest show on NBC is in the hands of a guy who lampoons the network on the show. And that same guy’s protege is in the middle of a network power struggle.

If NBC screws Conan in this battle, Michaels will not be a happy man. This is no small thing. His own contract with “SNL” runs through 2012. No one else can run that show. And it’s unlikely that “30 Rock” can run without him. Plus, Lorne is the exec producer of Jimmy Fallon’s “Late Night,” a show that would be severely affected if it had to be moved back to 1:05 a.m. from its current 12:35 a.m. start time.

It’s a quandary.

Some TV veterans made the argument to me last night that as much as everyone loves Jay Leno, he is now “damaged goods.” Putting him back at 11:35 is not the answer, they say. Conan was the choice for the future. Stick with it, they say. Leno, scorned and unhappy, will move on to ABC or Fox or syndication. His monologue last night ‘ that NBC stood for “Never Believe (your) Contract” ‘ shows that he gets what’s going on, and isn’t taking it lightly, either.

The good betting at NBC, though, never goes against Lorne Michaels. And if Conan and Jimmy are somehow hurt in this deal, it will be a surprise. Tina Fey is probably already writing an episode of “30 Rock” about it right now. Whatever happens, it won’t be pretty.

Exclusive: Actress Nicole Beharie Gives Back Award

Roger Friedman
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Nicole Beharie, the gifted actress from “American Violet,” has decided to return her award from the African American Film Critics.

She’s sent me this email via her publicist: “I’ve been informed that there was a disagreement over the AAFCA Best Actress Award.’ Because of the discrepancy, I am returning the award. Gabourey Sidibe is an extraordinary actress in a film that I absolutely loved.’ I wish her all the best.”

You may recall that on December 22, 2009 I wrote about the controversy within the AAFCA. Members of the group were furious because Gabourey Sidibe, of “Precious,” actually finished first on the majority of the ballots. For reasons that are unclear, the group’s chief, Gil Robertson, instead announced Beharie as the winner.

Apparently Beharie, who was just as much a victim in this as Sidibe, wrestled with this information for the last couple of weeks. I am told she simply felt it wasn’t right, and that after asking more questions, decided to return the award.

It’s a weird and sad story. But this is what often happens when these small awards groups go unchecked through their voting processes. I am also told that members of the AAFCA are so angry they are considering ditching Robertson and starting their own group. I wish them well.

Meanwhile, Nicole Beharie, who has many awards in her future, has just gone off to shoot a new movie.

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