Name: The War for Late Night
ISBN: 9780670022083

Bill Carter

As Jay Leno once again helms The Tonight Show and Conan O'Brien is poised to start his new show on TBS, the author of the best-selling The Late Shift offers a dramatic account of NBC's failed attempt to reinvent late-night television by giving Leno a 10 o'clock show when O'Brien took over The Tonight Show.

When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy

The War for Late Night

John Lopiano Jr.

This was such an insightful and layered look at the Conan vs. Jay late night war. I grew up a Conan guy and I’ve been a staunch supporter of his for what seems like forever. In high school and college, I didn’t miss a single episode of Late Night. When Conan got the Tonight Show, I remember how special it was and then it was all gone in an instant. I can still remember watching the debut of Conan on TBS with my friends and wondering how we got to that point. This book doesn’t take sides, it just gives you perspective from all the players and arrives at one conclusion: money is the only thing that matters in show business. Highly recommended.

Kelly Gorman

I went into this book knowing how it was going to end - so no surprise there. But what was really fascinating was to read all the behind door dealings, and all the background to the whole Leno goes to Ten PM, and then goes back to the Tonight Show and oh yeah Conan goes to TBS deal. I also found the inclusion of the other late night players, and their views on what went on very interesting. 

A really enjoyable read that combined my love of TV and my love of reading (not to mention my obsession with pop culture).

The War for Late Night When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy

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