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Conan O'Brien Signs Deal With NBC, Ending Run as "Tonight Show" Host
Conan O'Brien is getting a $45 million package to walk away from NBC's "Tonight Show."
O'Brien's seven-month run as host of the venerable franchise will end Friday, and comes after more than a week of intense negotiations between his camp and NBC.
"NBC confirms a deal is signed and an official announcement will be made this morning," said a network source.
NBC's "Today" first reported the deal, which is believed to include a payout of upwards of $33 million for O'Brien and the remainder going to pay severance to his staff, most of whom moved to California from New York, when he took the job.
The deal sets up Jay Leno to return as host of "Tonight" — a show he was on for 17 years until last May — to return on March 1.
For more than a week, O'Brien and NBC officials have been at loggerheads over his future.
It started when NBC officials decided to end Leno's struggling prime-time show and move him to 11:35 p.m., thus pushing "Tonight" to 12:05 a.m. followed by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."
O'Brien refused to move, kicking off a fight over how much money he should get to leave, and when he'd be able to work elsewhere.
Moreover, NBC will retain the "intellectual property" rights to some of the material he created during his run at the network, including the Masturbating Bear.
O'Brien joined the network nearly 17 years ago as the host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
Leno left the show last May, ending a five-year plan to have O'Brien take over.
However his prime-time show struggled, which, combined with O'Brien's struggles on "Tonight," forced NBC's hand.
O'Brien took some parting shots in his monologue on Wednesday night's show.
"Over the past week, ratings for the 'Tonight Show,' are up by 50%," he said. "When NBC executives heard this they told me, 'See, you really don't fit in around here.'
"This whole experience has been so surreal. I never thought I'd be jealous of the long, illustrious run that NBC gave 'Joey.'"
The dispute brought a heap of scorn on NBC and boss Jeff Zucker, who told Charlie Rose earlier this week he'd gotten death threats over what he called a business decision to move the shows.
Even CBS' David Letterman has gotten in the routine of slamming NBC over the mess.
"Let me ask you this: in contractual negotiations, are you fascinated by legal detail?" Letterman joked Wednesday night. "Listen to this: Conan O'Brien, he had 'The Tonight Show' and now he's leaving, and NBC is negotiating with him and it's that intellectual property – he can't take his signature comedy bits with him. But that's okay, Jay will take them."
O'Brien's last show will be Friday, with Tom Hanks and Will Ferrell the scheduled guests and Neil Young the musical guest.
Where O'Brien goes next is the big question.
Fox officials have said they're interested in talking to him about a show, although there are numerous hurdles to get that off the ground. Sister cable network FX is also interested.
ABC officials have said they're not in the running.
Sources: AP, NBC, NY Daily News
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