The Tube For 1/10/10: Leno To Return To Old Slot

The royal screw up of epic proportions has lead to them admitting it

NBC Chairman Jeff Gaspin kicked off his network’s portion of the TCA press tour by confirming the worst kept secret in the TV biz: “I can confirm, starting Feb. 12, The Jay Leno Show will no longer air at 10 p.m.”
Gaspin said that, “While [Leno] was performing at acceptable levels for the network, it did not meet our affiliates’ needs, and we realized we had to make a change. My goal right now is to keep Jay, Conan [O'Brien], and Jimmy [Fallon] as part of our late-night lineup. I have spoken to all of them and proposed that The Jay Leno Show move to 11:35, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien to 12:05, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon would then start at 1:05.

“As much as I’d like to tell you we have a done deal, that’s not true,” he added. “The talks are ongoing. [But] I hope and expect, before the Olymics begin, we will have everything set. I can’t imagine we won’t.”

Though there’s been no official word yet from Jay, Conan, or Jimmy, Gaspin called the trio “gracious,” adding that they “understood the difficult position” NBC is in. And Carson Daly? Gaspin insists he’ll “remain a part of NBC.” Last Call, however, sounds like it’s dead.

But the real loser shouldn't be Daly.

It should be one Mr. Zucker, as he should go down in television history as orchestrating the biggest lineup screwup in history.