Dick Ebersol Blames Failure of The Tonight Show on O'Brien

Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports, says the only one to blame for the failure of The Tonight Show is the host itself, Conan O'Brien. 

O'Brien said in a statement on Tuesday that he's chosen to leave The Tonight Show if it is moved to 12:05 a.m.

So far, NBC has not yet officially commented on his announcement.

Speaking out about the drop in ratings for The Tonight Show, Ebersol told the New York Times:

"What this is really all about is an astounding failure by Conan. I like Conan enormously personally. He was just stubborn about not being willing to broaden the appeal of his show."

Ebersol also told The Times that Jay Leno has not lobbied for any of the public changes that took place at NBC or have been proposed for the future, and noted of his fellow NBC executive, Jeff Zucker:

"Jeff (Zucker) and I are big boys. When we do something big in the public forum and it doesn't succeed, we know we'll be the butt of criticism. But you don't personally attack someone who hasn't done anything. ... We bet on the wrong guy."

Referring to jabs O'Brien and David Letterman have been making at Leno on their late-night chat shows, Ebsersol said it's "chicken-hearted and gutless to blame a guy you couldn't beat in the ratings. They're just striking out at Jay. It seems like professional jealousy."

Comments

[Sharon]

I feel you are right they should of not but LENO in front of O'Brian. Think Ebersol is the one to blame. This was not a smart move on nbcs part.Failure was in the making from get go. To bad fir O,Brian as he is very good.

[Kiley Cage]

Conan is getting the shaft big time. NBC's ratings wouldn't be in the toilet if they wouldn't have moved Leno to the new time slot. For Ebersol to blame O'Brien for the failure of the suits at NBC who obviously don't know what the hell their doing shows a complete lack of judgement and common sense on his part - and Zucker is just a tool who has had it out for O'Brien since their college days at Harvard.