Bay Area college students weigh in on NBC’s Tonight Show conflict

Some college students get riled up at the drop of a hat, while others just don’t care. The recent conflict between NBC and Conan O’Brien is no different.


When NBC announced it would be moving Conan O’Brien’s The Late Show back to make room for The Jay Leno Show, O’Brien garnered the support of many college students through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. A Facebook fan page titled “I’m with Coco” has accumulated almost 800,000 supporters, most of whom don’t want to see Conan go.

Many students of Bay Area colleges feel the same way, sympathizing with O’Brien.

“NBC completely screwed this thing up,” University of Tampa sophomore Zach Smith said. “Conan is way funnier than Leno and should have been given a chance to find himself on The Tonight Show. I can’t wait for him to come back and stick it to Leno.”

KC Shaffer, another UT sophomore, agreed with Smith’s sentiment.

“I have nothing but respect toward Conan,” Shaffer said. “I feel like he handled the unfortunate situation with class and light-hearted humor. I think that Leno will grow to regret the decisions he's made, if he doesn't already.”

Conan’s negotiations with NBC don’t allow him to host for another network until September of 2010, but Shaffer said she is excited for Conan’s return.

“I know it will be seven months before Conan can host another show,” Shaffer said. “But I think the wait will be well worth it.”

UT writing major TJ Shields agreed, saying that he has been a fan of O’Brien since his debut on The Tonight Show.

“That tall, gangly, ginger-haired angel will always have a place in my heart,” Shields said. “Whether he has a place in primetime or not. When Jay is crushed under the weight of his own chin, Conan shall rise again!”

Of course not everyone felt this strongly about Conan’s displacement for Leno.

“I never really bothered watching either of them,” UT sophomore Ernie Gonzalez said. “I really just don't care.”

Joshua Vollstaedt, a junior at USF, felt the same way.

“Who cares?” Vollstaedt said. “I watch David Letterman. His funniness is unmatchable. The only thing Conan has going for him is his funny hair. ”