Hey Conan, Don't Do The Tonight Show

Yeah, I'm the last to still be commenting on this Conan/Jay thing (for the record, I don't regularly watch either, but to me Jay's actions seemed rather classless throughout this disaster so I'm pro-Conan) but rather than focus on the drama, I just want to take this time to send Conan an open letter with the vain hopes that somehow he may get to read it.

Conan, don't do The Tonight Show. No, I'm not a technology-deprived hillbilly (cuz hello... blog!) who doesn't know that you were dismissed from the show, what I'm saying is that I sincerely hope that you don't leave and pull a Letterman. Or a Kimmel. Or any of the other Tonight Show-clones out there. Why?

You were, for a time, the host of The Tonight Show. Yay. What does that mean? It means that, at best, in the running to become the second best host that show ever had. Now, Jay will probably have that distinction, and good for him, but you have the chance to do something more.

Carson hosted a late night talk show... THE late night talk show. And he did so at a time when the late night talk show was important. Are they still important? All of these shows follow the "monologue/skit/guest/guest/musical guest" outline (or some may throw an extra skit in there) and that's fine, but in Carson's time there was no CNN or internet... so the monologue was important because it was the only way that a lot of people heard about some of the topics that were discussed. In today's society not only has everyone heard about all of the news that's discussed in a late-night monologue, but most have even read a few jokes about it on Twitter or a blog (for instance, I wonder how many feminine hygiene jokes will be made about Apple's new iPad on late night monologues contain this week... whereas I'm already worn out on them because of various tweets that floated around Minutes after the announcement was made.)

In Carson's time, a lot of people learned about actor's upcoming projects through late night talk shows. Now, there's YouTube, IMDB and Aintitcool.com. ow many people know that Iron Man 2 has already been shot and are looking forward to seeing it this summer? How many people are honestly going to watch The Tonight Show the night before and decide "hmm, that looks like fun, I think I'll see that."

Conan, my man, you are being given the opportunity (whether at Fox or wherever) to do something Different. Something relevant. Honestly you're almost there as it is... I mean the people on your show though up such timeless ideas as Triumph, the horny manatee and Robot Pimp. Those are wonderfully Original ideas. So, you can take this time off and come back and do yet Another outdated late night program, or... you can take these 8 months that you were given, sit down with your writers and invent something New and original. You can change late night television. You have the opportunity to break away from all of the clones and create your own thing.

Personally, I hope that you do. Because That... I'll watch. Well no, realistically I have to wake up pretty early, so that... I'll TiVo.

Except I have a DVR and not actually a TiVo, so...

My 2nd Favorite DVD Series...? What!

So, if I was trapped on a desert island and could only take one television series dvd with me... it'd be The Wire. Obviously. But, my second choice? No, it really wouldn't be Lost because that's the last thing that I'd want to watch if I actually Was stranded on a desert island... nightmares of polar bears, smoke monsters and four-toed statues would be a bit much.

Actually, my 2nd choice would be Psych... and there's honestly no third option even close. I have recently "discovered" these dvd's over the holidays and personally I think they are fantastic. I love the television show as it is, but watching them in a row (as opposed to the way that USA airs them where it seems like every year has 7 season premieres and 7 season finales) it becomes apparent that there are actually quite a few running gags and references to past episodes. And I love both of those things.

Also, the creator of the series, Steve Franks, does some very fun commentaries with the stars, James Roday and Dule Hill. The commentaries are informative enough to be interesting, but fun enough not to be boring. Although, they generally are more funny than informative. Not that I'm complaining. Maybe it's because I'm of the age that I love the same 80's and early 90's movies and music that they reference so often in the show, or maybe it's just that, as a guy, I completely understand the Shawn/Gus dynamic and enjoy seeing their friendship on screen. Whatever it is, I really enjoy the television show, and absolutely love the dvd's. The commentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes... they're all great. I just wish that the Psych-outs that air at the end of each episode were on the dvd's (my favorite of which is here. That might even make them pass The Wire on my list then.

Well no, probably not. But still.