Conan O'Brien's days at NBC appear to be dwindling. "The Hollywood Reporter" says O'Brien is expected to tape his last show this Friday. Citing sources, the industry trade reports that attorneys for both O'Brien and the Peacock network negotiated over the weekend to finalize details of their separation. The 46-year-old's payoff could reportedly reach close to 40-million dollars. The deal is said to include big severances for O'Brien's longtime producer Jeff Ross and the remainder of "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" staff. The reported deal would cap a week of negotiations that followed the TV star's public decline to host a post-midnight late night show on NBC. The network asked O'Brien to make the move to accommodate former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno's return to the 11:35 p.m. Eastern slot. Leno is expected to return to the "Tonight Show" gig on March 1st.ALSO.....
Conan O'Brien's dance card is filling up. TV trade "Broadcasting & Cable" reports cable network FX may be eyeing the 46-year-old late night host for a new project. FX Chief Executive John Landgraf told reporters at the winter TV Critics' Association press tour that he's interested in O'Brien, though the cable network's corporate sibling -- FOX -- may get first dibs. Landrgraf said, quote, "I think (Fox and FX chief Peter Rice) gets to decide whether Conan gets to go to the big brother or the little brother." Landgraf added quote, "But we'll see how it plays out."
The comments follow O'Brien's decline to host a post-midnight talk show on NBC. Peacock network executives offered the gig to O'Brien after announcing that former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno would return to NBC's 11:35 p.m. Eastern time slot.
