Do you get the feeling that NBC is in for some late-night struggles?

First of all, Conan O’Brien (whom I like) will be taking over for Jay Leno on “The Tonight show” next year and his ability to appeal to the masses is very much in question. Heck, the guy has even been beaten in the ratings a few times recently by Craig Ferguson.

And now, NBC has officially announced that former “Saturday Night Live” castmember Jimmy Fallon (whom I don’t like) will replace Conan on “Late Night” when the latter moves to the “Tonight Show.”

Good move or bad? I choose bad. Watching Fallon on “SNL,” the guy rarely made me laugh. And so often he came across as bland … and smug. Not a great combination.

But hey, NBC entertainment chief Ben Silverman is singing his praises.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Jimmy back on NBC and to have our number one-rated late night team fully in place for the future,” said Silverman, “Jimmy is more than just a likeable guy and a great comedian, he is genuinely interested in what people have to say.”

At least Fallon is more of a known commodity than Conan was was when he moved into the late-night arena. Whether that is a plus or a minus remains to be seen. But right now, I’m thinking Ferguson beats him like a rug.

Hillary Clinton yucks it up with David Letterman in a recent appearance.

If you own a TV, it’s impossible not to see presidential candidates Brack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. these days. And we’re not just talking about the regular news shows, campaigns and televised debates.

These three are everywhere. They’re clowning around with Leno and Letterman. They’re talking marital and family relationships with Oprah and Rachel Ray. They’re spoofing themselves on “Saturday Night Live” and “The Colbert Report.” They’re taping messages for “American Idol” and, yes, even WWE wrestling.

Is this made-for-TV campaign driving you crazy? Do you think the candidates are dumbing down the electoral process? Or do you find them much more entertaining than the average prime-time sitcom?

In today’s Times and Tribune, I have a piece on the made-for-TV trend, which has really grown ever since Hillary’s husband blew his sax on “Arsenio” in ‘92. To check it out, click here. And to see Hillary’s Top 10 List, as presented last night on “Letterman,” go here.

Former Oakland A’s slugger and Mr. Baseball Tell-All Jose Canseco will make his first visit to the “Late Show With David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) Monday night.

Canseco will be pimping his latest book, Vindicated, which hits the streets Tuesday. It’s his follow-up to the best-selling Juiced, in which he revealed that he took steroids during his baseball career and alleged that many other notable Major League Baseball players also took them – claims that rocked the baseball world. 

His new book picks up where Juiced left off, looking at the state of the sport since the steroid scandal and at the Mitchell Report, former U.S Senator George Mitchell’s investigation into the use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone among big-leaguers.

With the presidential primaries heating up and celebrities making asses of themselves on a daily basis, you know that late-night funnymen Jon Stewart and  Stephen Colbert were just champing at the bit to get back to their nightly anchor desks on Comedy Cental.

So it was with much anticipation and curiosity that they returned Monday night after spending two months on the sidelines because of the ongoing writers strike. And while it was great to have them back, it was also evident that their shows just won’t be the same until the writers return to work, too.

Stewart quickly pointed out that the program he’s now doing is very different from the one he hosted until two months ago. To underscore that point, he announced that he’s implementing a slight, but important, name change.

“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is a show we do with our very creative team of field producers and correspondents and studio people and, of course, our writers,” he said. “From now on, until the end of the strike, we’ll be doing ‘A Daily Show with Jon Stewart.’ But not ‘THE Daily Show.’” Read the rest of this entry »

I attended another Conan taping in the city tonight. More hilarity. Another boisterous crowd. A good time had by all,

As I write this, the show hasn’t even aired, so I’ll provide no spoilers. Instead, I wanted to share with you some tidbits from other people who have attended earlier tapings. For example, Kate Lavin, a CC Times colleague, checked out Tuesday’s show featuring George Lucas.

She’s reports that James Hetfield of Metallica was sitting in the first row of the balcony and enjoying the show. She also spotted several members of the Lucas creative team, including a couple who made it into Conan’s taped bits. When they saw themselves on screen, they went “CRAZY,” she said, “screaming and hollering.”

The “Late-Night” policy, BTW, has been to seat members of the media and “VIPs” in the middle balcony. This leaves the front rows along the stage reserved for those passionate diehards who spent hours in line. It’s only fair. Not only are you rewarding those who did the time, but you’re planting the most loyal, most rabid fans up close where they can look good on TV and feed Conan big jolts of energy.

One devotee who waited for more than seven hours in line on Monday was Kayte Jackson of Mountain View, who left us a vivid account on the blog. Among her observations was this:

“When Conan was signing autographs at the end of the show, I had the opportunity to reach out my hand to shake his, but I didn’t. If I ever do get a chance to shake his hand, I want to be able to at least talk to him long enough to tell him what an awesome man I think he is, and to thank him for making me laugh everytime I watch his show. I’d really love to go to New York sometime and see what a regular show is like, where people aren’t as hopped up on town pride. Though I guess that really was the point of having a week of shows here, and I’m so grateful I got to see one! The show is so entertaining and exhilarating to watch in person. I would definitely recommend getting in line early if you have email ticket reservations. :]”

I attended Monday’s taping of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” in San Francisco with TimeOut editor Ardua Harris and I have to admit that I was blown away by the incredible enthusiasm of the crowd at the Orpheum Theatre.

Ardua repeatedly commented on how much more lively and boisterous the audience was compared to the one we were part of at a recent “American Idol” taping. Of course, they squeezed about 2,200 into the historic Orpheum, compared to only 660 or so for “Idol,” but her point was valid. From the moment Max Weinberg’s band hit the stage, Bay Area fans were ready to rock — pumping their fists, leaping off their seats and hollering at high decibels.

In fact, for a while there, I wondered if Conan was going to be able to get his monologue out because so many leather-lunged diehards were eager to be heard. At one point a woman yelled, “Take it off!” and Conan teasingly started to tug on his jacket.

And the great thing was that the ear-piercing enthusiasm was absolutely genuine. The fans didn’t have to be coerced by some “Applause” sign (although there was one in the rafters). They didn’t have to be whipped into a frenzy by a warm-up comedian. They just wanted to shower their love on the man many believe to be the funniest guy in late-night TV.

Guest Dana Carvey even commented about the raucous crowd at one point, saying, “It’s hard not to play to them. In New York, all you’ve got out there are crickets.”

If Monday is any indication, Conan and his crew are going to have a blast by the Bay.

Some other quick observations:

– The Orpheum looked absolutely gorgeous and the set was dazzling — a huge replica of the Golden Gate Bridge. And it was a wonderful touch to have the band playing atop a mini Alcatraz island.
– As usual, some of the best moments came in Conan’s remote segments. Tonight, Conan visits director George Lucas’s playground on the Presidio. And later in the week come trips to the Wine Country and Silicon Valley.
– We should emphasize again that this week’s shows have been overbooked and you need to arrive early to guarantee admittance. Yesterday, the line outside the Orpheum snaked down an entire long block on Market Street.
– You stand a good chance of getting on TV — especially if you’re in the lower seats. I was surprised at the number of crowd shots taken by a swooping camera crane. Yes, the Bay Area is ready for its closeup.

As previously noted, Conan O’Brien is bringing his “Late Night” show to San Francisco for a five-night stint at the Orpheum Theatre beginning Monday. Before he hopped on the plane, Conan took some time to chat with me about what he has planned for the tour. You can read that interview by clicking here.

Conan, I found, is very chatty and aimiable and we touched on several subjects that didn’t make it into the story. He told me, for example, that he has a sister in San Rafael, who gave birth to a girl only days ago, so he’s looking forward to seeing his new neice while he’s here.

He also expressed some displeasure with his own network for the quick cancellation of “Andy Barker, P.I.,” the hilariously offbeat sitcom that he helped create and starred his former sidekick, Andy Richter. Here’s what he had to say about the experience:

“I have to be careful not to bitch too much about it, because the failure rate in this business is so high and there’s an arbitrary nature to it. But the network pretty much admitted that they didn’t get fully behind it. They kind of half-promoted it when it debuted, and then nothing. … And creatively, it was kind of like the rap wars — the East Coast (executives) and West Coast couldn’t get together.”

“Basically, I feel like it was never given a good chance. When you leave a baby out in the cornfield, of course it’s going to have trouble surviving. … And I really feel for Andy. I think he’s a really brilliant talent. But now it’s just another missed opportunity.”

By the way, if you’re attending any of the shows next week, let us know about your experiences.

The road trip nears. Conan O’Brien will be doing his show from San Francisco all next week and NBC has just announced the guest list. BTW, if any of our local readers are planning to go see Conan at the Orpheum Theatre, let me know. I’ll be writing and blogging about his visit and would love to have some local input in our pieces.

Also look for an interview with Conan in Saturday’s Times. I had a chance to chat with him yesterday and the man is hilarious even over the phone.

Here’s the lineup:

Monday April 30 – Dana Carvey, Arctic Monkeys
Tuesday, May 1 — George Lucas, Will Arnett, Chris Isaak
Wednesday May 2 — Robin Williams
Thursday, May 3 — “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson, Bob Weir & RatDog
Friday, May 4 – Snoop Dogg, Tom Waits

We’re told to also expect some surprise guests throughout the week, as well as remote reports from all over the city and nearby areas from wine country to Silicon Valley.

Photo courtesy of NBC

NBC has announced that Conan O’Brien is once again taking his late-night show on the road. Conan and company will drop in on San Francisco to broadcast five shows from April 30 – May 4.

“Late Night With Conan O’Brien” will originate from the historic Orpheum Theatre. Guests for the weeklong San Francisco trip will be announced at a later date.

If you’re a big Conan fan, you know that some of his most memorable shows have come on the road in cities like Toronto and Chicago. Viewers can request tickets for “Late Night’s” Bay Area shows by clicking here.