Manhattan Adult Entertainment: Conan’s Ratings Up Again: Is This His Hugh Grant Moment?
The “Tonight” number is particularly impressive since NBC’s primetime performance is best these days on Tuesdays. And yet O’Brien did better even though the network supplied less of a lead-in on Wednesday. (Note: These are demo numbers that will change dramatically when finals are released next week, though it’s likely the gains will hold, along with the advantage over Letterman).
The ratings might also suggest a bit of momentum building around Team Conan, as online support (and media coverage thereof) picks up steam.
Indeed, if the life expectancy for “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” weren’t so bleak, one could almost see this week as O’Brien’s Hugh Grant moment.
Conventional wisdom in late night holds that Jay Leno didn’t really turns things around on his version of “Tonight” until Hugh Grant’s post-prostitute visit in 1995, during which Leno famously asked, “What the hell were you thinking?” Viewers had come to for the Grant freakshow, but liked how Leno performed– and the tide turned in Leno’s favor.
See the full article from “TheWrap”