Leno "Oprah" Appearance: Image Repair Try?

(CBS)  With Conan O'Brien's stint as host of "The Tonight Show" over after just seven months, and many weeks of very public wrangling with Jay Leno and NBC, Leno is set to return to the "Tonight Show" helm March 1.

But, observes "Early Show" national correspondent Hattie Kauffman, Leno's nice-guy image took a hit when it looked like he was pushing O'Brien off "Tonight."

At one point, O'Brien himself joked on "Tonight" that, "You can do whatever you want in life -- unless Jay Leno wants it, too."

Now, says Kauffman, in what seems like image-repair mode, Leno sits down with Oprah Winfrey "for a daytime confessional," in a show scheduled to air today.

"A lot of people have taken sides, and they're not on your side. I can understand that."

"Have you talked to Conan personally since all this happened?" Winfrey wondered.

"No, I haven't," Leno replied.

Leno and O'Brien had been the punch-line of each other's jokes for weeks, but Leno tells Winfrey he's waiting for the dust to settle before reaching out, saying, "(Let's) let things cool down, and maybe we'll talk."

Leno has to "tell his side of the story," says Hollywood publicist Howard Bragman, "and remind people why they liked him in the first place, and what it was that made him No. 1 in late night for a decade-and-a-half."

And, says Kauffman, while Leno took it on the chin from other comics, he vows to carry on, telling Winfrey, "It's like being a fighter: You get punched in the head. Does it hurt? Yeah, but you're a fighter."

Meanwhile, days after his last "Tonight" show, O'Brien is still doing business with NBC, which says it bought a pilot from O'Brien's production company.

[teacup0460]

Hello, I am very disturbed by the fact that, Oprah is concidered the "High Priestest" and appears to be the person others have to go through for acceptance, when they feel their reputation has been damaged. I have been watching Oprah, on and off for quite sometime. Personally, I have had concerns about her for a while. I do not claim to know her, but I have been praying for her.

Bringing someone like Andy Borowitz on your show, and listening to him place Oprah on a level, I felt with God, was way too much for me. I quickly shut the TV off, and went back to what I know to be true.

I feel this issue with Leno, and Conan has been taken way too far by the media. It has turned into a "Side Show", and there is nothing funny about it.

[poochie44]

I don't watch either but if I did I would prefer Leno. He's doing his job and NBC screwed him, as NBC does with everything. They suck, not Leno and O'Brien.

[erasmus111]

Leno "Oprah" Appearance: Image Repair Try?

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Why would he need to repair his image? He did not steal anything from Conan. NBC gave the job to Leno because Conan SUCKS.

Is it because he did a little mud slinging with Conan O'Brien? Who started the mudslinging? If I'm not mistaken, it was Conan!

[madjek]

Jay is OHH such a fighter! I cant wait for him to punch his way out from behind oprahs skirt

[cidaia]

How funny that the same people who sympathize with Conan as "the bullied kid" and "the victim", approve of Conan using bully's tactics: attacking, getting the other kids to pick on the target.

It's even weirder that the same people disapprove of Jay using the tactics typical of bullied kids: hiding behind a woman's skirt, refusing to fight back, following the rules of civil behavior.

Guess what's really the problem here is that Jay is valued by NBC and Conan isn't - a situation based entirely on earning potential, not based on which guy the networks "like" more, or which one maneuvers better. The networks recognize they made a mistake, and they're implement what they hope will be the least unprofitable solution to the problem.

The rest is just little children being sore losers.

[lilbear925]

These fools aren't funny. They are whining, overpaid entertainers who don't have to lead a real life because their viewers can't have a funny thought without being prompted. Let them retire with their millions and disappear.

[ddkins]

I won't watch anything on NBC since the whole Leno-Conan drama. I used to be a Leno fan, but quite honestly, there's nothing he could say that could repair his image. Actions speak louder than words.

[erasmus111]

by tpeks40 January 28, 2010 2:25 PM EST
What did Leno do to deserve your ire? From what I can see, he did nothing but what the network told him to do.


Exactly. I find it unbelievable that so many people are blaming Leno for this. Leno has nothing to do with it. It was NBC's decision to remove Leno from the Tonight Show, and it was NBC's decision to put him back. The only thing Leno is guilty of is accepting the job. Who's going to pass that up? If Conan had have been doing a good job, this wouldn't have happened.

[gowerd]

Leno cannot repair his image, he has lost a lot of viewers myself included. He has no diginity left. And as far as Oprah goes, she will reel anyone in to boost her ratings, she should also leave and retire, she is becoming more pathetic every day, becoming a thing of the past!!

[cuda12345]

gowerd Leno dosn't have to repair his image didn.t you even read any of the posts above.
It's simple NBC took leno's job and gave it back the only baby crying is coco conan what ever his name is and will soon tobe forgotton.
dont mess with jay still king of late night as the rating's showed and will show again!