Smallscreen News

Coco lobbied by Lopez, a new era in late night for TBS

By April MacIntyre Apr 13, 2010, 4:29 GMT

A relaxed Conan O\'Brien appears to be enjoying his hiatus as he fills up his gas tank in Los Angeles, CA on March 24, 2010 a little scruffy but undeniably happy. Fame Pictures, Inc - Santa Monica, CA, USA

Conan finally has surfaced on TBS.

Conan O’Brien's new late-night talk show will debut in November.  Lopez Tonight, hosted by comedian George Lopez, will shift to a midnight time slot.

O’Brien was lobbied by George Lopez personally, who called him to ask that he consider joining the network’s late-night line-up. 

“I can’t think of anything better than doing my show with Conan as my lead-in,” Lopez said.  “It’s the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy.”

Said O’Brien: “In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable.  My plan is working perfectly.”

O’Brien and Lopez will give TBS a dynamic lineup in late-night television.  TBS expects O’Brien to be a long-term addition to the network’s late-night landscape.  O’Brien will host his hour-long, yet-to-be-titled show Mondays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. (ET/PT).

“Conan has been the comedic voice for a generation.  TBS already has a huge audience of young comedy lovers, and Conan’s show will give these fans even more reasons to watch our network,” said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks.

Lopez Tonight is killing in ratings and popularity, and has already become a destination show for a wide audience.  The Lopez Tonight audience is young as well, with a median age of just 34.

“For decades, late-night TV has been dominated by broadcast television,” Koonin said.  “Now, with a young audience and a growing late-night lineup, TBS is set to be the choice of comedy fans for years to come.”

O’Brien is yet another funny person hailing from the suburb of Boston.  His love of comedy began at an early age and carried on when he entered Harvard University, where he earned a degree in history.  During his years at Harvard, he also wrote for the legendary Harvard Lampoon publication, eventually serving as its president.

O’Brien is currently touring the United States and Canada with his live show, Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour.