Those worried that Conan O'Brien would change with his move to Los Angeles can rest easy.
Conan made his 'The Tonight Show' debut on Monday night and everything from the intro music to his trademark hair appears to have come with him. In fact, the debut had a very 'Late Night'-esque feel to it from the word 'go'.
The opening montage showed Conan marking off a to-do list with all except one item undone, 'move to LA'. As a camera panned a New York skyline outside his window. After failing to flag a cab, the comedian ran and swam all the way from New York to Los Angeles -- only to find out he forgot his studio key when he got there.
"Thank you very much, please, it's coming across as angry now!" Conan told the audience at his shiny new set. "At least we know the applause sign works, that's nice."
After introducing new 'Tonight Show' announcer, Andy Richter, who seemed to be doing his best Ed McMahon impression behind a stage-adjacent podium, and bandleader Max Weinberg, he joked: "It's like a Backstreet Boys reunion here -- only not as good."
"I remember watching Johnny Carson when I was a kid and thinking: That's what I want to be when I grow up," O'Brien said. "I'm sure right now in America there is likely a kid watching me, thinking: 'What is wrong with that man's hair?'"
"I have to admit, I think I've timed this moment perfectly," said Conan. "I'm on a last-place network, I've moved to a state that's bankrupt and 'The Tonight Show' is sponsored by General Motors."
O'Brien's first guest was longtime friend Will Ferrell: "Conan O'Brien, everyone! Tonight Show—amazing, right? This is so incredible and thank you for having me. It's so cool, because no one thought you could do it. Not one person, and you're here!"
Ferrell promoted his upcoming film, 'Land of the Lost', before he closed with a short song called 'Never Can Say Goodbye'.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm pulling for you, man," Ferrell said. "But this whole thing's a crapshoot at best."
As for what we thought, there were definitely more taped sketches than were used to with Jay Leno, but that was to be expected on a debut episode. As Conan gets more comfortable with the audience, hopefully we'll see more of the characteristic 'Tonight Show'.
And although Conan's 'Late Night' feel carrying over is probably welcome news to many, it's important to remember his comedic style doesn't appeal to as wide a demographic so he may have to work a bit harder to keep viewership of the Leno-faithful, especially once the host returns with his 10 PM show in the fall.
Here's the opening montage from Conan O'Brien's debut that we mentioned above:
Those worried that Conan O'Brien would change with his move to Los Angeles can rest easy.
