For several weeks, the news was all over the story of late night television. Namely one Conan O’Brien who parted ways with the decades old franchise of The Tonight Show. Growing up, it was a dream of mine to take part in this industry and as it has unfolded, I am glad that my life did not take me there. Conan got caught in the intersection of where media and business are headed and where it has been. And it is for this reason that I am still with Coco.
Conan O’Brien got the short end of the stick. Everybody has gotten the short end of the stick. So people related. Online and offline protests took place. His ratings went through the roof for doing what he had been for the last 7 months. But he took up a notch. He used online properties to express his comedy. He applauded the creativity of those that were coming up with the support for him. This is something we have never seen in network television. It worked and will work when he is out from under his contractual obligations.
This is my hope: that Conan O’Brien finds a way to create his own franchise, continue to interact with his audience and show the world that there is a new way to make money and creativity on television. Just like the dream that he had and I had as young men growing up, that he can lead a new generation of young people to love producing creativity and make a living out of it. Make it happen Coco!
