Conan O'Brien

Celebrities ranging from Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien to Britney Spears offered fond memories of Ed McMahon, a testament to the legend's wide influence and everyman appeal.

O'Brien said on Tuesday's Tonight Show that the most iconic second banana in the show's history played an "indelible part" in broadcasting history.

"It is impossible, I think, for anyone to imagine the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson without Ed McMahon," O'Brien said. "Ed's laugh was really the soundtrack to that show.

"For 30 years Ed played his part perfectly, he played it with effortless joy and sitting alongside Johnny, Ed was an indelible part of what I think ...
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On their seventh day of head-to-head competition, David Letterman's Late Show squeaked past Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show, though by a slim margin — one half of a rating point. 

Still, Letterman's latest performance represents a 13 percent week-to-week gain, while Conan has dropped 42 percent since his Tonight Show debut.

The Tonight Show's numbers, in fact, have declined every night since O'Brien ... read more 16 Comments

Even serious people got a little silly this week. Will Ferrell showed up on Man vs. Wild. Brian Williams asked the president of the United States about Conan O'Brien. One of the few places for captivating drama was the MTV Music Awards, where a terrifying accident led to a heated confrontation between Eminem and — wait, what? That was a joke, too? Welcome to Top Moments, we-don't-know-what-to-believe edition. read more 13 Comments

Conan O'Brien may have received mixed critiques for his Tonight Show debut, but the funnyman has the vote of confidence from one very important and powerful person: President Obama.

Taking a breather from his sit-down with Brian Williams, Obama, who once told O'Brien he ...
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Every week, senior editors Matt Webb Mitovich, Mickey O'Connor and Tim Molloy satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.

Any scoop to get us Mer-Der fans through the dog days of summer? Perhaps some "baby talk" about Grey's writing in Ellen Pompeo's pregnancy? — Hillary
MATT: Both Chyler Leigh and I are of the mind that Grey's Anatomy would be hard-pressed to accommodate Pompeo's pregnancy, if only because of the timing. "As far as I know they are not [writing it in]," Leigh told me, pointing out that by the time the ABC serial resumes production, "Ellen will be, like, seven months [along]." The only way I see it happening — and at least one source allows, "It could go either way" — is if Season 6 picks up five or six months after the recent finale. Such a jump would also allow poor George time to heal and look like recast Eddie Cibrian. (I kid!) 

If Fox is serious about Fringe (and aren't we all), why is it forcing it to compete against CSI, Grey's Anatomy and The Office on Thursdays? — Anita
MICKEY: At first blush, moving Fringe to such a powerhouse night would appear to be a suicide mission. But Fox entertainment prez Kevin Reilly ... read more 80 Comments