Conan's "Tonight" contract doesn't guarantee him the 11:35 timeslot
Conan O'Brien's people never asked for an 11:35 timeslot guarantee, according to TMZ. He's only entitled to host "The Tonight Show." In contrast, Leno's contract does specify state that he would host a 10 o'clock show, so he must negotiate a new deal. TMZ says that Conan will argue that there is an "implied" guarantee to host an 11:35 show, but his claim is more tenuous as a result. PLUS: Conan could overcome the no 11:35 timeslot guarantee in court.
What Conan can learn from past TV feuds
For instance, he can learn from the Letterman vs. Leno feud. Dave, says Jason Rehel, "broke the late-night mould and created a fortress of viewers that's looking pretty good right now. Lesson No. 1 for Coco: Leno might kill you (on NBC), but the fight can only make you stronger and more popular (among the people who love you anyway)."
"Gossip Girl" won't return till March 8th
We'll have to wait two months for fresh "Gossip" episodes, says Jsoh Scwartz. But the good news is that the show will return uninterrupted, airing 10 episodes in a row.
J.J. Abrams casts "Doctor Who" alum on "Undercovers"
Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw will play the female lead in the spy series.
"Scrubs" creator admits he made mistakes with the spinoff
Bill Lawrence still thinks there's a chance for renewal, but he ackowledged that J.D. overshadowed the newbies in the first few episodes.
Kimmel did his entire show Tuesday in full-on Leno mode, chin and all. Kimmel told bad jokes in Leno's lispy style and even had his band leader, Cleto, laugh at his jokes and perform Kevin Eubanks' signature riffs. "Hey Cleto, you know what ABC stands for?" he said at the beginning of his monologue. "Always bump Conan." Later, however, he scolded Cleto for not laughing at his jokes. "You know, on my show, everybody applauds when I tell a joke. Kimmel as Leno proceeded to do a "Headlines" segment and had guest Chevy Chase come on with a Conan O'Brien wig.
"The fact is," says music critic Ann Powers, "Cowell helped change the way Americans think about popular music. Embodying the role of the music snob while voicing opinions distinctly different from what that character usually expresses, he helped make room for a wider vision of what great American music can be. Or a degraded one. For many serious music fans, "Idol" has long represented the triumph of puffery and schmaltz over sincerity and real skill." PLUS: 
"I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction," Conan O'Brien said this afternoon in a statement released to "People of Earth" that, according to his rep, he sat up all night drafting. "Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the 'Tonight Show,' I believe nothing could matter more. There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work." PLUS: 
Al Jean says the end-of-show joke — "Thanks for 20 wonderful years. Now stay tuned for three Seth MacFarlane shows" — didn't make sense because only one Seth MacFarlane show was actually following "The Simpsons," thanks to the one-hour Morgan Spurlock "Simpsons" documentary. But Jean promised that not only will the MacFarlane joke be returned for summer reruns, but that Wednesday's repeat of that episode will end with another message.
The departure of the biggest star of TV's biggest show will have widespread ramifications. As the L.A. Times points out, "For the last eight years, 'Idol' has proved the great exception to otherwise confident predictions that broadcasting is in decline. Although its ratings have eroded steadily if slightly since 2006, 'Idol' still amasses gigantic audiences by current standards, averaging nearly 27 million viewers for its Wednesday results shows last year, according to the Nielsen Co."
