Photo: Conan O'Brien from the TBS website
Former “Tonight Show” Host/Comic, Conan O’Brien, appears to have made a triumphant return to late night TV. “Conan” debuted late night on TBS and according to The Wrap whipped the competition. In the Nielsen’s 56 metered markets, Conan rated a 2.8, Leno got a 2.7 , and Letterman a 2.5.
On the TBS website today, the comedy network crowed about the late night talker’s young adult demographics as well. Here are those numbers:
- 2, 451, 000 adults 18-34 watched
- 3, 285, 000 adults 18-49 watched
- 4, 155, 000 total viewers
In a press release, TBS credited O’Brien’s strong following among younger viewers and social media for the show’s successful kick-off. “Conan’s audience has been very vocal online, and he clearly made a smooth transition from Twitter to TBS,” said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. “Conan delivered an extraordinary audience and stands out as the youngest late-night talk show on television.”
It’s going to take a few weeks to see if these numbers hold after the hype of “Conan” wears off. Even if O’Brien show takes a dip in the ratings, his comeback from the NBC debacle last winter, which resulted in the entertainer walking away from “The Tonight Show” hosting job, has been admirable.
Last night, O’Brien’s guests included Seth Rogen and Jack White. Click here for the monologue posted over on Deadline.com. Tonight, Tom Hanks and Soundgarden join O’Brien. “Conan” airs at 11 p.m, Monday through Friday. The late night talker is produced right here in Burbank, at Warner Bros.’ Stage 15.
