List of Late Night with Conan O'Brien sketches
The sketch was invented prior to the actual year 2000, but the show's writers decided to keep the named year the same even after the passing of the titular year, in a sort of ironic twist. However, when the sketch was revived on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien", Richter heaped ridicule upon O'Brien for failing to update the name of the skit nine years after the year 2000 had passed. The sketch is renamed "In the Year 3000", with the black robe (referred to as a 'ratty smock' by Richter) being replaced with a more futuristic-looking outfit consisting of a large metallic collar with a series of blinking lights, which Conan said were very expensive to make and Andy said smelled bad. Appearing on "Tonight" June 3, 2009, it was the first "Late Night" sketch to be carried over to Conan's "Tonight Show". The open to the sketch included narration by William Shatner and, on one occasion, George Takei.
The War for Late Night
"The War for Late Night" chronicles the 2010 conflict surrounding the American late-night talk show "The Tonight Show" involving Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno. Carter gives biographical description of other late-night television personalities, including David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. As host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", O'Brien decided to remain with NBC after attempts by ABC and Fox to attract him to their networksas NBC executives had told O'Brien that he would become host of "The Tonight Show" after Leno's retirement. While hosting "The Tonight Show" and analyzing ratings results, O'Brien told his manager Gavin Polone that he feared that Leno might be moved back to the program. Carter's book contains details of O'Brien's and Leno's contracts, and describes O'Brien's emotional state during the 2010 conflict. According to Carter, Leno had an advantage during negotiations because of a stronger contract agreement with NBC, which gave Leno the option to sue NBC if his program was canceled.