A classy Conan signs off!

From his days writing on Saturday Night Live through Late Night with Conan O’Brien and finally his abbreviated stint on the Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien left NBC after about twenty years. 

He left giving them a gift…probably his highest ratings ever on The Tonight Show.

It was a classy exit with O’Brien thanking the network for the opportunity to host the Tonight Show. He was funny and emotional. Particularly cool how he finished playing electric guitar with an all-star band with Will Ferrell as the front-man? Hey, that’s comedy, baby.

I’ll miss Conan. But he’ll be back. (And hopefully Andy Richter will return with him as his trusty sidekick, too.)

I’m sure Leno’s ratings will improve over Conan’s when he returns to the 11:30 timeslot. But I know I personally have even less interest in watching him again.

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This isn’t a sports column. But like many of you, I spent most of Sunday watching Football.

I can’t imagine any football team beating the Colts in the Super Bowl.

Watching the NFC Championship as the Vikings and Saints literally pummelled each other, I thought “these guys aren’t going to have anything left for the Super Bowl.”

Colts fans, we should savor the team Indianapolis has created. 

But even with the AFC Championship and even if they pull out a Super Bowl victory, I will still find it hard to forgive the team for NOT going for the perfect season.

They earned it. They deserved it.     

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BTW, did you see the extended commercial for EA Games impressive looking new game “Mass Effect 2″ in the NFC game? Stunning. And impressive looking. My in-laws and I we’re glued to it.

I am in New York City this week for work.

I saw something pretty cool on Monday night. They lit up the Empire State Building in yellow and white lights to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steeler Superbowl win. Hey, I rooted for the Cards, but gotta give the Steelers their due.

Being in New York, I must admit I enjoy reading the New York Post, a very tabloidly tabloid. It’s a guilty pleasure. But I do keep up with what is happening back home.

I logon to TheIndyChannel.com first thing in the morning each day. I was sorry to see Indiana hit with another round of snow. That same storm blew into New York too.

So I was in Times Square on Tuesday night and enjoyed a blizzard in the Big Apple. It was one of those really wet snows…everyone walking around even for a short time looked like a walking snowman.

I was there to check out what shows were playing on Broadway.

I was surprised how many shows had closed! This time of year is generally a slow time of year for live theatre, but with the current recession, it is particularly bad.

Sure the Phantom of the Opera is still there. And Disney’s Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins are drawing some crowds. But not a lot else.

One show that is opening in a few weeks…Will Ferrell is doing a one man comedy show as George W. Bush. It is called “You’re Welcome, America.”  I’m sure it will be pretty funny. Ferrell’s Bush was one fo the highlights of SNL over the years.

The show will show up on HBO later this year.

While it’s fun being in NYC, I am looking forward to jamming with my kids on ROCK BAND in the basement when I get home!

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Finally, did you see David Letterman on Tuesday night?

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagovoich was making another media tour, this time after Illinois kicked him out of office.

I think politicians think going on LATE NIGHT is going to be a bunch of laughs. It usually is…but at their expense.

Letterman can actually be a very precise, direct interviewer. Tuesday night, in front of a live audience, he grilled the ex-governor about the charges, even playing some of the FBI audio clips for him. Blago squirmed uncomfortably. It was stunning TV to watch the TV talk show host essentially cross examine the ex Governor.

Blago spent an hour with Larry King earlier in the evening. It was easy compared to what he had to endure with the late night comedian. And it shows why Letterman is one of the best at what he does.

Opie and Andy endorse Obama

The folks over at Will Ferrell’s “Funny or Die” website have posted a new video from actor/director Ron Howard that has a decidedly political AND retro feel.

Check out the 2008 version of old favorites “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Happy Days” with Ron Howard, Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler stepping back into the roles that made them famous!

Howard, stepping away from the director’s chair, puts on his old character’s clothes, and with the help of Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler, explain why he is endorsing Barack Obama.

For Obama fans, you’ll love it.

For McCain fans, I doubt you’ll ever watch “The Andy Griffith Show” or “Happy Days” again.

Ritchie and The Fonz give Obama the thumbs up!

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The kids love “High School Musical.”

It dominated at the box office this weekend. Having seen the first two, I’m tickled. The first two TV movies were charming, sweet and enjoyable fun for kids and adults.

Even before HSM3 was released, Disney was planning to keep the franchise alive by introducing new, underclassman characters into the theatrical release.

Disney CEO Bob Iger says “HSM” can “sustain a pretty thorough cast change,” and Disney Channel has already ordered “HSM4.” “There is no doubt that the next movie, in our minds, will have a lot of new faces,” Rich Ross, president of Disney Channel, tells the paper.

Hmmm…after the success of “High School Musical,” maybe they can do “College Musical?”

These kids have the #1 Movie in America!

Many of you have according to the ratings. If you haven’t actually seen the show yet, you’ve probably seen some of the hilarious promos for the show, many that feature various folks literally falling all over themselves on Giant Inflatable Red Balls over a body of water.

The producing team that created the show also produced “Fear Factor.” I wasn’t a fan of that show, but have to admit they know how to engage the audience. Well, they’ve done it again with “Wipeout.” And the good news…No bugs or creepy gross-outs this time!

24 contestants start the show, fighting gravity and wacky contraptions to race against their opponents. It’s a silly process of elimination that is fun for the whole family. It also features snarky hosts John Henson and John Anderson (I love that word “snarky”) along with Lincoln-Mercury spokemodel Jill Wagner as a “field reporter.” Funny thing is it is competitive silliness that hooks you.

It’s companion show on the other hand, doesn’t.  ”I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” may have a funnier title…but its boring compared to “Wipeout.”

“I Survived…” strives to be funny showing the antics of the show…but concentrates too much on the contestants. Slow. Boring…not engaging. Not fun summer viewing either. 

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Speaking of fun summer viewing, HR Pufnstuf is back! On-line of course. And he has his own MYSPACE page! Honest!

If you’re a boomer, you probably remember this goofy show, one of many produced by Sid and Marty Krofft Studios.

The Hollywood Reporter had a recent article about the team saying – “All of their boob-tube classics, including “H.R. Pufnstuf,” “Land of the Lost” and “The Bugaloos,” will make their exclusive global home on the social networking platform. The license extends to condensed versions of Krofft-produced TV episodes as well as taped messages from the Kroffts themselves.

Josh Brooks, vp of marketing at MySpace, sees the collaboration as an example of how the site will mine pop-culture nostalgia to build audiences.

“It’s another example of how household names are making MySpace their home on the web and taking control and using the community on MySpace for new content options,” he said.

In addition to the condensed “Kwikies,” which run 3-5 minutes, the Kroffts are also making available highlight clips. MySpace subscribers will also make theme music from the shows available.

The Krofft branded channel can be found here.  

Another bit of Krofft news…their “Land of the Lost,” another of their Saturday morning staples is getting made into a big Hollywood movie…starring Will Ferrell?

Who says Hollywood is running out of ideas.