Conan O’Brien: Will He Upstage Jay’s Return?

Conan O’Brien seems like he’s in purgatory right now, but not exactly.

I am told that the Fox deal for a late-night show is moving forward with “everyone talking.” Among the obstacles, as I reported here first when the whole NBC debacle began: clearing Fox stations for an 11:30 p.m. show. The Fox network signs off every night at 10 p.m.

At the same time, Conan is in discussions for taking his show live to theaters across the country. And what a PR bonanza that would be! Imagine O’Brien moving his show into Radio City Music Hall, then taking it on the road. It’s a sure sellout, and the cachet involved would only make him more desirable to Fox. O’Brien could certainly sell out mid range venues in most big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C. and maybe even Atlanta. It’s certainly something to consider.

So hold on for more Conan, and don’t be surprised if an announcement comes just in time to upstage Jay Leno’s return to the Tonight Show.