"Thanks for the Memory"...of your glorious strike beard

In case you missed it, tonight is Conan O’Brien’s last night hosting Late Night. Jimmy Fallon, the guy who could never keep it together in a sketch on SNL, will take over for the show starting on March 2. Meanwhile, we won’t see Conan again until he takes over for Jay Leno on the Tonight Show on June 1. Leno signs off just a few days before on May 29, but he’ll be back in the fall in prime time.

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I’ll desperately miss Conan on Late Night. I know I can still see him an hour earlier, but his show won’t be the same. His comedy will have to be acceptable to a wider audience. A masturbating bear won’t convince my parents to switch over from Letterman to Conan as they fall asleep. So Conan will have to clean up his comedy a bit. I’m not saying that clean comedy can’t be good comedy, but Conan has gained a following by pushing the envelope and just being plain silly. I started watching Late Night in grade school (only in the summers when I had no bedtime of course) because I was drawn to his more absurd brand of comedy. Everyone has a favorite television anchor (Tom Brokaw), and everyone has a favorite late-night host. Conan is mine.

However, I’m being more negative than I should be. I’m optimistic that Conan will be able to successfully adapt his style of comedy for the earlier timeslot. Plus, I’m so proud of him for this amazing accomplishment that I can’t help but be hopeful. Conan went from relative obscurity as a Simpsons and SNL writer to taking over for David Letterman on Late Night after a controversial battle between Letterman and Leno over Carson’s spot. Sixteen years later, Conan O’Brien will be stepping into Johnny Carson’s shoes. It’s a comedian’s dream.

So I’ll stop with my dire predictions and wait until Conan actually starts the Tonight Show in June. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to Craig Ferguson reaping the benefits of Conan’s absence. I’m not planning on watching Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. I may have had a crush on him in junior high, but he was still my least favorite SNL cast member. Good job on “Weekend Update” Jimmy, but that doesn’t mean you can carry a talk show. Again, I should reserve my judgment until I actually see the show, but Fever Pitch is still too fresh in my mind.

Now I’ll have to choose between Conan and David Letterman, which is a much more difficult choice than Leno and Letterman. Even though it was a smart move for NBC, I’m not looking forward to Leno still being on the air every night. People who like Jay Leno are the same people who like Two and a Half Men. Although, that group includes my mother, so I shouldn’t be too critical.

So goodbye Late Night with Conan O’Brien! I’ll miss you and your Walker, Texas Ranger lever. See you an hour earlier in June!

Wait, I just remembered that I won’t have a TV this summer.