Culture: Dick Ebersol’s Conan pseudo-backlash isn’t gonna work, guys
- Dick Ebersol is the kind of flamboyant exec with strong opinions about things — some of which, including comedy, he knows little about. This is the guy who, when he took over “Saturday Night Live” in the early ’80s, thought that then-‘SNL’-writer Larry David was talent-less.
- Entertainment Weekly TV columnist Ken Tucker • Working to neuter the folklore of the “Conan failed because he sucked” story perpetuated by NBC Sports exec Dick Ebersol. Ebersol ran “Saturday Night Live” back in the early ’80s, an era noted by the brand’s pure suckitude. It was only after Lorne Michaels returned to the throne that the show’s comedy started to improve again. Ebersol’s trying hard to sully Conan’s image, but it won’t wash. It’s too late for the backlash. Tucker makes an even better point – Ebersol is perfectly happy that the Olympics are going to lose money, despite the fact that he chided Conan for being a huge failure almost immediately after he started. Double-standard? source