While Jay Leno was in the midst of beating out Conan O'Brien for The Tonight Show, everything from their jokes to their audience loyalty was compared.

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Thus far the game of late-night musical chairs--Conan O'Brien took the reins at The Tonight Show in June-- hasn't played out as well as it could have for NBC.

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Speaking from a rain-soaked red carpet, the star pondered her employer's very public spat over the talk show contracts of Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien.

BBC: Ricky Gervais

In 2009, NBC handed the show over to Conan O'Brien, but the move backfired and the network reinstated Leno.

BBC: Jay Leno replaced by Jimmy Fallon at Tonight Show

Letterman's deal gives his show a distinct advantage over the likes of Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, who face the prospect of presenting an hour-long nightly television show without scribes to pen their monologues, sketches and other written material.

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Back in 2004, NBC announced it would pass the Tonight Show baton to rising star Conan O'Brien in 2009, a decision heavily criticized in the press given Leno's continued ratings dominance and eagerness to keep working.

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Late-night talk-show host Conan O'Brien headlined the event.

NPR: Obama Jokes About Radical 2nd Term Changes