Latenight booking wars start to simmer (THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

Could Jennifer Aniston help decide the fate of latenight? The Hollywood Reporter today takes a look at the booking wars that are likely to heat up as Jay Leno takes over his 10pm weeknight slot on September 14. Aniston is one of the first A-list stars to have a movie coming out around that time and whether she goes to Leno at 10 or Conan at 11:30 might foretell a shift in the utra-competitive world of talk-show booking.

At least, that's what "Leno" producers are hoping, says the trade. Over the past two weeks, they've been squiring the town's top PR firms on a tour of the new studio and to a presentation touting promo opportunities for their clients.

"The message was made clear: 'We'd like you to do our show first,'" a top PR rep who attended a "Leno" pitch session, told THR.

A party is also planned for Wednesday night at the Sunset Tower in West Hollywood to build industry buzz.

Although "The Tonight Show" was once the holy grail of couches, the hierarchy of latenight booking has shifted in the past years with Leno's "Tonight" going head-to-head with David Letterman's "Late Show" on CBS and other shows catering to relatively different demographics in different time zones, on different coasts and with different predilections.

Now, with O'Brien inheriting "Tonight" and Jimmy Fallon at his old desk on "Late Night," the addition of "Leno" has opened a new front in the booking wars - on the same network. "I've never seen it like this," a latenight insider told THR about the jockeying to secure guests. "Now people are being much more strategic, and they are planning it out far more in advance."

With O'Brien and Leno attempting to establish themselves in new roles, scoring top talent is considered crucial. During the TCA press tour, Leno acknowledged there would be rivalry between he and good pal O'Brien when it comes to guests.

But NBC insiders underplay a potential booking rivalry, pointing to the longtime close relationship between "Tonight" executive producer Jeff Ross and "Leno" executive producer Debbie Vickers.

Although "Leno" is considered an untested wild card, several publicists told THR they walked away from the presentation excited about the show, especially the chance for clients to reach a 10pm audience with a project pitch.

"Even if Leno disappoints in the ratings, he will still probably double the audience of other hosts," one PR rep said. "It's the primetime demo, the late-night demo and even the morning demo all rolled into one. That's pretty attractive."

There are also the stars themselves to consider. Many have relationships with the different hosts. Other issues like location have always been an issue. The LA-based "Leno" is likely to affect "Tonight," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and Craig Ferguson's "Late Late Show" more than New York-based Letterman and Fallon, "but celebrities are still going to go where they feel most comfortable," a network insider said. "It's not just about ratings."

"Nobody knows how it's going to shake out," another publicist said of "Leno." "They are saying they won't necessarily forbid someone from doing Conan and then Jay, but it would probably be in one of the smaller positions."

"Once the Leno show gets up and running, then the rules will get made," another publicist said. "Will Conan follow Jay with some of our big clients? The answer is, 'We'll see.' "