July 10th, 2006 - Newsletter Part 1
This week's newsletter includes:
Conan’s Speech at Stuyvesant High School
Conan gave the graduation speech at Stuyvesant High School on Monday, June 26, 2006. Stuyvesant is a public high school in New York City that specializes in math and science.
There are videos on Google Video and YouTube.
One of the graduates typed out a transcript of Conan’s speech.
Conan Lends Voice in Queer Duck: The Movie
Conan lent his voice for a role in a movie based on the animated series Queer Duck. "Queer Duck: the Movie", an all-new feature film, will be released on DVD July 18, 2006. The film reunites the original creators and cast of Queer Duck, plus special guest stars including Conan O'Brien, Tim Curry, Bruce Vilanch, and David Duchovny as "Tiny Jesus". The DVD can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com.
Queer Duck was an animated series that originally appeared on Icebox.com in 1999 and later moved to the American cable television channel Showtime in 2002, where it aired as a followup feature of the American version of Queer as Folk.
Conan in USA Weekend Poll
USA Weekend is taking a Who's the Best TV Host poll with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Craig Ferguson, and Conan O'Brien as the poll options. Voting ends July 31, and results will be in the September 1-3 edition of USA Weekend.
Previewing Andy Barker, P.I.
Futon Critic, June 26, 2006, by Brian Ford Sullivan
ANDY BARKER, P.I. (NBC)
(TBA at midseason)
The network's description: "Andy Richter ("Late Night with Conan O'Brien") re-teams with co-writer and executive producer Conan O'Brien in this comedy as he portrays Andy Barker, an earnest, hard-working CPA who has succeeded at everything -- that is until his new accounting business fails to take off. But when he's mistaken for Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell, "Fargo") -- the retired private detective who used to occupy his office -- Andy embraces the twist of fate and takes the case. Andy's incessantly supportive wife Jen (Amy Farrington, "The New Adventures of Old Christine") isn't sold on this risky new venture, that is, until she notices a sudden boost in Andy's self-confidence. Andy's neighboring merchants -- Simon (Tony Hale, "Arrested Development"), Wally (Marshall Manesh, "Will & Grace") and Jessica (Ion Overman, "The L Word") join him in the dicey investigation. Whether chiding thugs for "renting instead of buying" or being pursued by Sri Lankan gangsters, Andy will prove to be a consummate problem-solver."
What did they leave out: Ion Overman actually doesn't have any lines in the pilot and appears only briefly as Andy's tanning salon owner neighbor.
The plot in a nutshell: C.P.A. Andy Barker (Andy Richter) is about as honest and hard-working as they come. He drives a Saturn, he doesn't take his lunch until exactly 12:00 PM, he tries not to peek ahead on his "Dilbert" calendar and he refuses to poach his old client list now that he's struck out on his own. But 30 days into his new venture, he's wondering how he'll make rent on his strip-mall office space not to mention take care of his wife (Amy Farrington) and baby. Fate thankfully intervenes in the form of a mysterious Russian woman who offers him $4,000 to find her missing husband, a presumed dead councilman. It seems Andy's office used to be home to retired private investigator Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell) and it's Andy's job now if he wants it. After some prodding by his new neighbors - video store owner Simon (Tony Hale), whose intricate knowledge of gangster movies proves useful; and Afghani restaurateur Wally (Marshall Manesh), whose video camera system proves to be equally as useful - he decides to take the case. And just like in "Chinatown," the "wife looking for her missing husband" angle eventually reveals there's more to her than meets the eye.
What works: It's exactly what you'd expect from the premise - loveable sad sack Andy Richter as a private eye - and it works. He's the more-or-less straight man to a goofy, only-on-TV P.I. world in which kidnappers fall for cheap theatrics and there's enough time in a car chase to talk about financial planning with a potential new client. Equally as amusing is Tony Sale as Andy's "partner" Simon, whose snobbish distaste for the current state of movies is frequently played up for laughs, as well as Marshall Manesh's Wally, whose post-9/11 patriotism has caused him to rename everything on his menu after famous American presidents. Basically if the image of "Arrested Development's" Buster doing a barrel roll over a hood of a gold Saturn or Andy Richter apologizing to an old lady for framing her for shoplifting so he can swipe some tax files makes you smile, you'll be right at home here.
What doesn't: Andy's transition from nebbish accountant to jack-of-all-trades P.I. at times feels a little forced, but I still can't help but enjoy it. The show is obviously not meant to be a documentary on the P.I. trade so any liberties are done for the sake of laughs. In a lot of ways, "Andy" reminds of me of Conan O'Brien's failed pilot "Lookwell," in which Adam West played a TV actor who decides to fight crime using his knowledge from being a TV detective. It's just goofy, harmless fun and there's plenty of room for that on TV nowadays.
The challenges ahead: Will NBC make room for another new comedy on its drama and reality packed schedule?
For more info see the Official Andy Barker, P.I. website.
Late Night Nominated for 5 Emmy Awards
Congratulations to the Late Night team on their 5 Emmy nominations:
- Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For A Series (episode 2198: Conan O'Brien Visits Finland)
- Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For VMC Programming (episode 2226: Late Night in Chicago with guests Senator Barack Obama & Wilco)
- Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series (along with Colbert Report, Daily Show, Letterman, and Bill Maher)
- Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Series (episode 2226: Late Night in Chicago with guests Senator Barack Obama & Wilco)
- Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program (along with Colbert Report, Daily Show, Letterman, and Bill Maher)
Episodes #2198: Conan in Finland and #2153: Late Night Christmas Spectacular with guests Billy Joel and Alan Alda were sent to be judged for the Outstanding Variety/Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Individual Performance Emmys. The show has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy/Variety Series yearly since 2003, and Conan and the Late Night writing team have been nominated yearly for Outstanding Writing since 1996, but Conan has never been nominated for Outstanding Individual Performance. This year that nomination went to Stephen Colbert, Craig Ferguson, David Letterman, Barry Manilow (for Barry Manilow: Music And Passion), and Hugh Jackman (for hosting the Tony Awards).
The full list of 58th Primetime Emmy awards nominations can be found at emmys.org. The winners will be announced at the Emmy awards ceremony, airing Sunday, August 27, 2006 on NBC, with Conan as host of the ceremony.
Voote for the 2006 Emmys
On Voote.com, you can vote for who you'd like to win for select Emmy categories. The categories on Voote including Late Night are Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program and Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series. The poll is for entertainment purposes only and will not influence the selection of Emmy award winners.
In last year’s poll, Late Night won in the Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series category. The writing category was not included last year.
The Vivino Brothers
Vivino Brothers grew up with guitars
Asbury Park Press, July 7, 2006, by Richard Skelly
The Vivino Brothers, saxophonist Jerry and guitarist Jimmy, specialize in what they like to call "the real R&B," not the watered-down stuff that is really just urban contemporary music. Classic R&B, as the Vivino Brothers see it, includes songs from the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, before the disco era.
Through saxophonist Jerry's crafty arrangements, the brothers reinvent classics and obscurities from the likes of saxophonists King Curtis and Nat "Cannonball" Adderly, bandleaders Louis Prima and Curtis Mayfield. They perform an instrumental version of Mayfield's "Pusherman," on their late 1990s recording, "The Vivino Brothers," which saxophonist Jerry released on his own label.
"Sometimes, we get onstage together at a festival like this and we throw the set list away," explains saxophonist Jerry Vivino, the older brother of the two. Jerry denied he is the band leader, yet younger brother Jimmy Vivino said he is.
"I'm a sideman in my own band, as far as I'm concerned," said Jimmy. "To a lot of people in New Jersey, hey, we're just ("Uncle') Floyd Vivino's brothers, but we're proud of that legacy, we spent a lot of time growing up in Point Pleasant, and my grandmother used to take us up to the Asbury boardwalk, 'cause she loved it.
"We play what we call the real R&B, what you and I know is the blues-based music of the 1950s and early '60s," Jimmy continued. "We like to mix the classic R&B with what we call soul jazz, the organ groups that were so popular in Newark, the music of Jimmy McGriff and (Richard) "Groove' Holmes."
Floyd Vivino, who made a name for himself as a TV show host, comedian and piano player, is the oldest Vivino brother, and Jimmy credits his oldest brother with turning himself and middle brother Jerry on to classic R&B and blues.
"As kids, we heard all the R&B from Floyd," Jimmy recalled, "because I was buying rock records and Jerry was buying jazz records and between all that and my father playing Louis Armstrong around the house all day, we had Floyd playing us this great R&B."
The Vivino Brothers were raised in Point Pleasant, Paterson and Glen Rock, and while Jerry and Jimmy have found success as part of the Max Weinberg 7 or the "Late Night with Conan O' Brien" band, the eldest Vivino is supposed to be on the road elsewhere this weekend; otherwise, it's likely he might join his younger brothers at Guitarbeque in Asbury Park.
Jimmy Vivino said his father, a carpenter and housing developer, who still plays trumpet at his adult community in Lakehurst, couldn't be prouder of the success his three sons have found in the entertainment business.
"Our father was the reason we all went into music," Jerry recalled, "because when he was a kid, he wanted to be a musician, but he had to do the family business thing and swing a hammer."
Jerry added: "Since it is "Guitarbeque,' we're going to lean heavily on the guitar, but even if we have a set list, everything will depend on the feeling and the vibe we're getting from the audience."
Jimmy on guitars and Jerry on saxophones and flute will be accompanied by former Johnny Copeland Band bassist Michael Merritt, drummer James Wormworth and organist Brian Charett.
"It's going to be a feel good, good time, hand clapping, foot stomping, R&B and rock 'n' roll party," Jerry said, adding he and his younger brother don't fight that much anymore, least of all on stage.
"When we get onstage, it's all about the music, and we look at each other and we're sort of co-leading the band," he added.
Interview with Bill Carter (Desperate Networks)
Bill Carter, author of Desperate Networks, was interviewed on the Paul Harris Show (KMOX/St. Louis) on May 8, 2006. The following is a transcript of Bill Carter talking about the part of his book involving Conan. The audio clip can be found at Paul Harris Online.
Paul Harris: Bill is the guy who in the ‘90s wrote the definitive book about Jay Leno and David Letterman going after Johnny Carson's desk and chair to host the Tonight Show. I think it was called the Late Shift. Great book; turned into a terrific TV movie on HBO .... You write in the book Desperate Networks about Conan O’Brien taking over (the Tonight Show) and how NBC had to kind of manipulate Jay Leno into giving up the desk that he had gotten from Johnny Carson in a kind of - I don't want to say underhanded way - but certainly intriguing way, as you wrote in the first book. What happened this time around?
Bill Carter: It really wasn't underhanded. They (NBC) found themselves in a terrible bind. Conan O’Brien has literally done that show (Late Night) longer than Letterman now. He’s been on longer than Letterman at the 12:30 show. So clearly he wanted to move up and do something in his career that was different and get into the 11:30 timeslot, just the way Letterman did. I mean, the only place to go is the Tonight Show; there was really nowhere else they could put him. So unless they found a way to get Jay to give up the show, they knew that Conan was going to leave and probably go to ABC - where he would start up another late night show at 11:30, replacing Nightline, and then you’d have 3 hosts going head to head - all of whom were developed by NBC. And clearly the Tonight Show - even if it continued to still win - would be diminished in some way if Conan took a lot of the young, male viewers that like his show over to ABC.
NBC also didn’t know what that meant for its distant future when Jay would eventually give the show up. So the only thing they could do was somehow guarantee the show to Conan when Jay would step down. Conan’s representatives - who are real tough Hollywood agents - had to be assured that this would happen by contract. So they discussed it with Jay, and the only thing they could tell Jay was the obvious - which is that if they didn’t let Conan know he could get the Tonight Show, he was gonna leave and go to another network. And the exact same scenario that played out the last time would play again, where the Tonight Show, being owned by Jay, meant another late night host of NBC had to go and leave the network. And Jay remembered how badly it affected him the first time. He got a lot of bad press, which he isn’t used to. People thought he somehow mistreated David Letterman - which he really didn’t do; he wanted the show as much as Dave did. There was a body of people who thought Dave deserved it. And he (Jay) would again be criticized, I think, and he understood that. It played on him.
NBC brought it up sort of indirectly, y’know - we’ll have the same situation again, and I don’t think Jay wanted that to happen. So he acquiesced and agreed to give up the show in 2009. Now the problem with that is - it creates sort of a lame duck situation, which is odd for one thing, but also Jay is showing no signs of losing the leadership at 11:30. So when the year comes around, 2009, he may still be dominating that time period, and there’ll be no reason for him to go other than his contract, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jay leaving and go to another network at that time. And NBC will have the same problem it had, only with an even more popular host. So it could set up a very interesting scenario at that point.
Paul Harris: In the meantime, NBC has to figure out who to get to replace Conan O’Brien. Is there anybody in the chute?
Bill Carter: I don’t think there is yet, and they’re not thinking about it yet. They’ve got 3 years to go, and I think they’ll look for a young, 30-ish performer, who can, y’know, sort of do the same thing Conan did, which - let’s face it, Conan didn’t start out gangbusters. He had to work his way into that job. And I don’t think they think that is nearly as big a priority for them as the Tonight Show.
Paul Harris: What do you think is the future for David Letterman?
[Bill said he thinks Letterman won’t retire until after Jay does, but he thinks Letterman may retire before he puts in 30 years, which is how long Johnny Carson was on the air, out of respect for Carson.]
Paul Harris: Did (Johnny) Carson ever warm to Leno and Conan?
Bill Carter: Yes, to Conan - in fact I wrote in the book when he found out that Conan was gonna get the Tonight Show, he spontaneously got on the phone and called him and wished him well, gave him some advice , y’know, advised him about how to handle everything. No, I think he did a nice little gesture for Conan, and Conan of course was quite moved by it, and Johnny only died about a month after that. But there was never really a relationship with Carson and Leno. Carson really did feel like Leno’s manager that tried to cut the ground out from him on his last years on the Tonight Show.
NBC Message Board Upgrade
NBC’s message boards were upgraded July 5, 2006.
Conan Picture Slide Show
A fan has created a Conan picture slide show on YouTube.
The show schedule is subject to changes throughout the week--
Monday 7/10: Darrell Hammond, Jason Schwartzman, My Morning Jacket (R 10/13/05)
Tuesday 7/11: Brian Posehn, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Wednesday 7/12: Stephen Colbert, Carlos Mencia, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
Thursday 7/13: Paul Reubens, Rainn Wilson, David Lee Roth
Friday 7/14: Owen Wilson, Kerry Washington
New York Daily News
July 6, 2006
“NBC's late-night king, Conan O'Brien, spent the (July 4th) holiday weekend in the sleepy beach town of Watch Hill, R.I. Lowdown spotted O'Brien and his wife, Liza, on a cozy dinner date well before midnight Monday, cuddled together at an outside table at The Olympia Tea Room, sharing a bottle of white wine. Not present - but no doubt accounted for - were the couple's two children, 8-month-old son Beckett and 2-year-old daughter Neve.”
Screen caps
Screen caps from June 20, 2006 - monologue, soccer skit, Late Night Gears Up for Summer, Alan Cumming, Fabio Secrets, Credits
Audio/Video from “Late Night”
Michael Jackson (beer expert) - April 5, 2006
Regina Spektor performs “Fidelity” - June 14, 2006
-Audio (mp3)
-Video
Camp Conan (from LN Gears Up for Summer) - June 20, 2006
Conan’s nerd impression - June 20, 2006
Alan Cumming - June 20, 2006
Florida monologue joke - June 21, 2006
Conan & Adam Sandler discuss raising kids in LA vs. NY and hint Conan will be moving to LA in '09 - June 21, 2006
Conan uses the phrase “jived out” - June 22, 2006
Conan sings “I’m Gonna Go to Hell When I Die” at his desk - June 22, 2006
Conan iceberg (wall) climbing with Will Gadd - June 22, 2006
Conan’s lullaby - June 23, 2006
Audio mp3: Bruce Springsteen & company perform Pay Me My Money Down - June 23, 2006
Videos from outside “Late Night”
Conan's speech to Stuyvesant HS class of '06 - June 26, 2006
LaBamba sings the National Anthem at a Knicks game - aired on “Late Night”, December 14, 2004
Please email stephwearsshades@aol.com if you want to contribute one of the following things to our newsletter:
*LN guest schedule provided by NBC Universal Media Village
*Conan-OBrien.net screen caps by conansgoddess
*Compiled and edited by conansgoddess
Feel free to comment/make suggestions.
- Conan’s Speech at Stuyvesant High School
- Conan Lends Voice in Queer Duck: The Movie
- Conan in USA Weekend Poll
- Previewing Andy Barker, P.I.
- Late Night Nominated for 5 Emmy Awards
- Voote for the 2006 Emmys
- The Vivino Brothers
- Bill Carter (author of Desperate Networks) Interview
- NBC Message Board Upgrade
- Conan Picture Slide Show
- This Week’s Schedule
- Family Corner
- Extras: Screen Caps/Audio/Video
Conan’s Speech at Stuyvesant High School
Conan gave the graduation speech at Stuyvesant High School on Monday, June 26, 2006. Stuyvesant is a public high school in New York City that specializes in math and science.
There are videos on Google Video and YouTube.
One of the graduates typed out a transcript of Conan’s speech.
Conan Lends Voice in Queer Duck: The Movie
Conan lent his voice for a role in a movie based on the animated series Queer Duck. "Queer Duck: the Movie", an all-new feature film, will be released on DVD July 18, 2006. The film reunites the original creators and cast of Queer Duck, plus special guest stars including Conan O'Brien, Tim Curry, Bruce Vilanch, and David Duchovny as "Tiny Jesus". The DVD can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com.
Queer Duck was an animated series that originally appeared on Icebox.com in 1999 and later moved to the American cable television channel Showtime in 2002, where it aired as a followup feature of the American version of Queer as Folk.
Conan in USA Weekend Poll
USA Weekend is taking a Who's the Best TV Host poll with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Craig Ferguson, and Conan O'Brien as the poll options. Voting ends July 31, and results will be in the September 1-3 edition of USA Weekend.
Previewing Andy Barker, P.I.
Futon Critic, June 26, 2006, by Brian Ford Sullivan
ANDY BARKER, P.I. (NBC)
(TBA at midseason)
The network's description: "Andy Richter ("Late Night with Conan O'Brien") re-teams with co-writer and executive producer Conan O'Brien in this comedy as he portrays Andy Barker, an earnest, hard-working CPA who has succeeded at everything -- that is until his new accounting business fails to take off. But when he's mistaken for Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell, "Fargo") -- the retired private detective who used to occupy his office -- Andy embraces the twist of fate and takes the case. Andy's incessantly supportive wife Jen (Amy Farrington, "The New Adventures of Old Christine") isn't sold on this risky new venture, that is, until she notices a sudden boost in Andy's self-confidence. Andy's neighboring merchants -- Simon (Tony Hale, "Arrested Development"), Wally (Marshall Manesh, "Will & Grace") and Jessica (Ion Overman, "The L Word") join him in the dicey investigation. Whether chiding thugs for "renting instead of buying" or being pursued by Sri Lankan gangsters, Andy will prove to be a consummate problem-solver."
What did they leave out: Ion Overman actually doesn't have any lines in the pilot and appears only briefly as Andy's tanning salon owner neighbor.
The plot in a nutshell: C.P.A. Andy Barker (Andy Richter) is about as honest and hard-working as they come. He drives a Saturn, he doesn't take his lunch until exactly 12:00 PM, he tries not to peek ahead on his "Dilbert" calendar and he refuses to poach his old client list now that he's struck out on his own. But 30 days into his new venture, he's wondering how he'll make rent on his strip-mall office space not to mention take care of his wife (Amy Farrington) and baby. Fate thankfully intervenes in the form of a mysterious Russian woman who offers him $4,000 to find her missing husband, a presumed dead councilman. It seems Andy's office used to be home to retired private investigator Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell) and it's Andy's job now if he wants it. After some prodding by his new neighbors - video store owner Simon (Tony Hale), whose intricate knowledge of gangster movies proves useful; and Afghani restaurateur Wally (Marshall Manesh), whose video camera system proves to be equally as useful - he decides to take the case. And just like in "Chinatown," the "wife looking for her missing husband" angle eventually reveals there's more to her than meets the eye.
What works: It's exactly what you'd expect from the premise - loveable sad sack Andy Richter as a private eye - and it works. He's the more-or-less straight man to a goofy, only-on-TV P.I. world in which kidnappers fall for cheap theatrics and there's enough time in a car chase to talk about financial planning with a potential new client. Equally as amusing is Tony Sale as Andy's "partner" Simon, whose snobbish distaste for the current state of movies is frequently played up for laughs, as well as Marshall Manesh's Wally, whose post-9/11 patriotism has caused him to rename everything on his menu after famous American presidents. Basically if the image of "Arrested Development's" Buster doing a barrel roll over a hood of a gold Saturn or Andy Richter apologizing to an old lady for framing her for shoplifting so he can swipe some tax files makes you smile, you'll be right at home here.
What doesn't: Andy's transition from nebbish accountant to jack-of-all-trades P.I. at times feels a little forced, but I still can't help but enjoy it. The show is obviously not meant to be a documentary on the P.I. trade so any liberties are done for the sake of laughs. In a lot of ways, "Andy" reminds of me of Conan O'Brien's failed pilot "Lookwell," in which Adam West played a TV actor who decides to fight crime using his knowledge from being a TV detective. It's just goofy, harmless fun and there's plenty of room for that on TV nowadays.
The challenges ahead: Will NBC make room for another new comedy on its drama and reality packed schedule?
For more info see the Official Andy Barker, P.I. website.
Late Night Nominated for 5 Emmy Awards
Congratulations to the Late Night team on their 5 Emmy nominations:
- Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing For A Series (episode 2198: Conan O'Brien Visits Finland)
- Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For VMC Programming (episode 2226: Late Night in Chicago with guests Senator Barack Obama & Wilco)
- Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series (along with Colbert Report, Daily Show, Letterman, and Bill Maher)
- Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Series (episode 2226: Late Night in Chicago with guests Senator Barack Obama & Wilco)
- Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program (along with Colbert Report, Daily Show, Letterman, and Bill Maher)
Episodes #2198: Conan in Finland and #2153: Late Night Christmas Spectacular with guests Billy Joel and Alan Alda were sent to be judged for the Outstanding Variety/Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Individual Performance Emmys. The show has been nominated for Outstanding Comedy/Variety Series yearly since 2003, and Conan and the Late Night writing team have been nominated yearly for Outstanding Writing since 1996, but Conan has never been nominated for Outstanding Individual Performance. This year that nomination went to Stephen Colbert, Craig Ferguson, David Letterman, Barry Manilow (for Barry Manilow: Music And Passion), and Hugh Jackman (for hosting the Tony Awards).
The full list of 58th Primetime Emmy awards nominations can be found at emmys.org. The winners will be announced at the Emmy awards ceremony, airing Sunday, August 27, 2006 on NBC, with Conan as host of the ceremony.
Voote for the 2006 Emmys
On Voote.com, you can vote for who you'd like to win for select Emmy categories. The categories on Voote including Late Night are Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program and Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series. The poll is for entertainment purposes only and will not influence the selection of Emmy award winners.
In last year’s poll, Late Night won in the Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series category. The writing category was not included last year.
The Vivino Brothers
Vivino Brothers grew up with guitars
Asbury Park Press, July 7, 2006, by Richard Skelly
The Vivino Brothers, saxophonist Jerry and guitarist Jimmy, specialize in what they like to call "the real R&B," not the watered-down stuff that is really just urban contemporary music. Classic R&B, as the Vivino Brothers see it, includes songs from the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, before the disco era.
Through saxophonist Jerry's crafty arrangements, the brothers reinvent classics and obscurities from the likes of saxophonists King Curtis and Nat "Cannonball" Adderly, bandleaders Louis Prima and Curtis Mayfield. They perform an instrumental version of Mayfield's "Pusherman," on their late 1990s recording, "The Vivino Brothers," which saxophonist Jerry released on his own label.
"Sometimes, we get onstage together at a festival like this and we throw the set list away," explains saxophonist Jerry Vivino, the older brother of the two. Jerry denied he is the band leader, yet younger brother Jimmy Vivino said he is.
"I'm a sideman in my own band, as far as I'm concerned," said Jimmy. "To a lot of people in New Jersey, hey, we're just ("Uncle') Floyd Vivino's brothers, but we're proud of that legacy, we spent a lot of time growing up in Point Pleasant, and my grandmother used to take us up to the Asbury boardwalk, 'cause she loved it.
"We play what we call the real R&B, what you and I know is the blues-based music of the 1950s and early '60s," Jimmy continued. "We like to mix the classic R&B with what we call soul jazz, the organ groups that were so popular in Newark, the music of Jimmy McGriff and (Richard) "Groove' Holmes."
Floyd Vivino, who made a name for himself as a TV show host, comedian and piano player, is the oldest Vivino brother, and Jimmy credits his oldest brother with turning himself and middle brother Jerry on to classic R&B and blues.
"As kids, we heard all the R&B from Floyd," Jimmy recalled, "because I was buying rock records and Jerry was buying jazz records and between all that and my father playing Louis Armstrong around the house all day, we had Floyd playing us this great R&B."
The Vivino Brothers were raised in Point Pleasant, Paterson and Glen Rock, and while Jerry and Jimmy have found success as part of the Max Weinberg 7 or the "Late Night with Conan O' Brien" band, the eldest Vivino is supposed to be on the road elsewhere this weekend; otherwise, it's likely he might join his younger brothers at Guitarbeque in Asbury Park.
Jimmy Vivino said his father, a carpenter and housing developer, who still plays trumpet at his adult community in Lakehurst, couldn't be prouder of the success his three sons have found in the entertainment business.
"Our father was the reason we all went into music," Jerry recalled, "because when he was a kid, he wanted to be a musician, but he had to do the family business thing and swing a hammer."
Jerry added: "Since it is "Guitarbeque,' we're going to lean heavily on the guitar, but even if we have a set list, everything will depend on the feeling and the vibe we're getting from the audience."
Jimmy on guitars and Jerry on saxophones and flute will be accompanied by former Johnny Copeland Band bassist Michael Merritt, drummer James Wormworth and organist Brian Charett.
"It's going to be a feel good, good time, hand clapping, foot stomping, R&B and rock 'n' roll party," Jerry said, adding he and his younger brother don't fight that much anymore, least of all on stage.
"When we get onstage, it's all about the music, and we look at each other and we're sort of co-leading the band," he added.
Interview with Bill Carter (Desperate Networks)
Bill Carter, author of Desperate Networks, was interviewed on the Paul Harris Show (KMOX/St. Louis) on May 8, 2006. The following is a transcript of Bill Carter talking about the part of his book involving Conan. The audio clip can be found at Paul Harris Online.
Paul Harris: Bill is the guy who in the ‘90s wrote the definitive book about Jay Leno and David Letterman going after Johnny Carson's desk and chair to host the Tonight Show. I think it was called the Late Shift. Great book; turned into a terrific TV movie on HBO .... You write in the book Desperate Networks about Conan O’Brien taking over (the Tonight Show) and how NBC had to kind of manipulate Jay Leno into giving up the desk that he had gotten from Johnny Carson in a kind of - I don't want to say underhanded way - but certainly intriguing way, as you wrote in the first book. What happened this time around?
Bill Carter: It really wasn't underhanded. They (NBC) found themselves in a terrible bind. Conan O’Brien has literally done that show (Late Night) longer than Letterman now. He’s been on longer than Letterman at the 12:30 show. So clearly he wanted to move up and do something in his career that was different and get into the 11:30 timeslot, just the way Letterman did. I mean, the only place to go is the Tonight Show; there was really nowhere else they could put him. So unless they found a way to get Jay to give up the show, they knew that Conan was going to leave and probably go to ABC - where he would start up another late night show at 11:30, replacing Nightline, and then you’d have 3 hosts going head to head - all of whom were developed by NBC. And clearly the Tonight Show - even if it continued to still win - would be diminished in some way if Conan took a lot of the young, male viewers that like his show over to ABC.
NBC also didn’t know what that meant for its distant future when Jay would eventually give the show up. So the only thing they could do was somehow guarantee the show to Conan when Jay would step down. Conan’s representatives - who are real tough Hollywood agents - had to be assured that this would happen by contract. So they discussed it with Jay, and the only thing they could tell Jay was the obvious - which is that if they didn’t let Conan know he could get the Tonight Show, he was gonna leave and go to another network. And the exact same scenario that played out the last time would play again, where the Tonight Show, being owned by Jay, meant another late night host of NBC had to go and leave the network. And Jay remembered how badly it affected him the first time. He got a lot of bad press, which he isn’t used to. People thought he somehow mistreated David Letterman - which he really didn’t do; he wanted the show as much as Dave did. There was a body of people who thought Dave deserved it. And he (Jay) would again be criticized, I think, and he understood that. It played on him.
NBC brought it up sort of indirectly, y’know - we’ll have the same situation again, and I don’t think Jay wanted that to happen. So he acquiesced and agreed to give up the show in 2009. Now the problem with that is - it creates sort of a lame duck situation, which is odd for one thing, but also Jay is showing no signs of losing the leadership at 11:30. So when the year comes around, 2009, he may still be dominating that time period, and there’ll be no reason for him to go other than his contract, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jay leaving and go to another network at that time. And NBC will have the same problem it had, only with an even more popular host. So it could set up a very interesting scenario at that point.
Paul Harris: In the meantime, NBC has to figure out who to get to replace Conan O’Brien. Is there anybody in the chute?
Bill Carter: I don’t think there is yet, and they’re not thinking about it yet. They’ve got 3 years to go, and I think they’ll look for a young, 30-ish performer, who can, y’know, sort of do the same thing Conan did, which - let’s face it, Conan didn’t start out gangbusters. He had to work his way into that job. And I don’t think they think that is nearly as big a priority for them as the Tonight Show.
Paul Harris: What do you think is the future for David Letterman?
[Bill said he thinks Letterman won’t retire until after Jay does, but he thinks Letterman may retire before he puts in 30 years, which is how long Johnny Carson was on the air, out of respect for Carson.]
Paul Harris: Did (Johnny) Carson ever warm to Leno and Conan?
Bill Carter: Yes, to Conan - in fact I wrote in the book when he found out that Conan was gonna get the Tonight Show, he spontaneously got on the phone and called him and wished him well, gave him some advice , y’know, advised him about how to handle everything. No, I think he did a nice little gesture for Conan, and Conan of course was quite moved by it, and Johnny only died about a month after that. But there was never really a relationship with Carson and Leno. Carson really did feel like Leno’s manager that tried to cut the ground out from him on his last years on the Tonight Show.
NBC Message Board Upgrade
NBC’s message boards were upgraded July 5, 2006.
Conan Picture Slide Show
A fan has created a Conan picture slide show on YouTube.
The show schedule is subject to changes throughout the week--
Monday 7/10: Darrell Hammond, Jason Schwartzman, My Morning Jacket (R 10/13/05)
Tuesday 7/11: Brian Posehn, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Wednesday 7/12: Stephen Colbert, Carlos Mencia, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
Thursday 7/13: Paul Reubens, Rainn Wilson, David Lee Roth
Friday 7/14: Owen Wilson, Kerry Washington
New York Daily News
July 6, 2006
“NBC's late-night king, Conan O'Brien, spent the (July 4th) holiday weekend in the sleepy beach town of Watch Hill, R.I. Lowdown spotted O'Brien and his wife, Liza, on a cozy dinner date well before midnight Monday, cuddled together at an outside table at The Olympia Tea Room, sharing a bottle of white wine. Not present - but no doubt accounted for - were the couple's two children, 8-month-old son Beckett and 2-year-old daughter Neve.”
Screen caps
Screen caps from June 20, 2006 - monologue, soccer skit, Late Night Gears Up for Summer, Alan Cumming, Fabio Secrets, Credits
Audio/Video from “Late Night”
Michael Jackson (beer expert) - April 5, 2006
Regina Spektor performs “Fidelity” - June 14, 2006
-Audio (mp3)
-Video
Camp Conan (from LN Gears Up for Summer) - June 20, 2006
Conan’s nerd impression - June 20, 2006
Alan Cumming - June 20, 2006
Florida monologue joke - June 21, 2006
Conan & Adam Sandler discuss raising kids in LA vs. NY and hint Conan will be moving to LA in '09 - June 21, 2006
Conan uses the phrase “jived out” - June 22, 2006
Conan sings “I’m Gonna Go to Hell When I Die” at his desk - June 22, 2006
Conan iceberg (wall) climbing with Will Gadd - June 22, 2006
Conan’s lullaby - June 23, 2006
Audio mp3: Bruce Springsteen & company perform Pay Me My Money Down - June 23, 2006
Videos from outside “Late Night”
Conan's speech to Stuyvesant HS class of '06 - June 26, 2006
LaBamba sings the National Anthem at a Knicks game - aired on “Late Night”, December 14, 2004
Please email stephwearsshades@aol.com if you want to contribute one of the following things to our newsletter:
- Fan story/experience (& pictures pertaining to Conan and/or Late Night)
- Fan Art
- Conan News you feel we’d benefit from hearing about
- If you’re interested in becoming an Episode Recapper (We’re extremely understaffed in this department, ALL help is appreciated!)
- Your application to become Fan of the Week (Look in the community userinfo for more information)
*LN guest schedule provided by NBC Universal Media Village
*Conan-OBrien.net screen caps by conansgoddess
*Compiled and edited by conansgoddess
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