The End is Near

May 29, 2009. That's the date of Jay Leno's forced retirement from "The Tonight Show." Conan O'Brien will start on June 1, 2009.

Jimmy Fallon, who is replacing O'Brien, will start sometime that spring.

Prediction: Leno will end up with a late-night show on either ABC or FOX and crush O'Brien and Letterman in the ratings.

Even if he doesn't, O'Brien will sink in the ratings. His act isn't made for a 10:30pm show, he's a better fit for late-late night.

This is a huge mistake by NBC, especially if Leno goes to another station and keeps getting the monster ratings he does now.