Warbler said:

Anchorhead said:

I watched this last night. It was interesting to hear Leno explain it all.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/leno-deconstructs-his-own-predicament/?hp

It also makes it clear, again, that Conan's jabs at Leno - "you can do anything in America, as long as Jay doesn't want to do it also" - really appear self-serving, as well as incorrect. Jay didn't want any of this - he didn't want to be forced off the Tonight Show, didn't really want a prime time gig, and he's not telling NBC to move Conan out of the 11:30 slot. Conan has been less than truthful and unnecessarily snarky through all of this.

I'm not sure whether to believe Leno or not. He may just be saying all this to make himself not look like the bad guy. I find it difficult to believe that Conan went to NBC and said "either give me the Tonight Show or I'll leave" and the NBC chose him over Leno, six years ago. Doesn't make much sense. Then again, not much the network has been doing recently does make sense.

I find it very believable. Besides this article from 2004 supports Leno's story.

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-123412815/jay-give-way-conan.html