Even if Fox can't reach an agreement with its affiliates on launching a new late-night show, Conan O'Brien may still land at the network.
The latest off-the-wall rumor has the lanky comedian taking over Simon Cowell's seat as a judge on "American Idol."
Moreso than other recent rumors, this one seems more like idle speculation. Irish Central's Amy Andrews Gossip Girl quotes a source as saying, "'Idol' bosses think he’d be a huge draw now after all that Leno fuss."
The notion is even more absurd than Howard Stern, the current apparent frontrunner, taking over for Cowell when he exits next year.
O'Brien has no music background and can't even claim decades on the stand-up circuit, which is new judge Ellen DeGeneres' claim to legitimacy.
But it's interesting mainly because these days O'Brien is rumored to be going everywhere and doing everything, from working for a radio station in North Dakota to doing a comedy tour of 7-Eleven parking lots. (Note: He joked about that in his final "Tonight Show" monologue, but some people apparently took him seriously.)
O'Brien can't return with his own TV show until September per an exit deal struck with NBC. He left the network last month rather than see "Tonight" moved back to 12:05 a.m. to accommodate a half-hour version of "The Jay Leno Show."
Leno will regain the "Tonight" hosting job next month, when the Olympics are over. Last night his primetime "Leno" show aired its final episode, with Donald Trump appearing to "fire" Leno.
Still, it does seem appropriate that O'Brien would be linked to the "Idol" opening, as those have been television's two biggest non-ratings stories to start the year.
A wide swath of possible Cowell replacements has been tossed around, with Stern rising to the top over recent days. Other possibilities who have been mentioned include Victoria Beckham, Tommy Mottola, Jamie Foxx and Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager.
Louisa Ada Seltzer is a staff writer for Media Life.
