Conan O'Brien presents at the 2014 Breakthrough Prizes Awarded in Fundamental Physics and Life Sciences Ceremony at NASA Ames Research Center on December 12, 2013 in Mountain View, California.
Thursday marked Jay Leno’s final night as host of the Tonight Show and Conan O’Brien marked the occasion with a single wisecrack.
The two comedians were famously pitted against one another in 2010 when NBC forced O’Brien out of the Tonight Show gig so that Leno — who had left the show the previous year — could return as host.
O’Brien has since snagged his own show — Conan, on TBS — and on Thursday night, his opening monologue included a rare crack about Leno. “The Olympics start airing tonight on NBC. It’s very cool. That’s right, NBC has the Olympics. It’s a big deal. NBC will finally get to show somebody who is OK with passing the torch.” O’Brien then noted, “I allowed myself one, but it was a good one.”
Leno’s final Tonight Show featured high-profile guests such as Oprah Winfrey, Billy Crystal and Garth Brooks. Jimmy Fallon will be taking over the show beginning Feb. 17.