The State Of The Entertainment Business With Producer Jeff Ross | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Hey, it's our Thursday episode. Normally. we talk to fans in this spot. Uh but. today we're going to try something a. little different. I'm going to talk to. someone who I've known for 32 years and. he's definitely not a fan. >> [laughter]. >> Uh I'm talking about Jeff Ross, uh. executive producer extraordinaire. Um. he and I started out together on the old. Late Night Show back in the day and. Jeff, you're the guy that understands the. business of Hollywood. I don't. I'm kind. of an outsider, an artist, kind of a.

Michelangelo roaming the the streets. painting his great masterpieces, head in. the clouds, but you you get the. business. What's going on in Hollywood. these days? I just want to know. Jeff Ross, what's going on in Hollywood? How's the business? >> [laughter]. >> Am I being sandbagged? >> No, you're not. No, this is not a sandbag. This is me. questioning you, what's going on in the. business? It's tough out there. >> It's tough out there. What's going on? I. don't know what's happening. Um well, I. only hear. what's happening because Star World is. pretty good. Our world is good.

>> Our world is good. Are we thriving in. the business? Yes. Okay. Okay. I have no. idea. I have no idea what we're doing. Thriving. But but what a strange world. When we started out together back in. 1993, we met in April of 1993. I was 29 when I met you. Now I'm older. than that. And. >> [laughter]. >> Not me. You've. You've somehow got 70 years older and I. have gotten even younger. But. But uh now you know, we've got this.

podcast empire and I'm having a lot of. fun. It's all great. >> Yeah. But if if I had told you 32 years. ago, we're not even going to be working. in television anymore. We're going to be. basically doing a radio show that goes. over the computer. Uh. It's crazy. It's crazy. >> It's crazy. >> So that's your analysis, it's crazy. >> Well, it is crazy. I mean, we have our. HBO show. Yeah, that's true. That's. true. I didn't mean to discount HBO. HBO's uh and we we have a lot of fun. with that. Yes. Have a good time. But. again, it's a very different I'm going.

to say this, I don't think anyone's ever. said this before. It's a very different. landscape now. >> Ah, that's a good word. Are you talking. about specifically late night or talk. shows? >> night. Well, you know, I think everyone's talking. about late night and what's happening. >> taking over. That's what that's Byron Allen is taking. over from for Colbert show, is that. right? >> That's interesting. He bought the time. Wait, what's that? What are you talking. about? In other words, he he went to. CBS. >> Byron Allen went to He went to CBS. He's. buying the time, the time period. Okay. >> producing his own show and selling the.

ads himself. I believe that's how it's. working. >> I didn't know that. That's fascinating. We could just buy time on TV? >> No, wait wait wait a minute. Can I do. it? Essentially CBS is like in profit. because they just sold the time to him. But wait a minute. So, you're saying I. could go back on NBC. They'd probably. let me go on it like 3:00 in the morning. if I bought the time. >> What's that? >> If that. But yeah, got it. Okay, 4:00 in. the morning. >> All right, maybe. I could give the Farm. Report. I mean, there's nobody there. left. So, you could you could wind up. there. >> get back on NBC if No, listen, this is.

where you come in because you understand. the business. You understand what kind. of money our business has. Can my. production company, can we buy the 4:00. time slot on NBC 4:00 a.m. and create. our own show and sell all that sweet. advertising money that'd be coming in at. 4:00 a.m.? >> Yeah. >> Is that a good business model? Do you. want me to get in the weeds on this? Yes. Okay. I don't think NBC controls. 4:00 a.m. Perfect. Then we can just. squat there. We can be like, yeah, people that just, you know, when. somebody. >> an old hobo shows up in an apartment and.

just says, >> [laughter]. >> "I'm here now." And they can't get him. out. Why don't I squat. >> Why don't I squat at 4:00 We did do. that. How do you squat We kind of did do. that for like 10 years at NBC. >> All right, listen. That's terrible. Um. we did fine for them. Uh. I'm just fascinated by this new world. I. don't understand it. But now you can buy. a time slot. Yeah. You did. It's like. syndication. It's essentially. syndication. Oh, I should go into. syndication. >> It's essen- It's basically what he did. Okay, what about this? And I'm just spitballing ideas here, but.

this is a chance for people out there to. hear our process. I think I'd be great in daytime. I think. housewives would love me. I think I. could buy a daytime slot. We could have. a syndicated show called And guess what. IT'S CALLED? GO IN! And it's got an. exclamation point like a happy face. You. remember. You don't remember that before. we went to TBS, we took a meeting with. these guys, a company that's called Debmar-Mercury. Right. And they wanted to do a daytime.

show. Oh, yeah. Remember it was in Rick. This is all a blur to me cuz it was like. the middle of a car accident. It was in. Rick Ross's office and we did take that. meeting. We took a meeting and they. pitched me as a daytime host. >> Oh, that'd be awful. >> so lovable and fun. >> said lovable and fun. I said it would be. awful. >> would it be awful? Maybe not then. Because your humor is for the wee hours. of the night. I don't know what time. people are listening to this podcast. This podcast does very well. Your humor. your sense of humor is kind of silly and. edgy and goofy and I think a. >> could look right now and see when most.

people uh listen to this podcast. >> of. But a lot of moms would. just be like, "What is this?". >> have a good business perspective. Uh and you are um you know, the podcast. whisperer. Does what I do translate to. daytime? Should I have a daytime show? I. don't love it. No. Why Why don't you. love it? For the reasons Destona said. I. think like I just can't imagine that. that demographic sitting around on their. you know, watching in their kitchen. watching your show. >> that? Can I say that? Explain that. demographic, Adam. Say it. Say it.

What's that demographic? [laughter] Go. ahead. Go ahead. Here's what I will say. Oh, you want to go ahead? As you've aged, your audience has stayed. very young. You have a very young, mobile, digital-first audience. I think. that the podcast it makes a ton of sense. that you're a successful podcaster, that. you have a big YouTube [laughter]. channel. >> Can I say Can I say this? I say this I. say this to Adam in here. I say this to. Adam with all respect. you. >> [laughter]. >> You know what I just learned? >> Oh no, I'm on a roll here. you. >> [laughter]. >> You. How dare you tell me I've aged,

first of all. Um haven't aged at all. Second of all, um my this makes me want. to shut down the podcast immediately and. the HBO travel show immediately and. because I'm I am very reactive, I'm. launching a daytime talk show. IT'S. CALLED CONAN. >> [laughter]. >> and it's two A's. C O N A A N. exclamation point. >> it. >> And it's it's mostly just despite me. Yes. >> Okay. Most of what I do is despite. someone around me. I've done so much. despite Jeff. I've done so much despite.

Sona and so much of my career now is. about spiting you. But listen, we own it and it's. syndicated and yes, it will do terribly, but we get to own how terribly it does. What do you think? I actually like the. idea. It's a it's interesting that that. that No, not the idea of you not the. idea of you in daytime. No, not the idea of you in daytime. I. don't I still don't like that idea. I. like this Byron Allen idea though that. that linear is now just kind of like up. for sale. Like it's real estate. You can. just go and buy real estate on linear. television. I think that's interesting.

And it's very interesting. There might. be opportunities there. I don't like the. same time. Ellen when her daytime show. did something very popular which is she. would come out and she would dance. People know that I'm very physical and. stuff like that. Here's my thing. I come. out and dance and I don't stop. I dance. for the entire hour. I dance the entire. hour and people come out and pitch their. projects in the background and you. barely hear them and I'm rocking out the. whole time and I could get into the kind. of shape where you I do that for a whole. hour of just dance and tell me. housewives don't want to see that. Is. that a a derogatory term? Housewives.

Whoa whoa whoa. I don't want to use a. derogatory term. Okay. >> [laughter]. >> Is that offensive to the real housewives. of Salt Lake City? Okay. Um I I know. It's just I'm I'm spitballing. Make it good. I was just saying MTV's. The Grind was very popular. You could. bring back MTV's The Grind. >> is so gone though, isn't it? What is MTV. now? >> I'm MTV is going to. I don't I don't I don't I don't know. what the Paramount thing. We'll see what. happens. >> will those VJs do? >> [laughter]. >> Um They're not around anymore. Don't.

tell me Kurt Loder isn't STILL ON TV. YES. talking He might be talking to. Chris Novoselic and the rest of Nirvana. >> [laughter]. >> I mean, come on. You can't fool me. What. am I Rip Van Winkle? I fell asleep for. 30 years? >> [laughter]. >> Um. I need to know what's going on in the. business. What are you counseling me to. do? You're my consigliere. You're my Tom. Hagen. >> I I think you should keep doing what. you're doing because it's going really. well. Okay. So, keep So, keep going with. the podcast. >> Yes. Oh, yeah. Um and.

>> [laughter]. >> And daytime show, should we let that go? It's Conan with two A's and I'll go up. to three A's but I have to say. >> Do you want to really want to do a daily. show again? Never. Okay, then forget it. Then lose that idea. Wait, but what if. he said he did? What are you going to. say? Were [laughter] you going to say. something if he wanted to do a daily. show? You know what I learned You know. what I learned being here just in the. last 10 minutes? >> Huh. This is like the suck-up room. This is. what goes on in here. Everybody sucks up. to Conan. >> not Eduardo. Oh, no, [laughter] no, no. Suck up to him. Suck up. Not Eduardo.

Oh, you'd be great at it. You'd be great. at it. Oh, you'd be great at it. >> to do it. >> him not to do it but you said he'd be. great at it. >> No. Oh. No, no. I don't Did you? Let me tell you one thing. You got to. give Eduardo his props. Eduardo despises. me and has made it very clear from day. one just because occasionally I spill. water into the electrical outlets. Uh. [laughter] You called me the Sonic. Stalin. Yeah, Sonic Stalin. Yeah, I did. Yeah, you rule with an iron fist. You've. killed so many of your own people. Um. I'm just saying that he doesn't No, I.

get a lot of pushback in this room. But. uh I I don't know what the next move is. We've got. >> You you Well, there Well, there is Well, you don't need a next move, first of. all. You can do whatever you want. And I think that. >> And I think that we've talked about. various things and things you might want. to be interested in doing, all of which. are possible and you can do. You know. what? No one's ever approached me about. a clothing line, which I find shocking. >> that's not true, Gavin. Well, no, Gavin. Polone Gavin Polone Gavin Polone is my. Oh, Gavin Gavin Polone is my manager. If.

We don't even know what Gavin's story. is. Is that right? >> He told me he was a manager years ago, and I've known him longer than I've. known you. >> Uh I've known Gavin forever, um and uh. he'll come up with these ideas, but. they're not grounded in anything. He. didn't come to me with a proposal. He. just said, "You got to sell clothes.". And um I think for a while, oh, his one. good idea Hair gel. No, hair pomade. A. pomade. >> Right, right. And I think What? You're. shaking your head, no?

I think it's a great idea. I just don't. know that it was HIS IDEA. OH. WHOSE IDEA DO YOU THINK IT WAS? You can say. I think Liza and I both came up with it. on the same day. Okay. >> of all. >> But I don't I don't want to. >> but then Gavin wouldn't let it go. Well, that might be true. Okay. >> Gavin was pushing coffee. He was put a. coffee brand. >> you know what his pitch for coffee brand. was? People think you're so hopped up on. coffee. It was also They they would buy. the kind of coffee you're on. That was. his pitch. Like, you should sell Ritalin.

pills because people think that you're. an out-of-control child. There was also. um. a. a tequila, but some kind of you wanted a. you wanted. >> I thought it was a whiskey. A whiskey, right? >> Yeah. Right. An Irish whiskey. >> He wanted to sell it. >> An Irish whiskey. And no self-respecting. Irishman will drink what I'm drinking. They don't want anything to do with. that. >> is all the things you're saying that you. can't haven't been asked to do, you've. been asked to do. No, no clothing. company uh has come to me. >> No, not a clothing No, they have not. Okay, well, don't say everything. >> pitched to you. No, but I think people.

probably look at the way I dress and. think. I want to look like him. He's like Don. Draper on Mad Men. I want to Okay. >> How you doing there? I think that if. someone has really long legs, they'll be. like, "What jeans does Conan wear?". >> Yeah, just for the sizing. >> Just for the sizing, for your. proportions. >> about that? I have very My proportions. are extremely long legs. >> Yeah. >> Clothing that's tailored for the man. who's had some sort of genetic. malfunction and has really long legs. >> [laughter]. >> You know? >> Like big and tall, but just tall.

>> Yeah, just we need just tall in the leg. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Conan O'Brien's tall in the leg stores. >> Okay. >> And it's just for people who are really. long in the leg. Yeah. You know, in the early This room's. getting really [laughter]. This room's getting really quiet. >> Speaking of your legs, in the early days. of the internet and of YouTube. >> Yep. for a long time, and we could. probably somebody could probably look it. up, the biggest clip on YouTube was you. in Spanx. Oh. Oh. Oh. >> Jeggings. Yeah. I wish it wasn't Spanx. then. It was It was jeggings. I wore.

jeggings, and that was a huge clip. >> It was a thing. It was like a 5-second. clip, and it was humongous. >> you should do something that is way. outside of what you would normally do. Like. >> Something charitable and kind? >> No, I'm saying like a makeup line. You. know how like Rihanna came up with a. makeup line that. >> Those things are huge. >> for different complexions. Like you, if. you did If you went up against Rihanna. You know what? Rihanna would her. pants if she knew I was coming after. her. If Rihanna knew that Conan O'Brien.

was coming out [laughter]. for the pale man in your life. you know? And it's like it covers up an. eye vein. >> [laughter]. >> And All the stuff that I'm pitching is. like Look, we all have a prominent eye. vein that shows up on camera when we're. doing a podcast. It's also a really. specific problem. Well, this Apply this, and it it it softens it. >> freckles. If you have like a lot of. freckles, get If you have super thin. lips and beady, creepy eyes. >> [laughter]. >> Jeff, I think we found it. Yeah, I I I I.

think so. And I think I think I. >> [laughter]. >> I think I think your pitch is perfect. Jeff, what is. >> perfect. Let's be serious back to serious for a. second. We don't know I have a question. for you that you can answer. >> Yeah. All I know is that so many people I know. aren't working. So many of the writers. we know it's very hard to get work now. Yet I go home and all I see are. thousands of new streaming shows. There's never been more product. available to people, but.

my sense is that a lot of people aren't. working. What's happening? I think a lot. of them are made overseas. Mhm. A lot of them. And I'm not saying it's. the entire issue, but I think a lot of. them are made overseas. >> about so that means that writers. don't write them. Right US writers don't. write them. Of course writers write. them, but US writers don't write them. American writers. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's it's crazy cuz that is. the puzzling part is I go home. and I was and I are just flipping. through. I mean every time you turn on one of. these streamers they've got.

uh. You need subtitles. You need subtitles. seven more shows. Yeah, you need. subtitles, but there's so much product. and. uh and then you wonder well gee that's. good. I don't think it's the I don't. think it's the whole problem. I think. things got really expensive and out of. control and in this country in this town. of all places. We had a moment on the. Oscars that was really said a lot to me. which is. we had an idea for the Oscars. where I'm backstage.

and I just had this image flashed. So. sometimes things just come to me as an. image and one image was when I'm coming. back when they're bumping in from. commercial to come back to me. I'll be backstage and it'll be a. I'm rolling on the floor with nine. golden retrievers. >> I'm not I'm rolling on the floor with. nine nine golden retrievers and the. band's playing and then you hear ladies. and gentlemen Conan, again your host. Conan O'Brien and I leap up and a team. of a whole bunch of people with giant, um, you know, uh, lint brushes,

roll me really quickly, and I step out. on stage and go, "Hi, everybody, you. know, cinematography." And, um, it was. just this quick, silly visual that I. loved, and it's really interesting, um, one of the producers said, "Okay, this is going to be incredibly. expensive." And I said, "Really? Just. getting a couple of golden retrievers?". And she said, "Well, the rule is each. dog. has to be acclimated with the other. dogs, so they all have to live together. for like 2 weeks before they can come.

on, before they can be on camera. together. And if they're living together, all. their peop- their handlers have to live. with them, too.". >> And she was going through all the things. and how the cost got up to, I think it's. going to cost as much as like, uh, you know, baseline sticker price for. like a Porsche. It was like $30,000. >> I think it was more than that. Maybe. I. think it was more than 30, but so not a. Porsche, but. a really good, high-end. >> I think someone said somebody said. then somebody said, "What about.

puppies?" And they went, "More. expensive.". >> Yeah, puppies are more expensive. We And. And basically, it's all this stuff that. gets built in over time, these different. rules. And I realized in that moment, you know, we used to do things in the. '90s, we used to get away with murder. because we would think of an idea at. 4:30, a really weird idea, and we would. throw it out on the air. And, um, then. a lot of time goes by, and I think rules.

change and things I also think in the. Oscars, especially when people hear. Oscars, the price goes up. Yeah, I think. you're right. I think you're right. Yeah. But I was I In that moment with. the golden retrievers, I thought, "Oh, I This is a concrete example of. something that's happening that's making. me think I see why people go to Budapest. to shoot something. And I've I've heard. that a lot of I mean we used for years. for over a decade for 11 years we were.

on Warner Brothers that and it was you. know humming that things are quieter in. some of these lots than they used to be. >> they were building new stages, I. believe. And everything was packed and I. hear now that it's like half empty. I. don't know I don't know that I don't. know if that's true. I will say that. happens whenever Conan O'Brien leaves a. place. So it makes sense. NBC pretty. much collapsed after I left. Um you. know, but that's called the Conan. effect. When I leave a party good luck. to that. >> [laughter]. [laughter]. >> But yeah, it's fascinating to me the I.

mean we're joking around but then at the. same time I do accidentally have real. questions which is I I you know, we've. now been I got started in 1985. That's ancient history now. Very. different. >> And you know what's funny? I was surfing. the internet the other day and something. came up. I don't know if it was on Instagram or. maybe it was Instagram where they know. kind of what you're interested in and. they showed me. footage.

of a. video store. like a Blockbuster. >> Blockbuster, yeah. And it was from 1986. or something when I was first out here. with Greg Daniels. And someone had taken a video with like. a video camera of all the displays and. now it looks like the footage I used to. look at when I was a kid from the 1920s. And I realized you know what I mean. where people are riding around with. wearing straw hats and funny. I remember. >> Looking at a Blockbuster now looks like.

oh that's a speakeasy during 40 years. ago. >> years ago and I know that young people. now see that footage and think everyone. looks crazy. We all look like we're in a. flock of seagulls. >> [laughter]. >> with padded shoulders and we're going. "Uh, it's my I have to rent a video so I. can watch Back to the Future again.". You know, I'm going to go home and put. this into a giant 600-lb machine and. watch Back to the Future. >> Yeah. >> Um. >> And then rewind it. >> Yeah. And then Be kind, rewind. >> Remember when we were in Finland and. somebody came up to us where we were at.

a party and somebody came up to us with. a phone. and said "Hey, look, your show's on.". Oh, someone showed us our show on a. phone. >> was like 20 years ago. Oh, I mean, this would be 25 years ago, something. 20 years ago. >> went "I'm looking at it." And we're like. "What?". >> Oh, I felt bad cuz I said "Which?". Oh, no. And I threw hot oil on them. And then she was a witch. Oh. >> But it had nothing to do with her having. the phone. That was completely beside. but That's good. >> No, I remember we were at some event for. NBC and they said um we were in. Washington D.C. and it was some event.

broadcasting event and this is in the. '90s and they said we're going to show. you something called HDTV, high-definition TV, and they had it on a. flat screen TV. And we walked up to it and it was a. football game and I was watching it and. it was the. I mean, I don't think HDTV was. commercially available at the time. They. were just showing us a sample of this. thing that was going to be coming very. soon. >> Yeah. I remember being able to see the. divots in the ground and it blew me.

away. And now you watch TV TVs that are. probably 100 times more precise than. that one and we're just like. >> [laughter]. >> We get so inured to this technology. >> they were when they came out and now. they're like it's like a commodity. Oh, well, you used to get a flat screen TV. >> screen?". Yeah, I I went to the bank and I got a. co-signer and I [laughter] talked to my. accountant and it's being installed. tomorrow by a team of scientists. I.

mean, Adam can speak to it well, this. criminal over here can speak to it, too. >> [laughter]. >> You know, you know, yeah. And then when. the games are on, you just just have. your phone and just watching games live, you know, that's what it is. >> I mean, I've seen you many times sitting. alone at a restaurant. >> No, these guys, too. This guy does it. while he's engineering this show. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, remember? Oh, that's right. Eduardo, you like to watch your Well, you call it football, I call it soccer. >> watching one right now. No, I'm just. kidding. I'm not. >> That would've been cool. It's a whole. It's all Listen. I was just having lunch. with somebody just now and they're like,

"Oh, wow, Conan, you really cracked it. Things have changed.". >> You can't ever. fire us. What's that? We have You have. You have to work for until you're like. 90. Cuz otherwise, we're all. What are you talking about? You can get. a job that's just ridiculous anywhere. else. What are you talking? No. Conan, you really have to work till you're 90. Thank you. We'll put it in writing. Um. Just until you're 90. Thank you. Then. I'll be 96. Do you think, Jeff, that you. have adapted to the new ways? Uh I don't know.

>> In what sense do you mean? Um do you know how to work your phone? Do you know how to. >> [laughter]. >> Is that the baseline standard? Do you. know how to work your phone? >> I'm saying cuz David knows full well. that I don't know these things. >> Jeff has never had to call me to help. him log into a streaming service, like, you know? Well, I have had to call you. for a few things. Every now and then. But not not not a. lot. >> Yeah. Dig a hole. >> [laughter]. >> By the way, Very different than. >> But he started making noise.

You better put my house on the market. What? >> [laughter]. >> Started yelling. I had to be something. OH, GOD. OH, COME ON. IT GOT SO DARK so. fast. No, it's the beauty of it. >> no. >> I bring you in here and then I expose. you as a highway killer. >> Yeah. Well, you know. Um. They call the highway mumbler. >> [laughter]. >> People are disappearing on the 405. freeway and they. >> [laughter]. >> All they find is a shoe and they hear. some mumbling. Guilty as charged. Listen. So, you say the state of the. podcast is good, we should keep going.

HBO, it's all good. I shouldn't panic. >> HBO loves you. They want more of. whatever you want to give them. Oh, hey. Well, I'm going to give them a daytime. show. OH, BYE. >> [screaming]. >> WATCH CONAN DANCE FOR AN HOUR, as guests. far behind him yell. >> [laughter]. >> to try to be heard. Can you imagine just me in the. foreground dancing, and they're in the. background going, "The book's called A. Time for Summer.". >> [laughter]. >> They get frustrated and walk away. It'd.

be great for three whole days. All right, Jeff. Thanks for coming in. I. think you brought sanity to a very. damaged ecosystem. And just for the. record, Eduardo despises me. And I get a lot of hate from this room. So, I think it's very good. >> Yeah, I mean, we That's our job. That's. what we do. Yeah, I'm happy to join in. >> [laughter]. >> Very happy.