AP picks Conan-Leno mess as year’s top entertainment story
In January, the network sought to displace its newly crowned “Tonight Show” host, Conan O’Brien, by restoring former “Tonight” host Jay Leno’s new show to 11:35 p.m. from its struggling 10 p.m. spot.
O’Brien, however, didn’t go for delaying “Tonight” by a half-hour to make room for Leno, and the fallout made for one of the most public debacles in network history.
In the end, O’Brien left with an enormous settlement, rediscovered himself in a cross-country concert-hall road trip (including a stop in Spokane), and finally ended up with a new late-night show at TBS while Leno retook “Tonight.”
The dramatic upheaval was chosen as 2010’s top entertainment story of the year, as voted on by Associated Press members.
The rest of the Top 10:
“Avatar” makes history: For a substantial part of 2010, James Cameron’s sci-fi epic was playing to packed movie theaters. It smashed the record set by Cameron’s “Titanic” and, by early February, became the highest-grossing film of all time, domestically and globally.
“Avatar” took in nearly $750 million domestically, a number further padded by the later release of an extended cut.
Tablets unleash apps: Before Apple CEO Steve Jobs debuted the iPad in May, there was plenty of skepticism about the potential of tablet computers.
But as people began to familiarize themselves with the device, it became clear that it had further unlocked an app universe of games, entertainment and media. Other tablets have since been released, and media companies have increasingly developed apps.
Internet and TV move closer: Netflix’s transformation from a DVD company to a streaming video company came at the same time that devices such as Google TV were pushing the Internet and television closer.
By the end of the year, fears were growing that cable customers were beginning to cut the cord and depend on Web access for TV shows.
Cowell leaves “Idol”: Simon Cowell made his exit from “American Idol” official in January. He left to focus on his British TV hit “The X Factor,” of which an American version is in the works.
Beatles come to iTunes: The most famous of the few remaining holdouts from iTunes, the Beatles, finally caved, signifying the end of a chapter in the digitizing of music.
More than 2 million individual songs and 450,000 copies of Beatles albums were sold in the first week.
Prince William gets engaged: After years of dating, Prince William proposed to his girlfriend Kate Middleton with his mother’s diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring.
They’ll be wed at Westminster Abbey this spring.
Bullock wins Oscar, divorces: Sandra Bullock had a remarkably eventful year, winning a best-actress Oscar, adopting a baby boy and divorcing her husband Jesse James after it was revealed that he cheated on her.
“Lost” ends: More than 13 million viewers watched the ABC desert island mystery conclude after six seasons of twisted plot lines, alternate realities and stupefying cliffhangers.
Larry King quits: King hung up his suspenders, calling it quits after 25 years of “Larry King Live” on CNN. The 77-year-old talk-show host made his last broadcast of the show in December.
British talk-show host and “America’s Got Talent” judge Piers Morgan takes over the time slot in January.