If NBC wasn’t willing to approve Conan appearing on an event for charity, they sure as hell weren’t going to let him help skyrocket the ratings of a CBS awards show. Deadline is reporting tonight that CBS tried to hire O’Brien to host the Tony Awards on June 13, but he was forced to turn down the job due to NBC’s restrictions on his appearances through September 1. Awfully hard to get excited about (inevitable host) Neil Patrick Harris now, huh? [Deadline]
Update: Deadline has updated its story with a NBC source’s report that O’Brien is free to make TV appearances after May 1, which would mean he would be available to host the Tony’s, though he would not be able to speak freely about NBC on the telecast per the terms of their agreement.