How Conan O'Brien is Staying Relevant

NBC giveth and NBC taketh away. All a poor late night talk show host can do is make a graceful exit and most will agree that that's just what ex-Late Night host, Conan O'Brien did. Despite having the support of the viewing public behind him, the lovable redhead is unemployed. According to the contract he signed with NBC, he agreed to not take a new job until September 1st. Overall, that's not a terrible condition to the $52.6 million dollar payout, but it does mean that in order to stay relevant Conan has to get creative.

The public is a fickle beast. One moment, you can be a media darling and the next completely forgotten like neglected leftovers. Whoever is in charge of his public relations is definitely in touch with what makes the public tick. In order to stay relevant and remain a viable option for other networks, Conan is freshening up his image with the use of one of the most popular social networking sites, Twitter.

It's certainly a smart move to connect directly with the people who backed him as the powerful collective, Team Coco. However, it's more than a nod to his supporters; it's also a great way to stay fresh in people's minds. Team Coco needs to carry him through the summer and hopefully a new gig. It's definitely no coincidence that he decided to join the likes of Ashton Kutcher, P. Diddy and the Kardashians right after the late night debacle started blowing over. And he didn't beat around the bush about his unemployment; his first Tweet embraced the situation in a comical way:

"Today I interviewed a squirrel in my backyard and then threw to commercial. Somebody help me."
And since then, the Cone Bone has been updating followers periodically with funny one liners. But Twitter isn't his only weapon. Rumors had been swirling that he plans to use this time to return to the stage and do stand-up. And finally, loyal fans got proof when Ticketmaster posted a listing for a Conan O'Brien stage show at Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, AZ on April 30th. Shortly thereafter the listing was removed, but a rep for the venue confirmed that the show is happening.

Is it going to be a one night only event or a tour? He certainly has time to hit up a few states and spread the laughter. And the mystery surrounding the stage performance isn't just about the when and where. According to some, it will be a stand-up comedy show. Others think it will be a live version of the Tonight Show. Not only is this all creating buzz about the show, but it's also creating buzz around the comedian, who will soon be negotiating a new television contract.

It's critical for his success, and his contract that people don't believe he has peaked. So far, O'Brien is playing his cards just right: staying relevant without overexposing himself. It's almost undeniable that he will get another job somewhere, even if it's on cable. The real question is whether viewers will follow him there. That's what networks want to know and that is what Conan is trying to prove. And so far half a million followers have helped him do so.