When Barry Manilow, looking for all the world like the love child of Rod Stewart and ?”
When Barry Manilow, looking for all the world like the love child of Rod Stewart and Barbara Walters, came out and sang the theme from “Love Story,” I think we all knew it was time to move on. Like the rainstorms pounding Southern California, the Conan O’Brien pity party must come to an end. If there are people out there happy that Jay Leno is returning to late night as host of “The Tonight Show,” they’re keeping pretty mum. But honestly, O’Brien is walking away not only with more money than most of us will see in three lifetimes, but also the air of being much more wildly popular than he actually is. Or at least than he was, before NBC decided to solve the debacle of Leno at 10 by reinstating Leno at 11:30. Since the late-night wars began, O’Brien’s ratings have soared. Coco will be just fine, as will we all. Last night, O’Brien acknowledged that the news he was leaving NBC was at long last official, making everything that followed essentially a denouement. He gamely kept up last nigh
