Transcript of Andy's Annoucement on 'Late Night'

"It's a huge loss for the show..."

transcript by Nos4a2 -- Show #1139 -- Wednesday, August 11, 1999

[Show comes back from last commercial break]

Conan: Okay, everybody, we're going to do something a little unusual. Now, we joke around a lot, (that's what we get paid to do) but we're going to talk about something serious now, it's not a joke. Andy has something he wanted to say tonight.

Andy: I wanted to announce, because it's going to be out... The news is going to out tomorrow that in the spring of next year, I'm going to be moving on to do something else, so... [audience makes dismayed, gasping sound] I wanted to mention it here on the show. It's not...there's no animosity, I'm just going off to try...it's that old entrepreneurial spirit. Settin' out on my own. I just wanted to say it here on the show so people knew there's nothing weird...

Conan: Yeah.

Andy: It's been a wonderful place, I love it here. And like I said, it's still nine months off. It's a little odd to say it now, but I'd rather say something about it on the show than have people hypothesize as to what it's about.

Conan: Right. And the obvious question is, you don't quite know what it is you want to do yet...

Andy: No, no.

Conan: When you leave you'll be about two months away from we...or, er, me, starting the eight season of this show, so it's...And I'll be quite honest, it's a huge loss for the show, it's a huge loss for me personally, you've made it really fun to do the show...

Andy: Thanks, thanks...

Conan: Um, I think anybody that watches the show, and I think I speak for fans of the show, I think I speak for anybody who's watched the show for five minutes, or watched it and then turned it off angrily... I speak for the staff, I speak for myself, um, you're an incredibly talented person, you're one of the most talented people I've ever met, it's been a huge pleasure...It'll continue to be a pleasure for another nine months. It's a big loss for us, but I think I speak for everybody when I say, you know, we love you and we want you to do the thing that you want to do. We want you to have great success, and I hope, come back someday when I'm on cable, and visit me occasionally when I'm sitting here with Abe Vagoda and we're yelling at each other.

Andy: But...it's nine months away!

Conan: It's nine months away! So, the weird thing was...we just wanted to address...Yeah, we're gonna do another show and then do another, whatever it is, 140 shows, and we'll figure things out as we go. But, it is good to have it out there, as sad as it is for everybody.

Andy: Okay. Well, thanks folks! [Audience laughs, cheers, Conan laughs]

Conan: More on this later. Stay tuned for 'Later', we'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night!

[Show ends]