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During the interview segments, he'd probably do well enough, and grow as time went on. What's important is that Cedric could attract a wide audience, and get new viewers as well. I can't say one way or another if those people on Team Conan or Team Jay (yes, there are teams, as it goes in the 21st century, I guess) would be for or against Cedric, but his style of comedy could do well in taped sketches, certainly more so than doing a segment wherein everyday people reveal (or, depending on how cynical you may be about the segment's veracity, "reveal") how stupid they are. Is Cedric something of a safe choice? Absolutely. Sometimes, though, a network needs to make a safe choice, not a risky one. Moreover, since NBC has been making plenty of risky choices in the last year, someone like Cedric The Entertainer may represent the perfect choice: someone different, someone not directly connected to the debacle, and a known quantity. If the man doesn't get his own show in the next few years, I will be surprised.

Richard Lewis

Okay, this one's a huge stretch. Lewis is a stand-up comic from a completely different generation, with his rapid-fire, rambling style more akin to someone like Lewis Black, just without all of the political rantings. Lewis is nowadays a bit of a staple on talk shows, frequently proving that he'd do very well with more than one segment as a guest. On Conan's programs, he'll go on, dressed in his typical black, say hello, and begin on his own topic, completely oblivious to whatever the host may want to discuss, or even whatever he's there to plug. Considering that talk shows, like any other TV genre, have a set format, and the hosts are used to sticking to that format above all costs (even someone as fun as Conan), having someone who would upend that format on its head, in the same way as Galifianakis could, would be brilliant.

Lewis is probably best-known for being Larry David's best friend on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, or for his supporting turn in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Though he's been a stand-up for decades, he's not as familiar to most audiences, especially the 18-49 demographic. I hate to denigrate, but in some ways, the allure for younger audiences could be like watching someone's slightly batty uncle raving from his easy chair for an hour every night. That's not to say that Lewis wouldn't have guests, or an orchestra, or the whole nine yards that comes with a typical talk show. The point is that Lewis would have all of those elements, simply to ignore them and do what he wants. Even better, NBC could probably save money on a writing staff, as Lewis would just be set off by whatever's on his mind when he comes out onstage every night. Richard Lewis for late night! Who's with me?

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