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Conan O'Brien back on late-night television

11/09/2010 by Hanna Chu

Conan O'Brien performs during the debut of his new TBS show "Conan" on Monday, Nov. 8, 2010. (Photo courtesy of TBS)
After a more than nine-month hiatus, Conan O'Brien returned to late-night television on Monday - this time, on basic cable (TBS). 

"People ask me why I named the show Conan. I did it so I would be harder to replace," O'Brien said on the show.

According to Nielson Co. figures, O'Brien's show was watched by more than 4.1 million viewers. The show beat Jay Leno's Tonight Show, which was watched by 3.5 million viewers.

O'Brien signed on to the new show after rejecting an offer from NBC to have the Tonight Show start 30 minutes later to make way for a half-hour version of The Jay Leno Show.