Conan drops the other shoe, says I'm outta here if "Tonight's" moved

In a statement addressed to "People of Earth," NBC's embattled "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien made it clear he'd prefer to quit than move the show to 12:05 a.m. to make room for Jay Leno. And that, he says, is what he's doing.

And no, he doesn't yet have a job lined up.

An NBC spokeswoman said the network was declining to comment.

But negotiations are undoubtedly under way, don't you think?

Here's what Conan had to say:

"People of Earth:

"In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me.  For 17 years, I've been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky.  That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

"But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

"So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it.  My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.  Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter.  But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

"There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next.  My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

"Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way."