It all started when long-running NBC darling Jay Leno said he was going to retire. The Tonight Show, currently enjoying its fifty-second season on the network, is a show that’s obviously bigger than any one man. So NBC execs immediately started casting about for Leno’s replacement. Early rumors linked Conan O’Brien’s name to the late night variety/talk show, leaving a hosting hole wide open on O’Brien’s gig. Jimmy Fallon became the heir apparent, and Leno’s retirement (not scheduled, by the way, until 2009) seemed a done deal. But now, Jay just might be changing his mind. Sources purporting to be close to the situation say Leno doesn’t want to go, and NBC has answered the rumor. The network says it wants to stick with Leno, and has no intention of giving the show to O’Brien (and collectively, we can all say “whew”). The network is anxious to keep Conan on his regular late gig, which doesn’t bode too well for Fallon’s career.