Conan O’Brien bid farewell to the The Tonight Show on Friday night, ending an acrimonious feud with NBC that nonetheless provided vast comic fodder and a ratings surge in his final weeks. Eschewing any final jabs at NBC, Conan delivered an impassioned speech denouncing cynicism and promising, “If you work really hard and you’re kind, I’m telling you, amazing things will happen.” Neil Young performed a somber “Long May You Run,” but it was a roaring version of Southern epic “Freebird” that was the most joyful, with Conan showcasing his guitar-shredding skills and a shaggy Will Ferrell gracing the world with even more cowbell.

The closing number was just another memorable performance in a long line of notable farewells. Which late-night goodbyes are your favorites? We’ll refresh you with a few after the jump.

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As daunting as it is to fill the shoes of Johnny Carson and the (significantly) smaller shoes of Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien showed the American public last night that he is the rightful successor to the Tonight Show throne. But before he graced the television with those fateful words, “Welcome to the Tonight Show with…,” O’Brien had to prove his prowess. So, he ran from New York to California. No joke. After this cross country intro sequence, he burst through the Tonight Show studio with a bulldozer. Though he only resorted to the bulldozer because he forgot the keys at home, this act is symbolic of the much needed renovations that O’Brien will bring to the show. Read More »