Andy Richter says it’s frustrating how he and Conan O’Brien were treated by NBC on ‘Tonight’

more images

Andy Richter says ‘Tonight’ exit was frustrating

NEW YORK — Conan O’Brien’s sidekick, Andy Richter, is acknowledging some ill will toward NBC and Jay Leno in the wake of the upheaval at “The Tonight Show.”

Richter filled in Tuesday for Regis Philbin on “Live! with Regis and Kelly.”

Richter told Kelly Ripa he was frustrated that Leno was reinstated in “The Tonight Show” host chair just nine months after O’Brien inherited the plum assignment.

O’Brien left NBC and “Tonight” in January. His next move is unclear. So is Richter’s.

Richter says it all ended much quicker than he could have imagined. He says he figured his late-night job was “as good as it gets in show business.”

He says the planning that surrounded Leno’s swiftly abandoned prime-time hour was “very shortsighted.”