Did Conan O'Brien's 'Tonight Show' fail because of an Andy Richter curse?

Actually, it probably failed because of a Jeff Zucker curse. But still, what of poor Andy? He seems to have been operating under a perpetual cloud ever since he left Conan's side the first time, when he quit his job as sidekick on 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien' in 2000 for a Hollywood career. He's worked consistently since then, but his list of credits over the last decade consists largely of box office flops and short-lived TV series. To which we can now add 'The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien.'

When Andy Richter left Late Night With Conan O'Brien to establish his own career in acting, nobody knew that he'd come full circle and rejoin O'Brien years later. At the same time, nobody knew that creator Victor Fresco would do much the same thing.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe was one of those quirky shows that most people, who enjoy a dash of nonsense in their comedy, really dug. It was a very playful show about a guy working in a massive company. It featured a small ensemble with great chemistry on-screen, and had a unique look at big corporations.

A few years later, Fresco tapped that well again, and we got Better Off Ted, another comedy with absurdist tendencies set in a massive corporation with a small cast. Like Andy, it eked out a second season based more on critical acclaim than ratings. As someone who enjoys both shows, I find myself worrying that Ted will share Andy's ultimate fate, cancellation after the second season.

As we mentioned in the New TV on DVD column this week, Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series has been released, so all of you folks who really miss this short-lived show can watch the episodes over and over and over and get mad at FOX all over again for cancelling it so quickly.

But there's another thing that fans can do too, go to the web site that has been set up for the set.

The screen is scattered with office equipment (phone, stapler, pencils, etc) and each one moves or makes a noise. Roll your mouse over the phone and you'll hear a different clip from the show, and you can also get the code for a widget that you can put on your own web page. But the main part of the site is the "How Are You Feeling Today?" box. You pick your mood (angry, having some fun, sexy, in pain, etc), and click the "Give me a Richter moment" button and you get to see a scene from the show that illustrates that mood.

After the jump, a scene involving really small feet.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Am I a terrible person for not wanting to get Andy Richter Controls The Universe? Not that it was a bad show, it wasn't. It's just not one of those short-lived shows where I say to myself, "boy, I can't wait until that comes out on DVD." I can think of many other short-lived shows on DVD that I would buy before I bought this one. But it's good to see it being released.

I have Room 222 on my shelf but haven't watched it yet.

• Andy Richter Controls The Universe - Complete Series
• Charles in Charge - Season 4 (Amazon.com only)
• The Dog Whisperer - Very Best Of

Here's some good news for people who have missed Andy Richter since he stopped being Conan O'Brien's sidekick nine years ago: NBC just announced that he's signed on to be the announcer of The Tonight Show when Conan takes it over in June.

Now, this doesn't mean that we'll see Andy on the couch next to Conan, as he was in Late Night's early years. He's the announcer; think of what John Melendez does for Leno and add the fact that, you know, Andy actually has comedic talent. Richter will announce the show and participate in both live and pre-taped comedy bits.

For fans of Andy Richter the actor, though, this isn't good news. After starring in two very funny failed sitcoms, Andy Richter Controls the Universe and Andy Barker, P.I., it seems like his returning to the daily Conan fold would preclude him from starring in another one anytime soon. But that also means he won't star in another Quintuplets, either, so maybe this is a good idea.

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Malvin Wald: He is best known for writing the screenplay to The Naked City, which later became a TV series and pretty much spawned later police dramas such as NYPD Blue and Law and Order. He also wrote for The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, Daktari, Combat, Playhouse 90, and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He died at age 90 in California.

On TV, on TV!

Amy Farrington played his wife in the pilot of his NBC mid-season replacement show, Andy Barker, P.I. But Farrington has now left the show and her role will be played by Clea Lewis. You might remember the small, squeaky-voiced Lewis as one of bookstore workers on Ellen.

I hope this show is good. I liked Andy Richter Controls The Universe, though I didn't think it was as brilliant as everyone else seemed to, but it was certainly good and FOX should have stuck with it. I can understand why Quintuplets was cancelled.

Now, where is NBC going to put this show? Thursday nights some place?