Rosie O'Donnell says it's time for Jay Leno to step away from late night and not try to flatten the tires of Conan O'Brien.
NBC is seeking to move Leno into his old 11:35 p.m. "Tonight" show time slot and push O'Brien past midnight again.
O'Brien is balking at the move after only seven months at "Tonight," and a negotiated exit from NBC seems likely.
O'Donnell says she was a huge fan of O'Brien. She used the metaphor of a bus driver who should hand over the keys to a new guy, saying: "Pass the keys to the new guy with red hair and not try to flatten his tires before he even gets going."
She was asked her opinion on the late-night fights while in town to promote an HBO documentary.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.