It has been a weird week. I can't seem to keep me head afloat all the chaos. One thing that stands out is that nothing is the same.

Nothing is the same.

Nothing is the same.

Nothing is the same.

Did I expect it to be? I usually welcome changes, but I notice it's only when I'm guiding the twists and turns or have already anticipated it. When the rug gets pulled out from under me, I stagger, I stumble, I fall.

So, it'll take a little while, a lot of prayers and some actual positive action on my part to accommodate these changes.

Conan O'Brien seems to know what I'm going through. Maybe a little. Maybe a lot. In case you haven't been following the late night talk show madness, Jay Leno has been the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno since 1992. Last TV season, Leno moved on from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to merely The Jay Leno Show (how come these Hollywood creatives can't come up with better late night show names?) O'Brien took over Leno's previous gig. Now, just seven month in, NBC was in talks with Leno to move him back half an hour and in result, moving O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon back as well.

O'Brien reacted to the changes by releasing a Conanially funny statement setting his foot down to being shuffled around by the network heads. Addressed, "People of Earth," O'Brien warns us to not feel sorry for him, a man who's worked 17 years at a job he loves in a world where people have real problems. He concedes that he feels he cannot carry on the legacy of The Tonight Show with such a time slot change and even apologizes for his hair.

I know that, without a doubt, wherever Conan goes, I will follow. I have the utmost confidence that he will find success (and humor) no matter where he goes.

I just hope I can say the same for myself.

Oh - and maybe this means he'll have time to speak at UCLA's commencement this year?

BREAKING NEWS

James Franco bailed on UCLA's commencement ceremony on June 3, 2009.

This will be the second year in a row that we have lost a commencement speaker. (Bill Clinton dropped out last year)

Some people on the list of backups have been mentioned but the one that stood out most in my mind is a one -of- a- kind gingerheaded talk show host who's moving to LA for his new gig.

My friend Michelle Castillo works at Entertainment Weekly and one of the writers called NBC to see if they could get said host to come to UCLA and speak at our commencement ceremony.

NBC apparently LOOOVEES the idea and are in negotiations to speak with him about it TODAY!!!

So...come Friday, I may have this man at my commencement ceremony...

This man is Conan O' Brien, BTW

EEEEEEEEKK!!!!

Update: Conan, unfortunately, was unable to attend our commencement. He has, you know, like an entire new show to run. He released the following statement explaining why he couldn't make it:

“I am honored to be asked but I am so busy launching ‘The Tonight Show‘ there just is not enough time to give this speech the preparation it deserves. I wish everyone in the class of 2009 the best and I am honored that they thought of me."

Just when we thought all hope was lost, Linkin Park guitarist, Brad Delson came to our rescue. Delson was a 1999 UCLA grad and a truly stellar great example of someone who came out of the University of California, Los Angeles. He majored in Communications Studies, graduating summa sum laude and then went on to a successful musical career with his band, Linkin Park, garnering Grammy awards and hit singles.

But he didn't let success get to his head. Delson gives back to society by participating in several non-profits like, Music for Relief and to his school with the Delson Scholarship Fund at UCLA.

After hearing Delson speak at our commencement, I wasn't at all disappointed by the lack of "big name stature" or "fame" or "prestige" that our keynote speaker had. Instead, I was inspired by the boldness of this former Bruin's decision to follow his passion and dive into an uncertain, shaky world with a millionth of a chance of success while his peers took safe and structured routes to their future. I was motivated by his ability to have "made it" but to not take his success for granted. I was enchanted by his easy-going smile and self-deprecating humorous attitude. I was more than entertained by his awesome speech. I felt a sense of kinship, because 10 years ago, Delson was exactly like us (even more close to me, being a Comm. Studies major). And I think these are more important feelings that a keynote speaker should spark within the graduating class than any Tonight Show leftover jokes can give.

Below is pt.1 of Delson's commencement speech held at the UCLA Letters and Sciences commencement last Friday, June 12. I'm not sure how long you would be able to view the clip on my site before Youtube yanks it down but you can catch it on Youtube by typing in, "Brad Delson UCLA."

Um, so in other news, I'VE GRADUATED! Massive update soon!