Leno's final 'Tonight Show' has Conan O'Brien and James Taylor

After 17 years behind the big desk, Jay Leno tapes his final "Tonight Show" on Friday, and his last guest will also be his successor: Conan O'Brien.

O'Brien begins hosting "The Tonight Show" on Monday, June 1, and Leno's new 10pm show will launch in September.

Leno's farewell week has been filled with some of his favorite guests over the past decade and a half, like Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Lyle Lovett, and Billy Crystal.

Tonight's show features Wanda Sykes and Prince.

Friday's announced guests are O'Brien and singer James Taylor, who is scheduled to perform.

O'Brien's role as Leno's last official guest feels like NBC is pushing hard to assure viewers that the folks at NBC are all one big happy family, totally okay with this game of musical hosts. And maybe that's the case, though it still remains to be seen as to whether or not viewers will flock in big numbers to Leno's primetime talkshow against proven hit shows like "CSI" and "The Mentalist." Or if audiences can really stand 3 hours of NBC talk shows every night (O'Brien's "Tonight Show" is followed by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon").

One thing is for certain: unlike Johnny Carson's departure from "The Tonight Show" in 1992, no one will miss Leno. And that's not necessarily a jab at Leno (who I personally find extremely unfunny). It's just that he's not really going away -- he's going 90 minutes earlier. His new show is likely to be very much like his old show, and that's probably why his "Farewell Week" on NBC hasn't really registered on too many radars.

So if you find yourself feeling a little sad or nostalgic watching Leno's final shows this week, don't worry. You can probably see the same ole shtick this fall and still get to bed at a decent hour.