I have about had it with the entire late-night fiasco unfolding on NBC. While this will prove to be a learning opportunity for public relations professionals and teachers, my goal is to make some sense of this muddled situation.

Conan and Leno have made the most of the feud during their monologues and interviews, too frequently bordering on “too far,” especially in Conan’s case.

Unfortunately for NBC, one of the first official responses from NBC executive Dick Ebersol definitely did not go through his PR team:

The executive, Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports, said the reason for Mr. Leno’s return to NBC’s late-night roster after a short stint in prime time this season was a simple one: disappointing ratings for Conan O’Brien’s “Tonight Show.”

Referring to the pointed jokes made this week by Mr. O’Brien and David Letterman of CBS, Mr. Ebersol said it was “chicken-hearted and gutless to blame a guy you couldn’t beat in the ratings.”

He added that “what this is really all about is an astounding failure by Conan.”

So, my question is: Where do these three parties go from here? Is there a solution that will pacify the Conan-loyalists, NBC executives and Leno’s influential team?

The public nature of Conan’s show cancellation and options for a continued relationship with NBC, combined with the nature of late-night monologues and NBC failing in the ratings across the late-night line up, have made for a volatile situation. And I’m sure ABC, CBS and FOX are loving every minute of it.