As my old friend HSLono helpfully pointed out yesterday, O’Brien made his “Tonight Show” debut last night – and it appears lots of people wanted to see what he’d do.

O’Brien, reunited with his former sidekick Andy Richter, managed to score a 7.1 rating and a 17 audience share in major markets, which means more people were watching him than Letterman and “Nightline” combined.

The new host’s first outing relied heavily on taped bits (including one that featured him jogging cross-country to the “Tonight Show” studio only to find he’d left his keys in New York) so it remains to be seen whether he can get comfortable in front of a much larger live audience than he had on “Late Night.”

US Magazine reported the reaction from critics was at best lukewarm, with the New York Post’s Linda Stasi writing that O’Brien’s taped sketches were “at times, painfully unfunny.”

Entertainment Weekly’s Ken Tucker was more kind in his analysis of the show.

“All in all a large-scale, impressive debut. But we all know that success in late-night depends on the long haul – Conan knows this as well as anyone. So now I want to see how he follows up his glitzy debut.”

O’Brien debut even rated a mention from Letterman, who quipped, “I’m still here. I knocked off another competitor.”

Letterman also joked that he had received a phone call from his mother, who told him, “Well David, I see you didn’t get ‘The Tonight Show’ again.”

O’Brien will follow last night’s guests Pearl Jam and Will Ferrell – who sang his own version of “Never Can Say Goodbye” before remarking, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m pulling for you. But this little thing is a crapshoot at best” – with Tom Hanks and Green Day.

Tuesday, June 2
“Dave Matthews Band: The Road to Big Whiskey (part 1)” – Fuse
“Loaded: Dave Matthews Band” – Fuse
Chris Isaak – “Chelsea Lately”
Moby – “The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos”
Green Day – “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”
Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Vanessa Williams – “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”
Taking Back Sunday – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Denis Leary, Diane Birch – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Diane Birch – “Last Call with Carson Daly”

Wednesday, June 3
Vanessa Williams – “The View”
M.C. Hammer, Will Ferrell – “Live with Regis and Kelly”
“Loaded: Dave Matthews Band”
“Dave Matthews Band: The Road to Big Whiskey (part 2)” – Fuse
Whitney Cummings, Chris Franjola – “Chelsea Lately”
Perry Farrell – “The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos”
Rocco DeLuca with Jillian Leigh – “The Bonnie Hunt Show” – rerun
Steve Earle – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Sheryl Crow – “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”
Dave Matthews Band – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Katie Melua – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Jo Koy, Lissy Trullie – “Last Call with Carson Daly”

Thursday, June 4
“Dave Matthew Band” The Road to Big Whiskey (part 3)” – Fuse
Sarah Colonna – “Chelsea Lately”
Randy Bachman – “The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos”
Lance Bass – “The Bonnie Hunt Show” – rerun
Elvis Costello – “Late Show with David Letterman”
John Mayer Trio – “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”
Doves – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Will Ferrell – “Daily Show with Jon Stewart”
311 – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Bernie Williams – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”

Friday, June 5
Lionel Richie – “The View”
Kellie Pickler – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
“Dave Matthews Band: The Road to Big Whiskey (part 4)” – Fuse
“Loaded: Dave Matthews Band” – Fuse
Greg Proops, Natasha Leggero, T.J. Miller – “Chelsea Lately” – rerun
The Amazing Kreskin – “The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos”
Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond – “The Bonnie Hunt Show” – rerun
Steven Wright – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Chickenfoot – “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”
Mandy Moore – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough, Asher Roth – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” – rerun
Henry Cho – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”

Saturday, June 6
Bloc Party, Ghostland Observatory – “Austin City Limits” – rerun
TV on the Radio – “Saturday Night Live” – rerun