NBC

Conan O'Brien is shelling out his own cash to some ex-staffers who didn't get jack from that $7.5 million separation deal from NBC.

According to sources close to production, Conan's stagehands from "The Tonight Show" were not covered by the NBC severance plan. But we're told Conan is stepping up -- promising to pay his nearly 50 person crew at least six weeks severance out of his own pocket.

Conan's people had no comment.

The union for his former crew -- IATSE Local 33 -- says all the members who worked with Conan are "very happy" with the way he handled the whole mess.

Conan O'Brien is losing "The Tonight Show" but he'll be getting a $32.5 million consolation prize courtesy of NBC ... sources tell TMZ.

In return, we've learned Conan has agreed to sit on the bench until September. Translation -- he can't host another show until the fall.

In addition to the $32.5 mil, we've learned NBC is also paying severance to Conan's "Tonight Show" employees. In all, we're told NBC's payout is around $40 million.

But Conan probably won't see close to the $32.5 mil. Under the deal, any money Conan makes during the remaining contract period with NBC will offset the network's obligation. So, if Fox were to make a deal with Conan and pay him $25 mil during the NBC contract period, Conan would only score $7.5 mil from NBC.

One well-placed NBC source told us something surprising -- looks like NBC may keep its intellectual property rights. So Conan can't take his creations -- such as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and the Masturbating Bear -- to his next gig.

We're told the Conan/NBC deal still isn't completely done, but it's very close.

The protest -- which gained a lot of support on Facebook -- was set to start at 12 PM PT, but a bunch of Conan's brave, raincoat-clad faithful have been hanging around near the "The Tonight Show" studio for hours.

Jeff Zucker was not one of those people -- but Andy Richter, Masturbating Bear and La Bamba all addressed the crowd.

We're told "The Tonight Show" has handed out doughnuts and coffee to the supporters.

Sources connected to Conan O'Brien tell TMZ NBC honcho Jeff Zucker has been "nasty, arrogant and threatening" in negotiating Conan's out. The Conan people are outraged, saying the blame for the Jay Leno/'ConanO'Brien/"Tonight Show" debacle falls squarely at Zucker's doorstep.

An NBC spokesperson tells TMZ, as for claims Zucker has been nasty, arrogant and threatening, "There is absolutely no truth to that. It is easy to make false statements under the cloak of anonymity."

We're told Conan is so pissed off at NBC, he told the network he was leaving even though he still doesn't have a place to go -- at least not yet. Sources say Fox still has not made an offer.

An NBC source connected to the negotiations tells TMZ Conan "has acted like a baby" since the network announced the changes. The source claims NBC made $25 mil in profits off "The Tonight Show" the last full calendar year Leno hosted. The source says the projected loss for 2010 had Conan stayed put was $3 - 5 million. So NBC says it's simple math.

We're told the NBC/Conan deal still isn't finalized.

Former TV exec Fred Silverman was quoted this weekend saying the "Tonight Show" shakeup was "a corporate embarrassment" and that moving Leno back to 11:35 PM was a "Mickey Mouse scheme."

But TMZ has obtained an email sent by Silverman in 2008 to two top NBC execs in which Fred seemingly concocts the entire plan of moving Jay to 10:00 PM. He pitches the idea as, "Here's a way to solve your Jay Leno problem, improve your primetime ratings, save untold development costs and make a gazillion dollars at the same time." Did any of those things actually happen?

For all you TV newbies -- Fred Silverman is the only person to have ever been in charge of programming at three different networks. He was a legend at CBS and ABC ... but, ironically enough, failed miserably at NBC with such memorable disasters as "Supertrain" and "Hello, Larry."

It's one thing to play Monday Morning Quarterback, but it's a whole other thing when you called the plays.

Conan O'Brien can get a whole lot of money from NBC as a parting gift, but there will be strings attached -- not the least of which ... Conan cannot trash the network.

Sources tell us NBC wants a liquidated damages clause if Conan says anything disparaging about the network once he leaves. Essentially that means there is a clause in the contract that says Conan will automatically pay a predetermined amount of money if he says bad things about NBC.

And, as we have previously reported, NBC will demand that Conan not take another hosting job for a certain period of time.

Sources say NBC will be paying Conan a hefty sum, but that will be offset by any amount Conan makes for his next hosting gig. So if Conan makes a deal with FOX, NBC can reduce the amount it pays Conan by the amount FOX forks over.

FYI -- we've learned Conan's existing contract already has an offset clause in the event he leaves NBC and takes another job.

Bottom line -- Conan won't be taking NBC to the cleaners.

If you feel the need to treat your staff to a lunch-run worthy of the President of the United States, you're gonna need a cool $72.40 -- 'cause that's exactly how much Barack Obama spent during that NBC televised jaunt to Five Guys burger joint.

TMZ locked down the entire order -- down to the toppings -- an order that Obama paid for with cold, hard American cash.

- Cheeseburger with mustard, tomatoes, lettuce, jalapeno (for OBAMA)
- Little cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup
- Bacon cheeseburger with mustard, relish, onion
- Little hamburger with lettuce and tomato
- Grilled cheese with everything
- Cheeseburger with mushroom, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard
- 2 reg cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup, pickles
- Cheeseburger with ketchup (for Brian Williams)
- 10 orders of fries

Teen pin-up and former Lindsay Lohan plaything Aaron Carter is hot property in the reality TV world, but don't expect to see him on the boob tube any time soon.

The littler Carter was offered a spot on the upcoming season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," and on MTV's "Celebrity Rap Superstar," but had to opt out of both.