"I SAID NEE-HA!"
The Late Night With Conan O'Brien Newsletter #08/15-061
Hola everyone! By now most of you will be aware of Andy Richter's decision to quit the show next spring. I was speechless! Shocked and literally lost for words--the right words--when I heard the news. Losing Andy next Spring will be the biggest significant change to Late Night - ever. But Andy must move on, find new avenues and paths to follow, find a place where he's not playing second banana. We should neither condemn him nor berate him for his decision. His choice to leave a comfortable niche on the couch next to Conan carved out over almost seven years was a very brave decision. It took guts and could not have been an easy one to make. Already the armchair-critics have speculated that he won't make it on his own, or that the show won't work without him. It won't be the same, that's for sure, but the show will go on, but we'll miss him. Watch this space for news of a RichteRama or AndyCon...
Why not join the NBC official Conan chatroom to talk about Andy (or whatever else you want)….Join the fun Saturdays & Sunday @ 5pm EST. http://www.nbc.com/conan/chat
Have a conetastic week everyone and let's get it awn!
Late Night Linzi
Editor
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CONTENTS -
LATE NIGHT NEWS
NOSRAMBLES: BLACK WEDNESDAY
FULL TRANSCRIPT OF ANDY'S ANNOUNCEMENT
MICAH HONEES ON ANDY
LATE NIGHT POLL
WEB_KRUNK OF THE WEEK: ANDY ONLINE
UPCOMING GUESTS - August 16 - 27 1999
WEEK IN REVIEW By Sandra Bruchmann
A LITTLE LATE NIGHT HISTORY LESSON….
MOST WANTED ADS
FYI
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LATE NIGHT NEWS
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Andy Richter, sidekick to NBC's late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien, will leave the show next spring, the two announced at the close of Wednesday night's broadcast.
Richter, who served as writer and second-fiddle since ``Late Night With Conan O'Brien'' premiered more than five years ago, was vague about his future plans, saying he was ``going to be moving on to do something else.''
A statement released Thursday by NBC said Richter would be pursuing prime-time television and feature film opportunities.
``It's a wonderful place, I love it here, and, like I said, it's still nine months off, so it's a little odd to say it now,'' Richter said on the air Wednesday night. ``But I'd rather say something about it on the show then have people hypothesize as to what it is about.''
O'Brien responded: ``It's a huge loss for the show, it's a huge loss for me personally ... you've made it really fun to do the show.''
He then added, in his trademark self-deprecating style: ``We want you to have a great success and I hope come back someday when I'm on cable, and, ugh, visit me occasionally ... when I'm sitting here with Abe Vigoda and we're yelling at each other.''
``Late Night'' producer Jeff Ross described Richter's exit as completely voluntary and amicable, telling entertainment trade paper Daily Variety that Richter had notified the show of his plans to leave a few months ago.
No plans for replacing Richter have been made, but Ross acknowledged, ``there will be some changes.''
``The chemistry of Conan and Andy's relationship happened organically, so whatever changes we make will be organic as well,'' he said. ``We have plenty of time to decide what we're going to do.''
Richter will remain on the show for the next several months and will be on board for its trip to Los Angeles in November.
O'Brien, who had been a writer on the animated hit comedy ''The Simpsons,'' was installed as NBC's late-night TV host after David Letterman left the network for CBS in 1993.
Chris has set up a website with a petition to Save Andy. If you want to sign it, go to:
http://come.to/SaveAndyRichter
NEW SITE! Check out Conan's Baby's fab new fan site and sign the guest book while you're there! http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Station/1392/conan.html
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NOSRAMBLES: BLACK WEDNESDAY
By Nos4a2
There are some announcements that can bring the world to a screeching halt. Most don't happen on a late night talk show. But Andy Richter's proclamation last Wednesday was enough to make all Late Night fans pause, mouths agape, as Andy said he was leaving the show in nine months "to pursue other things". More than 'Oldy' Olsen's death or Max
Weinberg's sabbatical, Andy's words touched the hearts and minds of thousands of viewers. Many people posted to the AFCOB newsgroup within minutes, and most wanted to express their sorrow at the thought of Andy's departure. As Conan said on Wednesday's show, "this is a big loss." No, his words were not poetic, but I'm sure everyone was too shocked to care. Conan said it. This is a huge loss for the show, for the fans, for the staff, and perhaps most of all, for O'Brien himself.
Will 'Late Night' continue to prosper without the benefit of the kooky chemistry between O'Brien and Richter? If Conan could pull the show through the difficult early days, when the end lurked around every corner, I'm sure he can make the show work without Andy. And I have little doubt about Andy's survival. He made it through 'Cabin Boy', after all. (I joke because I love.) How will this change the show? In nine months, will we 'Late Night' fans be able to tune in to the same beloved program night after night? It struck me during Andy's announcement that I really loved the host and sidekick routine; the desk chats, to me, are an intricate part of the show. So are comedy bits like 'In the Year 2000' and the staring contests. The producers of Late Night have said, in the New York Times article posted to the newsgroup by CJ, that they may retire those great segments in Andy's memory. I don't need to tell you that those parts of the show helped make 'Late Night' into what it is today.
So much uncertainty. More questions than answers. What we do know is that Wednesday's announcement shocked and saddened everyone. Suddenly, nine months seems awfully short, and we'll miss ol' Andy 'Hot Rod' Richter very much. His contributions to the show, including writing, his infamous remotes, banter with Conan and one-liners with guests, have been such a joy to behold. Sure, there may be about one hundred and forty shows left with Andy positioned safely on the couch, and it's important to enjoy what we have left, but…why do I feel like I'm writing an obituary?
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FULL TRANSCRIPT OF ANDY'S ANNOUNCEMENT
By Nos4a2
[Show comes back from last commercial break]
Conan: Okay, everybody, we're going to do something a little unusual. Now, we joke around a lot, (that's what we get paid to do) but we're going to talk about something serious now, it's not a joke. Andy has something he wanted to say tonight.
Andy: I wanted to announce, because it's going to be out... The news is going to out tomorrow that in the spring of next year, I'm going to be moving on to do something else, so... [audience makes dismayed, gasping sound] I wanted to mention it here on the show. It's not...there's no animosity, I'm just going off to try...it's that old entrepreneurial spirit. Settin' out on my own. I just wanted to say it here on the show so people knew there's nothing weird...
Conan: Yeah.
Andy: It's been a wonderful place, I love it here. And like I said, it's still nine months off. It's a little odd to say it now, but I'd rather say something about it on the show than have people hypothesize as to what it's about.
Conan: Right. And the obvious question is, you don't quite know what it is you want to do yet...
Andy: No, no.
Conan: When you leave you'll be about two months away from we...or, er, me, starting the eighth season of this show, so it's...And I'll be quite honest, it's a huge loss for the show, it's a huge loss forme personally, you've made it really fun to do the show...
Andy: Thanks, thanks...
Conan: Um, I think anybody that watches the show, and I think I speak for fans of the show, I think I speak for anybody who's watched the show for five minutes, or watched
it and then turned it off angrily... I speak for the staff, I speak for myself, um, you're an incredibly talented person, you're one of the most talented people I've ever met, it's been a huge pleasure...It'll continue to be a pleasure for another nine months. It's a big loss for us, but I think I speak for everybody when I say, you know, we love you and we want you to do the thing that you want to do. We want you to have great success, and I hope, come back someday when I'm on cable, and visit me occasionally when I'm sitting here with Abe Vigoda and we're yelling at each other.
Andy: But...it's nine months away!
Conan: It's nine months away! So, the weird thing was...we just wanted to address...Yeah, we're gonna do another show and then do another, whatever it is, 140 shows, and we'll figure things out as we go. But, it is good to have it out there, as sad as it is for everybody.
Andy: Okay. Well, thanks folks! [Audience laughs, cheers, Conan laughs]
Conan: More on this later. Stay tuned for 'Later', we'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night!
[Show ends]
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MICAH HONEES ON ANDY
Early Thursday morning, August 12, 1999.
I was walking to breakfast after a rare morning of hard work when a friend told me he heard on the radio that "What's his name? From Conan" was leaving the show.
I didn't want to believe him. I just dismissed the notion and tried to forget what I had just been told.
Look, it has been quite a long time since I wrote for Neeha. There are reasons, some of them better than others, the biggest of which is my upcoming wedding to the editor of this very newsletter. Our lives have been crazy for the last few months as Linzi and I have been jumping through hoops to get it all together. In fact, I felt I would never write a column again until I heard the news that Andy Richter, Mr. Cabin Boy himself, was leaving "Late Night" to pursue other options.
As I write those words I feel actual sadness. The End of an Era. I feel like being selfish and asking him not to leave…but I instantly realize that the sentiment, while only well intended, is just that: selfish. Instead of being angry with Andy for his decision to "try something else" we should all take just a second to thank him for the jokes, retorts, and yes, those times where he looked really uninterested on camera. Everyone is going to be chiming in with his or her favorite "Andy Moments" but I will keep mine short, as The Prodigal Son need not make waves in this quick return.
My favorite of the many "Andy Moments" is the shocking mock-interview with Barbara Walters that aired the night after the Monica Lewinsky bit on ABC where Andy took the role of la Monica and exposed his, ahem, unique relationship with President Bill. I nearly lost control of myself when Andy grabbed "Barbara"'s foot to demonstrate his "technique".
The skit was, in my opinion, the essence of Andy. He brings an innocence to his comedy that I find most appealing. Let's face it: the big dude just looks so darn harmless. That makes all of the shocking humor that much more effective. Ask Regis Philbin. The interplay between professional stooge Philbin and Andy is often hilarious and borders on mean-spirited. Regis would always try to take advantage of Andy (like getting him to wear a diaper on TV) which sometimes worked but often flew into the face of The Master. I took guilty pleasure in seeing Andy give it back better than he got it from Regis when Mr. 9AM tried to belittle Andy's station on the show.
That's where so many average viewers of the show were wrong, just like Regis. Many people probably wonder what Andy was able to bring to the "Late Night" table from the couch; probably thinking as Philbin does that it was an easy job. We all can refute that idea. The most dedicated "Late Night" fans know that Andy Richter's relaxed and laid-back persona was and is a perfect foil to the often-manic antics of the host. Conan said as much in an interview with this newsletter. From "The Year 2000" to the staring contests and much, much more, Andy Richter has always emoted a sublime wit and incredibly likeable charisma through the television screen and into our living rooms every night. For that I thank him.
To Andy I wish only the best of luck. We will miss him in March and relish the next few months he occupies the couch like no one else ever has in the history of television. I know I speak for all of us when I say I can hardly wait to see what you come up with.
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LATE NIGHT POLL
THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION: Do you think Andy is right to leave the show next spring?
Email your response (before Friday) to: latenightpoll@hotmail.com
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WEB_KRUNK OF THE WEEK
The Best Of Andy Richter Online.
Andy Richter's Firearms Emporium and Mercantile
http://www.afn.org/~ejw/andy/index.html
WooHooo's Andy Page
http://members.aol.com/WooHoooNBC/Page6ANDY.html
Andyland
https://www.angelfire.com/ca2/stephlikes/AndyMain.html
GTN's Featured Speaker: Andy Richter
http://www.greatertalent.com/arichter.htm
Brandon's Andy At American University Page
http://members.aol.com/Goats37/andy.html
Tricia's Andy Page
https://www.angelfire.com/ny/everythinginbetween/andy.html
Andy Interviews Pavement
http://www.matador.recs.com/bands/pavement/raygun.html
THE RICHTER SCALE (TV GUIDE ARTICLE FROM 1996)
http://iguide-www2.nis.newscorp.com/tv/magazine/960617/ftr1c.sml
Golden Words Interview (October 1994)
http://users.vnet.net/allbell/andyqueens.html
DAILY ILLINI - A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT ANDY'S UI DAYS (1993)
http://www.illinimedia.com/di/archives/1993/September/22/sidekick.html
Andy was one of PEOPLE Magazine's 40 Most Fascinating People ******************************************** UPCOMING GUESTS - August 16 - 27 1999 Monday the 16th (repeat of 05-06-99): Tuesday the 17th (Show #1142) Wednesday the 18th (Show #1143) Thursday the 19th (Show #1144)
Julianne Moore,
Reese Witherspoon,
Scott Dickkers
L.L. Cool J,
Los Lobos
Jason Priestley,
John Sebastian & The J Band
Hugh Grant,
Friday the 20th (Show #1145)
Diana Krall
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Monday the 23rd (Repeat of 03-25-99):
Steve Austin,
Louie Anderson,
Ben Savage
Tuesday the 24th (Repeat of 05-20-99):
Tom Selleck,
William Shatner,
Lewis Black
Wednesday the 25th (Repeat of 05-14-99):
Rob Lowe,
Michelle Wiliams,
Hootie & The Blowfish
Thursday the 26th (Repeat of 06-24-99):
Adam Sandler,
Vince McMahon
Friday the 27th (Repeat of 05-21-99):
Helen Hunt,
Keri Russell,
Built to Spill
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UPCOMING MUSICAL GUESTS:
LL Cool J, Los Lobos (August 17),
John Sebastian & The J Band (August 18),
Geri Haliwell (August 19),
Diana Krall (August 20),
Hootie & The Blowfish (August 25, rerun),
Built to Spill (August 27, rerun),
The Candy Butchers (September 07),
John Prine (September 14),
Cindy Bullens (September 21)
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WEEK IN REVIEW By Sandra Bruchmann
Tuesday- Scott Thompson, Ruby Wax, and Jeff Beck.
The first thing they did that night was Production Companies. They had Ted Copple, Martha Stewart, Brittany Spears, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Gates, Marlin Brando, Dan Quale, Angela Lansbury, Bob Dole, Max Weinberg, and Ricky Martin. The first guest was Scott Thompson, who is in the movie "Mickey Blue Eyes". He plays a FBI agent in the movie. They have a lot of porno talk, and Scott talks about what he thinks of "The Blair Witch". Hugh Grant likes to draw naughty pictures for Scott and Elizabeth Hurly might actually turn him bi. Next skit was that Conan got a phone call and he had to take it and for
Andy to take over for him for a bit. So Andy sits down at the desk and starts digging though Conan's wallet where he finds a condom from 1987 and he gives that to Scott. So Andy gets out a cigarette and turns on Conan's vibrating chair. Andy decides to pick up the phone and he overhears Conan talking to a doctor about his problem. Anyway, he
throws his cigarette away and it lands on the couch and starts a small fire, and a pissed Conan starts chasing Andy around. Next guest up was Ruby Wax, who has a show called "Ruby" on Lifetime. She also does a show in Britain. And much to Conan's horror she hopped on Scott's lap. And last up was the music of Jeff Beck.
Wednesday- Michael C. Williams, Darrell Hammond, and Gene Pompa.
First up that night was Late Night Travel Tips. First guest that evening was Darrell Hammond, who is a SNL cast member. He did a few impressions, and he mentioned the 25th anniversary special for SNL. Next up was a little commercial for Budweiser with a naked guy in golf shoes. And then after the commercial break they had the Idea Brothers who had a little fun with a hotdog and it's bun. Next guest up was Michael C. Williams, who is in "The Blairwitch Project". Conan had a little fun filming him with a handheld camera. Michael didn't think that anything big would happen for the movie. He
also says that some people still think that it is all real. His real job is hauling furniture, which he quit right on the show. Last up was comedian Gene Pompa. This, of course is the day that they announced that Andy was leaving in nine months. 
Thursday- Clair Danes, Richard Kind, and Todd Barry.
First up was Late Night New Characters. There was Chuck Start, personal rocker. Joe Peirsey, still bitter about not being on the game of Life box. Roast Beef Rick, who's different areas of the body react differently to roast beef. Wrist Man, who, when angered his wrist turns green. Angel Duck, who flew into a wall and turned into an angel. And Kinky the Pooh, who liked to wear leather and whip Piglet. The first guest was Clair Danes, who is "Broke Down Palace". She happened to see Conan at the theatre the other day, and she accused him of stalking her. Of course, she was with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is a musician, and to get her attention at first he gave her a banana, which Clair said was a phallic gesture. She talked about how, at Yale, she wrote a paper about female masturbation. She had to do a little video research on it, to which Andy replied that he never need a video to figure that one out. Next skit was that Andy noticed that there was a bear in the audience, so Conan made up a lie and said that hey were having a Late Night Honey Run and for people to volunteer for it. Well the one bear didn't raise
his hand but another one did, and then a guy did too. So the Canadian guy went off with the bear that didn't mind Canadians, and the other one stuck around. So Conan said that the audience could vote for an ending. A) For the bear to do a soft-shoe dance. B) For the one bear to molest the Canadian. Or C) For Conan to be mauled by the first bear.
The audience voted for A, but all three ended up happening. Next guest up was Richard Kind, from "Spin City". He told Conan that he had a dream about a bear from Quebec, which Conan told him was nothing like the skit they just did. He said that Heather Locklear was going to be on Spin City now. He also said that he was on Celebrity Jeopardy, and that he lost at the very end because of a question about
international sports. Last up was Todd Barry, who does a voice for "Dr. Katz". He mentioned how he was in a weekly review on afcob, and that he was called icky.
Friday- Jarod Miller, Joely Fisher, and Buckcherry
The fist think they did that evening was a Desk Drive. First up was Jarod Miller, who is a 21 year old wildlife expert. He had a few primates that crawled around everywhere. The leemer took off and started climbing up the "window" behind Conan and Andy. The really small monkey bit Conan, so Jarod had Conan give him some banana. Then some of the animals started eating doughnuts that were sitting behind the couch. Jarod told them that the animals shouldn't be eating doughnuts, so Conan and Andy made fun of him for a little while about him bringing doughnuts and none of the animals were supposed to eat them. There was a really big crane, and a toucan that took off. It was pure chaos with all these animals running around. Then Jarod brought out a bear, and he told Conan not to touch it, and then the bear tried to take off. Poor Jarod, all his animals were out of control. Next up was Wrist Hulk, who brought the upcoming guests blue card. Conan and Andy were making fun of his shirt and his wrist did that turning green thing. Next guest was Joely Fisher who will be touring in "Cabaret" and is in the movie "Inspector Gadget". She talked about the naughty outfit she has to wear for "Cabaret" and how much hard work it is. She also talked about how E! is did a special about her. Last up was musical guest Buckcherry.
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A LITTLE LATE NIGHT HISTORY LESSON….
August 19 1994, Show #220: The first-ever College Band Search winners perform--South Carolina's Blightobody. In 1995 winners were Skastafarians, of Dallas, 1996 Sleeping Giants from Pittsburgh, and 1997 Domo, from Minneapolis. Other guests appearing that night were Gail O'Grady and Ruben Blades.
August 15 1996, Show #636 Actionstar Jackie Chan visits Conan, kicks him in the face (play acting of course!) and sings the Elvis song "Can't Help Falling In Love With You".
August 21 1997, Show #814: Conan and Andy take a trip outside the studio in the Good Humor Ice Cream Truck.
August 18 1998, show #978: Triumph finally meets his match in Don Rickles, who insulted almost everyone during his segment, going as far as to ask one Chinese audience member "What is it Chop Suey Louie?". "Please! Poop on me! Please Don! Poop on meeeeeeee!" Truimph desperately screams (out of a potty-training toilet and toilet paper) to Don.
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MOST WANTED ADS
LOOKING FOR AN EPISODE OF CONAN YOU MISSED? Advertise here in Neeha! It's not a guarantee that you'll find someone to tape the bits for you, but as Neeha is sent to over 2000 Conan fans you might get lucky!!
To request an episode or episode(s) in Neeha put "MOST WANTED" in the subject line and send your requests to Linzi24@aol.com. Try to include as much information as possible, especially the date of the show you're looking for if you have it. Check out Misfit Media's searchable episode archive for episode info at: http://conan.misfitmedia.com
Requests should be sent in by Fridays. Responses to the ads should be sent to the email address given, not to Linzi.
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I'm desperately looking for the episode where No Doubt performed and the date was 1-30-96, the other guests were Jonathon Silverman and Senator Bill Bradley. Please email GLYCRNMNKY@aol.com!
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I am looking for the episode from 07-16-97. It was episode #793 and the guests were Kenny Rogers, the Zappa brothers, and Primus. Email: charlie_2112@hotmail.com
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I'm looking for the Conan 5th Anniversary show, which aired last summer. I was on holidays and I missed it. Email: greta_garbo@hotmail.con
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I am looking for an episode of Conan ( about a year old I guess) with Chris Kattan of SNL doing his interpretive dance to Allanis Morrissette's song "Ironic"... any help would be wonderful. Please email me @ CrystalChp@aol.com
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I'd love to get copies of these shows:
June 23 1995 'Boat Show'. Guest was Janeane Garofalo!
Oct 10 1996,'Fire Episode' with guests Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Kattan, Julie Scardina. Oct 11 1996 (Fire ep.#2 from Today show set), with guests Eric Idle, Peter Gallagher, Los Lobos.
I'm willing to pay cash for them, plus shipping & handling. Both US and European video formats are welcome! Email: christinagruber@hotmail.com
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I'm looking for a bit from a very old episode from '93 or '94. It was about "movie trailers that were quickly pulled from circulation". Specifically, it showed a gag trailer for the Marx Brothers' "Duck Soup" which promo'd Zeppo as the star, the really hilarious Brother. It contended the film was "Zepporific!" and "Zeppolarious!"
EMAIL: abelson@u.washington.edu
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I'm looking for the Conan 5th Anniversary show, which aired last summer. I was on holidays and I missed it. Thank you! Email: greta_garbo@hotmail.com
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A VHS VIDEO copy of the show which aired 8/10/99 with musical guest JEFF BECK Email: MTVIC@prodigy.net
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I really want a copy of the show from September 1997 with Ani DiFranco as the musical guest. It would mean alot to me if you could find it. Email: shameless21@webtv.net
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FYI
"NEE-HA!" #61 was edited by Linzi with thanks to Robin Banks, Nos4a2, Micah Honees, and Sandra Bruchman.
The Basics: Eat. Sleep. Watch Conan
On the web: https://www.angelfire.com/ny/lacob/conan.htm
Email: linzi24@aol.com
If you wish to unsubscribe please email me at linzi24@aol.com with the subject "UNSUBSCRIBE". If you change your AOL screen name or email address and still want to continue receiving Neeha just let me know before you change your details.
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END QUOTE
``He's a very funny, very talented guy, and he didn't want to be a sidekick for the rest of his life. He wants to go and figure out what else he can do.'' - JEFF ROSS, on ANDY RICHTER's decision to leave the show.
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