Conan O’Brien. Image from NBC
Conan O’Brien is the most exceptional late-night host I have ever watched while growing up. You could feel his passion for the job, which made him stand out among other late-night hosts. To this day, no one is exactly like him in how he would do his monologues, comedic bits, and interviews with celebrity guests. None of the current late-night hosts on any of the major networks compare to Conan. It is like comparing ants to an anthill because Conan was that big in their industry.
For me, Conan O’Brien is the most beloved late-night show host of all time. He was able to connect with us, speak to us, and serve as a voice for the young. Despite some people finding it silly, he wasn’t afraid to have a good time, and in return, we had a good time watching him.
I was watching NBC Asia when I stumbled upon Conan’s show. NBC Asia used to broadcast ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ in the Philippines during the late ’90s and early 2000s. However, the popular show stopped airing after a few years because the local cable provider decided to replace it with something else and interfere with the signal during its airing. The backlash against the wrong decision eventually led to the show’s return. It was a strange and frustrating time when viewers were at the mercy of their cable providers. Fortunately, nowadays, with platforms such as YouTube and other online websites, you can watch episodes and clips of Conan O’Brien anytime.
Conan O’Brien is an unparalleled comedy genius compared to his predecessors and late-night show rivals on other networks. He is a Harvard graduate, former president of the Comedy Club, SNL writer, and one of The Simpsons’ original writers. From the 11 p.m. block onward, NBC had a gem that none of the other late-night hosts from their rival networks could topple because of him. During that time block, Conan O’Brien was the king of late-night on the ‘The Late Night’ talk show circuit, which lasted from the early ’90s to the late 2000s. His stellar run lasted roughly 16 years before it came to an end.
Watching Conan O’Brien will always make me cherish those formative years, as they were a time of discovery for me when it came to comedy. When I reminisce, I can say I was fortunate enough to have watched some of the comedic greats, geniuses, and soon-to-be legends via the late-night show hosted by Conan O’Brien, which included the likes of Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Jim Gaffigan, Dave Chappelle, The Wayans Bros., Chris Tucker, and many others.
Everything with humor was not the only aspect of Conan O’Brien’s show that made it popular, but I still remember the bands that appeared on ‘The Late Night with Conan O’Brien.’ At the time, I was unfamiliar with most of these bands due to MTV Asia’s anti-rock and metal slant, which further contributed to Conan O’Brien’s appeal to the younger generation through his selection of featured bands. There were so many standout bands that it’s impossible to list them all; however, I remember a few off the top of my head. Some of them were Linkin Park, Papa Roach, At-the-Drive-In, Blindside, Andrew W.K., Orgy, Pete Yorn, Slipknot, and more.
As an observer, I noticed that Conan O’Brien stood out from other late-night hosts, both past and present at the time. He was tall, around 6’4,” with a lean physique. Despite his height, he never appeared to predominate or intimidate his guests. Instead, he used his physical presence to put them at ease. Conan O’Brien was also willing to poke fun at Irish stereotypes and often made jokes at his own expense. His comedic style was characterized by self-deprecating humor, which made him lively, silly, and a pleasure to watch on television because he never took himself too seriously.
Though not directly related to the previous paragraph, DNA testing confirmed Conan O’Brien’s 100% Irish heritage, a revelation he made many years ago. However, his hosting, humor, and comedy had a universal appeal that resonated with people from different countries. Conan O’Brien was able to establish a connection with people around the world, as humor knows no barriers or specific language. Conan O’Brien was, and remains, a perfect example of this fact.
I still enjoy watching clips, interviews, and segments of Conan O’Brien’s show whenever I can find them online. For those who want to watch these portions of ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien for free, I recommend checking out the “Bobblehead Conan” YouTube channel. I’ve been watching this dedicated fan channel for a while now, and it features some of the funniest, hilarious, and memorable moments from Conan’s incredible run as a late-night host on NBC. Although this YouTube channel is not officially affiliated with Conan O’Brien, it has been around for 14 years now and has some uploaded videos that have gone past the 5 million mark.
If you are searching for Conan O’Brien’s newest official videos, you may check out his official YouTube channel named “Team Coco.” Conan himself hosts a podcast show, which is hilarious and worth watching. It is great to know that the passage of time has not changed Conan O’Brien’s humor, making it consistently enjoyable.
Cheers to you, Conan O’Brien!