There is no one doing it likeConan O’Brienas a host or comedian. Although the fan-favorite icon has seemingly retired from late-night hosting duties for good, O’Brien still remains a relevant and beloved figure in pop culture, and his unique energy and spirit is alive and well on his podcast,Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. Throughout all his tenures on television, from his days at NBC and his short-livedTonight Showstint, to his indelible TBS show,he consistently reinvented the late-night format and brought abrand of elevated humorunmatched by any other host or program.No moment encapsulated O’Brien’s magic as a host and comic more than the unforgettable instance when the fire alarm went off during a recording. Rather than pause for the interruption, Conan embraced the chaos.
Conan O’Brien Created an Impromptu Comedy Set While a Fire Alarm Went Off
In a 2007 episode ofLate Night with Conan O’Brien, whichaired afterJay Leno’sTonight Show, the fire alarm went off inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the home of all NBC shows. Right after teasingPaget Brewsteras the upcoming guest and the network’s fall lineup, O’Brien was disrupted by the blaring screech of a fire alarm, a jarring sound that always shocks us. Insisting that this wasn’t a staged bit, the host understandably appeared bothered, but he was not phased, as you’re able to see the gears spinning in his head over how to turn this inconvenience into quality content.“Do they know we’re taping a f–king show!?“Conan asked as the crowd burst into laughter. Having never heard the alarm before in all his years working for NBC, O’Brien expressed a relatable sense of befuddlement over this hiccup.
The alarm itself sounded peculiar, which served as a layup for O’Brien to crack jokes about it, comparing it to an outdated sound effect heard onStar Trek. From his camera operators following his frantic movements (mimicking the sensation of a ship losing control inStar Trekand listening to the voice on the intercom describing the situation),O’Brien is in complete control of hisunlikely circumstances.He executes this moment so cleanly that it’s easy to think that this incident was staged, but O’Brien’s clear disdain for this headache indicates that this is just one of many instances of him being fed up with New York City life, as he compares the muffled sound of the intercom to the subway. “We should just air this on the show tonight,” O’Brien proclaimed, and he sure made the right choice.
Conan O’Brien Will Be Back in Action for Next Year’s Oscars
His early confirmation is a clear indication of how successful he was this year.
Late-night is filled with pre-coordinated interview spots and forced bits, but the fire alarm incident onLate Night with Conan O’Brienrepresented the peak of the format. During his prolific run on television,O’Brien capitalized on the purity of late-night, treating it as an extended stand-up set where the host can act spontaneously based on his surroundings.Conan’s comedy bits are always electric, but nothing could match the raw and manic energy of the fire alarm, which would bring the show to an abrupt halt, forcing him to act on his feet. Even when jokes or bits don’t land, O’Brien’s effort radiates on the screen, and it is a joy to watch him workshop ideas. Just when O’Brien and guest Paget Brewster thought the coast was clear, the alarm periodically returned,but the host never tried to pretend it wasn’t a nuisance and used it to enhance the segment.
Conan O’Brien Is Able To Make Anything Funny
The 2008 Writers' strike was a fallow period for creativity in the late-night world, as the hosts were left to entertain the masses by their lonesome withoutanyone in the writers' room. During another one of his long nights at 30 Rock, O’Brien killed time by playing with his wedding ring on his desk like a spinning top. After 41 attempts, he finally gets the ring to spin. This became a recurring bit on the show, and only Conan could raise its stakes to make it feel like a sporting event. The ring spinning speaks to a style ofAndy Kaufman-esque anti-humor that comedians strive for, butO’Brien’s exuberant spirit strips any of the self-important edginess carried by most comics.
Where most late-night hosts lose their comedic fastball and cultural relevance after walking away from the desk,Conan O’Brien hasn’t lost a step. His podcast, featuring insightful celebrity interviews, is always a delight, as we see an even more loose and stripped-down version of him. His recent performance as host of the Academy Awards was practically a victory lap, just in case you weren’t sure who the king of late-night was.
Late Night with Conan O’Brien
