Globetrotting and Podcasting: Conan O’Brien’s Life After Late-Night TV
The Paley Center for Media2024-04-12
36K views|4 months ago
💫 Short Summary
Conan O'Brien reflects on his career, travel experiences, and the evolution of comedy in a conversation moderated by Jake Tapper. He shares humorous stories from shooting episodes in various countries, discusses the challenges of editing and content creation, and emphasizes the importance of unique perspectives in media. O'Brien highlights the value of genuine interactions and unexpected moments during travels, expressing optimism for the future despite global challenges. The democratization of entertainment is praised for providing opportunities based on talent and hard work, making it a great time for aspiring comedians.
✨ Highlights
📊 Transcript
✦
Conan O'Brien discusses his new travel series 'Conan O'Brien Must Go' and his return to TV after stepping away in 2021.
06:44O'Brien reflects on his 30-year career since taking over as NBC's late-night host, highlighting his hit podcasts and fan interactions during his travels to Norway, Thailand, Argentina, and Ireland.
The discussion celebrates O'Brien's impact as a beloved entertainer and influential TV personality.
✦
Introduction of Jake Tapper as moderator for the event.
09:07Tapper's extensive experience in journalism and political reporting, including hosting CNN's Sunday Morning Show and moderating presidential debates.
Mention of Tapper's bestselling books and reputation as a respected reporter in Washington, DC.
Audience anticipation for Tapper's participation in the event due to his significant contributions to journalism over the past two decades.
✦
Conan O'Brien mistaken for President of Finland and creates special show.
12:35Media attention and accusations of election interference ensue.
O'Brien becomes hooked on travel and exploring different cultures.
New opportunities arise, such as helping a hip-hop artist in Norway.
Experience highlights O'Brien's curiosity about people and desire to connect globally.
✦
The speaker reflects on his experiences in Finland and Cuba, emphasizing the joy of making lifelong friends and embracing diverse cultures.
17:21He enjoys being the butt of jokes and playing on stereotypes, finding humor in visiting other countries without a power dynamic.
After his late-night show, he values the spontaneity of connecting with people globally through podcasting.
He cherishes the unexpected encounters and humorous moments shared with guests on his podcast.
✦
The segment explores the evolution of comedy, highlighting tempo changes in late-night shows through different eras.
21:55It discusses the acceleration of content creation and the demand for quick delivery in today's fast-paced media landscape.
The segment delves into the philosophy of comedy and contrasts American comedic traditions with British/Irish ones.
It touches on the power dynamics of America as a global superpower and the influence of its actions on the world stage.
✦
Speaker reflects on career journey from The Simpsons to late-night television and the changing media landscape.
24:00Despite not having a daily show, he values the work of other hosts and recognizes the abundance of online commentary.
Acknowledges specific contribution to media and the evolving nature of news consumption with social media platforms like TikTok.
Emphasizes the importance of offering unique perspectives in a saturated media environment.
✦
Discussion of shooting episodes in Norway and Thailand and humorous interactions with colleague, Jordan Schlansky.
27:01Highlighting Schlansky's expertise in culture during a trip to Argentina.
Emphasizing the goal of educating and entertaining viewers through experiences in Italy with Schlansky.
Concluding with a truffle hunt and various adventures during the trip.
✦
The speaker shares a humorous and painful experience on Hot Ones show.
30:53He consumed extremely spicy hot sauce and suffered physically and emotionally.
Reflects on determining the right length for comedy episodes and importance of pacing content.
Mentions being chased from his own country and forced to seek refuge elsewhere, highlighting a sense of displacement.
The storytelling combines humor with personal experiences and challenges.
✦
Challenges and Dedication in the Editing Process.
36:00The speaker stresses the importance of thinking differently and being critical in editing.
Delays in editing were experienced during the writer's strike.
The team of writer producers is praised for their dedication.
The impact of being away from home while working on projects is discussed, emphasizing the need for breaks for sanity.
✦
The speaker discusses the serious nature of shooting a K-pop music video in South Korea.
39:51They were treated seriously and worked hard on choreography, despite expecting a fun experience.
Humorous anecdote about being served a terrible pizza with unusual toppings during a break from filming.
Concerns about potential blowback for criticizing the pizza.
Brief discussion on controversial nature of visiting Cuba due to its non-democratic government.
✦
Encounter in Haiti after Trump's derogatory comments.
43:26Locals suspected exploitation, leading to initial tension.
Situation eased when speaker shared his comedy, resulting in a small victory and connection.
Importance of human interaction in challenging circumstances highlighted by speaker.
Transition to discussing Cuba and surreal experience at a bar with a bronze statue of Hemingway.
✦
Reflection on Challenging Times and Progress.
48:30Emphasis on maintaining a positive outlook and working together to move forward.
Optimism for the future and reference to President Obama's belief in advancements in illness and education.
Desire for a better world for future generations.
Highlighting the potential for positive change despite current challenges.
✦
Reflections on Traveling and Interacting with Fascinating Individuals.
50:41The speaker highlights the surprises and excitement that come from future projects driven by conversations with interesting people.
Emphasizing the humor and unpredictability of human nature, the speaker stresses the value of genuine interactions and unexpected moments.
Sharing experiences from past episodes, the speaker underscores the importance of staying open to new learnings and perspectives during travels.
Touching on the challenges of balancing privacy and public exposure in the media industry, the speaker provides insights into navigating this complex dynamic.
✦
Encountering Kindness and Goodwill in Haiti.
55:04The speaker shares an experience at a school in Haiti where he interacted with young kids and brought laughter to them.
Emphasizes the presence of more good than bad in the world.
Laments the constant negative news and stresses the importance of focusing on acts of kindness and sweetness amidst turmoil.
Highlights the need to shift attention from the worst aspects of the world to positive and uplifting moments showcasing humanity's better nature.
✦
Speaker is optimistic about individuals but acknowledges global challenges like totalitarianism and intolerance.
58:05Speaker recounts a tense encounter with a guard at the DMZ during a visit to North Korea.
Despite finding Russian history tragic, the speaker expresses a desire to visit Russia.
Speaker highlights the complexities of the current world and addresses questions about the worst food eaten during travels.
✦
Speaker's upbringing with a microbiologist father and aversion to eating exotic foods like scorpions.
01:01:31Speaker's passion for playing the guitar and desire to pursue it as a career.
Reflection on missing playing with a band on late-night television and a story about a missed opportunity to appear on a show.
Mention of a group of late-night hosts coming together to raise money for their writers during a strike.
✦
Importance of creating content without barriers.
01:07:11Example of comedian Chris Fleming who found success with unique videos.
Impact of quality content and persistence in gaining recognition.
Encouragement to pursue creative endeavors.
Admiration for Chris Fleming's creativity and success in building a following through original content.
✦
Democratization of Entertainment in Comedy Industry.
01:09:13The shift towards democratization has allowed individuals to succeed based on talent and hard work rather than traditional gatekeepers like TV networks.
This change has created more opportunities for aspiring comedians in a democratic era for comedy and entertainment.
Conan O'Brien stresses the importance of talent and hard work in the industry, highlighting accessibility and inclusivity.
Overall, the current entertainment landscape is described as a great time for those pursuing a career in comedy.
00:28e
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06:44you welcome everyone I'm Moren REI the
06:47president and CEO of the py center for
06:49media and it is my great pleasure to
06:51welcome you to this highly anticipated
06:54program Globe trotting and podcasting
06:57Conan O'Brien's life after late 19 TV we
07:00are honored to have one of the most
07:02celebrated and influential TV
07:04personalities of the past three decades
07:07Conan O'Brien here with us to discuss
07:10his new Max travel series Conan O'Brien
07:13must go and to discuss his long awaited
07:16TV return his hit podcasts and the 30th
07:19anniversary of Late Night with Conan
07:22O'Brien it's been 30 years since TV
07:25history was made when Conan O'Brien then
07:28a relative atively unknown former writer
07:31for Saturday Night Live In The Simpsons
07:33officially took over from David
07:35Letterman as NBC's new late night host
07:39since then he has been one of TV's most
07:42popular and beloved entertainers Thanks
07:45To Late Night with Conan O'Brien The
07:47Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien and his
07:50TVS show Conan since stepping away from
07:54late night TV in 2021 he has continued
07:57delighting fans with his hit podcast
08:00Conan O'Brien needs a friend and now
08:02Conan returns to TV with the much
08:05anticipated Conan O'Brien must
08:08go in the series in offshoot of his
08:11other hit podcast Conan O'Brien needs a
08:13fan he travels to Norway as well as
08:16Thailand Argentina and Ireland
08:19surprising some of his most memorable
08:21fans while also taking in local culture
08:24Cuisine and the sites we are absolutely
08:27thrilled to have him here to share
08:29his latest
08:31adventures and we are thrilled to share
08:33this event with you and would like to
08:35take this opportunity to invite you to
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08:46these once in a-lifetime events in
08:48person and enjoy exclusive VIP benefits
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08:54and follow us here and if you enjoy what
08:57has been one of the hottest and most
08:59highly anticipated P programs of the
09:02Season don't forget to drop a like too
09:05and now it is my great pleasure to
09:07introduce our esteemed moderator Jake
09:10Tapper Jake currently serves as Chief
09:12Washington correspondent for CNN and the
09:15anchor of the Network's awardwinning
09:172-hour weekday news program the lead
09:20with Jake Tapper since 2015 Jake has
09:23also hosted CNN's Sunday Morning Show
09:26State of the
09:27Union his a claim programs cover
09:29headlines from around the country and
09:31the globe and His Brilliant reporting
09:33has earned him numerous Awards including
09:36a 2017 Walter kronite award for
09:39excellence in television political
09:41journalism his dedication extends beyond
09:44the studio as he has moderated multiple
09:47presidential debates hosted
09:49documentaries and authored several
09:52bestsellers Jake has been a widely
09:54respected reporter in the nation's
09:56capital for more than 20 years and it is
09:59is an honor to welcome him to the Paley
10:01stage please join me in welcoming Jake
10:15Tapper hey
10:17[Music]
10:20everyone so wasn't that great
10:26wasn't I'll just a very short
10:28introduction uh my guest uh from the
10:32Harvard Lampoon to The Simpsons to late
10:35night to Conan to Conan obrian needs a
10:37friend to Conan O'Brien must go please
10:40welcome the tallest redhead to ever be
10:43my at my house Conan
10:47O'Brien hey than for doing very nice to
10:55[Music]
10:58than
11:00so I have so many questions even though
11:02I did interview Conan on my show earlier
11:04today that was only a a quick 8 Minute 9
11:07Minute segment and we have a lot more
11:08time now you know what I love I was
11:12on Good Old py Center
11:16uh there's uh there was a great moment
11:19uh when one of my comedian friends took
11:21a snapshot of me on CNN today and it's
11:23me talking about my new show but it's a
11:25moment when I look distraught and the
11:26banner underneath me says OJ Simpson
11:29dead
11:35so just from that snapshot it looks like
11:37we got Conan on to talk about his good
11:40friend
11:41OJ that's what it looks like at the very
11:44end of the interview I tried to get him
11:45to do an OJ joke and he would not he I
11:48said I got to wait 24 hours till after
11:49someone's di no no no you didn't say 24
11:51hours you said you you wouldn't do it on
11:52the day they died right so I said I
11:54would call you uh tomorrow at 6:
11:56a.m. exactly yeah so first of all
11:59uh that the ending yeah with uh like you
12:03are responsible for this couple and
12:05they're about to have a baby hopefully
12:07his I'm responsible for a lot of a lot
12:09of babies all around the world uh no
12:12that that's it's such a nice thing that
12:15happens at the end uh each episode we
12:18don't know what we're going to find we
12:19have ideas about what we might find and
12:21clearly we bring a few ideas with us but
12:23a lot of it is not knowing and so there
12:26were there are nice accidents that
12:27happen uh along the way that's certainly
12:29one of them when did the travel thing
12:32start did it start when Finland when you
12:35looked like the prime minister of fin uh
12:37does anybody remember this I I was doing
12:39in in the early
12:412000s uh I'm doing my late night show
12:43mining my own business and uh a writer
12:47of ours uh for the show Allison
12:49Silverman had this really good idea
12:50called con O'Brien hates my homeland and
12:53it was a it was just a piece where we
12:55referenced different countries and uh
12:58invited different countries to write
13:00into us so it was to think about it
13:02we're not long into the internet era
13:05these late night shows are not really
13:07broadcast around the world so I was
13:09always fascinated by International
13:11culture so we threw this out there and
13:13then we started getting mail from people
13:15in Finland young people and they started
13:18to say you look exactly like the
13:20president of Finland who it turned out
13:22was a 55-year-old
13:25woman named Taria henin and sure enough
13:28we started talking about on the show and
13:30putting up a split screen with her with
13:32and she had little like Ben Franklin
13:33glasses and I would put on Ben Franklin
13:35glasses and turn my head slightly what
13:38we didn't know is that it started to get
13:39reported on a lot in Finland and then
13:41the opponent cuz she was up for
13:42re-election started saying this is
13:44unfair an American is swinging the
13:49election I decided yes it's election
13:51interference I decided I have to go so
13:53back then we had to do late night shows
13:55and late night shows and late night
13:56shows all the time and every now and
13:57then I get a week off and my my wife had
14:00two young children and and um they're
14:03mine too and
14:06um show business they're look after by
14:08my account so anyway uh she uh she said
14:13um uh I said I'm leaving during my one
14:15week off I'm going to go to Finland and
14:18we're going to make a whole special
14:19about this and I went and I RVE at the
14:23airport and they told me you're going to
14:26need to speak to the crowd outside and I
14:27thought that meant me maybe 15 people
14:30and they said no you're going to need a
14:31ladder and a bullhorn and I came out and
14:33if you've ever seen footage of like the
14:35Beetles when they when they show up it
14:37was everyone in Finland came down to see
14:40me show up and I saw the power of this
14:43absolute silliness and then they would
14:46report we have footage that we ended up
14:48using in this special where it's a
14:50reporter outside my hotel it's 3: in the
14:53morning it's like 3 in the morning we
14:54are told Mr O'Brien is still resting
14:56comfortably and then he will begin
14:58shooting his television show tomorrow
15:00and it was a fascinating experience and
15:02I got hooked and I started doing more
15:04and more travel but while I was doing
15:06the Late Night show which was exhausting
15:09so after after W winding up uh late
15:12night and and doing this podcast and
15:14talking to these people there's always
15:17I'm very curious about people and so
15:18when I'm talking to yarla and he this
15:21kid and he says I'm part of a hip-hop
15:22duo in Bergen Norway they weren bad I'm
15:25I I know and I I think I want to go see
15:28what that is who is this kid and can I
15:31uh help slurt his
15:34career and we we'll find out because
15:36this hits on the 18th and yara's been
15:38holding that song and we're going to
15:40push it and just try yeah and and really
15:42try and and I will say everyone at Max
15:45has been calling me up all the editors
15:46everybody's been calling me up saying I
15:47cannot get that out of my head I'm
15:51looking at the F you know it's like it's
15:55not good but a lot of music isn't good
15:58it just get stuck in your head so that
16:01was sort of the that's the evolution of
16:03the whole thing so when did that happen
16:04with Finland was that 2003 maybe
16:06something around there I can't remember
16:08did she get reelected she did get
16:09re-elected yeah and to this day I mean
16:11one of the things I like is I make
16:13friends for life and to this day when I
16:16walk around if anyone from Finland comes
16:19up and they they always have bizarre
16:21shoes people from that area of the world
16:23are always wearing bizarre shoes in Los
16:25Angeles I'm not going to traffic in that
16:26ugly stereotype okay Frank they've got
16:29like a cross body pack that's here you
16:31know and then here and but they're
16:33always like con I'm from Finland and
16:34they hug and we talk about Finland and I
16:38I love that I can't get enough of that
16:39it's so cool uh and then when and then
16:42uh you started doing more of it we did a
16:44bunch we did a lot of them and then uh
16:46Cuba was a
16:48very uh popular one we did uh that kind
16:51of but was that on late night or was
16:53that on Conan that was on Conan yeah so
16:55we started doing it a little bit on late
16:57night but we couldn't do it that much TB
16:59I know you all know this but Conan was a
17:00TBS yeah and then on TBS I went to Cuba
17:03uh when there was a brief moment when it
17:05looked like relations were going to warm
17:06up great great episode we went without
17:08papers we went illegally we landed and I
17:12just had the best time of my life and I
17:15realized I like I like making uh I like
17:20visiting these other countries and I
17:21like going in not in a power position
17:24but I like people to laugh at me I I
17:27enjoy being the butt of the joke often
17:30and when I play The Ugly American when
17:32I'm in the studio saying I'm not going
17:33to learn your name let's find a working
17:35telephone like they have better cell
17:37service than we will ever
17:39have they're a million years more
17:41evolved than we are I love playing that
17:44Trope and then I love getting slammed
17:46down and so um it's been we went to Cuba
17:49had a blast doing that did a bunch more
17:51but I knew that once the Late Night show
17:54wound up I thought there's something
17:56else I need to do and then uh it was the
17:58it was the podcast talking to these
18:00people and I swear to God so many of
18:01them would say well if you're ever in my
18:04part of ir Norway look me up and his
18:08reaction is just Priceless and my
18:11favorite thing is I love accidents I
18:14love I didn't know what would be in his
18:17apartment you and a cynical a cynical
18:20person would say well you must have I
18:22mean you I'm sure you put the potato no
18:24that is exactly what happened almost in
18:26real time and I just love I mean and
18:30it's adorable too his bed spread with
18:32the soccer balls on
18:34it and um and he's got his 69 Joe he's
18:38framed
18:39it 6969 6969 and I'm and then then I can
18:45play the I'm going to help you out I'm
18:47going to we're going to straighten you
18:48out and get you on the charts it's so
18:50good and I was asking uh Jeff Ross is
18:52longtime uh executive producer um about
18:55the when when you were having that duel
18:57yeah if you got were like off camera
19:00feeding him the insults no those are all
19:03his insults
19:04and one of the things I like and you can
19:07accuse me of liking it too much is uh
19:10comedy has sped up especially television
19:12comedy over the years uh there's an you
19:16just see the tempo of things if you go
19:18back and you can even see it in the
19:20history of late night if you look at
19:21which I'm a scholar of sort of but if
19:24you look go look at a Tonight Show from
19:25the 1950s with Steve Allen and then Jack
19:27Parr and then Johnny Carson whatever you
19:29think it has sped up you can even look
19:32at uh Letterman's show from uh you know
19:36that he did in in my studio before I got
19:39there from 82 to 93 and things are
19:43slower than they are today everything
19:45has compressed I'm sure it has happened
19:48in the news too it's got to happen fast
19:50everything has to happen fast and I
19:53love when I can I like it when playing
19:58the awkwardness of I just wanted to see
20:01what he would come up with and you can't
20:03make that guy up
20:05he's and you can see him thinking but
20:08he's a nice man and he doesn't and and
20:10so I let it sit for a really long time
20:12and then he comes up with you diabetic
20:15poor excuse of a and you're like oh my
20:19God he there's a really mean guy in
20:22there who hates America and uh so I like
20:28those moments and then um followed up by
20:32there's affection there I mean if I if I
20:35went back and I could see him again I I
20:37I don't want anyone who's in the shows
20:40to look at them later on and say they
20:43were mean to me right I I really don't
20:45want that that would make me feel
20:47terrible if anyone gets hurt I want it
20:48to be me and um so it's uh you there are
20:53four episodes and there's plenty of
20:55people commenting on flaws with my face
20:58my body
20:59um uh there's a really funny fan in uh
21:03in in Thailand who's just she's quite
21:06athletic and I'm trying to do what she
21:08can do and she's just looking at me at
21:11my age and letting me have it in the
21:14most delightful way and um it's such an
21:18interesting philosophy of Comedy though
21:20and this reminds me actually of a
21:21conversation one time I wrote a piece
21:23for the New York Times about what had
21:25happened to National Lampoon um
21:29and I interviewed the magazine yep and I
21:31had interviewed uh PJ oor and among a
21:34bunch of other people and PJ oor said
21:37that one of the things about the
21:38National Lampoon sensibility was that
21:41before the National Lampoon comedy in
21:43America in the in the 50s and 60s was
21:45more um rooted in in in Jewish comedy
21:49which is oh what a fool I am whereas the
21:51tradition of naon was more and I forget
21:54if he said British or British and Irish
21:55which was Oh What a Fool are you yes but
21:58you even though you are famously Irish
22:00this is more what a fool of Mi I comedy
22:02because you are going to foreign
22:03countries and you're not making it's not
22:05xenophobic you're not like you're not
22:07saying look at what these these people
22:08are such idiots which is no I want them
22:11to feel like you're the idiot
22:15yeah someone here is just going to clip
22:17that
22:20out taer to Conor Brian you're the
22:24idiot um you get a Nobel Prize
22:27uh
22:29you know I would like when something's
22:31clearly wrong and you need to or try and
22:33point it out but I do want to go um I do
22:38think that America are we are the
22:42greatest power the world has ever seen
22:45and so like any Giant in a china shop we
22:48can be upsetting things and smashing
22:50things without sometimes being aware of
22:52it even sometimes when we are aware of
22:53it and I I I just I don't know I I like
22:57to go in as someone
22:59is not the I'm not in the power position
23:03and one of the things I like I'm a
23:04Buster Keaton fan and uh if you go back
23:07and look at the funny Buster Keaton
23:10stuff which is all Buster Keaton stuff
23:11look at look it up online tonight it is
23:14absolutely breathtakingly funny uh it is
23:17funny in a 2024 sensibility and one of
23:21the things that always appealed to me
23:22about him is he doesn't smile and I
23:25always like
23:26appreciate um there are times where I'm
23:28laughing and there are times where I'm
23:29smiling and enjoying but I like a lot of
23:32the stuff that's really funny to me um
23:35if you just look at the frame I look
23:36kind of
23:38sad and other people I think are
23:40laughing and I there's something about
23:42that that I like it appeals to my my
23:46sensibility you were talking about the
23:48almost like the metabolism of comedy and
23:50how much faster things are um this is
23:53the the longest you have been off air
23:56you've been doing the podcast and the
23:58podcast is televised uh and and put on
24:00on YouTube and such but um this is the
24:03the longest you've been off air
24:06since you got late night right I mean oh
24:09yeah it's been a like since I I was
24:13working at The Simpsons when I got the
24:14call you were going to replace David
24:16Letterman and um I was in a Simpsons
24:19record when I got that call and late
24:22night was so different then I mean there
24:24were hardly any late night shows and
24:26they just gave probably You could argue
24:29one of the most important ones to
24:32somebody um there was no exist the Press
24:35did not have a photo of
24:38me so there was a search for a photo of
24:41me because it's not there's no internet
24:43there's no Facebook there's no there's
24:46nothing I had no footprint and it was
24:49such a different time and there was such
24:51a wait they gave the show to
24:53who um and uh it was from that moment
24:58just constant work and
25:01worry uh and even through all the
25:04Tonight Show stuff and then right into
25:06Conan and so it all ended up being about
25:0928 years of that and so I didn't want to
25:12do something right away I wanted to sit
25:15and think about what resonated I didn't
25:17want to make something just to be back
25:19out there yeah and uh I have found that
25:23I miss I do miss crowds I love being in
25:26front of people and and um but I I
25:29didn't want to go out there and do it
25:31just to do it I wanted it to have there
25:33be something that felt like this is what
25:36I have this is what I have to say right
25:38now and so and was it
25:41frustrating not being I mean you you
25:44still have an incredibly successful
25:46podcast so it's not like you're out of
25:47the media world but was it Su was it
25:49frustrating not having a Daily Show no
25:54it's that's the part I wasn't sure how I
25:56would feel about it but um I really like
26:00and respect these other hosts and I I
26:03think they do great work and there's a
26:06feeling of they this is all being
26:08covered we're in a world right now where
26:10if anything happens on the news even
26:13before the host get to it there are
26:1675,000 takes on it on the internet and
26:19people putting things up on Tik Tok and
26:22so I you know I'm I'm not saying this in
26:25a self-deprecating way I am not needed
26:29I'm not needed in that way I don't I
26:31think I have something to offer but it's
26:33probably very specific and that's why
26:36this business of um I don't look at the
26:39newspaper in the morning and see
26:41something and go boy I wish I could get
26:42out there and crack wise about this you
26:45know it it it's not it's not something
26:47that moves me um but if there's a chance
26:50that I can be on the charts in Bergen
26:53Norway singing in a falsetto that moves
26:57me um there are four episodes it starts
27:01on uh April 18 April 18th April 18th
27:03there are four episodes it's uh it's uh
27:06uh Norway uh Thailand when we were
27:08shooting there was the hottest day
27:10they've ever had well we shot one of the
27:12days we shot it was one of the first
27:13days we were there was 1008 de and um we
27:17were shooting a tie boxing uh sketch
27:19which she saw a second of where I really
27:21have
27:22to um a lot of times when writers have
27:25an idea they say oh my God it'll be so
27:26great and what write their idea is Conan
27:31O'Brien boxes uh very hard using his
27:35arms and legs outdoors in 100° 8 108°
27:40heat with 100% humidity uh at the age of
27:4360 uh and I look at it and I think don't
27:47you understand that that's not a quip
27:50that is a so I was doing that and um it
27:53turned out to be very funny but uh
27:57there's I know there's a self life to
28:00they're going to be haking me out of one
28:01of
28:03these what are the defibrillating me uh
28:05also Ireland and Argentina and um I have
28:09someone who if anyone is familiar uh
28:12with my work uh there's this character
28:15that I who's real in my life Jordan
28:17schlansky who
28:19uh and how much is that is that really
28:23he is really that man there's a guy who
28:26just worked in my office and he's
28:29impossible and I used to really at the
28:31office there were no cameras around and
28:33I'd say Jordan what is it you do here at
28:35at the show and he'd say well I have
28:38various
28:40responsibilities various tasks and I
28:43perform them and I thought we need a
28:45camera on
28:46this and people ask me about him in
28:49every country I go to people ask about
28:53in in Crazy accents whereas I don't
28:55understand a word they're saying then
28:56they say Jordan schlansky
28:58so we brought him to uh Argentina
29:02because he is so he's so pnic about and
29:07such a know-it-all about culture and of
29:10course so he knows all about Tango and
29:12he knows all about the food and how you
29:14need to appreciate it and so we got some
29:16of I think Jordan fans will be very
29:19happy that he
29:20show this is if memory serves did you
29:23last take him to Italy I took him to
29:25Italy which is one of that was
29:26unbelievable it was so I that must been
29:30hell
29:32and that is a lot of people's favorite
29:34thing I've ever done uh you can look it
29:37up but it's uh con it's Conan in Italy
29:40and I take Jordan schlansky with me and
29:43there's so
29:44much I have a lot of respect and love
29:46for Stanley Tucci but what I want to do
29:49is the exact
29:51opposite I want people to really have a
29:54good time and laugh but I want there to
29:57be a deficit sit in their knowledge when
29:59they're done watching the show about the
30:02country so I'm walking around in the in
30:04the Italy show and I don't speak much
30:06Italian but I just start shouting the
30:07names of famous Italian directors so I'm
30:10like
30:11a aopa and a guy goes
30:16[ __ ] of course Jordan's
30:19horrified but uh I can't help it you
30:22know and um and then of course he has to
30:25there's a part where we get in a really
30:27tiny car and we drive across the country
30:29and there's so many different Adventures
30:31uh and uh we go on a truffle hunt and it
30:33becomes clear to me that it's a scam the
30:36Truffle Hunters hide the truffles right
30:39where they can be instantly found and I
30:40accuse them of that on camera and it
30:43gets really weird
30:45um and uh yeah and there's a lot and
30:48there's moments where you just um lose
30:51your mind and you forget where you are
30:53uh there's this I mean that's kind of my
30:56favorite kind of Comedy to do there's
30:58this show that's a phenomenon with young
31:00people called hot ones where you oh uh
31:03and so I I I I just did hot ones and it
31:06dropped a couple of hours ago and I lost
31:09my mind doing it I completely had a
31:12complete breakdown physically
31:15emotionally
31:18spiritually uh and is it really that bad
31:20is the is the H it's super
31:22hot my problem is if I think something's
31:25funny I will do it and suffer later and
31:29that's exactly what
31:31happened and um I just I was like no
31:34this is going to be really funny because
31:35people make their way like halfway
31:37through the wings they they give you 10
31:40wings and they get progressively hotter
31:41and a lot of celebrities go up to like
31:43eight or seven and they go I I have to
31:45bow out but they talk seriously and I
31:48just kept mocking this guy and grabbing
31:51the hot sauce and drinking
31:53it and then I smear it on my face and
31:56when I got home
31:58I my hand was burning and I realized
32:01that the wedding the sauce got
32:03underneath my wedding ring and was
32:05burning my through my skin cuz it's an
32:07acid you
32:09idiot and uh my wife was like what
32:12happened I'm
32:14like I got to go to
32:17Norway shut
32:20up so that happened um but uh but yeah
32:26this is uh I I very much like um I
32:30wanted to do something also that I I was
32:32very happy that at the top of the show
32:34it makes it very clear that it's taking
32:37as the as the UK would say taking the
32:38piss out of me that I'm I've been chased
32:42from my own country uh and um and and
32:46forced on the run to try and find
32:48someone who wants to talk to me in a
32:49distant part of the globe so um talk
32:52about the the fact that you're now I
32:54mean these episodes are about 50 minutes
32:57MH
32:58um which is they're actually shorter
33:00than that most of them yeah I I think I
33:04think uh I am very I I think
33:09anything 38 to 42 minutes is kind of the
33:13the that's were conditioned I that's
33:16yeah I just think for me anyway and
33:18especially so it's it's trying to figure
33:21out what's the right uh amount of time
33:24and how are people going to view them
33:25are they going to view them all in one
33:26sitting are they going to you know know
33:28so we'll find out but uh I really think
33:32um
33:33comedy uh you have to just keep going
33:36you have to keep trying shuffling the
33:38deck right but it's an experiment and
33:40that's that's what's interesting about
33:41it is because so the episodes you did um
33:45when it was what was Conan Without
33:47Borders yeah but those had commercials I
33:49think that's what's different were those
33:50an hour or a half hour no those are I
33:53think they well Jeff would know Jeff are
33:54you in the room or are you trying to put
33:57between myself
33:58bers 45 45 total 40 45 okay so so you're
34:03basically basically trying to do the
34:04same amount of time cuz I get
34:06worried when someone says you can have
34:08all the time you want in comedy they're
34:10basically giving you a weapon to kill
34:12yourself and um whenever people say to
34:15me just you can do as much as you want I
34:18think no I will do as much as I think
34:22really pleases people and then I will
34:24try and get out of Dodge and but you
34:25have to think about it differently cuz
34:27obviously Without Borders 45 minutes but
34:29it was an hour with commercials this is
34:32whatever it was 45 minutes all the way
34:33through you have to think about it
34:35differently in terms of the framing in
34:36terms of the narrative in terms ofing we
34:39shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot yeah and
34:42that has always been my thing is think
34:44of this
34:45much shoot this
34:48much and then it's edit edit edit edit
34:52edit and be really hard on yourselves
34:54and keep bringing people in and when in
34:57doubt cut it out and just do do do do
35:00and it's like a sauce when a chef makes
35:03a reduction they just keep they cook it
35:05down cook it down cook it down cook it
35:06down then they add some stock cook it
35:07down cook it down cook it down I don't
35:08cook but I'm told
35:10um and uh and and and that's what we do
35:14and and and then be really hard on
35:15things and the minute someone says to
35:19me um I say let's let's take it out
35:22let's go uh and I think that's that's
35:25what you have to do when did you when
35:27did you um start on this project and
35:30well the writer strike uh okay was a
35:33problem we started it so that's almost a
35:36year ago in
35:38Norway um and um I've had like a lot of
35:42facial work since then
35:45uh um I mean and my whole body has been
35:48just taken apart and put together
35:50together but that would be a year ago
35:52and then we had to stop so we did two of
35:54them and then we had to stop for however
35:55long the strike was which was a long
35:57time
35:58and then we had to so nothing no editing
36:00no you can't even edit yeah and and um
36:03you know my uh all the editing is
36:07supervised by the WR I have amazing uh
36:11Team of writer producers Mike Sweeney
36:14Matt o bran Jesse gasal uh and and they
36:18are all in the writer Guild so they you
36:21know for good reason obviously didn't
36:23even want to come in and yeah and and be
36:26seen in an edit room
36:28uh so we just it was all pencils down
36:31until that was resolved and that you
36:33know that uh stretched it out much
36:36longer than everyone like the the rap
36:39Duo that you saw in this they're both
36:42dead
36:48now very long illness that they each got
36:51different illnesses so and then when the
36:54riter strike was over you went back out
36:55on the road then we went back out argen
36:57Ireland yeah and do you shoot them
37:00consecutively like on the same trip or
37:02do you do one then come home and then
37:03one oh I come home cuz um you know uh
37:08wife and children right sanity uh you
37:12have to come home and um you get into a
37:16sort of a state of mind and sometimes
37:18you get a little crazy right uh when
37:21you're when you're working in that
37:24environment that far from home and
37:27you're gone for Six Days Seven Days and
37:30we work really hard and things happen
37:33like the the
37:34breakdown of the cars is real uh a lot
37:38of stuff happens you're you're in a van
37:40a lot in a sometimes not a great
37:42environment or it's cold you're
37:44uncomfortable sometimes the food isn't
37:45exactly what you want you're tired you
37:48got to get up early there's a guy who's
37:49been with me since the beginning of late
37:51night Jason chelmi who's a warrior and
37:53all I associate with him is all these
37:55different countries around the world and
37:57him banging on my door at 6 and saying
37:59put on this kimono it's time to
38:02go you know put on this Flemish suit of
38:04armor we got to go and I'm like I'm
38:06hungry we'll eat later let's go so uh
38:10you have to come home in between and and
38:12you're there for like seven days it
38:14depends I think uh seven would be uh
38:17yeah at least seven I think now and how
38:20many people are traveling with you how
38:22many people are are there uh Jeff 12
38:26what's that 12
38:28yeah I don't cuz I don't talk to those
38:31people I don't leave the Four Seasons
38:34I'm that's that's all AI that's an AI
38:37cone and it's I did Pitch uh my my good
38:41friend Lisa kudro who I who I love I
38:43pitched her an idea for a travel show
38:45which is um because it's very her but
38:48she travels the world but never leaves
38:50her hotel
38:51room and she's always wearing a big robe
38:54and and sipping on like a smoothie and
38:56people come in and show show her
38:58pictures of what's in that amazing part
39:00of the world she's like mm I'm good I
39:02I'm going to I'm going to watch 16
39:04Candles now and and uh and every now and
39:07then she does go out but in like a giant
39:09SUV that has every and she doesn't come
39:11out of it she just and she was laughing
39:13and she said I'd do that so I got to
39:15pitch that next what's the worst thing
39:17you ate on these trips uh I know exactly
39:20what it is we uh uh we were in um South
39:25Korea and I went there with Steven young
39:28and we shot we had the idea to shoot a
39:31K-pop video with real K-pop bands one of
39:35which then blew up there's a band we
39:38that we shot with at the time that then
39:39became what's their name does anyone
39:41remember okay great
39:45um not a big K-pop crowd not
39:49following it's a 95-year-old in the back
39:51I
39:53know but anyway uh we um
39:58we shot uh we shot this music video and
40:01we just thought it was going to be fun
40:03and they take it very seriously and they
40:06worked I mean Steven Young's like Oscar
40:08nominated you know they worked us so
40:12hard on they were like again again again
40:15choreography again and we were in this
40:17big Warehouse right near the border with
40:20North Korea uhhuh um and it was Bleak
40:24and it was cold and then at one point
40:26they said all right you get to take a
40:28break we got you pizza you know because
40:30you're American we got you pizza it's in
40:32that room and so Stephen young and I
40:34walked into this room I don't know what
40:37they think that
40:38is but that is not a pizza and it it
40:42looked it was round and there was some
40:44cheese on it but then they had taken
40:46meats that you would never put on a
40:48pizza and and just thrown a bunch of
40:50things on it and um it was absolutely
40:54terrible it's the worst and and it's
40:55like they showed aliens picture of a
40:57hamburger and they were like we got it
40:59and then they made
41:01something see it kind of no what is in
41:04that bricks and
41:06stones but anyway that was that was not
41:09good um and I don't if I get blowback
41:11for that I'll take it you know I'm sure
41:14there is great pizza there but not in
41:15this giant Warehouse near the border
41:18with North Korea maybe not I don't know
41:20n they'll come after
41:23me so is Cuba the most uh controversial
41:29country that you've been to um like in
41:32terms of its government um not being
41:34Democratic uh per se like I was worried
41:37about Cuba because we just didn't know
41:40at any point are they going to come and
41:42say uh what are you doing here why are
41:45you here um we were in
41:50Haiti um which at the which felt very
41:54then it felt fine but you could could
41:57also tell there was just an incredible
41:58amount of tension there and one of my
42:01favorite moments from the Haiti
42:03show was there was a group of men who
42:07saw me with my camera crew and what
42:10they're seeing
42:12is an American and a bunch of other
42:15people with cameras and they thought
42:18that we were there to exploit them it
42:21was right after Trump had made some
42:23comments about that country that weren't
42:25very nice and um he called it a [ __ ]
42:29hole country yeah I mean I thought it
42:30was a family-friendly thing
42:33so uh but anyway um I'm just quoting
42:37yeah no I know we just lost the
42:3895-year-old
42:40uh oh he's he's heard worse yeah so I uh
42:45I um you know they thought oh this is
42:49those Americans that are here to take
42:50pictures of our terrible country and
42:53talk about how terrible we are and they
42:55were getting very angry and someone was
42:58sort of trying to encourage me you
42:59should get in the van and I thought no I
43:02should I want to go over there so I went
43:04over and with one of our interpreters I
43:07was talking to them and he started
43:08showing them my
43:11comedy and um it's not that they were
43:15laughing I think they just saw me as not
43:18a
43:20threat they just saw and they were okay
43:23with it and I thought like okay that's a
43:26very tiny victory and we got it on
43:28camera but it's um I don't know it it's
43:34uh it I don't know it it
43:38feels meaningful to try you know in
43:42these situations uh to um talk to people
43:48and uh it it may not I have I'm one
43:52person out of billions so I don't have
43:54any uh I'm not I'm not out to change the
43:56world but you do see little
43:58opportunities maybe here and there to
44:00try and um make someone laugh or uh
44:05maybe have a slightly different view of
44:07an American I got to go to um Cuba right
44:12when
44:13Obama there was that moment of
44:15normalization they reopened the American
44:17Embassy right and um did you get to have
44:20a moo while you were there oh yeah oh
44:22God and there's a bar that Hemingway
44:25hung out at and
44:28um it's very strange cuz you go there
44:30and they have a bronze statue of
44:32Hemingway that's life-size sitting at
44:34the bar and I'm sitting there having
44:36Mojitos and I'm looking at it and I'm
44:37starting to think wasn't he an
44:41alcoholic who committed
44:43suicide and they're like looking at me
44:45he at the
44:49bar you know it just seemed a little
44:52like here's our statue of James Dean
44:54getting into a car you know isn't that
44:56great
44:59we have Lincoln sitting in the theater
45:01you
45:02know it's very strange but then you have
45:05a few Mojitos and I've got my arm around
45:08him the old man in the sea you're going
45:10to end with that it's going to be great
45:11you know did you get I I remember
45:14driving around um driving around Cuba
45:17and you get a feeling that you get in
45:20places the uh like Iraq like uh New
45:25Orleans after the levies broke
45:27um where it's like uh you're driving
45:30around and you feel like something bad
45:32happened here and like whether you think
45:34it's the blockade or communism itself
45:36like you I remember feeling just the
45:38sense of this country is in in a bad
45:42place yeah there's it's been traumatized
45:45and and I think I love I'm an amateur
45:49you and I Bond over this uh amateur
45:52historians and um remember our date with
45:55the Eisenhower granddaughters I do
45:57indeed oh yeah when Jake taer calls says
46:00there's two
46:02Eisenhower daughters and they want to
46:03have dinner with us you
46:07know that's real you could Google it
46:09yeah it was that was fun some crazy
46:12evening yeah and um it's funny cuz in
46:16your Rolodex of people because you know
46:17everybody you know exactly who to call
46:20when it's time to go out with the Eis an
46:22anniversary of some sort and I got
46:24invited to participate in the e they
46:27were like you can bring someone along
46:28and they were like who who's this awful
46:32man Conan was like in yeah I was so
46:35happy uh but anyway um I forget what we
46:38were talking about a country that's
46:41traumatized oh well I mean I would love
46:44I would you know you just I would love
46:46to go to St Petersburg there's there's
46:48so much there's so many places I would
46:49like to go to in the world that it's
46:52very sad that uh you know it it just
46:56doesn't seem
46:57do you think you could like like if you
46:59went to St P like if you do you think
47:00you could I don't know but I just think
47:03it's you know it's a terrible time and
47:06uh there's just it's the the world is
47:09becoming an
47:11increasingly uh I mean I would make the
47:13point that it's always there's I I work
47:16with a lot of young people and I try to
47:18be the voice of I know you think things
47:20are very bad I'm going to tell you
47:22things have always been very bad and
47:24that's that is the lesson of History is
47:27that history is just a succession of
47:29things are terrible and um my father
47:32who's still alive uh despite my best
47:35attempts
47:36uh he's quick
47:39when dodging bullets left and
47:43right I stand to inherit hundreds of
47:45dollars from that man and a microscope
47:48but anyway he's a microbiologist he's
47:50microbiologist uh as I said as the
47:52Vikings said uh but um he uh his is I
47:57love talking to him cuz he says he was
47:59born in
48:001929 and he says it things I know that
48:05people think things are Bleak but I mean
48:06he grew up he grew up around a
48:09generation that had gotten through World
48:11War I and then he saw uh World War II
48:16Holocaust he saw Cold War I mean just he
48:19saw the turbulence of the 60s the' 70s
48:21he just saw and he said things do slowly
48:24get better and um as awful as they are
48:27and I think uh I'd like to have that
48:30opinion but it's challenging at times
48:33and as you know I we have kids and I
48:36like to my kids they grow up there's a
48:39very negative view about the world and
48:42where things are going and they come by
48:44it honestly but and it's a scary time
48:47right now but uh I I like to try and say
48:52I I think we can all together
48:54collectively move things a little bit
48:57forward I hope uh but let's let's go
48:59with that you know I and actually I
49:02would go even further I would say that
49:04as bad as things are there has never
49:06been a better time to live on this on
49:09this planet than that's what that's
49:11Obama says that President Obama has said
49:13that many times in terms of illness and
49:15education and now that doesn't mean
49:17there aren't incredibly horrible things
49:19I wonder like I I think of and I I
49:21understand your your take on it but I
49:23think of how fun it would be and I don't
49:26know if it's possible how fun it would
49:28be to have you in Red Square how fun it
49:31would be to have you eating bles and
49:32doing Vodka Shots by the way have you
49:34had R vodka in Russia no I've not been
49:37to
49:40Russia okay all
49:43right I would like to go but I just you
49:45know then you then you think about I
49:47mean uh um you know the the war right
49:51now and Ukraine and just there's it's
49:53it's very uh you know but I also want to
49:56make sure that when I travel it's not
49:58just you know Conan goes to a Club Med
50:01in you know on an exclusive Caribbean
50:04island it's like no get out there and um
50:07so yeah it's uh we'll see we'll see if
50:11what's possible and what can be done but
50:13I just always picture Putin watching at
50:15home and going that one get it you
50:18know the tall redhaired lady I
50:22want have you thought about it if I
50:24don't know if you want to do a second
50:25season but have you thought about where
50:27you would go in a second season we have
50:29ideas um cuz we we've talked to a lot of
50:32people and I've talked to some
50:34fascinating people that are on backlog
50:36and so yes there are lots of places to
50:39go I don't know what's going to happen I
50:41wanted to do these four and just see
50:43what it was like and test the waters and
50:45was there a reason you did these for
50:46obviously uh the Norwegian guys yeah
50:49it's driven really by the people I talk
50:51to and then and then saying um that is a
50:54great person I mean the Argentina one
50:56has stuff in it Argentina might I mean
50:58it's hard to say I have a favorite but
51:00Argentina has
51:02such silly stuff in it and it's really
51:06driven um by this this man who called
51:11the podcast and I'm just chatting with
51:12him and he's a great artist and one
51:13thing led to another and it became a
51:15happening and I'm very excited about
51:17that I don't want to give it away but uh
51:20I think um it was all driven by these
51:24people I talked to and I think I want to
51:25go see them and uh and surprise them
51:29that's and oh for you do that for every
51:30one of them you try every now and then
51:33someone will hear cuz when you get to a
51:35certain
51:42status no you land and it's it's online
51:45that like oh Conan's here and then
51:48you're like oh [ __ ] you know we told
51:50this person but then what we do is we
51:52say no we don't we say Conan's they say
51:56no that's was misreported we're here to
51:58get b-roll footage of just the outside
52:00of your
52:01house um so they just think a crew is
52:04coming they don't think I'll be there
52:06because you do want to make sure if I go
52:0815,000 miles and I'm like here we go is
52:12yla there no he's dead
52:16um you've got a very different show or
52:20he went on vacation he'll be back in 6
52:21months uh you don't want that so there's
52:24a it's it's walking that fine line of no
52:27we just a producer wants to come we want
52:28to get some footage of the outside of
52:30your apartment can you be there to let
52:31them in yes okay and then I I surprise
52:34them um what was the most surprising
52:37thing that you either learned or
52:38experienced during these four episodes
52:41because I know uh you go there and you
52:43have plans but but the best stuff is the
52:46stuff that you really can't yeah I would
52:48say over and over again and it's a nice
52:51surprise I've learned it many times
52:53before but the lesson I Come Away with
52:57is people are funny people are um we did
53:03a week of shows in Mexico during the
53:06Trump Administration when they were
53:07upset and we went there and I just went
53:10out and I had a little piggy bank and I
53:12was collecting money for the
53:15wall because the president had said they
53:17will pay for it so I have this piggy
53:20bank that's shaped like a little brick
53:21wall and the people were hilarious I
53:26mean they were terrific improvisers and
53:29one guy he's got a big mustache and I'm
53:31telling him because I speak some like
53:33high school level Spanish but I say El
53:34Muro El Muro you know cuz Trump when he
53:36goes like he goes yeah and he reaches in
53:38his pocket he takes it he
53:41goes and he goes to insert it and and
53:45I'm like you know this is the this is if
53:48I was at you know Upright Citizens
53:50Brigade this would be the funniest
53:51person of the night my lesson again and
53:54again and again in life is that there
53:55are so many people out there that get it
53:58they get the joke one of the things as
54:00you can see I mean Norway is a different
54:01flavor because they're so no no no and I
54:05decide okay that's the joke here is um a
54:10guy just you're too old to wear that you
54:12know well how old you think I 59
54:16Jesus you know and and I think um okay
54:21that's the joke here but then in other
54:23countries they they have their Rhythm
54:26it's just finding different people's
54:27Rhythm but
54:29universally a lot of people are very
54:31funny and they are really fun playing
54:36along with and I think because I have um
54:40of all the late night host I'm probably
54:42the most of a clown I I and when I mean
54:45that I mean I'm just I I'm the one who
54:48would probably do well at a kid's
54:50birthday party if they didn't if they
54:53were
54:54three um because I really kill with
54:56little kids and one of my favorite
54:58segments ever was I went to a school um
55:02that I got involved with later on where
55:04they uh it's a very good school in Haiti
55:07and I hope they're doing well but they
55:10these beautiful kids get a really good
55:12education there and it's
55:14subsidized and um we we work through
55:19Sean Penn's group and we we were able to
55:21get involved with them and I went to
55:23their classroom and I did to segment
55:26with them none of them know who I am
55:29none of them speak a word of uh of I
55:32don't think they speak English these are
55:33they're beautiful young kids uh in maybe
55:37the second grade and I was acting like a
55:39fool and they're laughing really hard
55:42and I was and then I went outside and
55:43they all gathered around I had a short
55:44sleeve shirt on and they're talking to
55:47me and they're looking at my
55:49arms and they're looking at my freckles
55:52cuz I haven't seen that and again I love
55:54the tables turned they were wondering
55:57like are you
56:01okay and I mean this world you know like
56:03they're beautiful they're gorgeous and
56:05they're like oh this
56:07poor old
56:10woman what's can this be cured and I'm
56:12like no kids I'm fine um through an
56:15interpreter but that that's I my lesson
56:19again and again and again is uh is
56:21there's a lot of um Goodwill out there
56:25more people are good than are bad
56:28there's a lot of kindness there's a lot
56:30of Sweetness in a terrible in a world
56:31where a lot of terrible things are
56:33happening and um you know
56:36it's as you know we live in a world
56:39where if the worst thing that's
56:41happening in the world is shot to you on
56:44your phone yeah instantly and we're
56:46bombarded with that constantly and what
56:48we're getting is this we're getting
56:51inundated with the worst of the world
56:54constantly and that is uh that's what
56:57leads that's what works and that's what
57:00people want to see uh but um we get a
57:04false negative I think in my opinion I
57:07think things
57:08are the the people I've met on just
57:10these four shows and in all the other
57:11travel shows I've done are remarkable
57:14people and I consider them friends and
57:16come away from it feeling really good
57:18about I think we got this you know I
57:21think we're good do
57:25you
57:27so the shows the shows clearly give you
57:30you make make you optimistic about
57:32Humanity
57:36no yeah I am I you you think I I am I am
57:40I'm I always describe myself as a 51 to
57:4252% Optimist um meaning you you it's you
57:46know I'm not going to you know because
57:49um you know I I read the news uh I watch
57:53I watch what's happening and not just in
57:55this country but uh I think we are in a
57:59very scary time that approaches the late
58:021930s in terms of totalitarianism and
58:05and uh and impatience and intolerance
58:08and groups trying to destroy each other
58:10and it's there's no way around it you
58:11can't sugar coat that and say don't
58:13worry folks I just traveled to four
58:14countries and everything's going to be
58:15just that you know no you don't want to
58:18say that but at the same time people
58:21individually
58:22people you know uh governments um um uh
58:28institutions uh movements can be very
58:31problematic but individual people
58:34usually make me feel better about things
58:37if you could go to any country without
58:41worrying
58:42about the geopolitics of it without
58:45worrying about Putin singling you out
58:47and saying bring me that old woman
58:50um not that old
58:55like 60 yeah um I mean China North Korea
59:01uh Russia what's funny we got to do I
59:03got to step into North Korea oh you did
59:05the DMZ because there the DMZ and I took
59:07Steven Yen there and he there's a room
59:11that straddles but you've been in I'm
59:13sure there's a famous room that
59:15straddles uh there's a
59:18room that's not not as big as this stage
59:22maybe it's just the exact length of this
59:24stage that side up to the middle is in
59:27South Korea and this side is in North
59:29Korea and there's a guard who's wearing
59:32a North Korean uniform standing right
59:34there and he's standing like a rock and
59:37his job if you try to enter the door of
59:42the North Korean side is to shove you
59:43back his job is the shover you know and
59:47you're in this very bizarre room but we
59:49got permission for me to step into that
59:51part so I had Steven do the weather from
59:56looking out the window of the South
59:58Korean side and then throw to me Conan
01:00:00how's it looking in North Korea and the
01:00:03camera pans and I'm right there
01:00:06meanwhile this North Korean soldier's
01:00:07like you know who what is
01:00:10happening um and uh that was absolutely
01:00:15fascinating um but I would say I've
01:00:18always been I read a lot about Russia
01:00:20I've read a lot about Russian history
01:00:21I've read a lot of Russian literature
01:00:23and um I find the Russian people and
01:00:26their story is like tragic in a lot of
01:00:28ways but I've always thought I've got to
01:00:31get there somehow but but clearly it's a
01:00:33complicated world right now um I we have
01:00:36some questions uh from the audience um
01:00:39oh I already asked Chris Cenas uh well
01:00:41I'll ask the second half Chris Gina said
01:00:43What was the worst Food you had to eat
01:00:44in your travels right that was the pizza
01:00:47so the pizza is there anything that you
01:00:48would absolutely not eat for a
01:00:51segment that's a really good question um
01:00:54because I don't think so well there is
01:00:56there's uh there's raw Street Foods some
01:01:00places that are literally like a and
01:01:03this is just again my father's a
01:01:05microbiologist
01:01:07so I grew up with a powerful sense of so
01:01:10you no I'm not I you know I can there's
01:01:14a lot I won't do I I mean there there's
01:01:16a lot I will do and then there are
01:01:18certain kinds of like a a I was going to
01:01:21just say scorpion but now I'm flashing
01:01:23back to I on the late night show someone
01:01:26brought out a fried scorpion and I
01:01:28popped it right in my mouth yeah so I'm
01:01:31a liar I don't know I will I just was I
01:01:33mean bouran Bourdain used to eat
01:01:35anything they brought him like bugs
01:01:37whatever frogs I mean anything they gave
01:01:39him yeah I'm not like that I would no I
01:01:42I I I think I would get a little
01:01:44squeamish about certain things you know
01:01:46like here's a raw you know snake's
01:01:50brain you know I'd want to see the
01:01:52dipping
01:01:54sauce it's got to be a good S Fair Amy
01:01:58Bryant wants to know if you have any
01:02:00hobbies or passions that we do not know
01:02:02about well clearly
01:02:14bodybuilding fact that that's a laugh
01:02:15line is in
01:02:17itself I do love uh playing the guitar
01:02:20and I'm always trying to get better and
01:02:22you're really good at it well I'm good
01:02:24as I think I'm good for a former talk
01:02:26show host uh and then I'm around real
01:02:29guitarist but I I it's a passion of mine
01:02:32and I would um I swear to God if if I
01:02:35had the ability to make my living when I
01:02:38was at The Simpsons I had the big hair
01:02:40and the I I was very much influenced I
01:02:42was a rockabilly Guy and um I can kind
01:02:45of warble and yell like a rockabilly guy
01:02:48and I had the hair for it and I could
01:02:49play the guitar if I could do that for a
01:02:52living you'd never see me again in
01:02:53comedy cuz that's just one of those
01:02:55things things where I would be so happy
01:02:57and and the one thing I do truly miss
01:03:00about late night television is I had
01:03:02this amazing band the max wber 7 and
01:03:05those guys let me play with them every
01:03:08day you know and um yeah they just
01:03:12deserve a smatter
01:03:17uh smatter is
01:03:19appropriate but anyway that's um that's
01:03:23uh I miss that Terri it's so so John
01:03:26Stewart after he went off air um he
01:03:29tried to take up the guitar MH uh this
01:03:32is from the did you listen to Strike
01:03:34Force 5 anybody know Strike Force 5 did
01:03:36you listen to that at
01:03:38all those guys
01:03:40no you know bunch of late night H you
01:03:44know what I mean no I actually I was
01:03:46supposed to be on it and I had drinks
01:03:48with Steven coar tonight because Steven
01:03:51asked me to do it and I said yes and
01:03:52then Steven forgot to tell everybody
01:03:54else that I had said yes yes so when
01:03:56they when the strike ended he said n our
01:03:59thanks to con O'Brien who told me he'd
01:04:01do it but I forgot to tell you guys and
01:04:03they were really I'm I'm happy they were
01:04:05pissed that they were pissed on my
01:04:08behalf he was like I forgot they're like
01:04:10you forgot you know it was a fascinating
01:04:12uh exercise because you have these five
01:04:14guys and they weren't really
01:04:15particularly friends uh Kimmel Fallon
01:04:18colar John Oliver and Seth Meyers and
01:04:21they did it to raise money for their
01:04:22writers during the strike um but any I
01:04:26heard they kept the
01:04:29money Stuart talks about how he took up
01:04:31the guitar and then realized he was
01:04:33going to have to play work really hard
01:04:34for 10 years even just to get like a
01:04:36decent Stairway to Heaven so he quit and
01:04:37he started doing the drums yeah I mean
01:04:40how's the drums going I he didn't play
01:04:44he guessed it on that that's how I know
01:04:45that it wasn't so Joy Maracas Maracas is
01:04:48something you can take up late in the
01:04:51game joy joy Dylan wants to know uh if
01:04:55you have any AD to upcoming comedians
01:04:56who want to create
01:04:58content well create
01:05:02content that was I thought an
01:05:04interesting way to ask that question
01:05:05yeah but it is true it's create content
01:05:08which is I I have had people come up to
01:05:10me and say I really want to do what
01:05:11you're doing and I love coming this is
01:05:13going back years and years and years and
01:05:14years I'll say what are you doing
01:05:16they'll be like well nothing yet but I'd
01:05:18like to do it we live in a world where
01:05:21you know they won't let me have a phone
01:05:23anymore um
01:05:26some [ __ ] got weird
01:05:29uh I thought they were funny photos
01:05:31apparently
01:05:33not I thought I was sending them to my
01:05:38doctor but I know my phone on me right
01:05:40now but if you've got an iPhone and it
01:05:43has to be an
01:05:45iPhone that's why I get to take a
01:05:47helicopter out here tonight if you've
01:05:50got a phone you can make content you can
01:05:55you can write you can put stuff online
01:05:58there is no barrier now there's always a
01:06:00yin and a Yang there's tons of stuff out
01:06:03there there's a lot of stuff out there
01:06:06and it's hard to get noticed but if
01:06:09you're making quality content and you're
01:06:13putting it out there I've always said if
01:06:15you have a bad Orchestra but one person
01:06:19is playing the Triangle really
01:06:22well over time you're only going to hear
01:06:25the triangle angle I believe that I
01:06:27think good the good stuff pushes through
01:06:31it takes a long time it's frustrating
01:06:33but in this environment I look at uh I
01:06:36became friendly with the please don't
01:06:39destroy guys they're these you know you
01:06:42great in that movie by the way oh thank
01:06:43you they but they make this
01:06:46content another smatter e
01:06:49um you're a big smatter crowd aren't you
01:06:52but they make really uh their stuff is
01:06:55just deniably funny and original and
01:06:58okay there it is uh and when people make
01:07:01that kind of stuff U there's a a young
01:07:04guy who started make my my daughter said
01:07:06you got to see this you got to see this
01:07:08and I'm like oh whatever this is about
01:07:10eight years ago and his name's Chris
01:07:11Fleming and he makes his content on the
01:07:13internet and I'm looking at it and I'm
01:07:15thinking he is so creative and so
01:07:18different and his moves are not like
01:07:21anybody else's moves and I became a big
01:07:23Chris Fleming fan and then I became uh I
01:07:26I go to his shows now uh I I support him
01:07:30and he's touring and he's doing great
01:07:32and he's got a following I mean he just
01:07:34played he's he sells out decent sized
01:07:36Halls across the country and that's
01:07:39someone who made it happen made it
01:07:42happen by making these really funny
01:07:44videos where he would pretend to be a
01:07:46type a mom called Gail who is obsessed
01:07:50with uh getting her daughter into a good
01:07:51school and he they're insane his stuff
01:07:54is absolutely insane and he makes music
01:07:56videos that are insane and it's
01:07:58brilliant so if you want to make content
01:08:00there's no one stopping you make it make
01:08:03the content make it make it make it make
01:08:05it and the good stuff is undeniable no
01:08:07one can stop you if it's good and it's
01:08:08and we you see it also like people who
01:08:10are you know Comedians and are just
01:08:13doing like the circle circuit at the
01:08:15haha club or whatever they film
01:08:17themselves and they put their best stuff
01:08:19on Instagram and within a few years they
01:08:21have a a Netflix deal I mean it just it
01:08:23just happens because of the content and
01:08:27somebody's like that got 70 million
01:08:28views I want a piece of that there are
01:08:30you know there used to be Gatekeepers
01:08:32there used to
01:08:33be television is this you know very very
01:08:38sacred Temple and um you know Walter
01:08:43kronite is going to tell you what's on
01:08:44the news maybe we'll let one other guy
01:08:46do it don't badmouth kronite around here
01:08:48well that was not that was not
01:08:50badmouthing I'm just saying he was
01:08:51worthy of that of that perch but but
01:08:55very few people get to be in this
01:08:57special club and you know there are very
01:09:00like very few entertainers and there's
01:09:03like The Rat Pack and they get to be in
01:09:04the and that's it it was a it was a very
01:09:07small and um I think what's beautiful
01:09:10about what's happened is that it's much
01:09:13more democratic than it used to be and I
01:09:16just think uh there's there aren't
01:09:19people saying not just yet we'll see I'm
01:09:23going to think about it no one
01:09:26you can't do that anymore Talent outs
01:09:29and hard work outs so um there there's
01:09:32really uh it's a great great era for
01:09:35people that want to
01:09:37make comedy it's a ter there's never
01:09:40been a better time so that's all the
01:09:42time we have I want to thank Our Guest
01:09:44Conan O'Brien thank
01:09:45[Applause]
01:09:51you thank you for joining thank you very
01:09:55[Applause]
01:09:57amazing
01:10:24amazing
01:10:39for
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