Top questions
Who is Conan O'Brien?
Conan O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor and podcaster, born on 18 April 1963 in Boston, Massachusetts. He hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009) and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009–2010) on NBC, then Conan (2010–2021) on the cable channel TBS.
What is Conan O'Brien best known for?
He is best known for late-night television. He hosted Late Night for 16 years and, as of 2025, is still the longest-serving host in the history of that franchise. The New York Times characterized his spontaneous style as "awkward, self-deprecating humor", and the show earned a Primetime Emmy Award.
What did Conan O'Brien do before hosting?
O'Brien was president of The Harvard Lampoon at Harvard University, where he graduated with a degree in history and literature. He then wrote for the sketch comedy series Not Necessarily the News and for Saturday Night Live from 1988 to 1991, and was a writer and producer for The Simpsons from 1991 to 1993.
Why did Conan O'Brien leave The Tonight Show?
O'Brien hosted The Tonight Show for seven months in 2009 and 2010. NBC proposed moving it to 12:05 a.m. to put Jay Leno's show at 11:35 p.m., and O'Brien said that would seriously damage the franchise. On 21 January 2010 it was announced he would exit, and his last episode aired the next day.
What is Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend?
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend is O'Brien's weekly podcast, launched by his production company Team Coco in 2018 with Will Ferrell as the first guest. Team Coco's podcasts were sold to SiriusXM in May 2022 for $150 million. As of 2025, he also stars in the HBO travel series Conan O'Brien Must Go, which premiered in 2024.
What awards has Conan O'Brien won?
O'Brien shared a 1989 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for his Saturday Night Live work. He was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2010 and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2025. He is also the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
