About Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster. He is best known for having hosted late-night talk shows, beginning with Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-2009) and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009-2010) on the NBC television network, and Conan (2010-2021) on the cable channel TBS. Before his hosting career, O'Brien was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1988 to 1991, and the Fox animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1991 to 1993. He has hosted the podcast series Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend since 2018.
Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, O'Brien was raised in an Irish Catholic family. He served as president of The Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and literature in 1985. He was selected by Lorne Michaels and NBC to take over David Letterman's position as host of Late Night in 1993, and despite unfavorable reviews and threats of cancellation in the show's first years, the show became highly regarded and earned a Primetime Emmy Award.
In 2009, O'Brien moved from New York to Los Angeles to host his own incarnation of The Tonight Show for seven months until highly publicized network politics prompted a host change in 2010. He then hosted a 32-city live comedy tour titled The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour, which was the subject of the documentary Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011), and hosted Conan from 2010 to 2021. He was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2010, inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2025, and is the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Videos (15)
Videos 1 to 15 of 15.
43:15S55E08 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Dane Cook
5.9K views
43:15S55E07 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Eddie Murphy
1.7K views
43:25S55E10 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Jamie Foxx
1.3K views
43:24S55E06 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: David Duchovny
1.3K views
43:21S55E16 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Cameron Diaz
1.2K views
43:22S55E18 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Brandon McMillian
1.1K views
43:10S55E05 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Ryan Seacrest
1.1K views
43:16S55E12 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Larry David
895 views
43:17S55E13 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: William Shatner
825 views
43:15S55E15 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Phil Jackson
823 views
43:22S55E18 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Brandon McMillan
602 views
43:21S55E11 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Will Arnett
594 views
1:07:40PODCAST: David Spade
205 views
1:03:19PODCAST: Harrison Ford
123 views
1:06:09PODCAST: Mike Birbiglia
59 viewsGuest appearances (1,584)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Conan O'Brien.
Guest appearances 25 to 48 of 1,584.
8:08Jack Black Explains Why He Stormed Off The Set Of “Tropic Thunder” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.9M views
1:14:30Rocker Jack White - Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien | Team Coco
Conan O'Brien
2.8M views
14:15How Bryan Cranston Went From Playing Hal Wilkerson To Walter White | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.8M views
2:12Conan O'Brien Drives an Explosives-Packed Car Off A Cliff! | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
2.7M views
10:55Bill Hader & Conan Cracked Up Larry David With Dana Carvey's Bits | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.6M views
6:34Bill Burr's Brother Used To Record His Parents Arguments | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.6M views
6:08Walton Goggins: Danny McBride Is The Funniest Person I’ve Ever Met | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.4M views
9:08Martin Short Thinks Conan Looks Like A “Freeze-Dried Prince Harry” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.2M views
4:56Jon Bernthal On Toxic Masculinity | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.2M views
1:19:53Mel Brooks -- Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
2.2M views
4:51Conan O'Brien Presents: SHOW ZERO! | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
2.1M views
4:23Jack White Didn't Know "Seven Nation Army" Would Become An Anthem | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.1M views
14:34Kevin Nealon Feels "Obligated" To Be On Conan's Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
2.1M views
1:02:43Martin Short -- Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
1.9M views
10:15Conan Broke Matt Groening's "Simpsons" Rule In Marge vs. The Monorail | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
1.8M views
1:16Fake Meteorologist Conan O'Brien Reports From Japan | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
1.8M views
1:03:18Harrison Ford (FULL EPISODE) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
1.8M views
18:33Conan & Jordan Schlansky Have A “Romantic Relationship” | Conan O'Brien Radio
Conan O'Brien
1.8M views
4:46Paul Rudd Surprises Conan With A Clip From His New Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
1.7M views
21:34Jordan Schlansky Reviews Toilet Paper | Conan O'Brien Radio
Conan O'Brien
1.7M views
21:11Conan Surprises Jordan Schlansky With Rush Singer Geddy Lee | Conan O'Brien Radio
Conan O'Brien
1.7M views
16:13Conan & Jordan Get A Strange Call From "Dan Gurski" | Conan O'Brien Radio
Conan O'Brien
1.7M views
14:48A Studio Exec Tried To Get Harrison Ford To Change His Name | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
1.7M views
9:07David Letterman on Giving Conan O'Brien a Horse
Jimmy Kimmel
1.7M viewsChannels on this page: Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel
Frequently asked questions
Who is Conan O'Brien?
Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster, best known for hosting late-night talk shows including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and Conan.
What writing jobs did Conan O'Brien have before hosting?
Before his hosting career, he was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1988 to 1991 and for the Fox animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1991 to 1993.
Where did Conan O'Brien study?
He attended Harvard University, where he served as president of The Harvard Lampoon and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and literature in 1985.
How did Conan O'Brien become host of Late Night?
He was selected by Lorne Michaels and NBC to take over David Letterman's position as host of Late Night in 1993. Despite unfavorable reviews and threats of cancellation in the early years, the show became highly regarded and earned a Primetime Emmy Award.
What honors has Conan O'Brien received?
He was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2010, was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2025, and is the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
