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 673 to 696 of 1,584.
10:39Conan Triggers Jeff Bridges | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
215.3K views
8:07Albert Brooks & Rob Reiner On Their Famous Dads | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
215.2K views
6:29Conan Reads His Chaotic Texts With Sona | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
215.1K views
6:24A Fan Binged 11 Episodes Of Conan's Podcast In One Day - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
215K views
5:42Conan’s Mysterious Signed Photo Made Headlines In Colorado | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
214.4K views
11:22Sona & David Reveal What It’s Like To Be Conan’s Assistant | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
214.3K views
10:48Don Cheadle Enjoys Being Less Famous Than Brad Pitt | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
214K views
15:12Rose Byrne on Oscar Nomination & Working with Conan O'Brien, A$AP Rocky & a Terrifying Hamster
Jimmy Kimmel
214K views
9:55Olivia Munn Talks About Parenting With John Mulaney | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
213.8K views
2:43PeteyLeaks: Conan O'Brien
Pete Holmes
213.3K views
1:08:08Werner Herzog (FULL EPISODE) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
213.1K views
9:48Conan Reacts To Sona & David's Childhood Scout Photos | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
212.9K views
12:52“Seinfeld” Writer Carol Leifer On The Origin Of The Marble Rye | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
211.2K views
5:19Conan & His Engineer Play With Sound Effects | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
211K views
5:48Sona On The Time She Picked Up A Hitchhiker – "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
210.8K views
10:24Liam Neeson Shocked A Priest With His Last Confession | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
210.7K views
4:56Conan Explains How He Pays Sona In Bitcoin - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
210.6K views
7:33Sona Reveals How Much She Spends On Gummies | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
210K views
11:07Al Pacino Drew A Crowd To The Conan Office | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
208.9K views
4:03Q&A: Conan Gives An Update On His Max Show | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
208.8K views
6:39Conan Demands To Monetize Sona & Gourley’s Conversations | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
208.6K views
8:08Conan Almost Risked His Career To Prank David Letterman | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
208.2K views
1:03:19Ken Burns (Full Episode) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
208.1K views
1:11:52Music Historian Peter Guralnick — Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien | Team Coco
Conan O'Brien
207.1K viewsChannels on this page: Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Pete Holmes
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.
