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 793 to 816 of 1,584.
0:12Conan O'Brien: TBS Promo - HD - Official | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
174K views
9:17Sarah Silverman’s Mom Was A “Know-It-All” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
174K views
26:56Conan O'Brien Must Go: Season 3 Roundtable Discussion Part I | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
173.6K views
8:57Liam Neeson Worked At A Guinness Bottling Plant | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
172.9K views
8:39“Psycho Killer” Was The Second Song David Byrne Ever Wrote | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
172.7K views
0:20This week on "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend" Ice Cube feels _____ about being Conan's friend.
Conan O'Brien
171.7K views
1:09:12Greta Lee (Full Episode) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
171.2K views
6:22Conan Showcases His Vocal Sound Effects - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
171.2K views
8:56Conan Gives A Fan Breakup Advice - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
171.1K views
6:35Matt Gourley’s New Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
171.1K views
6:48Jordan Peele Is Sick Of Watching Himself | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
170.8K views
11:29Jason Bateman Compares Michael Landon To George Clooney | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
170.5K views
9:09Lizzy Caplan & Conan Rave About Jesse Eisenberg | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
170.3K views
2:52Conan O'Brien Won't Let His Parents Near His Show
Pete Holmes
169.9K views
7:43Conan Answers Audience Questions About The Muppets | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
169.9K views
20:54Conan Unboxes "Toy Story 5" Merch | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
169.6K views
21:24Conan Learns About The Art Of Body Modification | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
169.6K views
5:23Sona Got Stopped By Fans At The Library | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
169.4K views
8:55Conan Reacts To His "Toy Story 5" Smarty Pants Toy | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
169.4K views
14:14Natasha Lyonne & Conan Get Existential | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
169.1K views
10:59Conan Wants Angelenos To Start Dressing Like Adults | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
168.7K views
7:34Kelly Clarkson Thought She Had Cancer While Performing At The Grammys | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
168K views
8:24Conan Thinks The Richard Gere Gerbil Story Is “Completely Untrue” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
167.9K views
7:40Zach Woods Thinks Conan Has Softened | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
167.6K viewsChannels on this page: Conan O'Brien, 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.
