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 913 to 936 of 1,584.
11:17Jake Tapper & Conan Convince Sona To Watch “Quincy M.E.” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
146K views
5:01Sir Patrick Stewart Was Told He Was "Born To Wear Wigs" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
145.9K views
22:30Conan O'Brien Must Go: New Zealand Roundtable | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
145.4K views
11:28W. Kamau Bell Has Beef With Sona | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
145.2K views
5:40Conan & Gourley Are Wearing Matching Jackets | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
144.7K views
7:59Rose Byrne on Her Intense Role in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Talks Working with Conan O'Brien
Seth Meyers
144.7K views
12:23Conan’s Fan Stole A TV To Watch His Show Every Night | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
144.5K views
9:11Why Johnny Knoxville Turned Down "SNL" Job For "Jackass" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
144.5K views
4:44Lars Ulrich & Conan On Their Friendship With Jack White | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
144.4K views
10:21Chris Robinson Wants Conan To Bring Back The Masturbating Bear | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
144.1K views
29:17Conan Conducts A Staff Review With Writer Skyler Higley | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
144K views
22:46Conan O'Brien Must Go: Spain Roundtable Discussion | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
143.9K views
4:32Conan Is Using Willpower To Avoid Vaccine Side Effects – "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
143.9K views
4:25Martin Short Roasted Conan For Wearing Shorts – "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
143.5K views
4:58Conan Was Spotted By DeuxMoi In NYC | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
143K views
8:35Conan Makes Fun Of His Audio Engineer’s Tiny Contact Lens Plunger | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
142.6K views
7:25Conan Just Got Back From Sundance Film Festival | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
142K views
9:44Ramy Youssef On The Beauty Of Muslim Prayer | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
141.8K views
5:17Conan Remembers The “Simpsons” Writing Tips James L. Brooks Gave Him | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
141.7K views
8:01Norah Jones Is A True Fan Of The Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
141.7K views
0:21Conan O'Brien TBS Promo: "Missing You" (Bedroom) | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
141.2K views
47:36Presidential Biographer Edmund Morris - Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien | Team Coco
Conan O'Brien
141.1K views
7:26A Fan Wants To Give Birth At Conan's Studio | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
140.5K views
3:02Julia Louis-Dreyfus Has A Picture Of Conan In Her Home | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
140.4K viewsChannels on this page: Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers
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.
