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
896 views
43:17S55E13 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: William Shatner
826 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
603 views
43:21S55E11 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Will Arnett
595 views
1:07:40PODCAST: David Spade
205 views
1:03:19PODCAST: Harrison Ford
123 views
1:06:09PODCAST: Mike Birbiglia
59 viewsGuest appearances (1,585)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Conan O'Brien.
Guest appearances 1,057 to 1,080 of 1,585.
28:29Hazel und Nikki Glaser über Comedy Roasts, Conan O'Brien und die "Post-PC-Ära"
Hazel Brugger
118.4K views
0:21Conan O'Brien TBS Promo: "Missing You" (Cleaning Lady) | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
118.1K views
4:37Conan’s New Show Premieres This Week | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
118K views
8:21Malcolm Gladwell Goes After Conan’s Alma Mater | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
117.8K views
7:02Elizabeth Banks Is The Most Competitive Person Conan Has Ever Met | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
117.3K views
8:55The Incredible Story Of How Carol Burnett Was Able To Afford College | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
116.7K views
7:30Andy Daly & Matt Gourley Try To Figure Out How Long They’ve Been Pals | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
116.5K views
12:19Conan Wants To Record A Rap Song For "Toy Story 5" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
116.4K views
10:46Wyatt Russell Plays Young Kurt Russell In Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
116K views
10:14Al Franken’s Parents Got Cut From An SNL Sketch | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
115.9K views
11:08Conan Reveals Which President He'd Play In A Biopic | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
115.8K views
10:55Conan's Writer Matt O'Brien Interrupts The Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
115.8K views
12:32Gary Gulman & Conan Remember Their Most Notable Holiday Gifts | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
115.5K views
8:50Deon Cole Got In Trouble For Parking In Bruce Willis’ Parking Space | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
115.4K views
5:22Conan Gets Roasted By A Fan - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
114.9K views
27:31Conan Conducts A Staff Review With Oscars Writer Todd Levin | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
114.8K views
4:56Zach Braff Crashed Conan’s Christmas Party | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
114.5K views
8:30Q&A: Conan’s Red & Green Flags For Friendship | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
113.9K views
12:00How Tracee Ellis Ross Embarrassed Her Mother Diana Ross | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
113.8K views
7:04Conan Reacts To A Fan-Made Plaque Outside His Former Apartment | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
113.5K views
7:22Eric Idle Completely Forgot He’d Written “The Spamalot Diaries” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
112.9K views
4:38Eric Andre Wishes He Had A CableACE Award | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
112.9K views
10:33How Quinta Brunson’s Mom Inspired “Abbott Elementary” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
112.4K views
0:16This week on Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, Kyle MacLachlan feels _____ about being Conan's friend.
Conan O'Brien
112.3K viewsChannels on this page: Hazel Brugger, Conan O'Brien
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.
