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 1,081 to 1,104 of 1,584.
8:31Conan Catches Bley In A "Nerd Sting Operation" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
111.3K views
5:02Sona Mocks Conan For Mispronouncing Common Words | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
111.2K views
6:00Natasha Lyonne & Rian Johnson Do Crosswords Together | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.8K views
9:21Norah Jones Wants To Get Dolly Parton On Conan’s Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.6K views
10:02Conan Thinks Self-Driving Cars Are Just Ghosts Commuting | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.5K views
5:39How to Get Your Voicemail On The Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.5K views
8:27Sona Is Shocked By Conan & Gourley's Last Wishes | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.5K views
5:15Conan Records His Podcast On Novocaine | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.2K views
7:25Lorne Michaels Wanted To Build SNL Around Albert Brooks | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.1K views
6:22Elizabeth Banks & Conan Used To Lie In Confession | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
110.1K views
10:06A Chicken Sandwich Brought Conan & His Fan Together | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
109.7K views
9:51The Black Crowes Got Heckled By Metallica Fans | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
109.7K views
0:11Conan O'Brien: TBS Promo - HD - Official | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
109.6K views
11:02Albert Brooks & Rob Reiner Have Been Friends For 60 Years | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
109.5K views
5:48Conan Reacts To Whirligig Fan Art - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
109.5K views
6:40Conan Offers To Officiate A Fan’s Wedding | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
109.4K views
6:30Conan Sings His Version Of Oasis' "Champagne Supernova" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
109.3K views
7:03President Joe Biden Has Never Been More Optimistic About America | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
109.1K views
5:15Conan Lives In Fear Of Sona Getting Hangry | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
109K views
4:15Conan Questions Lizzy Caplan About Her Finances | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
108.8K views
16:45Rashida Jones & Conan Discuss The Imperfections Of AI | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
108.7K views
8:35Martin Short & Gilda Radner "Broke Up Constantly" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
108.7K views
3:28Conan Wants To Be An Action Movie Star – "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
108.3K views
7:56Conan, Sona, & Gourley’s Sibling Rivalry | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
108K viewsChannels on this page: 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.
