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 1,297 to 1,320 of 1,585.
0:07Wanda Sykes feels _____ about being Conan O'Brien's friend.
Conan O'Brien
70.1K views
5:28Rashida Jones Believes In Vibes | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
69.8K views
3:12This Fan Thinks Conan Could Be An Abercrombie & Fitch Model - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
69.5K views
10:54Conan Was Intimidated By David Oyelowo’s Gravitas | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
69.4K views
9:34Matt Damon & Ben Affleck Were Temporarily “Allergic” To Collaborating | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
69.1K views
5:16Ayo Edebiri Is Definitely Irish | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
69K views
6:21Conan Credits Adam Sandler’s Approach To Working At SNL | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
68.9K views
8:30Conan Meets A Miner Who Works 1.6 Miles Underground | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
68.5K views
6:53Conan Reacts To The Most Shocking "Grey's Anatomy" Storylines | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
68.4K views
9:00Conan Is Prepared To Get Teased In Morocco | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
68.3K views
7:27A Fan Listened To Conan’s Podcast During An MRI (feat. Flula Borg) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
68.2K views
6:41Conan Goes After Cap'n Crunch - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
68.2K views
0:07Tomorrow on Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend: Charlie Puth feels _____ about being Conan's friend.
Conan O'Brien
67.1K views
4:38Conan Remembers Meeting Jeff Beck | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
66.8K views
7:10Conan Met A Fan Backstage At The Beacon Theatre | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
66.7K views
3:27Conan Calls Out Woody Harrelson For His Houseboat Hustle | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
66.6K views
7:54Martin Short Was Nervous To Work With Meryl Streep | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
66.6K views
5:16James Burrows On The Origins Of The "Cheers" Theme Song | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friends
Conan O'Brien
66.6K views
9:09Zach Galifianakis On The Role Of Comedians In Politics | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
66.1K views
8:28Jim Henson Gave The Harvard Lampoon A Prop From “The Dark Crystal” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
66K views
11:33Adam Devine Got Hit By A Cement Truck As A Child | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
65.9K views
8:57Network Execs Told Arsenio Hall His Show Was “Too Black” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
65.8K views
11:38W. Kamau Bell Convinces Conan To Watch More Shows On YouTube | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
65.8K views
10:25A Fan Reads Conan’s Birth Chart | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
65.4K 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.
