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 1,345 to 1,368 of 1,584.
11:28Conan Conducts A Staff Review With Producer Sean Doherty | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
60.5K views
5:40Conan Learns About Autopsies | Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan
Conan O'Brien
60K views
4:30JB Smoove Steals The Sweater Off Matt Gourley's Back | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
59.5K views
6:25Cedric the Entertainer Remembers “The Kings of Comedy” Tour | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
59.4K views
0:08Judd Apatow feels _____ about being Conan O'Brien's friend.
Conan O'Brien
59.4K views
5:11Conan Wants A New Species Of Quoll Named After Him - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
59.3K views
9:47Sharon Horgan & Conan Compare Their Writing Process | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
59K views
8:55How Uzo Aduba Went From Quitting Acting To Winning An Emmy | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
58.9K views
10:06John Cena Was Almost Fired From WWE | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
58.8K views
8:05Conan Meets A Retired Police Dog | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
58.6K views
5:59Jane Fonda’s Activism Was Inspired By Her Dad’s Movies | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
58.3K views
10:35Conan Gets An Anatomy Lesson | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
58.2K views
8:24Why Lisa Kudrow Started Smoking At Harvard Summer School | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
57.7K views
10:39Mike Birbiglia Names Himself As Conan’s Successor | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
57.5K views
5:34Jodie Foster: "Silence Of The Lambs" Crew Had Hawaiian Shirt Fridays | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
57.4K views
22:03Conan & Kevin Nealon’s Tag-Team Wrestling Personas | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
57.3K views
6:36Billy Eichner Wants Conan To Buy A $20 Million Ticket To See "Bros" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
57.2K views
7:40Reggie Watts Was Inspired By Ferris Bueller | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
56.7K views
8:52Conan Roasts Will Arnett For Reading A Long Quote | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
56.4K views
6:37How Carol Burnett Made Her Variety Show A Reality | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
56.1K views
8:26Conan’s Staff Swoons Over Timothy Olyphant | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
56K views
5:37Malcolm Gladwell: Will & Grace Broke Every Rule | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
55.8K views
8:44Conan & The Gang Are True Crime Obsessed | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
55.7K views
17:25Conan, Sona, & Matt Have A Wine Tasting | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
55.6K 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.
