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 1,465 to 1,488 of 1,584.
7:52Conan Used To Make Up Characters On The Basketball Court | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
38.1K views
8:21Conan & Matt Gourley Have Beef With Beets | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
37.7K views
5:12Sona Thinks Conan Should Read "Fifty Shades Of Grey" (Ft. Ken Burns) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
37.7K views
8:07Greg Daniels & Conan Were Extremely Frugal Roommates | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
37.5K views
6:03How W. Kamau Bell Met Denzel Washington | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
37.4K views
0:41Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien - Exclusive Preview | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
37.4K views
6:31Niecy Nash-Betts Got In Trouble For Being Funny | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
37.2K views
3:04Conan Helps A Young Comic Overcome Stage Fright - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
37.1K views
4:23JB Smoove Helps Conan Slow Down - "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend"
Conan O'Brien
36.7K views
5:43Kevin Nealon “Cockblocked” Conan From Talking To Paul McCartney | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
36.7K views
6:28Conan Pitches His Idea For A Tattoo Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan
Conan O'Brien
36.2K views
0:31Conan O'Brien TBS Promo: "Missing You" Montage (Bathtub/Hillbilly/Bedroom) | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
36K views
10:29David Oyelowo Learned About American History Through His Films | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
36K views
11:36How Conan Would Prank Relic Hunters In Colonial Williamsburg | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
36K views
5:07Conan Cried When The Red Sox Won The 2004 World Series | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
35.8K views
25:26Conan Offers To Sponsor D'Arcy Carden's Pinball Career | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
35.5K views
10:27Conan Wants His Fan To Paint His Logo On Her Boat | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
35.2K views
10:12Ezra Koenig’s Demo Turned Into A Beyoncé Song | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
35.1K views
9:17David Oyelowo’s Acting Heroes | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
34.7K views
8:10Adam Devine Humiliated Himself When He Met Danny McBride | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
34.6K views
7:41Denis Leary Loves Sona & Gourley’s Mutual Disdain For Conan | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
34.5K views
8:58Uzo Aduba Could’ve Been An Olympic Figure Skater | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
34.4K views
9:23Conan Wants Plaques Honoring Him Across The Country | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
34.3K views
8:35Sharon Horgan & Conan Used To Make Up Misdeeds During Confession | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
34K 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.
