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 1,489 to 1,512 of 1,584.
8:03A Fan Pitches Conan, Sona, & Gourley Themed Amusement Park Rides | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
33.9K views
6:24“L.A. Law” Inspired David Oyelowo To Apply To Law School | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
33.4K views
10:15Conan Begs Bob Odenkirk For A Role In “Nobody 3” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
33.2K views
8:52Conan Gets Clown-Shamed | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
33.1K views
1:34Conan O'Brien Rethinks Google+ Strategy | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
33K views
8:54Conan Learns The Crash Mechanics Of A Bobsleigh | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
33K views
8:04Arsenio Hall Compares His Friendship With Jay Leno To Cain & Abel | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
33K views
10:18Paul Scheer Bombed In Front Of Jay Leno | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.9K views
7:00Mick Jagger: America Wasn't Ready For The Rolling Stones In The '60s | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.8K views
3:09Mick Jagger's "Competitive" Friendship With David Bowie & John Lennon | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.8K views
5:29Quinta Brunson Was A High School “DVD Hustler” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.7K views
5:09Arsenio Hall: Paramount Originally Turned Down "Coming To America" | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.7K views
10:59David Byrne Discusses His New Broadway Musical “Here Lies Love” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.4K views
10:19Uzo Aduba Learned To Embrace Her Teeth Gap | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
32.2K views
5:21Director Rodman Flender Reflects On "Conan O'Brien Can’t Stop" | Inside Conan
Conan O'Brien
32K views
9:20Susie Essman On Breaking Into Comedy As A Women In The ‘80s | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
31.4K views
8:20Why Charlie Sheen Turned Down “The Karate Kid” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
31.3K views
6:01Elizabeth Banks Shares How "Wet Hot American Summer" Changed Her Life | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
30.9K views
9:43Janelle James Almost Didn’t Audition For “Abbott Elementary” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
30.8K views
9:24Conan Loves Reading Obituaries (Feat. Ezra Koenig) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
30.5K views
12:59Roy Wood Jr. Used His Financial Aid Check To Start His Comedy Career | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
30.4K views
5:15Conan’s Fan Chose “Late Night” Over Mass | Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan
Conan O'Brien
30.4K views
1:21Conan O'Brien's Message To Google+ Users | CONAN on TBS
Conan O'Brien
30.4K views
3:39A Spirits Educator Helps Conan Find A More Masculine Cocktail l "Conan O'Brien Needs A Fan"
Conan O'Brien
30.1K 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.
