The longest-tenured host in late night officially ended his nightly TBS show Conan Thursday after a 28-year run. During his final opening monologue, O’Brien was quick to admit that it was hard to grasp that the end of the show had arrived.
“It’s hard to believe, it’s hard to say, it’s our final show on TBS,” he told the live audience at Los Angeles club Largo. He went on to reflect on how he’s done over “4,000 hours of television.” “Every night, I always said, ‘Tonight we have a really great show’ and I have to tell you I was often lying. But tonight we really do have a great show! And if we don’t, what are you going to do about it? I’ll be long gone,” he quipped.
Before he took the stage, the final episode of Conan kicked off with a sketch of The Simpsons with an animated O’Brien giving an exit interview to Homer Simpson. During their sit-down, O’Brien asks Homer what his favorite moment from the show was, to which Homer pinpointed a moment that an actor gave a “mildly interesting anecdote” from the set of a movie that made Andy Richter fall asleep. “Homer, you pretty much described all the shows I’ve ever done,” O’Brien said. Later on, O’Brien told Homer he wanted to show him something he’s “never shown anyone before,” only to unveil he’s bald.
While onstage, O’Brien thanked The Simpsons team — O’Brien was a writer for the long-running Fox series — for their “amazing cold opening.” “I started working with them 31 years ago. After all these years, to be in a recording session with Al Jean, James L. Brooks and Matt Groening… That gave me goosebumps
During his final week of shows at TBS, O’Brien has welcomed guests Seth Rogen — the pair smoked a joint onstage — Bill Hader and Paul Rudd, who continued to carry out a long-running Mac and Me gag. Thursday’s finale episode was no exception as O’Brien was joined by Jack Black and Will Ferrell, who joined via Zoom.
“I’m shooting a secret project. I wish I could talk about it but you know how those things go,” Ferrell explained to O’Brien as to why he couldn’t attend the final show in person, only to reveal, “It’s Batman.” Ferrell later told O’Brien that he wishes him the best as he ends “an incredible run.” “I’m truly excited to see what comes next,” Ferrell said. He also acknowledged how it was a full-circle moment he was joining him on the series finale episode given he made appearances on O’Brien’s final Late Night show and Tonight Show taping. He eventually poked fun at O’Brien, telling him it’s “exhausting” to always have to deliver a farewell speech. “I love you Conan but if you don’t mind, can I just pre-tape a few goodbyes and you can just use them when your next several shows flame out? We can just get it out of the way.” Ferrell proceeded to recite goodbye monologues the late-night host could use in the future, even one for O’Brien’s upcoming HBO Max show.
Black later joined the farewell celebrations and recalled making his first-ever talk show appearance with O’Brien. “I was scared as hell. I was petrified. I had never been in front of a late-night audience before. You were so smart, and funny and kind. It was the best way to enter the late-night television world and I will always feel a special connection with you and worship you,” Black told O’Brien. He also described Richter as “the most amazing incredible sidekick of all time.”
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter