Conan's cruel behavior towards Jay Leno is unforgivable, and his recent appearance with Stephen Colbert showed how truly unfunny he is. I will never watch his show.
8
Conan's monologues are the only ones that truly make me laugh out loud. His quick wit and self-deprecating humor set him apart from the others. His special in Mexico was as thought-provoking as is was hysterical.
13
Wow. Interminable, pretentious, passive aggressive,wink-wink idiocy between Tom Cruise and What's His Name, 2 slightly has-been mainstream hotshots. What's the point? Meaningless & mindless giggles. An escape from the daily news cycle horror show. How about turn it ALL off and read an actual book, go for a walk, listen to music, go to a museum. Be reminded of humanity, and then check the headlines again for the up tenth time.
5
Conan, regrettably has yet to realize that the joke is on himself.
He has placed himself in a position where his customers have about 50 fewer IQ points that he has.
Of course the Grey Lady is totally on Conan's side but this isolated voice in the wilderness observes that it is Conan who has chosen this role and this wilderness for himself.
3
So the wheel is turning and all that initial excitement that energized the emergence of anti-Trump comedy is starting to wear thin. Because Trump himself is starting to wear thin. There is comedy gold in pain, sharp excruciating pain, but not in weariness and exhaustion and melancholy. So your reviewer, with his finger in the wind (better than sticking it elsewhere) and simultaneously on the pulse (really, how does he do that?) concludes that outsider comedy, cringe comedy, self-regarding comedy that strains every nerve lunging for the joke because straining for the joke is the joke— the sum of these things is the next great comedy frontier.
OK, Conan is the last great, and the next great comedy frontier. I caught a couple hours of him back in the 1990s when I used to have a TV and he was messing around with a hand puppet of a cigar-chomping pit bull. The gag was that the hand puppet of the dog was rude to everybody. Mostly it was unfunny, occasionally it was cringe-worthy, and every once in a while it would rise to the level where you were hoping someone would sue Conan and take away his expensive condo and then he would be homeless, sleeping on a New York City heating grate and that would be even more hilarious.
Anyway, nothing here persuades me to invest again in television. If I want that again in my life I'll peer down into the sewer grating and watch what floats by.
4
I have always thought that Conan was far funnier than either Leno or Letterman. Conan is just far more intelligent comedy. He's different, he's imaginative and he's cerebral. I don't think he cares one bit what anyone thinks of him and that's a big part of what makes him great.
27
When Conan replaced Leno, the trendy journalist consensus was that he would be a ratings juggernaut, far exceeding the bland Leno. He failed utterly, got tens of millions for leaving with no criticism from the media who pillory failed CEOs getting golden parachutes, then blamed the network and Leno for his own failure.
Years later, he is still failing to attract a significant audience and has been left in the dust by an army of competitors--Leno again, Letterman, Kimmel, Stewart, Colbert, Oliver, Fallon, Noah, Fallon, Bee, Corden--and yet here we have this fawning appraisal. Once an elitist media favorite, always an elitist media favorite.
4
Wonderful piece about the funniest guy on late night TV. In adddition to the links in the article, check out his other location pieces. I've watched his Civil War reenactment a dozen times, and guffawed every time. Same for his Mary Kay Cosemtics interview. And he does it without making fun of the subjects or going for cheap laughs. And his Israeli special was amazing. Conan rocks!
21
I have been a fan of Conan since his years hosting "Late Night". As someone who works in politics, these days I appreciate his approach to political humor. It'd be a sin to not make some Trump jokes given how ridiculous he is, but that is not Conan's entire focus. I've always thought people getting "news" from comedy shows was a dangerous trend, so I'm happy he isn't trying to mimic that. He works hard on his comedy and genuinely appreciates comedy legends. It's also great how often his show gives time for stand-up comedians when it feels like the other talk shows rarely do that anymore. Watching Conan is the best way to end my day because after his show I am happy I got to laugh so much.
18
His interviewing skills weren't mentioned. It's been said that Johnny Carson's secret to longevity was his ability to interview anyone and make it funny and/or interesting. Conan has a slightly weirder twist as befits his style but he's always a perfect host and catches topics that veer off but also is capable of going with it.
Having Andy Richter as a foil and fellow comedian adds a lot, too. The show is a nice mix of familiar and skewed.
21
At this point Conan understands the job of late-night television host better than anyone; he's the true heir to Carson, even more so than Letterman I think. It's not that he's apolitical nor anti-intellectual, or afraid to express his opinions or reveal the depth of his knowledge when it is warranted; it's that he knows what his job is, which is to make people laugh and use his time on the air to connect with people in creative ways. He doesn't dumb himself down or censor himself out of fear of alienating his target demographic, but at the same time he doesn't try to prove how smart or talented or "woke" he is, and is remarkably free of the indulgence, smarminess and undercurrent of hostility so prevalent in his competitors.
He's not perfect; he dwelt way too long on his conflict with NBC, there have been periods when his shtick felt stale and rote, and one senses that he's a bit of an authoritarian (like Letterman and others). But at this moment I agree with the article that he's the best host out there. Colbert seemed more comfortable playing a character than he does in his own skin, and his monologues are starting to sound like sermons. Fallon should be doing a game show or a variety show; conversation and stand-up comedy aren't his strong suits. Kimmel would be better in a more anarchic format like Howard Stern's or Graham Norton's.
If I want news I'll read this paper; if I want opinions about it I'll look at my Facebook feed; if I want comedy I'll turn to Conan.
26
I couldn't agree more about Conan's Israel/Palestine episode! Conan's travel episodes are some of the best things on tv. (I think they're called "Conan Without Borders" but I could be wrong on that.) They are insightful into human nature in a way that the other late night shows are not. They lovingly poke fun at everyone and everything in a way that is both funny and endearing and no one is better at this than Conan. He never comes across as mean-spirited or as an ugly American and his humor transcends the cultural and language differences in surprisingly touching ways.
I must confess that I was one of those people that thought Conan's "moment" was over when he went over to TBS, but I was wrong. He is just what this country (and the world) need now.
24
Conan is brilliant at what he does, and he has been consistently for decades. Jack Benny is an apt comparison - Conan's best jokes are at his own expense. He laughs with people and at himself, and there is a kindness and dignity to that.
27
I work on Conan's show about two dozen days a year, sitting in for a crew member who occasionally takes other work, and it's really a pretty terrific place to work.
As always in ongoing and especially daily shows, the tenor of the job is highly dependent on the the person at the top, and Conan is not so different off camera than he is on - calm, funny, self-deprecating, perceptive.
As a result, the daily show (unlike MANY 'daily' and syndicated shows) runs smoothly and professionally, with a distinct lack of the endless drama and tantrums that infect so many shows where the person at the top is not at all what they seem on TV in terms of temperament. I could tell you stories...
You go, Conan, keep making 'em laugh and maybe think a little. I'm happy to be called and work the show any time.
56
It would help if O'Brien were intrinsically funny. He isn't. Letterman is funny, a quick wit and inherent sense of humor. None of the latest late-night 'comics' have any of that. And they dress like it's 1950. B-o-r-i-n-g! But, I have to give Conan this much--he is tall.
3
As a longtime Letterman fan (I was in college when his daytime show aired, and watched it whenever I could wake up that early) I don't understand how you can't find his location pieces hillarious. Give them a try and see if you don't agree with the rest of us!
3
Started seeing the beginning of his show after watching Samantha Bee. Really unique, especially his travel episodes. His trip to Israel and West bank was one of the most informative shows-all on late night!
8
I have to admit I've never found Conan funny, and the embedded videos here don't change my mind.
Uncomfortable is not funny. So many comedians seem to think that a laugh is a laugh, no matter how it's achieved. Making people uncomfortable, or embarassed, isn't the same as creating situations in which people show the humor in their humanity.
And to compare him to Carson, who drew comedy out of his guests with wit and sophistication is an insult.
6
For me, the best thing about "conan," is that it airs in CA at a decent hour, so I can watch it in real tie. If I want to see Colbert's monologue, I have to DVR it, and watch it the next day.
2
Jason Zinoman seems like yet another of Conan O'Brien's now 30-something or early 40-something fans, who have been trying hard to convince everyone of O'Brien's greatness for the past 25 years. A dozen years ago, these fans were screaming for O'Brien to be given the reins of The Tonight Show. Eventually, NBC pushed Leno out, notwithstanding his continued popularity. Little more than a year later, O'Brien has flamed out and NBC brought back Leno for another four years. O'Brien was given a huge platform and just didn't widen his appeal past his hardcore fans, of which, Mr. Zinoman may be one.
There is a place for O'Brien in the entertainment universe. He has a group of die hard followers who enjoy his comedy, but O'Brien hopefully enjoys his current level of success, because he will never be more popular with a wider audience than he current possesses.
5
Boy. Reading these comments you would think that Times readers are a bunch of humorless snobs.
15
It's called taste.
4
And how exactly is that, elitist snob?
1
Actually it's called humorless snobbery.
4
Paradox: the article characterizes Conan as the most riveting and overlooked of the late night hosts and yet the New York Times rarely includes him in its regular Best of Late Night column. Makes one wonder about that column' s criteria for inclusion.
10
Sorry - 2 of the things I just don't get: the French admiration for the late Jerry Lewis and any American finding Conan's show worth the time.
9
In televisions short history, the grind of a daily show is the medium's most brutal. There is not a host past or present who has not walked the line between the diversion of content provision and having a distinctive boat-raising voice. Few careers illustrate this schism more clearly than Conan. He has always had one foot in the Steve Allen / Johnny Carson template of traditional monologue, desk piece, chat and live performance and yet there has been enough form breaking anarchy to define him as extraordinary. As exemplified in his documentary "Can't Stop", he (like us all) battles inner demons of ambition vs. the need to be loved and to leave one's mark upon the form as an artist. Unfortunately, Conan does this nightly and in public which is quite clearly no way to live. Luckily, for we the consumers of his Sisyphean dirge, he continues to reach beyond his grasp and his travelogues seem to offer the hope for a new (and healthier) career arc? For we who admire him can only hope for a break from the grind of the form which seems nightly to devour him in front of our insatiable eyes.
2
He sure seems to be trying his best to get everyone forget about his hair tousling interview with Donald Trump.
I just wonder if this comment is positive and civil enough to get past the moderators?
1
It was Jimmy Fallon who tousled Trump's hair. I realize Paris is far away, but don't they have Le Google there too?
6
... except that you're actually referring to Jimmy Fallon, as the NYT pointed out in an article not long ago.
3
I believe you are confusing him with Jimmy Fallon.
2
To me, he has never been funny or entertaining. I did not watch him on NBC and I do not watch him now.
5
Well, thanks for clicking on a article about Conan, just to tell the world you do not like him. The world is safer for knowing that.
10
So only Conan lovers are allowed to read this article? I read this article with an open mind, hoping it would enlighten me and give me a reason to like, or even watch O'Brien, but sadly it did not. The readers of this article have a right to know that not everyone adores this unfunny "entertainer."
1
You know he is not funny because you never watch him? How persuasive.
4
All the people on the laugh track are laughing, so it must be funny. I like anything with a laugh track. John Oliver works in an empty studio, but he has a great laugh track too. Conan uses the same laugh track Lucy did when we loved her.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that nobody is 100% funny 100% of the time, citing a few sketches as proof that Conan is unfunny isn’t fair.
Everyone can have one or many off nights.
Conan is solidly one of the smartest and inventive comics but his strongest asset is his natural timing.
One of the best for sure!
7
Conan in "the funniest bit on late night this year"? Don't be ridiculous. Try Colbert's commentary on Scaramucci, for an obvious counterexample: youtube.com/watch?v=V_9oad2PpPM
3
you want funny?
Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbpc-NJHcZ8
That was probably the best acting job Tom Cruise has ever done. For awhile, I wondered if he really was "trapped" in there, just trying to promote his movie. Very strange, but very funny.
6
It's great to see Cronkite get some love. he's still the most trusted man in America, despite being dead - maybe because he's dead. Conan should wear glasses. I can't see why he doesn't wear glasses. He would have gotten the tonight show if he had simply put on a pair of glasses, preferably black horned rim types a la The Most Trusted Man in America.
1
You have to be in the mood for Conan. He is not mainstream and this is why he ended up on TBS. He still has some really funny bits, but I cannot always stomach him. He did some hilarious stuff when he used to be on really late with Richter.
1
Zinoman needs to adjust his laugh meter, his threshold for funny. Almost every comedian he writes about, especially the abjectly mediocre ones on Netflix, are subpar, rarely arousing a cracked smile. He has a lousy beat in comedy -- he has to champion the truly middling because there are so many not-very-good "talents" on the scene, making for slim pickings. Conan is OK, if often cloying and cutesy. I'd like to see an On Comedy about how hard comedy is and ergo how few worthy comics there are. Don't tell me there's an embarrassment of riches out there. Mediocrity reigns.
5
Delightful. And a nice break from Trump jokes. Thanks for sharing those wonderful clips.
2
Conan will always be my late nite host of choice. Grew up catching Comedy Central's repeat of the show from the nite before. So my sense of humor is definitely indebted in large part to him (along with the Animaniacs). He's certainly at his best when improvising, and his travel episodes are perfect for this. The late nite market is pretty saturated at this point and he is the longest running host still on the air, regardless of what air that might be. I wouldn't be upset if he retired the talk show and went for more of an Anthony Bourdain type of show, though less pretentious, I really don't have time to watch daily talk shows anymore anyway and I think that's the case for a lot of people which is why trying to get those viral YouTube clips is by far more important in this day and age.
6
And so why don’t I see Conan showing up on the NYT’s “best of late-night” features more often? Put him out there if you think we’ll like him!
19
I can only say" "Jay Leno he ain't". "Johnny Carson he ain't." And so on. And so on. But he will do for now during the wait for the next real "genius" of Late Night.....
5
Conan caters to those of us who appreciate humor that requires intellect and insight into the subtleties of our society. That explains why he is so under appreciated. In a world where someone like Trump can be elected President, it is clear to me that far too many Americans lack both.
15
Yeah, but can you get them to stop pinching his nipples? It makes me squirm every time! Enough already!
3
Thank you for bringing that up. I have always had the same reaction.
1
It's always political.
Great to see this acknowledgement of Conan's comedy. At his best, no one can touch him.
3
"Could you send everyone a letter telling them who (Jack Benny) is?"
The last late night host to show the true influence of Jack Benny was David Letterman. Looking more deeply into his - and more so, Johnny Carson's - moves, tics and demeanor during their monologues is a great place to begin learning about the man from Waukegan.
1
I have never seen Conan do anything funny. I can only assume that his target audience is drunk teenagers.
6
Haven't seen him in a long time not because he does not have talent but because of his inane, time consuming infantile body gyrations.
I know that's cutting edge but I don't think so, rather watch a 10 yr old do it.
10
Conan took a trip to Finland after learning that he shares a physical resemblance with its (female) president, who had just won reelection with a "stunning 3% landslide." "Conan Goes to Finland" from 2014 is a great exercise in his style of self-deprecating deadpan humor. He is both quick-witted and gentle in his interactions, never insulting or humiliating the people he meets for cheap laughs. I find late-night talk shows tiresome. Conan should do more videos like these.
2
While you're Googling these clips, look for Conan's visit to an Irish-American center in Chicago. He manages to skewer all the Irish tropes and be respectful to his host at the same time.
3
Thanks for reminding me. I love Colbert for his light touch. He improved when he stopped screaming at the screen, something Conan never did. I hope the other Late Show alumi catch on.
2
The video piece was about as funny as watching paint dry.
4
"A Tradition Of Heritage"
(oblique conan simpsons reference)
2
The only late night show worth watching. Fallon? Obsequious. Colbert? Shrill. Cordon? Needy. Kimmel? Well, at least he tries...
1
The boy plucked from the writers room to host is the last true giant (both real and figurative) of late night standing out for his eternal wit and basic kindness.
There is genuine comfort in any given Conan show. We're living in an absurd, unimaginable future... and this orange haired god somehow doesn't age or mix up a single thing. Behold his Twinkie like immortality. (How is he still so fresh!?)
6
Conan was always the best! Leno was predictable and slick. Fallon is never funny and he's always laughing at stuff that's not funny. Can't stand him. I like Kimmel and the others but Conan reigns supreme. Wish him more viewers!!!
10
All these comedians keeping the Politics real, thank you Conan, but I have to rely on u tubes because the shows air too late for me.
1
The problem is he makes me laugh so hard on the most rudimentary things! He is so engaging and interactive with the audience and flows in the moment, unscripted. Even when I am not laughing, I am exploding from inside! I have an allergy to this childish guy as much to Mr. Bean!
5
Um, could he be "overlooked" simply because he's neither clever nor funny? Methinks so.
4
Not LOL funny but still more amusing and clever than the others.
I miss Letterman.
When I want to see something in that time slot I crank up an old Letterman on You Tube and I am invariably amused.
2
He’s on another level. It’s completely wonderful and weird
6
Conan got completely shafted by Leno TWICE. First Leno hijacked the entire 10pm NBC timeslot, 5 days a week, so that the Conan's tonight show had to follow another talk show, every night. Then Leno returned to the Tonight show after only 6 months because of Conan's rating falloff. When Leno initially took over for Carson, Leno's ratings were also low, but the Network gave him time to tune the show and improve. Leno made sure Conan never got the chance he'd been given.
7
That's a neat trick being riveting AND overlooked. The real trick is getting people to watch. Then again, who wouldn't want to watch a guy who starts
his show by rubbing his own nipples? Riveting.
2
Leave it to the Times to enjoy a comedy show for its willingness to post pro-Palestinian propaganda online. What would any Times article be without blaming Israel for something.
1
Conan is still the best! Spontaneously funny, incredibly self aware and he has no need for gimmicks/games. 'Conan scraps' shows just how funny he is unscripted
2
Kudos to Conan for posting online the 24-minute piece with the Palestinians.
What the Palestinians fail to take into account is that the Israelis built that wall and imposed security measures because they'd been attacked repeatedly. They are defending themselves. The attack whereby a vehicle mounts a pedestrian walkway and kills innocent people has been a fixture of Palestinian terrorism for years.
That said, we, the USA, should not be giving tons of money to Israel. According to Forbes Israel has billionaires and many millionaires. If Israel needs money get it from them, not US.
As far as the overall situation goes maybe Palestine needs to be viewed as that region's version of Quebec. A different culture with autonomy within a greater place.
4
These sampled videos from Conan are terrible.
3
I clocked out after a few minutes. Awkward is awkward. The many comments (10) for the last 8 hours seems to confirm the lack of interest in Mr. O'Brien's comedy.
3
Who? Boring...the most unfunny person on TV.
1
Conan O’Brien is my comedy hero.
He’s classy, quirky, and so funny.
Visiting your assistant’s family at their home? TAKING your assistant to Armenia to visit her relatives and tour the country? Pretend-inviting himself to Gal Gadot’s apt in Israel and not being invited inside? And going to a windy cliff in Ireland? C’mon!
Love you, Mr. O’Brien. You have my full attention.
38
Jason, I watched the Tom Cruise video on your recommendation. I want my 11 minutes back.
Conan seems to suffer from SNL disease. A funny 3 minute sketch is three times too long until you find yourself yelling at the screen for these guys to edit and stop being so self-indulgent.
10
Actually, most of his bits don't go anywhere near that long. But when you've got Tom Cruise willing to play along you get as much out of it as you can.
2
I have liked Conan since his very first show which if you didn't see set the tone for his brand of comedy. It showed him coming out of his apartment and a neighbor saying " you won't be funnier than Letterman" and as he made his way to the studio this same thing was repeated by random strangers all the way to the studio where crew said the same. By far the funniest late night guy. I hope he stays around.
17
Except for his sidekck, who I still think is a boor, O’Brien is brilliant!
5
2 words: Jordan Schlansky
13
Ha! For a show that has been known to go to the same well over and over ad nauseum when a bit works, I'm impressed that they keep Jordan's appearances to a minimum. Granted, since he's almost always the butt of the jokes it could wear thin fast, but having him pop up once every few months for abuse is perfect.
1
ONE comment NYTers? One? Ok I'll start.
Conan forever. And I still miss Colbert.
6
Sorry, he just irritates me. He is so full of himself, he really doesn't need an audience.
3
If the "Tom Cruise in the car" scene was the funniest bit you've seen all year on late night TV, I'd hate to see the rest. Obviously this was all scripted, and the script was abysmal.
17
Thanks for posting this. Thought I lost my sense of humor since the election but this helps bring it back. Tom Cruise was great, loved him in the Jason Bourne series.
25
Conan is almost funny, which is more than I can say about most of the others.
5
Conan has been my #1 late night haven for nearly 20 years...I'm grateful The Tonight Show was a brief inerlude because Conan & co. never would have had the freedom at NBC which TBS provides. Bravo!!
46
Not mentioned in this article, which focuses only on the comedy bits, is Conan's great rapport with his guests -- he is easily the best interviewer in late night TV: funny, curious, interested, knowledgeable, friendly, and deeply attentive to what his guests say. No one really even comes close.
43
See my comment about he and Norm MacDonald...I could watch the two of them play off each other it all night long!
1
Another example of the "new" comedy. Supposedly spontaneous, awkward, and leaving you anticipating something actually funny happening or said. Except it doesn't.
Hope this movement evolves quickly into something humorous.
18
Thanks so much for this appreciation, Jason. Conan is the last remaining late night host on television, after The Daily Show and its alums broke the format all those years ago, and turned it from a place you came together to laugh into somewhere you went to cheer and jeer in the company of your tribe.
22
Conan is smart and his show is distinctive and good. Keep coming at us, please, Conan.
45
might be refreshing to see him once a week ... maybe Friday nights? MIght draw a bigger audience.
4
I thoroughly enjoyed the driving bit with Cruise. As the article mentioned, it did have the feeling of an early Albert Brooks bit - offbeat, awkward but really funny. I've always like Conan and for anyone who has read Bill Carter's excellent book about the Tonight Show fiasco with O'Brien, you can't help but feel a bit sorry for Coco.
15
So true! Conan is the smartest, wittiest, has the best conversations with his guests. Fully agree about the timeless quality. He's the best.
69
Letterman, Carson, Colbert, Stewart, Silverman, Ferguson, Oliver, Fey, Carlin Williams, even Maher sometimes, these are some of the people who make me spontaneously laugh out loud. Leno, O'Biren - I sit in stony silence wondering what the audience finds so amusing.
31
No wonder; I can’t imagine anyone named “O’Biren” has the chops to make anyone guffaw.
But Conan O’Brien? Brilliant. As much for what he doesn’t say as for what he does. But I also wouldn’t be a wet blanket on a topic meant to celebrate originality.
Being no fun at parties is hardly original.
2
True, that O'Biren guy is nowhere near as funny as Conan.
2
Craig Ferguson-- now there is a funny, thoughtful host whose opportunity was squandered by a clueless network
5
I am glad Conan is making fun of Carpool Karaoke because anyone singing for no reason while performing another activity is way too romanticist and bizarre in my book. Corden's karaoke jams are contrived and cloying but it's true I'm a realist, even a cynic.
15
This comment gives cynics and realists like me a bad name.
I'd just say just boring...
2