Conan O'Brien on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"
Recently, Esquire listed the 50 Reasons It's Good To Be An American Man – "the first 18 minutes of 'Conan O'Brien'" rated #7 (just behind the Wonderbra). Since its debut in 1993, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has attracted fans with its innovative comedy, including the sketches "In the Year 2000" and "If They Mated," as well as "Clutch Cargo" or "The Lips," wherein photos of scores of politicians and celebrities have appeared with someone else's lips and voice doing the talking. Over the years, many other recurring comedy bits and characters including "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog," "Pimpbot 5000" and "The Masturbating Bear" have gained loyal fans.
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" was recently honored with an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series, while scoring a personal best five Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Variety Series (the show's been nominated consistently in that category since 2003 and for the last ten years). Prior to their recent win, O'Brien and the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" writing team have consistently been nominated for an Emmy for Best Writing. He and the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" writing staff have won six Writer's Guild Awards for Best Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series, including two consecutive wins in 2002 and 2003.
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" also offers viewers an eclectic and entertaining mix of provocative guests. Like other talk shows, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" books A-List guests chatting up their latest blockbuster movies or hit television shows. The difference rests with O'Brien's improvisational style. Dubbed "TV's freshest talk show host" by Entertainment Weekly, O'Brien has been called "an able and quick-witted interviewer" by The New York Times.
In addition, in the crowded talk show universe, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" offers viewers a different take on guests they won't find elsewhere, such as Jim Carrey performing an extended comedy bit with physicist Stephen Hawking on cellphone, Martha Stewart enjoying some malt liquor and a bean burrito, or Will Ferrell doing a complete segment as Robert Goulet.
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has seen phenomenal success on the road – with trips to Los Angeles, Toronto and Chicago. What's more, "Late Night" is willing to bend its format to present an entire episode in clay animation, an all-children audience, or Conan's much talked about episode chronicling his trip to Finland to meet the country's president and his look-alike, Tarja Halonen.
From the beginning, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has been the premiere venue for music. The show has welcomed one of the most diverse and cutting-edge assortments of musical performers on network television. Visitors to the program include acts ranging from living legends and current hitmakers to underground sensations. In addition to the countless network television debuts (Radiohead, Green Day, Sheryl Crow, Coldplay), the show has been innovative in its presentation of bands – from full-week bookings of Neil Young and The White Stripes, to turning over an entire episode to U2…complete with band-themed comedy pieces (The Edge performing "In the Year 2000").
Lorne Michaels, the creator and producer of "Saturday Night Live," and Jeff Ross are the executive producers of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Allan Kartun directs, and the show's writing staff is led by head writer Mike Sweeney.