Among American talk show hosts, Conan O'Brien has a pivotal position. He had previously hosted The Conan Show for many years, which usually began with a monologue by Conan joking the news, followed by interviews with guests from showbiz, music and politics, and ended with a musical or comedy performance. Casey Bloys, HBO Max's chief content officer, commented that Conan was "energetic, resonant with his words and actions, and even had absurdist comedic effect." On April 18, Conan once again appeared in front of the public with his new travel show, Conan O'Brien Must Go. In four episodes, Conan meets fans in Norway, Ireland, Thailand, and Argentina for a whole new experience. "For fans of entertainment shows, Conan is still their 'favorite'. The Guardian writes.
A travel show unlike anything you've ever had
"My mission is to keep you ignorant of this country. In the latest episode of the talk show Hot Ones, Conan advertises his latest travel show, "At the end of each episode, hopefully your knowledge of the country hasn't increased at all." The Hollywood Reporter described "Conan O'Brien Must Go" as a "show where cleverness and stupidity coexist." "Conan arrives in a new place, meets new people, learns a new language, tastes new things, experiences a new environment that he might not be comfortable with at all, and then jokes with the people around him. "The show has a total of four episodes, and in each episode, Conan meets and helps fans from all over the world. When Conan appeared in front of the fans' doors, they were shocked and delighted. In Thailand, Conan helps a young woman rebel against her domineering mother. In Norway, Conan produces a radio drama for a fan hiphop band. The young rapper is not in a good financial situation - the sheets are always the same, he often buys expired bread, but he is still trying to live for his musical dreams. "These 'surprise visits' really add a lot to the show. Conan loves to fight hard and one of the things he does best is never being defeated. It's obvious, firstly that Conan is a well-known, Harvard-educated television personality, and secondly that he is taller than everyone else. The Hollywood Reporter wrote.
▲ "Conan O'Brien Must Go" program.
Entertainment website The Ringer called "Conan O'Brien Must Go" as Conan's "best show ever." "Although Conan's experience is hilarious and clumsy, the show also has many memorable moments. Conan was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA, and grew up in an Irish Catholic family. After arriving in Ireland, Conan first visited the farmland that belonged to his ancestors. On the show, he lamented that his ancestors came to the United States fleeing the Irish famine of the 19-40s, and that more than a century later, their descendants returned with a film crew, fame and success. In Norway, Conan chats with Kai, a fish farmer, who thanks Conan for saying that his arrival has changed his life. "It's a truly touching conversation that proves that with curiosity and empathy, there is something deeper than just laughter in a show. "This isn't the first time Conan has made a travel show. In 2015, Conan launched the show Conan Without Borders. In an interview with The New York Times in 2019, Conan said that the travel show was an eye-opener for him, "I thought at first that 10 minutes should be enough, but then we extended it to 15 minutes, 20 minutes, half an hour, and finally 40 minutes per episode." "Travel is completely uncontrollable, it takes a lot of control away from me and scares me. In an unknown environment, I often don't know what to expect. ”
Conan O'Brien will never retire
"O'Brien's career trajectory is essentially a comedic legend where he succeeds, no matter where he is. The Guardian said of Conan. In 1993, American talk show host David Letterman parted ways with NBC, and Conan was commissioned by NBC to take on the position of late-night host. Initially, Conan was almost unknown to the general public, and his experience in front of the camera was only about 40 seconds. Over time, the show has generally improved and is highly rated. "At midnight, Conan attracts insomniacs from all over the country. They were willing to follow him wherever he went. In 2010, Conan took over the label show "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno and renamed it "The Conan O'Brien Tonight Show." He moved from New York to Los Angeles with the production team for the ratings of the new show. As soon as the show aired, the ratings slipped all the way. In an effort to regain lost viewers, NBC brought Renault back for a new show and postponed "The Tonight Show" until after midnight so that "The Tonight Show" could not air on "Tonight." Conan refuses and chooses to leave, and The Tonight Show once again features Jay Renaud as the host. On April 10 of this year, Conan was a guest on "The Tonight Show" and told host Jimmy Fallon: "It's a weird feeling to see other people in your former studio. "It's been a long time since I've set foot in this building. Entering the hall, all the memories came flooding back to me. ”
In 2018, Conan began hosting the comedy podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. "At some point in my life, it was the best job in the world. Conan told Fallon that there are various rules to talk to guests on TV, but on the podcast he can talk to his childhood idol Carol Burnett for at least an hour. "I want to talk to anyone in the world, not just celebrities. That's why I'm starting to take calls from my listeners now. "The Daily Beast" described Conan as "a late-night talk show host who never retires" and "his show is so engaging that Conan always improvises to say hilarious lines." The Guardian commented on Conan's success based on his dedication, especially as he often spoke up for "people who stand outside the mainstream" on the show. Maybe Conan experienced some failures and setbacks, but he didn't give up his fighting spirit. In one episode of Conan O'Brien, Conan is interviewed by a radio show. He asked the host bluntly: "Do radio shows make money? Actually, we lose money all the time, and historically, programs have always lost money." ”
News and image sources: The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Variety, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, The Ringer, some pictures are from the exclusive article of iWeekly Weekend Pictorial, please do not reprint without permission