Podcast Summary: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend – "Born to Be Badminton"

Podcast: Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Episode: Born to Be Badminton
Date: September 11, 2025
Host(s): Conan O'Brien, Sona Movsesian, Matt Gourley
Guest: Vibudi (fan, calling in from New Delhi, India)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Conan and his team connect with Vibudi, a listener from New Delhi, India. The conversation meanders through Indian culture, the joys and challenges of living with parents as an adult, the story of a cursed Indian fort, and Vibudi's quest to become her neighborhood’s best badminton player. The episode is playful, rooted in cultural curiosity and Conan’s trademark self-deprecating humor, with plenty of banter and personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. India, Chaos, and (Cultural) Tolerance

• Vibudi dials in from New Delhi and immediately shares what she loves and sometimes struggles with about Indian life: the vibrant chaos.
• Conan and Sona reminisce about filming an ad in Jaipur, India. Conan describes India as “the most different” place he’s ever been, in all positive ways.
  • Quote [02:19] Conan: “Of all the places I’ve been in the world, it was the most different. It was like going to another planet in all the best ways. Really loved India.”
• Vibudi on Chaos Tolerance: She notes that “anyone who really appreciates being here has to have a high chaos tolerance.” Sona is looped in as someone who could handle the chaos.
  • Quote [03:12] Vibudi: "I feel like anyone who really appreciates being here has to have a high chaos tolerance."
• Conan jokes that he would actually out-chaos India, suggesting “they would be saying, like, this guy has to calm down. We gotta get him out of here.” [04:58]

2. Life, Marriage, and Living With Parents

• Vibudi recently got married (to Casey, who worked with the UN in Ukraine). She describes her wedding as “huge … too much,” and wishes she’d applied to be on the podcast before, so she could have invited Conan.
• Living Situation: Vibudi and Casey have been living with her parents for two months—a situation both Sona and Conan deeply empathize with.
  • Sona shares her own challenges of moving back in with her parents after a house fire. [07:55]
  • Vibudi acknowledges the difficulties, but insists her parents are “angels” (while gently addressing the truth).
• Parental Dynamics: The conversation explores the universal challenge of parents seeing their adult children as perpetual kids.
  • Quote [09:13] Vibudi: “My dad…has a hard time seeing me as an adult…sometimes he says, you’ll always be five years old. You’ll always be a little girl. And I’m like, that’s very sweet. But I’m also not—I’m married. I pay taxes.”
• Conan and Sona reflect on regressing into old childhood behaviors while at home, prompting a flood of classic Conan bits and self-parody.
  • Quote [11:38] Conan: "Sometimes I'd do long bits or act silly or jump around or do long interviews that had no real point... Wait a minute, I’m describing my career."
• Memorable moment: Playful back-and-forth as Sona accuses Conan of projecting his own home life onto Vibudi. [10:02-10:16]

3. A Visit from Conan: Cursed Fort Adventures

• Conan asks what would happen if he visited Vibudi in India:
  • Her dad is a big fan—having seen Conan live at a General Electric event years ago, and describes him as "so tall."
  • Possible activities: Vibudi proposes a "few hours drive" to a fort outside New Delhi, noted for being cursed and haunted by a djinn (spirit).
  • Myth of the Cursed Fort: She tells the origin story—a spurned magician tries to woo a princess, is crushed by a rock, and curses the fort before dying.
    • Quote [20:13] Vibudi: "[The magician] cursed the fort, and he cursed the people…and he cursed the land for that it will be barren forever."
  • Conan riffs on magicians ("You don't have to say evil magician, just say magician")—classic Conan absurdity. [20:13-20:26]
  • Banter about hanging out with famous magicians David Copperfield and David Blaine, and why that would be a weird date. [20:26-20:34]

4. Born to Be Badminton

• Pivot to Badminton: Vibudi shares her new obsession—she’s been playing for months but cannot defeat Tulika, her neighborhood rival.
  • Quote [21:17] Vibudi: “For the past two months, I’ve been really getting into badminton…in my neighborhood, there is this girl who is unbeatable. Her name is Tulika.”
  • She asks Conan to team up and help her finally win.
• Conan’s Athletic (Delusions of) Grandeur: Conan boastfully (and satirically) claims to be a natural-born athlete—even though he’s barely played badminton.
  • Quote [22:03] Conan: “I would be amazing…I’m very tall. I’m a distraction to the other team because I’m quite unusual looking…the hair’s flopping around, they get confused...I dominate. I need to win.”
• Sona needles: “He can’t.” (22:32)
• The conversation spirals with jokes about Tulika “juicing,” Popeye arms, and whether Vibudi’s mom is the secret real rival (she sometimes beats Tulika when Vibudi can’t). Lots of laughter and mock-strategizing. [23:07]
• Memorable bit: Conan pretending Tulika is Popeye’s girlfriend Olive Oyl, and inventing wild reasons for her badminton prowess. [23:55]

5. Closing and Friendship

• Warm send-off: Conan thanks Vibudi for calling in, congratulates her on her marriage, and repeats his pleasure at connecting.
  • Quote [24:48] Conan: “You seem lovely. You really do. Have a fantastic day and I do hope that we get to meet in person.”
• Vibudi’s response: “Thank you so much, Conan. Matt, Sona, it’s such a pleasure to have spoken to you.” [25:00]

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On India:
  • [02:19] Conan: “It was like going to another planet in all the best ways. Really loved India.”
  • [03:12] Vibudi: “Anyone who really appreciates being here has to have a high chaos tolerance.”
• On Parental Dynamics:
  • [09:13] Vibudi: “My dad…has a hard time seeing me as an adult…you’ll always be a little girl.”
  • [11:38] Conan: “Wait a minute, I’m describing my career.”
• On the Cursed Fort:
  • [20:13] Vibudi: “He cursed the fort, and he cursed the people…and he cursed the land for that it will be barren forever.”
  • [20:13] Conan: “You don’t have to say evil magician, just say magician.”
• On Badminton:
  • [21:17] Vibudi: “There is this girl who is unbeatable. Her name is Tulika.”
  • [22:03] Conan: “I’m a distraction to the other team…the hair’s flopping around, they get confused.”
  • [23:55] Conan: “Does she have an anchor tattoo? Does she say ‘I yam what I yam’ when she laughs…She’s Popeye’s girlfriend named Olive Oyl.”

Key Timestamps

• Meet Vibudi, Discussion of India: [01:39–04:42]
• Weddings and Living With Parents: [05:03–09:49]
• Parental Regression Bit: [11:01–12:03]
• Cursed Fort & Djinn Story: [18:24–21:02]
• Badminton Rivalry & Coaching Conan: [21:07–23:56]
• Warm Farewell: [24:48–25:05]

Tone and Energy

The conversation is lively, irreverent, warm, and candid—toggling between genuine curiosity, heartfelt moments, and the trademark absurd humor of Conan O'Brien and his team. Conan frequently mocks his own abilities, while Sona and Matt provide playful counterpoints and poke fun at Conan’s grandiose claims.

Takeaway

This episode shines when exploring the universality of family dynamics, the joys and struggles of cross-cultural living, and the quirky passions that can unite people across continents. Vibudi’s story and spirit fit seamlessly with the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend ethos—hopeful, a little chaotic, and grounded in the search for authentic connection.