
Conan talks to DeVaughn in Calgary about how to come out on top as a professional bobsledder. Wanna get a chance to talk to Conan? Submit here: teamcoco.com/apply
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Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien needs a fan. Want to talk to Conan? Visit teamcoco.com call Conan. Okay, let's get started.
Matt Gourley
Hey, Devon.
Sonam of Session
Welcome to Conan O'Brien needs a fan.
Matt Gourley
Hey, Devon, how are you?
Devon
I'm good. How are you? Well, you know, I'm sorry. This is crazy.
Matt Gourley
Well, I think it's crazy that your shirt matches your background exactly because you look like a floating head right now.
Devon
That's co.
Matt Gourley
It's pretty cool. You have a good look going for you.
Devon
Thank you.
Matt Gourley
Yeah. Devon, there's so much we need to talk about, but the first thing I need to understand is where are you coming from right now? I have no idea where you are in the world.
Devon
So. I'm from Calgary, Alberta, in Canada.
Matt Gourley
Oh.
Devon
I originally was from Edmonton, but yeah, I'm in Calgary now.
Matt Gourley
Okay, so you live in Calgary. And what's the temperature where you are right now?
Devon
It's unseasonably warm. It's about 5 degrees Celsius. So.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, that always still sounds cold when you do Celsius. Yes. Doesn't it sound like. Oh, it's real hard. It's five degrees.
Sonam of Session
What is that in American temperature?
Matt Gourley
Yeah, we like everything done the American way since we're soon to buy your country.
Devon
You know, apparently I've never figured out the. The conversion there, so I. Your guess would be as good as my.
Matt Gourley
So it's 41 degrees. Okay.
Devon
Okay.
Sonam of Session
Did you call it Calgary?
Devon
Yeah, so I. I'm not originally from here, so I call it Calgary. I'm supposed to call it Calgary, but.
Matt Gourley
You know what I say, Devon, stick to your guns.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Devon
Yeah. The locals don't really know what they're talking about. I don't think so.
Matt Gourley
Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna say this, Devon, and I. I'm. I'm. This is a compliment. You look yoked. Doesn't he look like a you?
Conan O'Brien
Do you lift?
Matt Gourley
Yeah, I mean, you look. What's the word? The kid? Swole? Is that what the kids say? Swole? Yoked. Yoked. You look incredible.
Devon
I should have worn my shirt that says yoked. That would have been.
Matt Gourley
Guess what? Better guess what, pal. You don't. Cause you've got the muscles to prove it. Your muscles have muscles. It's out of control. What's going on here? Tell us a little. Do you lift every day? What's the story?
Devon
Yeah, I do work out quite often. I've been training for. I mean, how old am I now? I'm almost 33, so since I was like 16.
Matt Gourley
Wow.
Devon
So, yeah, I started working out when.
Matt Gourley
I was 55 and I'm still on very light weights.
Devon
You'll get there, though.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, no, and I'm in my seventh. I'm going to move up to the old 20 pounder.
Conan O'Brien
Okay, you'll get there.
Matt Gourley
You're a very nice guy, Devon. You'll get there. By the time you're in your 90s, you'll be okay. Well, are you a professional athlete in any way?
Devon
I'm not a professional. I would make that clear for sure. But I did compete in bobsleigh last year for our Canadian national team.
Matt Gourley
Oh, you're kidding. So you are a. I mean, you're a serious bobsledder?
Devon
I would call it former because I'm not doing it this year. But last year I did do it. It was my first year and. Yeah, it was. I was on the World cup team last year. I think when I. When I sent the email last year, I could be wrong. I sent applications a few times to you guys, but when I made the team, I was like, I'm going to send it. And hopefully Conan will want to talk to me now. And I might have been in Europe right when I sent it. So.
Matt Gourley
Yeah. But let me tell you something, Devon. If I was on a bobsled for two seconds, I would spend the rest of my life telling people that I was. I was a bobsledder. That's just me. You're being way too modest. It sounds like, I mean, this is serious stuff. You have competed at a top level.
Devon
Yeah, I was really, I would, I say lucky. I was also just very fortunate to be in good positions. I put myself there and put myself out there last year and was able to just find my way into one of our top sleds last year and somehow ended up over there. It was okay. I just took a shot at it.
Matt Gourley
So I don't know. We've all seen the images of bobsledding, but I don't know much about it. I know there's a couple of you are crammed into a bobsled. How many?
Devon
So it's either two or four. Four. It gets real cozy in there. But it's nice, you're with your buddies, kind of going down well.
Matt Gourley
And if they're not your buddies, they become your buddies real fast.
Devon
Yeah, they do, for sure.
Matt Gourley
You are interlocked with these. There's four of you, and you're on this sled that's like a rocket. And how fast do you go? At times?
Devon
150Km an hour.
Matt Gourley
Damn it. You and your metric system. Sorry, I don't know is that, I mean that could be 11 miles an hour for all I know. I'm sorry, I'm very ignorant.
Devon
I went 150.
Matt Gourley
My cat can run 150 kilometers an hour. 93 miles an hour. Wait, 93 miles an hour?
Sonam of Session
And what is that in kilometers?
Matt Gourley
Yeah. Stop it. What? I just got us off of that. All right, wait a minute. So 93 miles an hour on a bobsled. I, I, I, I don't understand what happens if you crash.
Devon
You hang on for dear life because there's seat belts.
Matt Gourley
Have you, have you're, do you fall out? What happens?
Devon
You can. If you don't hang on, you will fall out. Yeah. Like it, it's kind of my first crash. I learned it real quick. I was doing a two man, so it doesn't go quite as fast. It gets to, I don't know what it is in miles per hour, but it gets to like 140ish kilometers an hour. And we crashed probably at the fastest point on the track in Whistler. And you feel it right away. It's like trying to kick you out. It's like almost like a bull just trying to kick you off. So you have to like grab on to the frame and pull yourself back in and just try and stay in. The other thing is, if you let yourself come out, you're usually scraping on ice. There's walls so you might hit them. You're trying to get as low into the sled so that the sled takes it and not your body.
Matt Gourley
But wait a minute. Are you wearing any protection?
Devon
There's a helmet and then we have what is called a burn vest. So to prevent any ice burn from like skidding on it, you have this like kevlar vest. But other than that, it's just a speed suit.
Matt Gourley
Okay. Okay. I don't understand, I don't understand how you're not killed. I'm being serious. I don't understand how if someone threw me at 93 miles an hour onto ice and I was just wearing a skin tight suit, which wouldn't look great by the way, and a helmet. There'd be an immediate funeral, Just an immediate. A doctor wouldn't even check on me. They would just put me in a box and have a funeral.
Sonam of Session
You would just slide down the track.
Matt Gourley
Into a coffin crowd of people dressed in black.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah, we would all wait.
Matt Gourley
The coffin would be opened at one end and I'd slide right in and they'd say, well, there we go and put me down. So I mean, have you Ever been seriously hurt?
Devon
I haven't. There's been. I've been really fortunate. Our crashes. One was. One looked violent. It wasn't that bad in it, but it looked really bad. Just because you're about halfway down. We crashed, we tipped over. And as you're going through all these turns, going down, the sled's just doing its own thing. No one's controlling it. So when it goes up on a turn, it comes back down, like as if it's coming down on your head. You can kind of feel it, but you're just hanging on again. You're with your buddies, so you're kind of like hanging on like, okay, let's hope we all don't fall out and get hurt here. But that's a pretty low key conversation.
Matt Gourley
You guys are having. It's 93 miles an hour. You're soaring through an ice tunnel out of control. Kind of hope we don't get hurt here. Is one of you reading the paper? Oh, look, sister, the Oilers are in town.
Devon
I think like the last crash that we had, I was thinking, like, my first thought was like, because it was our first four man on the World cup together. And I'd like told my family all back home, like, this is where you can watch it. Make sure you tune in. It's at this time. And like, first thing I was like, oh, man, my mom is watching this and she's not gonna like this sport anymore.
Matt Gourley
Just.
Devon
Cause that's all I was thinking the whole time. I'm like, oh, man, I need this to like, end so I can pop out and just like, give her a.
Matt Gourley
Thumbs up, show her that you're all right. Quick question. Is there? My instinct would be I would wanna be like the third person in a four person. Because if something went wrong, I would try to use the bodies in front and behind me. Buffer as a buffer as a shield. Is that a sign of low character on my part? Like, I would try to be positioned behind you so that I could steer you towards the ice and the rocks because. And your body is. I'm just being honest. And you seem like too long. What? Your legs are too long though, to.
Conan O'Brien
Sit in the third. Yeah, that's right.
Matt Gourley
Well, I think the minute the crash starts, my legs would fall off. They'd say, oh, look, two strands of denim spaghetti just fell off the back of the.
Sonam of Session
Excuse me, you're wearing denim.
Devon
I'm wearing denim.
Matt Gourley
Ye sweating on this goddamn Kevlar. What do I look like? I'm a man.
Sonam of Session
See A pure Canadian tuxedo yeah, exactly.
Matt Gourley
So I'm just being honest with you. I would try to use your body to absorb all the punishment.
Devon
Well, I was always. I was the third guy. So when you load, you have like a routine. Yeah, I was the third guy. And I mean, in the crash, your instinct is to get as low as possible into the sled. So yeah, in fairness, I am trying to get lower than everyone else in that sled.
Matt Gourley
Yeah. You know what I would do? I would build a little trapdoo in the sledge so that I. There's like, and some steps so I could go downstairs into a tiny little room and read a novel.
Conan O'Brien
During the crash, how big is your bobsled?
Matt Gourley
It's a bigger bobsled. Yes. It's less aerodynamic. But at my insistence it has. When the crash starts. Excuse me, gents. And I open a little door and then you hear footsteps going down some steps and then I shut it. There's a little cocoa. And I read the third Harry Potter. I think it's Harry Potter and the Stone that's Made of Bones. And I'm in there with a little sweet sweater and stuff. And there's a little fireplace.
Conan O'Brien
No one's going to want to be on your team.
Matt Gourley
You don't know about bobsledding.
Devon
Like, bobsled sounds more like one of those big, like tall deckers. It's gonna tip over all the time.
Matt Gourley
Okay, so suddenly you're. Oh, so suddenly you're the expert. Devon, I think I know a little more about bobsledding than you do. Having spoken to you and seen a photo. What's the economics behind bobsledding? How do you guys do? Do you need sponsorships? Do you. Who's funding this? Does the Canadian government step in and throw some loonies at it? See what I did right there?
Devon
That was a good reference. That was a good Canadian reference.
Matt Gourley
You know, I've been around. I've stayed at Martin Short's lake cottage. That's where I know all this stuff.
Devon
So you know that.
Matt Gourley
Oh yeah, he's always saying, you have any loonies on you, Conan? So that's where I picked it up.
Devon
Yeah. So a lot of Olympic sports are pretty underfunded. Bobsleigh is certainly no different. We do get some support, of course, and we are obviously very grateful for it. And any support that teams do get. Yeah, like we're happy about it. But usually especially the last few years, it's been self funded. Athletes are needing to get.
Sonam of Session
Just ask him.
Matt Gourley
Yeah.
Devon
No, so the main reason I'm here could you put your face just on a side of a sled. Just give us some money. We'll slap it on there.
Matt Gourley
What I really get. If I could get some. You know, Con O'Brien needs a friend. Podcast sponsors. If I gave. If I threw some dough your way, I could get a little bit of a sponsorship.
Devon
I could probably get you on a sled for sure. I could get you connected with the right people.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, but what if it's one of those things, you know, when it's a grim subject, but if an airplane goes down, the company quickly covers the logo. Have you ever found. You ever hear about that?
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Matt Gourley
They, like, cover the logo of the plane because there's all this footage of. And they know they're like, cover up that logo. The corporation. It looks bad for the. So I'm just saying they're going to.
Sonam of Session
Do that if they win.
Matt Gourley
And the winner is. Hold on. They're covering up something. Devon is quickly spray painting over an image. Yeah. Yeah, that's something. You know what? I. You know, I have to. I have to talk to the people here that control the purse strings. You'd think that would be me, but it is not. It's. Jeff Ross seems to control these things. He's a hard guy to get to. You know, he's a. He's a. You know what I mean? He's a. It's tough. It's tough to. You know how Jeff. He moves around so quickly. He's always darting from room to room. He's like an eel. Conan.
Devon
When did this become the Jeff Ross podcast?
Sonam of Session
And I like this guy.
Matt Gourley
Devon. Now I see what Devon's doing. He's getting me to say, Jeff Ross doesn't run things. I'll pledge the money. Yeah.
Conan O'Brien
Yeah.
Matt Gourley
I think we have to look into this.
Conan O'Brien
Who's the real boss around here? Write a check.
Matt Gourley
Who wears the pants?
Conan O'Brien
Who wears the pants?
Sonam of Session
How much do you need, Devon?
Devon
Whatever you want to give.
Matt Gourley
Yeah. And do it. Yeah. Do it in kilometers.
Devon
Do you want it in Canadian dollar?
Matt Gourley
Yeah. How many?
Devon
If you give us US Funds, we really would be be thrilled.
Matt Gourley
What's the difference between. What's the exchange rate now? Between one Canadian dollar, 69 US cents.
Devon
Oh, is it that low?
Conan O'Brien
It's a little rough.
Matt Gourley
It's a little rough.
Sonam of Session
Sorry, that's.
Matt Gourley
Did you bring your dog to the podcast?
Conan O'Brien
It's a good one.
Matt Gourley
Pretty good one. What do you think of that exchange rate? Puppet roof. God, I'm killing over here with myself.
Conan O'Brien
You're just hydrating. Devon is hydrating.
Matt Gourley
Well, he has to. I know He's. I mean, you've. And also when you take a swig, it's the largest water bottle I've ever seen. There must be at least 95 liters. Look at that thing.
Sonam of Session
And he's a big guy. Imagine how big that thing is.
Matt Gourley
That's all the water I've had in my life. But he just lifted up.
Sonam of Session
How do you even get into bob?
Devon
You call it bob slaying, bobsled, bobsleigh.
Matt Gourley
It's.
Sonam of Session
It's the same.
Conan O'Brien
Is it a tomato?
Devon
Honestly, I call it bobsled. I prefer it bobsled. It's because you can use it in lots of different ways. Bobsleigh is very singular. So.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, bobsleigh is if you use it to kill people. So. Okay, I have another question here, and then we'll come back around to the money. I'll take care of the money. Don't you worry about that. What are you doing? You're the third. What is it you're doing in the bobsled other than just hanging on for dear life? Are you shifting your weight at certain times? Are you. Or. I mean, who's steering the thing? Who's in charge of snacks? I want to know what's going on.
Devon
The guy in the very front, that he steers it. I want no part of steering. It seems like a lot of pressure. I just have to exist for, like, five seconds pushing it, and then I hop in, and just. The rest of the blame can go to the guy at the front after that.
Matt Gourley
So, wait, so your contribution is pushing it and then jumping in and then hoping things go well?
Devon
Pretty much like you. You try and get in, like. So when you get in, it's kind of like a. I call it like a meathead ballet. There's three big guys that are all trying to get in, moving as fast as they can, and then it's like quick and in. It's like. If you see it, it's very orchestrated. It looks. If the good. The teams that are good at it look very good when they do it. So it's like you're very quick off the bunk and then in and down as low as you can.
Matt Gourley
Wow.
Devon
And then when you're back there, you don't want to be shifting a bunch, because if you got three guys shifting around in the back, the pilot will feel it. So you're trying to just kind of stay as still as you can and stay as low as you can.
Matt Gourley
Stay very still, stay very low, which. That's interesting. I think I'd be trying to escape most of the time. If I was in what is the, which country, just for example, would you say is what's the country that's dominant in this sport?
Devon
Germany is probably the most dominant in it.
Matt Gourley
I bet it's because they've designed some crazily insane bobsled.
Devon
Yeah, like folks, they genuinely do have what they're bobsleds at times I try, like we try and take a look at them but they look very sleek. They're very high tech. They're.
Matt Gourley
Have you ever checked it for an internal combustion engine? I mean, I'm sorry, I don't mean to impugn the Germans but you know they make BMWs and Porsches and everything. Have you checked to make sure I said Volkswagen?
Conan O'Brien
I don't know why I chose like.
Matt Gourley
Mercedes. Have you ever checked to make sure that there's not an eight cylinder, beautiful BMW engine in there? And that's why they always win. Have you noticed that they go uphill sometimes for 20 minutes.
Devon
I fear if I touch their, their sled I would be.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, they probably wouldn't like that.
Devon
Yeah, I don't know. I don't want to know. I don't know. Want to know what happened.
Sonam of Session
What color are that? What, what are they sponsored by? What's on their sled?
Devon
DHL was a big sponsor of ours.
Matt Gourley
That makes sense. He said. Not sure why.
Sonam of Session
It's like you're shipping something somewhere and it's got to get there fast.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. And you need four guys to wear tights and hug each other while it's delivered. Who are your sponsors now or in the past?
Devon
So the program has their own. As far as like who we had last year, there's a lot of like local companies because it's not a. Especially in Canada it's not. And like North America generally, it's not a well covered sport. Like you're not flipping through the channels and like, oh, there's bobsled. Unless it's the Olympics. Yep. So all those other years you're not going to see the sport typically unless people direct you right to it. So it's not like a high coverage sport. You're typically not selling people that like tons of eyes are going to get on the sled and see your logo. You're more or less selling a dream of, of what you're competing for. Which everyone who joins the sport is, is joining to for the most part. Some people might not be, but almost everyone is joining to make the Olympics eventually. Okay, so that's what you're selling when you're selling it to people. Otherwise. Yeah, you can try and do what you can for social media sponsorship and give shout outs and stuff, but otherwise the, the coverage on it isn't super high.
Matt Gourley
Well, I'm going to tell you something. If I can figure this out and if I do sponsor you guys, it's going to work the other way. You're going to start getting eyeballs because my face is on that bobsled. You see what I'm saying? It's not. Oh, I hope people tune in and happen to see my face when my face is on that bobsled. You're going to see viewership double, quadruple, and then the words that go higher.
Conan O'Brien
But it won't work for like, you can't, you're. You're gonna sponsor them for now, but when they go to the Olympics, it's just gonna say Canada on it.
Matt Gourley
Like, are you. I'm. Get past those rules. I'm gonna, you know what I mean?
Devon
Canada O'Brien.
Matt Gourley
Yeah, yeah. Canada O'Brien. And then just me in a Mountie hat. Yeah.
Devon
Canada O'Brien needs a friend is what the slant will be called.
Matt Gourley
Devon, I'm, I'm proud to meet you, Devon. Yeah, I'm proud to meet you and you seem like a fine fellow and I will, you know, we're going to think this over, but there could be a future in this. Do you know what I mean?
Devon
Thank you. Yeah, I just, I would like to say I've been watching you since I was like nine. I used to watch, I used to like stay up late.
Matt Gourley
Oh.
Devon
And then I'd pretend to go to sleep and then I'd. I had this little like 15 inch TV in my room that I'd like quietly turn on when I was a kid and just like find the channel.
Matt Gourley
And watch it, you know, I used.
Devon
To watch it all the time. And like, this is, to see you now talking directly to me is very like, it's almost not about out of, out of body experience for me. So. Well, this is like quite literally a dream come true.
Matt Gourley
Well, thank you. Yeah, don't mention anyone else. It hurts it. You know, Devon, I will say this. When I started way back in the day, my best fans were Canadians. Before Americans were liking me. Canadians. I think Canada put me on their TV Guide like three years before America did, because Canadians, I mean, I revere Canadian comedy and Canadian comedians and sctv. And so you guys were always in my corner in the early days. And so the image of you sneaking some Conan O'Brien illegally makes me really happy. And so this is nice. I'm glad I met you. I'm gonna talk to the money guys. We're gonna figure this out, and I'm gonna start to get in shape.
Devon
Perfect.
Matt Gourley
Yes. I wanna be killed.
Devon
You can always take a ride in a bobsled. You can head to Whistler or Lake Placid. They have tours for you.
Matt Gourley
So, no, no, I'm going with you or with no one. So it's you or no one. All right. Hey, Devon, Very nice to meet you, and I hope our paths cross down the road. Okay.
Devon
Awesome. Thank you very much.
Matt Gourley
Take care, man.
Devon
Bye.
Matt Gourley
Bye. Bye.
Sonam of Session
Conan O'Brien needs a fan with Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Session and Matt Gourley produced by me, Matt Gourley executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross and Nick Leo Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino Take it away, Jimmy. Supervising producer Aaron Blair Associate talent producer Jennifer Samples Associate producers Sean Doherty and Lisa Berm Engineering by eduardo Perez. Get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign up@siriusxm.com Conan Please rate, review and subscribe to Conan O'Brien needs a fan wherever fine podcast casts are down.
In the February 6, 2025 episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, host Conan O’Brien engages in a lively and humorous conversation with Devon, a dedicated Canadian bobsledder from Calgary, Alberta. The episode delves into Devon’s athletic pursuits, the intricacies of bobsledding, the challenges of securing sponsorships in niche sports, and personal anecdotes that highlight the camaraderie and aspirations within the sport.
The episode kicks off with Conan and co-host Matt Gourley establishing a friendly rapport with Devon. From the outset, the playful banter sets a light-hearted tone:
Matt Gourley [00:24]: "I think it's crazy that your shirt matches your background exactly because you look like a floating head right now."
Devon [00:34]: "Thank you."
This initial exchange not only breaks the ice but also showcases the comfortable and humorous dynamic among the participants.
Devon provides insight into his roots and athletic career, sharing his journey from Edmonton to Calgary and his involvement with the Canadian national bobsled team.
Matt expresses genuine surprise and admiration for Devon’s commitment:
Devon humbly describes his experience:
This section highlights Devon’s dedication and the often underappreciated efforts of athletes in less mainstream sports.
A significant portion of the conversation delves into the mechanics and risks associated with bobsledding. Devon explains the physical demands and the adrenaline-pumping speeds involved.
Matt, unfamiliar with the metric system, humorously attempts to comprehend the speed:
Devon discusses the potential dangers during crashes:
Devon [05:15]: "You hang on for dear life because there's seat belts."
Devon [06:18]: "There's a helmet and then we have what is called a burn vest."
Devon recounts a specific crash incident, emphasizing the split-second decisions and teamwork required to stay safe:
Matt’s comedic interjections add levity to the intense subject matter:
Their exchange underscores the high-stakes nature of the sport while maintaining an entertaining dialogue.
The conversation shifts towards the financial aspects of bobsledding, highlighting the scarcity of sponsorships and funding for Olympic sports outside the mainstream.
Matt humorously proposes unconventional sponsorship ideas:
Devon acknowledges the struggle for visibility and support:
The duo brainstorms creative sponsorship strategies, blending comedy with genuine concern for the sport’s financial viability.
Devon shares his long-standing admiration for Conan, revealing a heartfelt side amidst the humorous exchanges.
Matt reciprocates the sentiment, emphasizing his appreciation for Canadian support:
This segment deepens the narrative, illustrating the personal bonds and mutual respect that transcend national boundaries.
As the episode winds down, Devon extends an invitation to listeners interested in experiencing bobsledding firsthand, highlighting the accessibility of the sport through tours in Whistler or Lake Placid.
Matt humorously declines the offer, preferring to stay out of the high-speed thrills:
The episode concludes on a warm note, with mutual well-wishes and expressions of hope for future collaborations:
Matt Gourley [02:33]: "You're a very nice guy, Devon. You'll get there. By the time you're in your 90s, you'll be okay."
Devon [14:36]: "You call it bob slaying, bobsled, bobsleigh."
Matt Gourley [19:33]: "Canada O'Brien needs a friend is what the slant will be called."
These quotes encapsulate the episode's blend of humor, camaraderie, and genuine discussion about the challenges and thrills of bobsledding.
This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend effectively balances humor with informative dialogue, offering listeners an engaging glimpse into the world of bobsledding through Devon’s experiences. The friendly banter between Conan, Matt, and Devon not only entertains but also sheds light on the dedication and passion required to excel in niche Olympic sports. For fans seeking both laughs and insight, "Canada O'Brien" is a compelling listen that underscores the importance of friendship and support in pursuing one’s dreams.