Conan Recaps The Mark Twain Prize Ceremony With Mike Sweeney

Summary

Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend: Episode Summary Episode: Conan Recaps The Mark Twain Prize Ceremony With Mike Sweeney
Release Date: April 3, 2025

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Introduction to the Mark Twain Prize Ceremony

In this episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan delves into his recent experience receiving the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Joined by his co-host Mike Sweeney and other team members, Conan shares intimate moments, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and heartfelt reflections from the ceremony held at the Kennedy Center.

Honoring the Tradition and Significance of the Prize

Conan begins by expressing his initial apprehension about the award. As he humorously remarks, “Being the focus of being talked about and possibly complimented is the lowest rung of Dante's Hell for me” (02:47). Despite his usual detachment from awards, Conan acknowledges the honor of being recognized among comedy’s elite.

The Night Before: A Blend of Nerves and Laughter

The evening before the main event featured a cocktail party where Conan felt a blend of nervousness and excitement. A standout moment occurred when Conan noticed something unusual and suspected David Letterman of throwing a bread roll at him. As Conan recounts, “I went over to Dave... and I just said like, sir, did you throw a bread roll at me?” (05:00). This playful interaction set a lighthearted tone for the evening.

Mike Sweeney’s role as the MC was pivotal in easing the tension. Jeff Ross adds, “Sweeney was awesome. ... he just, I think it, you know, put everybody at ease” (04:59). The night was filled with laughter and camaraderie, despite the high-profile attendees.

Memorable Speeches and Performances

Several comedians took the stage to deliver speeches, each bringing their unique flair. Amy L., a close friend and talented writer, delivered a beautiful and humorous speech about Conan, drawing admiration from all present. Jeff Ross highlights, “Jeff Ross did a very nice job... you said something very nice” (07:47).

Sonam Movsesian reflects on the emotional aspect, noting, “It’s one of the most nerve-wracking speeches, though, just to talk to you about how much you mean to people” (09:22). These speeches not only honored Conan but also showcased the deep bonds within the comedy community.

Surprises and Special Guests

The ceremony was marked by unexpected appearances and delightful surprises. John Mulaney’s performance was particularly standout, leaving Conan both impressed and slightly overwhelmed. As Conan humorously admits, “Mulaney was so funny that I left” (14:15).

Sarah Silverman and Stephen Colbert also made notable appearances, each adding their signature humor to the event. Additionally, the puppet Triumph played a unique role in guiding the evening, interacting seamlessly with guests despite being an unconventional host element.

Behind the Scenes: Triumph and Robert Smigel

Conan shares amusing behind-the-scenes stories involving Triumph, the puppet, and Robert Smigel. A memorable moment included Triumph “watching the show” alongside Will Ferrell, highlighting the playful and creative dynamics among the team. Jeff Ross adds humor by mentioning Triumph’s antics: “I sent him a photo of just Triumph watching the show” (26:38).

Navigating Uncertainty and Expressing Gratitude

Amidst changes at the Kennedy Center, Conan emphasizes the importance of showing up and honoring the contributions of the arts community. He states, “There was some controversial stuff going on with the Kennedy center... but I thought we should honor their decision” (12:10). This sentiment resonated deeply with the attendees, fostering a supportive atmosphere.

Conan extends heartfelt thanks to his friends, family, and the comedians who attended, expressing genuine appreciation for their presence and support during such a significant moment in his career.

Reflections on the Event’s Impact

Conan reflects on the emotional and professional impact of receiving the Mark Twain Prize. He mentions, “I did have the strong urge to die afterwards just because it's like, what are you going to do now?” (30:34), highlighting the overwhelming nature of the honor. However, the positive interactions and support from his peers helped him navigate these feelings.

Looking Forward: Future Endeavors and Continued Friendships

As the episode draws to a close, Conan hints at future projects and maintains his commitment to fostering genuine friendships through his podcast. He teases upcoming content and expresses excitement about continuing to connect with listeners and friends alike.

Notable Quotes

• Conan O’Brien: “Being the focus of being talked about and possibly complimented is the lowest rung of Dante's Hell for me.” [02:47]
• Jeff Ross: “Sweeney was awesome... he just, I think it, you know, put everybody at ease.” [04:59]
• Conan O’Brien: “Mulaney was so funny that I left.” [14:15]
• Sonam Movsesian: “It’s one of the most nerve-wracking speeches... to talk to you about how much you mean to people.” [09:22]
• Conan O’Brien: “I did have the strong urge to die afterwards just because it's like, what are you going to do now?” [30:34]
• Jeff Ross: “I sent him a photo of just Triumph watching the show.” [26:38]

Conclusion

This episode offers a heartfelt and humorous recount of Conan O’Brien’s experience receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Through candid storytelling and engaging interactions with his team, Conan provides listeners with an intimate glimpse into the significance of the award, the camaraderie within the comedy community, and his personal reflections on success and friendship.

For those interested in the intersection of comedy, friendship, and personal growth, this episode serves as a compelling narrative of Conan’s journey and the meaningful connections forged along the way.

Transcript

[Conan O'Brien]

HBO's biggest series, the Last of Us.

[Mike Sweeney]

Returns with a new season on Max. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. The show picks up five years after the events of the first season as Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other in a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind. CNN calls the Last of Us exquisite, fully realized and worthy of the hype. And the Daily Beast calls it a riveting and suspenseful triumph. I did really like the first season. Based on the groundbreaking video game, the Emmy winning HBO original series, the Last of us premieres Sunday, April 13th at 9pm on MAX. I'm so good at board games. You ever played a board game with me?

[Sonam Movsesian]

I haven't, but I feel like I.

[Mike Sweeney]

Just destroy and run.

[Sonam Movsesian]

I probably get really competitive.

[Conan O'Brien]

I do.

[Mike Sweeney]

And if I start to lose, I flip the board over. That's why I have an unbroken streak. I just always win because I just throw the board over, flip it over and say, get out of my house.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Okay, that's mature.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, yeah, it's a way to always.

[Mike Sweeney]

Win or never lose. Well, if you want to save time and win faster, you should do it with Monopoly expansions. There are three new ways to shorten classic Monopoly attach to any classic Monopoly board, old or new. To add a twist and win fast. This is it. Everything's happening faster now. They've sped up Monopoly.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Monopoly does take some time.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, I know. If you don't have time, did.

[Mike Sweeney]

Not anymore.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Mike Sweeney]

Bask in piles of money and free parking. Be granted permission to cheat and steal and go to jail. Good Lord. Societal structures are collapsing. You can even experience the thrill of owning it all, including the bank in buy everything.

[Sonam Movsesian]

What?

[Mike Sweeney]

Yep, we're teaching people good value. Shorten the game with monopoly expansions. All three packs are available to purchase now at Amazon.com, monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, Conan O'Brien here. And we're doing something a little different today. I know this is usually a fan episode, but there are no more fans. They're all gone.

[Adam Sachs]

It's been a while.

[Mike Sweeney]

It's been a while.

[Conan O'Brien]

And we've actually used a couple of people 10 times using different voices and mustaches, which is unnecessary when it's audio, but anyway.

[Adam Sachs]

And women.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, but anyway, the point is, we wanted to do something a little different because I just had a. A very momentous moment in my career and we thought maybe we should talk about it. And there was some people asking questions. Actually, no one was. I just want to talk about it. No one felt needed I, I, I received the, the prestigious Mark Twain Award Prize. Yeah, that's right. It's a prize. And we looked it up. Prizes, six notches down. Exactly. Yeah. It comes in a Cracker Jacks box. But no, the Mark Twain Prize, which they've been giving out for, I think, 28 years or something like that.

[Adam Sachs]

Yeah, late 90s. The previous century.

[Conan O'Brien]

Sure. That's so far, not helpful at all. Sweeney. I'm joined by people who were there and participated. That would be Mike Sweeney and Sonam Obsessian. And I'll start by just saying that it was a huge honor. I mean, that I'm not someone who usually gets worked up about awards and such, but the caliber of people that showed up for this event. No, it's still. But it's still. No, I'm saying, you guys aside, the lineup was incredible.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Awesome.

[Adam Sachs]

It was a murderer's row.

[Conan O'Brien]

It was a murderer's row of just some of the people I respect the most in comedy. And they came out and they were all hilarious and really funny. And I will set the table, which is that I didn't know what to expect. And as you can imagine, being the focus of being talked about and possibly complimented is the lowest rung of Dante's Hell for me.

[Adam Sachs]

For any Irishman.

[Conan O'Brien]

For any Irishman. And it wasn't. I didn't know how to feel about it. And I was feeling very squirrely about the whole thing. And then I showed up, and there was a. There's a dinner the night before, which in this case was MC'd by Mike Sweeney, who was. And you feel free to jump on Mike anytime you want, Adam Sachs, because you were there as well. Wow. You seem thrilled. It looked like I just asked him. Hey, if you want to, you can swallow a cup of my mucus, Adam.

[Adam Sachs]

It'll help kill time.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, just as you were an observer.

[Adam Sachs]

And it's like he was at the Hindenburg.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, he was there at Lakehurst. The humanity, he said. The humanity. The humanity.

[Jeff Ross]

But Sweeney was awesome. I told you, in the moment. Sweeney, he's so funny, and so he has a nonchalance about his. The way that he hosts works, but it just, I think it, you know, put everybody at ease.

[Conan O'Brien]

He was so. You were so funny. You came up. And it's a strange thing because we're all here the night before. There's some corporate tables from different companies that have given money to the Kennedy center to help support the arts and have been doing so for many years. And immediately you started to go after those tables which was hilarious. I want to set the stage, which is, this is how strange the night was. The night before, the night before, we all gather, there's a cocktail party, shaking hands, talking to different people. We sit down and I don't quite know what's gonna happen. And before the evening, just as the evening is starting, I feel something hit me between the shoulder blades. And I'm like, not hard, but something kind of thumped between my shoulder blades. And I'm like, did I imagine that? Does that really happen? And someone leaned over and said, david Letterman just threw a bread roll at you. And so I wheel around in my chair and as you're getting started or the proceedings are starting, I go over to Dave, who's there with his beard, and it's David fucking Letterman, who's such an iconic figure for all of us. And I go over and I just said like, sir, did you throw a bread roll at me? And he looked at me with mock.

[Mike Sweeney]

Horror and he's like, well, no, I did not.

[Conan O'Brien]

And he pointed to someone at another table and he was. And then Sweeney took over. You were fantastic. I hate complimenting you.

[Adam Sachs]

I know.

[Sonam Movsesian]

I love it. And you were really, really funny.

[Conan O'Brien]

You were really funny.

[Sonam Movsesian]

I love complimenting.

[Conan O'Brien]

You were really funny. And it was nice too, because I didn't even realize that some of the people who were gonna be performing the next night, these big names were in the room. I didn't realize. Cause they showed up. They sat in the corner and terrified. Yeah. But people got up and spoke. My good friend Amy L. Got up and gave. She was great, a beautiful speech and she is so funny, but also one of the best writers I've ever known.

[Adam Sachs]

You went to school with her, so it was a nice perspective.

[Conan O'Brien]

She had a perspective on me. Knowing me, when I was. She was not in a lampoon, but she lived across the street and she used to call the cops on us all the time. And that's how we became friends. I used to sit and talk to her through an open window while she was working late on one of her beautiful stories or prize winning essays.

[Sonam Movsesian]

And she co created Party of Five, which for my generation is, you know, I was like a.

[Conan O'Brien]

And masters of sex and a million other. She's a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant force and a great friend.

[Adam Sachs]

And she was amazing.

[Conan O'Brien]

She gave a. I mean, one of the all time great speeches. And then I have to give it up. So many people got up and spoke. Jeff Ross.

[Adam Sachs]

Jeff Ross did a very nice job.

[Conan O'Brien]

I've never heard Jeff singing. Say two consecutive sentences. It was crazy. And then 30 years.

[Adam Sachs]

That's 30 years verbiage I've heard.

[Conan O'Brien]

And. And he gave a. A very nice speech. I have to say something, which is, Sona Movsesian takes the stage. And who's sitting in the crowd? David Letterman, John Mulaney, Adam Sandler?

[Adam Sachs]

Just Sarah Silverman.

[Conan O'Brien]

Sarah Silverman. These heavyweights who are going to be speaking the next night at the. At the thing, they. Sona gets up and she acts like, yeah, okay, here goes.

[Adam Sachs]

That's how she always is.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's how she is. That's how you always are.

[Adam Sachs]

She's a superstar.

[Conan O'Brien]

I have marveled at this, which is that Sona. There's this scientific saying that the minute you expose any particle to light, the minute you observe any particle or atom, you change it. Just by observing it, you change it. There's one exception to that. Sona session. Sona session. The time a guest didn't show up. This was Kumail and Sona just. We told her at the last second, you're gonna be the guest. And we on the show slapped some makeup on her. This is on the old TBS show. And she came walking out like she owned the place. Ms. Sassa Press. And proceeded to be an amazing guest. And then when the show was over, no ego. Her head wasn't swollen. She wasn't like, oh, my God, I gotta call all my friends and tell them I'm on TV tonight. She's like, all right, I'm gonna go get. Go to get some in n out. See you guys later. You're just. I don't know who you are.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Oh, well, there are no stakes, really. I mean. And also, I don't know if you felt this too, but that's one of the most nerve wracking speeches, though, just to talk to you about how much you mean to people. That's a very awkward thing to do.

[Conan O'Brien]

You didn't look. I mean.

[Adam Sachs]

Well, I'm a nice champion in your intro. No, thank you. You are an amazing. You just hit it. You were hilarious. You were great in all ways.

[Conan O'Brien]

And I will say this at the risk of being a human being, I love you both for being there. And just that night, the night before was so important. Cause I realized, oh, I'm just laughing. And occasionally there's a kind word. I'll avoid that and I'll avoid eye contact. But mostly people were just being themselves and being really funny. And I just found myself laughing really hard. And it meant a lot to me. My. My brother Luke and Justin were there.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Your kids were there. Liza was there.

[Adam Sachs]

It was really nice. I was never knowing that those comedians would be there.

[Conan O'Brien]

I know.

[Adam Sachs]

Plus, so you knew.

[Jeff Ross]

I had to say nice. I wasn't sure if they were gonna go.

[Sonam Movsesian]

I had no idea who was gonna be there.

[Adam Sachs]

I did. And I was like, okay, maybe, you know, maybe David Letterman won't really show up. And, you know, it's like, yeah, he's. He's sitting right there at table 18.

[Conan O'Brien]

Throwing bread at Conan.

[Adam Sachs]

I'm like, fuck, no.

[Conan O'Brien]

And he did a really funny thing, which was he was acknowledged at one. I think you acknowledged him. Or someone said, oh, my God, and David Letterman's here. And Dave, everyone else just kind of waved from their seat. He stood like King Louis XIV and was acknowledged the crowd and turned and then turned to acknowledge more crowd and then did more sort of regal turns. And it was so funny that the applause continued and he refused to sit down for the longest time. And I was like, gotta love that move. That's a really funny move. And everyone was just. That night was very special. Put me in a good mood and made me feel like, hey, maybe tomorrow will be okay. And then.

[Jeff Ross]

Can I just add real quick on that night before you.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, and the fact that you were there didn't bother me at all one way or the other.

[Jeff Ross]

Were you nervous, Sweeney, knowing I was in the audience?

[Conan O'Brien]

That's podcast maestro Adam.

[Jeff Ross]

I was just gonna say that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Or it's Michael Cera. I can't tell which one.

[Jeff Ross]

That's why Sweeney was nervous. The Kennedy center put up a, like, highlight clip on YouTube, if people want to watch it, of the night before. I think if you. If you look on YouTube the night before Conan Twain, you'll find, like, a highlight reel. And I think, you know, they can see Sona.

[Conan O'Brien]

I will say, I think just from some background, there was some. Obviously, for the last couple of months with the new administration, there's been some controversial stuff going on with the Kennedy center, and there was a question of, should I go? Should I not go? And I felt like it was important to show up, because, first of all, we were brought in under the old regime, and. And the people who brought me in are no longer there, but I thought we should honor their decision. And we went, and it was really lovely because so many of the young people that have been working at the Kennedy center for years were delighted that we came. They don't know what their future is. I got to talk to a lot of them, and they're really. They're going through a lot right now, and I Had a great of empathy for what's happening there. And I felt something about the situation added to the evening somehow.

[Adam Sachs]

Oh, it sure did.

[Conan O'Brien]

It really made it feel like this is. And without being pompous, without. It just felt like this is not a normal event. Something. And we all need to be on our toes and kind of be funny, but also bring some optimism. Maybe bring some. I don't know.

[Adam Sachs]

Yeah, it's not pompous at all. It was a very specific moment that this event occurred and that you had all these great comedians there and you had this change situation at the Kennedy center that was so dramatic and was in the news all week. I mean, dramatically in the news. And so, yes, it's something that while fetting you at the same time, everyone, in their own way, you know, acknowledged what was going on.

[Conan O'Brien]

I thought what was great is so many comedians that came. I mean, the lineup's insane. Yeah. I mean, when you start a show with John Mulaney.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, let's get this thing started.

[Adam Sachs]

John Mulaney was so good. I was like, you know, just thinking in terms of comedians and a show order, you're like, everyone has to follow. Everyone was great. But watching Mulaney, you're like, whoa. I would not. If I was watching him and I knew I was in the on deck circle or further down the line when.

[Conan O'Brien]

I saw Mulaney, I'd be scared. Mulaney was so funny that I left. Cause I'm supposed to close the evening. Mulaney was so funny.

[Adam Sachs]

She's giving this award.

[Conan O'Brien]

I ran, and I was halfway into an Uber when Sweeney tackled me and dragged me back. I was like, I can't follow that. That's John Mulaney. He was. But then, I mean, everyone.

[Adam Sachs]

Everyone was great.

[Conan O'Brien]

I mean, the list of people. Will Ferrell and I mean, I don't know if we're supposed to be talking about who it is or if it's. Yeah. I mean, Will Ferrell. Just. Tracy. Tracy Morgan. Oh, my God. Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser, Reggie Watts. Oh, my God. You know what's so funny is Bill Burr understands because we grew up in nearby towns and we're made of the same stuff. And Bill Burr just drilled into me, like, I'm going to say a couple of nice things about Conan and he'll never look me in the eye again. You're going to sit. And I just like, this is a guy who knows how horrifying this is.

[Adam Sachs]

But Andy Richter was there.

[Jeff Ross]

Did we say Stephen Colbert?

[Sonam Movsesian]

Stephen Colbert was amazing.

[Conan O'Brien]

Sean Evans And Stephen Colbert came out, and I don't want to give away too much, but he.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Pictures.

[Adam Sachs]

No, fuck you.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Oh, okay.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm sorry.

[Adam Sachs]

Fuck you and your pictures.

[Sonam Movsesian]

You guys know that he came in.

[Conan O'Brien]

He did a Hot Ones thing with Sean Evans that is absolutely fantastic. And it was, you know, I mean, I have such respect and admiration and awe for everybody who showed up. And, you know, there's that part of you that feels like, oh, no, people have to fly here. That's making me uncomfortable.

[Adam Sachs]

That would make me.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know what I mean?

[Adam Sachs]

Like, you're an imposition.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, it's an imposition. And. Oh, shit. And then everybody was so funny that I. That all melted away. And there was. It was a happening. And it was also really nice to talk to all of the people. I say, young people. They're all different ages, but to me, now everyone's young who. Who have worked so hard for so many years for the Kennedy center and just really have.

[Mike Sweeney]

Give.

[Conan O'Brien]

Want to give their lives to the arts.

[Adam Sachs]

And you gave them a shout out, and that was the biggest. That got a standing ovation.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah, it did.

[Adam Sachs]

Yeah. Because I was. The whole audience was employees. No, no, that was a really nice moment.

[Sonam Movsesian]

It was very cool. It was nice of you to acknowledge that.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, well, I didn't want to.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Oh, okay. Well, there's uncertainty there.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no, there's a lot of uncertainty. And we've. We've heard that a person or two that I spoke to that night have lost their job since, and this just happened. Yeah. And so it's a. You can feel sometimes shallow when you're trying to give encouragement to people who are in that situation. But I did want it to be a positive experience.

[Adam Sachs]

And I do think. And this might sound chill, too, but when you're younger and you lose a job, that is an incredible. I feel like everyone here has probably been fired or.

[Conan O'Brien]

I talk about in my speech. I start my speech with.

[Adam Sachs]

Right. Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

With a period of unemployment and what it felt like. And I know that parts of what I said. I'm anxious for it to come out on. I guess it comes out on Netflix, I think.

[Jeff Ross]

May 4th.

[Conan O'Brien]

May 4th, I think.

[Adam Sachs]

Oh, May 4th.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. What did you think?

[Adam Sachs]

I thought it was April 4th.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no, no. They looked at the tape and everything was great. But this shit you did.

[Adam Sachs]

No, I was just sitting in the audience.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, I know, but even you in the audience, and they're doing a lot of CGI and stuff.

[Adam Sachs]

Oh, no, I saw the camera near me.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, it looks like one of the skeleton warriors from Sinbad is sitting in the crowd.

[Adam Sachs]

That's a fun.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, it's true. It frightened people and a lot of kids can't watch. Now look, there's a skeleton. And he's going to charge the stone stage.

[Adam Sachs]

I think it's.

[Conan O'Brien]

Anyway, a lot of work is being done. So now it's. It's been moved to May 4th.

[Adam Sachs]

Are they adding flesh to me? Like, are they reanimating me?

[Conan O'Brien]

And they're also not just flesh, but living flesh so that it looks like you're still alive.

[Adam Sachs]

Right, right, right.

[Conan O'Brien]

Cuz we've tried it adding flesh to you before using cgi, and it just looks like you're a zombie.

[Adam Sachs]

I don't know why the word desiccated is always used to describe me.

[Conan O'Brien]

I. Oh my God. You know, listen, it's my own fault because when I found you, you were in a tomb in Syria. You knew and. Yeah, I unwrapped said you'll be my head writer. And you know, the lest is history.

[Adam Sachs]

That's right. I remember.

[Conan O'Brien]

I just said the last is history. I didn't want to mention it, but I.

[Sonam Movsesian]

You say the least is history.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, because I'm. Now my head is so swollen with the Twain prize that it's hard for me to pronounce words. Blay, I understand you're taking a trip. Pretty soon. Where you going? I'm going to the mountains.

[Matt Gourley]

I'm going to Idlewild. The mayor's a dog. Did you know that?

[Sonam Movsesian]

Mm.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Mayor Max.

[Conan O'Brien]

Way too much information.

[Matt Gourley]

Yeah, it's Mayor Max. He's a dog.

[Conan O'Brien]

Okay, well, that's nice. You're going to Idlewild. It's great.

[Matt Gourley]

And you know what? I'm thinking about hosting on Airbnb while I'm gone to help offset some of the cost of the trip.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's smart. Hosting is a pretty cool and unique way to make some money back.

[Matt Gourley]

That's right. And people can stay in my awesome apartment, which is full of great comic books. I have a lot of cool figurines. It's really. It's a great place to stay.

[Conan O'Brien]

Also, have you seen the movie 40 Year Old Virginia? No. Now you should check it out sometime. Okay, sounds fun. But you know what? If you've got 20, 25 goals of like, travel and stuff like that, this would fit very nicely into those goals. Which is using Airbnb. That's right. Because it's more relaxing to take a trip when you know that you're making some cash on the other end.

[Adam Sachs]

Exactly.

[Conan O'Brien]

And it might make you a little more, I don't know, prone to spend a little more on your trip, on yourself because you know that you're being responsible. That's right. So don't leave money on the table when you travel. Your home might be worth more than.

[Mike Sweeney]

You think it is.

[Conan O'Brien]

Find out how much@Airbnb. Dot HBO's biggest series the Last of.

[Mike Sweeney]

Us returns with a new season on Max. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. The show picks up five years after the events of the first season as Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other in a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind. CNN calls the Last of Us exquisite, fully realized and worthy of the hype. And the Daily Beast calls it a riveting and suspenseful triumph. I did really like the first season. Based on the groundbreaking video game, the Emmy winning HBO original series the Last of us premieres Sunday, April 13th at 9pm on MAX.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey Sona, do you own a business that's ready to thrive?

[Sonam Movsesian]

I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Well, it's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate to take things to the next level. Make sense?

[Sonam Movsesian]

I really want my business to thrive.

[Conan O'Brien]

You should. It should. Intuit QuickBooks is an all in one business platform that can help with day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. You want to be worried about that stuff?

[Sonam Movsesian]

That's perfect. That's what I. That's all I do.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Sonam Movsesian]

That's my whole business.

[Conan O'Brien]

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[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah, your voice changes when you do a car.

[Conan O'Brien]

I'm trying to become Will Arnett, but I can't do it.

[Mike Sweeney]

He's like the all new Nissan Armada Pro 4X.

[Conan O'Brien]

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[Sonam Movsesian]

That's crazy.

[Conan O'Brien]

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[Mike Sweeney]

Gives you freedom to explore further.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Did we mention that it's for achievement in comedy and it's given at the Kennedy Center? Did we mention. Yeah, that's why. I don't know if we mentioned.

[Conan O'Brien]

No. The Mark Twain Prize.

[Sonam Movsesian]

No, no, no.

[Conan O'Brien]

It is for athletic ability.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Oh, no, no, no, no, Conan. Someone lied to you.

[Conan O'Brien]

And guess what? Know what it is? It's the Mark Twain Prize for the most. Riz.

[Sonam Movsesian]

No.

[Adam Sachs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes. Yeah.

[Sonam Movsesian]

For the most. No. One person who should ever use the word.

[Conan O'Brien]

Don't make it negative that I. I know what Riz is. And it says on the award. Twain thinks you got Riz the Rizzler.

[Jeff Ross]

Of the Year award.

[Conan O'Brien]

Someone learned a new word today, and guess what. Can I say something else? He was famous for piloting a Rizzerboat.

[Sonam Movsesian]

No, we gotta stop.

[Conan O'Brien]

They gotta put the award away.

[Sonam Movsesian]

They're here to take it away.

[Conan O'Brien]

Because I said Rizzard boat.

[Sonam Movsesian]

They should take it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, no.

[Sonam Movsesian]

They should take it.

[Conan O'Brien]

First award to be taken away. Oh, no. Second.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Oh.

[Adam Sachs]

Edit out that May 4th announcement. Now it's not happening.

[Conan O'Brien]

No. Now it's July 4th, because they've got a. Oh, fuck. We got a skeleton in the audience. I'm making dad jokes about Riz. We're all going down the drain.

[Jeff Ross]

Without giving anything away, I think that Will Forte also should get a shout out.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Sachs]

Will Forte. Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Will Forte is a surprise, but it's okay to talk about it. He was. I had a notion for how I wanted the evening to end, and there was. When I thought of it, I thought, there's only one person who can do it, which is Will Forte. And I did something I never do, which is I cold called him. And I don't like to do that, but I cold called him and I said, I have an idea, but it means you flying to D.C. and only you can do it. And he was laughing really hard at the idea, and he said he'd do it. And then I said, you have to pay for your own flight and you have to pay me $5,000.

[Adam Sachs]

That's reasonable.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. And you have to kiss my feet. No, he came and he. I mean, he's. Again. He's the best again. He's just so funny, and he can. I Thought of this one idea and I thought, there's one person who can do it. And sure enough, and to the degree where if he had said, I'd love to do it, but I can't because I'm shooting, you know, I've got a shooting set, I'm in a movie, I'm doing this, I'm doing that, I would have done a different idea. Cause he was the only person who could do it. So everything came together and Triumph, that was your idea. Oh my God. Robert Smigel and Triumph.

[Adam Sachs]

Robert was great.

[Conan O'Brien]

Robert was hell. And he took you through the evening. And the fact that it was a. You're in the Kennedy center and it's this very impressive environment and that and that Triumph. And let's just try and remember, Triumph is a rubber dog who speaks like an old Russian lady, has a microphone and is leading us through the evening.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

You know what I mean? It's supposed to be like this is where Maria Callas gets her special metal.

[Sonam Movsesian]

But then there were a lot of old characters.

[Adam Sachs]

Oh, that's the other thing.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah, yeah. And I'm not gonna give anything away, but there's a lot of.

[Adam Sachs]

But you know, you could tease two old late night writer favorites, made appearances, memorable appearances.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jeff Ross]

I sent Robert a photo. I looked up at one point and it was just. All you could see was Triumph, like watching the show, sitting next to Will Ferrell watching the show. And it was just hilarious. I sent him a photo of just Triumph watching the show.

[Conan O'Brien]

And you know what's so funny is that when Robert is triumph over whatever 25 years it's been since triumph.

[Adam Sachs]

1998.

[Conan O'Brien]

1998, something.

[Adam Sachs]

97.

[Conan O'Brien]

But you know, in between takes of things, I'd be talking to Robert and the puppet would be on his hand and we'd be talking about. And sometimes Robert would be doing the puppet. And I find myself talking to the puppet and Robert's not wearing a mask or anything. You talk to Triumph. But the fact that if Triumph is sitting there just watching the event and Will Ferrell's also watching and no one's like, I'm watching it. It's just the most natural thing in the world.

[Adam Sachs]

Yep.

[Conan O'Brien]

There'll never be a dumber. I mean, there may not be a Twain award again, but there even be one again. We don't know.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Next year.

[Conan O'Brien]

I don't know.

[Adam Sachs]

And we could tease. David Letterman had was at the dinner throwing rolls at you and maybe he showed up for the big award night as well.

[Conan O'Brien]

We'll never know. Until you see it May 4th, if it ever comes. Yeah. Wait till the 4th of May. It would have been the 4th of April, except May the Sweeney. Did you say May the fourth be with you? Yes. Why don't you take a rizzer boat and find yourself a new job? Yay. Anyway, it was.

[Adam Sachs]

Conan O'Brien has a.

[Jeff Ross]

You mentioned your speech, though I do think it already has hundreds of thousands of views up on YouTube. One excerpt of the speech, which I think I will just say I thought was incredible and powerful and in the moment, you know, I think people got chills. I did, you know, watching this, hearing this speech in the moment. And I really suggest everyone go check it out.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, go ahead.

[Adam Sachs]

Well, you were so distract. Well, not distracted. You were consumed by doing the Oscars. And then the Oscars were over, and all of a sudden they were planning travel show. Another travel show.

[Conan O'Brien]

We left the morning after the Twain.

[Adam Sachs]

Awards to go to Austria.

[Conan O'Brien]

To go to Austria to finish up the show that had been interrupted by stuff in my life.

[Adam Sachs]

But I just want to mention that then when you finally, the week before the Twain Prize. Twain Prize, you were like, whoa, this is coming up. You wrote your whole speech. Every part of it was written by you. It was fantastic job. Oh, wow. Well done. Including the serious part, which is out already.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Yeah.

[Adam Sachs]

And has already been nominated for a Grammy.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Spoken word Grammy.

[Conan O'Brien]

But anyway.

[Adam Sachs]

Yes, great.

[Conan O'Brien]

Oh, and you got nominated for best Special effects. Yeah, Incredible.

[Adam Sachs]

Best skeleton.

[Conan O'Brien]

How did they get a skeleton in the crowd?

[Adam Sachs]

Also, Andy was great.

[Conan O'Brien]

Andy was fantastic. The dinner and the show.

[Adam Sachs]

Both. Both. Yes. Amazing job by Andy.

[Conan O'Brien]

He had some great jokes and he's. You know, it's. I get chills because Andy, the summer before the show started, I was in so much trouble. Cause I knew I only have literally weeks to try and come up with a show that would replace David Letterman from scratch.

[Adam Sachs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

Insane. And the minute I met Andy Richter, I thought, oh, I like this guy. And in the back of my mind, I thought it'd be cool if he was with me out there so I wasn't alone. And he said, well, he reminds me.

[Adam Sachs]

Of Sona and that he doesn't give a shit about her.

[Conan O'Brien]

He doesn't. Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Sachs]

Which is unusual in a performer.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no, no.

[Adam Sachs]

I interrupted you. I'm sorry.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no.

[Adam Sachs]

You were going to say you loved having him.

[Conan O'Brien]

No, no. That Andy is always Andy.

[Adam Sachs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

And it doesn't matter. You can, in a beautiful way. He's always himself.

[Adam Sachs]

Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

He's true to himself all the time. And there's no. Okay. I better gear up and get into Andy Richter character. There's no such thing.

[Adam Sachs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

And the same with Sona. Sona doesn't give a shit about her performances or her work for me. Yeah.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Look at me now. On your podcast. Who won that one?

[Conan O'Brien]

You know, you. You win all the time. You win at life all the time.

[Sonam Movsesian]

Didn't it feel like a funeral kind.

[Conan O'Brien]

Of, you know, doesn't it feel like.

[Sonam Movsesian]

We were eulogizing you in a way?

[Jeff Ross]

Didn't Amy sort of reference that?

[Sonam Movsesian]

Say that? She said it felt like we were eulogizing you and kind of did.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yeah. And I did have the strong urge to die afterwards just because it's like, what are you going to do now? You know? But then I realized it's on Netflix.

[Mike Sweeney]

People will see it.

[Conan O'Brien]

They'll for. I need to get that next prize.

[Adam Sachs]

But sorry, there was only one American humorist, apparently. Yeah, I'm sure if you lived in Britain, there's probably like a humorist award every three weeks.

[Conan O'Brien]

We've only had one America. No, we've only had one Twain. Yeah. Who's the guy that created Garfield?

[Adam Sachs]

Right, right, right.

[Conan O'Brien]

What's his name?

[Adam Sachs]

I don't even know.

[Conan O'Brien]

I don't know. It would be so cool if I had this set up.

[Adam Sachs]

I only know Charles Schulz. Is it? I don't know if anyone's come.

[Conan O'Brien]

Charles Schulz. Now, what if they skip over Charles?

[Mike Sweeney]

They.

[Conan O'Brien]

What if they skip over Charles Schultz and they just give it to the Jim Davis. Yeah, Jim Davis, creator of Garfield. And it's the Davis.

[Adam Sachs]

The Davis.

[Conan O'Brien]

Who's going to get the Davis. Yeah, but you have to work in a plug for Garfield and they sell lasagna. That's right. Because that's what he liked to eat a bowl.

[Sonam Movsesian]

No one eats lasagna out of a bowl.

[Conan O'Brien]

Wow, this was going so well.

[Adam Sachs]

Hey, I thought that 20 minute bell was going on.

[Conan O'Brien]

It went off.

[Adam Sachs]

All right.

[Conan O'Brien]

And when you said Rizzor Boat, that's.

[Sonam Movsesian]

When it started going downhill.

[Adam Sachs]

Also, some great fun video surprises during the show.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, yes. Some really good video surprises.

[Adam Sachs]

Some fans will enjoy.

[Conan O'Brien]

Yes, fans. If there's still Conan fans out there after this self congratulatory podcast episode.

[Adam Sachs]

Well, no, I congratulated you. So that wasn't self.

[Conan O'Brien]

That's true.

[Adam Sachs]

But of course, I'm an employee.

[Conan O'Brien]

And what are you gonna do?

[Adam Sachs]

My paycheck.

[Mike Sweeney]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

I just wish I had had more time to take it in because literally the next morning, everybody had to scatter because everyone's busy and we, you And I jumped on a plane with. With, With Ross and we took off for Jordan and Jordan for. For Austria. And then we just got back. So I'm still. And we're edit.

[Adam Sachs]

With this edit. The show's edited. It's due tomorrow to hbo Max. So we're. It's insanity. Yes.

[Conan O'Brien]

There's a lot that's happening. I am. I'm glad they recorded that evening because if there wasn't a recording of it, I wouldn't believe it. That's how I feel about it. I kind of just wouldn't believe it. And my love, and thanks to everybody who came out. I mean, really busy people flew across the country to be there. And I'll never forget it as long as I live. Wait. Just forgot it.

[Adam Sachs]

It's a very, very funny show and very sweet at the same time. Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

All right, Well, I think May 4th, Netflix. Check it out. I think you will enjoy it. And next week in this regular time slot, we'll probably be back with a fan, or maybe just me talking more about how I won a prize.

[Adam Sachs]

They're casting more fans this week, so we'll have, well, more fake fans.

[Conan O'Brien]

We're paying people.

[Mike Sweeney]

His name's Conan.

[Adam Sachs]

Yeah.

[Conan O'Brien]

Hey, Cronin, I loved your blate night show. It's Conan and it's late night. I love your. Yeah, I love it. You're great. I love when you drive with people and sing songs. No, that's cordon.

[Mike Sweeney]

Whatever. Fuck it.

[Conan O'Brien]

Where's my money? All right, peace out, Tupac.

[Jimmy Vivino]

Conan O'Brien needs a fan. With Conan O'Brien. Sonam of Cessian and Matt Gourley. Produced by me, Matt Gourley executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross and Nick Leow. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.

[Conan O'Brien]

Take it away, Jimmy.

[Jimmy Vivino]

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 [e-mail] Conan please rate, review and subscribe to Conan O'Brien needs a fan. Wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

[Conan O'Brien]

It'S time.

[Mike Sweeney]

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[Sonam Movsesian]

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[Mike Sweeney]

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[Conan O'Brien]

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[Mike Sweeney]

A couple hours later you got it. Yeah, and then you're throwing around with little Billy or a kid with a different name. Swing by your local store or shopacademy.com today. Get ready to hit it out of the park, baby.

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