Podcast Summary: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Episode: Interrupto!

Date: March 26, 2026
Host: Conan O’Brien
Guests: Sona Movsesian, Matt Gourley, Mike (Conservation Authority, London Ontario)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend embodies the series’ spirit of genuine, playful connection. Conan welcomes “Mike” from London, Ontario, who has one of the show’s most unique careers: conservation authority, former polar bear monitor, and professional bird handler. The episode is a lively, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt exploration of wildlife, nature’s dangers, and following your passion—even if it means arming yourself against polar bears while raising bald eagles.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Mike’s Background and Arctic Adventures

• Location & Career Introduction

  • Mike joins from London, Ontario, Canada (01:43).
  • He shares his work as a conservation authority, which leads Conan to ask about Canada’s wilderness, jokingly requesting tundra sound effects (02:00).

• Polar Bear Monitor Explained

  • Mike describes being flown into the Arctic to escort researchers, protecting them from polar bears (02:38).
    • “I would go up to the Arctic and get dropped off by helicopter with anybody who needs a safe escort across the Arctic from polar bears.” — Mike (02:39)
  • Polar bears are extremely dangerous: “If they smell you, see you, they’re coming to get you. They’re hungry, it’s cold, and they want to eat, right?” — Mike (04:26)

• Methods of Defense

  • Mike uses non-lethal rubber slugs but carries more serious ammunition as a last resort—though he’s never had to use lethal force (05:01).
    • “If you hit a polar bear with it, he’ll say, I want to leave now.” — Conan (05:28)
    • “I did it once, and the polar bear just kind of like, squinted its eyes and walked away.” — Mike (05:31)
    • He values giving bears every chance to walk away unharmed (05:59).

Memorable Animal Encounters

• Birds of Prey and the Owl Interrupto

  • A surprise reveal: Mike’s owl is onscreen and ends up being named “Interrupto” by Conan (03:31, 03:37).
    • “How about Interrupto?” — Conan (03:37)
  • Mike discusses using birds of prey—hawks, falcons, bald eagles—for pest control (07:08).
    • “I had a bald eagle named Babe. I raised her from an egg, basically.” — Mike (07:20)
  • Babe the eagle’s personality: friendly to men, jealous of women (08:28).

• Training Birds and Their Odd Adventures

  • Mike recounts “car hawking”—driving with a hawk in the passenger seat for dramatic bird control, sometimes leading to mishaps, like hawks flying into the wrong cars (09:57, 10:58).
    • “She flew straight into their window and the car hit the gravel. Everyone came running out of their cars.” — Mike (10:58)
    • Conan and Sona riff on the idea of a hawk’s “walk of shame” after a mishap (11:40, 11:45).

• Other Wildlife Encounters: Grizzly Bears in the Rockies

  • Mike shares his experience as a horseback guide in the Rockies, having non-lethal encounters with grizzlies (16:49).
  • Conan confesses a mix of fascination and terror about grizzlies:
    • “Part of me wants to have a grizzly encounter just as much as I don’t want to have a grizzly encounter. Does that make sense to you?” — Conan (17:48)

Wild Animal Psychology and Job Dangers

• Mike reflects on the risks of his career, lack of desire to have an office job, and the lure of living life fully—even with the dangers of bear attacks (18:15).
  • “If I had a bear encounter and that’s what happened, like, I don’t want it, it would be awful. But like, you know, gee, yeah, that’s like…” — Mike (18:15)

Conan in the Wilderness: Hypothetical Scenarios

• Conan repeatedly asks how he would fare in a polar or grizzly bear encounter.
  • “Whether it’s in the Arctic and we’re approaching a polar bear, you’re dead.” — Mike (19:09)
  • Mike humorously offers hope that their combined height might intimidate bears (19:55), but doubts Conan’s survival instincts.
  • “I might see a comedy opportunity and start, you know, pretending to be another bear who’s kind of a wise guy.” — Conan (20:30)
  • Sona jokes that Conan’s bits would make the bear want to eat him even more (20:48).

Finding Passion in Work and Life

• The episode ends on a sincere note about the value of finding work that aligns with one’s passions.
  • “People that have found what they love and what they’re passionate about, and then they manage to will that to be their career, their life—I think that is the best way to go, you know, through our time here.” — Conan (24:19)
• Mike shares that listening to Conan’s podcasts on Arctic expeditions provided comfort and connection (22:46).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Description | |-----------|---------|-------------------| | 03:37 | Conan | “How about Interrupto?” (Naming Mike’s owl) | | 04:26 | Mike | “If they smell you, see you, they’re coming to get you.” (About polar bears) | | 05:31 | Mike | “I did it once, and the polar bear just kind of like, squinted its eyes and walked away.” | | 08:16 | Conan | “Our national symbol is the dickiest of the birds.” (about bald eagles) | | 10:58 | Mike | Story of the hawk flying into the wrong car | | 11:45 | Sonam | “The walk of shame—the walk of shame for a hawk.” | | 17:48 | Conan | “Part of me wants to have a grizzly encounter just as much as I don’t want to have a grizzly encounter. Does that make sense to you?” | | 18:15 | Mike | “If I had a bear encounter and that’s what happened, like, I don’t want it, it would be awful. But like, you know, gee, yeah, that’s like…” | | 19:09 | Mike | “You’re dead.” (on Conan’s wilderness skills) | | 20:48 | Sonam | “If the bear wasn’t going to kill you after your bits, it would want to kill you.” | | 22:46 | Mike | “I basically downloaded a gajillion hours of your podcast and Trailer Park Boys...it just reaches everyone.” (On listening in the Arctic) | | 24:19 | Conan | “People that have found what they love and what they’re passionate about, and then they manage to will that to be their career, their life—I think that is the best way to go.” |

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [01:37] – Guest Mike joins the show
• [02:38] – Mike explains being a polar bear monitor
• [03:31] – Mike’s owl appears; Conan names her “Interrupto”
• [04:26] – Danger and nature of polar bears
• [05:01] – Non-lethal vs. lethal methods in bear monitoring
• [07:08] – Discussing birds of prey and their training
• [08:28] – Story of Babe, the bald eagle
• [09:57] – “Car hawking” and pest control with trained birds
• [10:58] – The hawk’s wrong-car incident
• [16:49] – Stories about grizzly bear encounters
• [17:48] – Conan on the thrill and fear of meeting a grizzly
• [19:09] – Would Conan survive in the wild?
• [22:46] – Mike on listening to Conan's podcast in the Arctic
• [24:19] – Conan’s reflections on following your passion and ending the interview

Tone & Style

The episode is lively and irreverent, with typical Conan wit and a sense of mutual respect and fascination between host and guest. Conan’s fascination with wild animals is matched by Mike’s rugged humor and humility. The conversation flows naturally between absurd hypotheticals, sincere curiosity, and admiration for those who pursue unique paths in life.

Final Thoughts

Interrupto! is a quintessential Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend episode: off-the-wall, unexpectedly informative, and constantly infused with humor. Mike's life as a conservation authority and animal trainer provides rich ground for both comedy and admiration, while the ever-present banter keeps things light. The episode closes by celebrating those who carve out meaningful work in the world—whether that’s podcasting or keeping polar bears at bay.