Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Episode: “That Zagrebian ’Tude”
Date: September 25, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, warm, and often hilarious edition of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Conan, Sona Movsesian, and Matt Gourley welcome Tasha, a self-described “lifelong fan” connecting from Zagreb, Croatia. The conversation weaves through Tasha’s dual life as both a newly-minted psychotherapist and a cruise manager on luxury yachts, Conan’s reflections from years in comedy, playful psychoanalysis, Below Deck gossip, and a moving discussion about comedy as solace during turbulent times. The episode stands out for its unexpected candor, cultural exchange, and sharp, good-natured banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet Tasha: Life in Zagreb, Croatia

• Introduction and Background
  • Tasha joins from Zagreb, revealing her Croatian roots and family ties to the Adriatic islands.
  • She encourages Conan to visit, praising Croatia's beauty and culture.

    "We have many, many islands in this beautiful sea. The Adriatic Sea." — Tasha (02:45)

2. Double Duty: Psychotherapist and Cruise Manager

• Career Paths

  • Tasha shares her recent completion of psychotherapy training, alongside managing luxury yacht cruises.

    "I have two jobs...I am a psychotherapist...and my other job is I'm a cruise manager on luxury yachts..." — Tasha (03:06)

• Below Deck Comparisons

  • Conan draws from his wife’s obsession with “Below Deck” to ask if yacht life is as dramatic as on TV.

    "They make it a little more spectacular and dramatic, but it is beautiful...there is a little bit of drama as well." — Tasha (03:37)

3. The Accidental Therapist: Conan’s Unofficial Diagnosis

• Therapy via Podcast

  • Tasha, a longtime listener and viewer since 1993, playfully analyzes Conan’s personality.

    "I have diagnosed you many times, even though it's completely unprofessional..." — Tasha (05:23)

• Key Observations

  • Tasha notes Conan’s openness about his anxiety and self-deprecating humor as both comedic assets and coping mechanisms.

    "Everyone knows you're neurotic and anxious...But the good news is that you're open about it...which is a really great way to be healthier about it." — Tasha (05:58)

  • She offers an armchair diagnosis of Conan’s workplace relationships:

    “There is some conflict that you have with some members of your staff that is not fully healthy." — Tasha (06:39)

  • Specifically highlights Sona’s “healthy exchange” style and suggests “passive aggressiveness” with Matt, humorously recommending “couples therapy.”

    "Sona is dealing with it really in a healthy way...Matt, I think there’s a little bit of passive aggressiveness..." — Tasha (07:07)

4. Yachtlife Hijinks & Conan the Security Clown

• Workplace Romance & Security

  • Conan presses for details on yacht romances, with gleeful conspiratorial references to “night vision cameras”—riffing on the absurdity of celebrity reality TV.

    "You have to erase the 10,000 hours of tape that I’ve put into the cloud." — Conan (04:41)

  • Tasha describes problems with drunken party crashers late at night trying to sneak aboard. Conan volunteers as intimidating “security,” Tasha jokes his striking features (fair skin, orange hair) would terrify would-be intruders.

    "No one has orange hair in Croatia." — Tasha (19:26)

• Sona as Life Coach

  • Tasha wants Sona to teach her “how not to care about my job as much,” riffing on Sona’s legendary chill.

    "I want Sona to teach me how to not care about my job as much." — Tasha (10:24)

  • Conan playfully extends this idea to surgery, joking, “A lot of people are dying now, but they don’t care as much. The doctors are happier with it.” (10:47)

5. “That Zagrebian ’Tude”: The Cultural Tease

• After Tasha unintentionally implies Conan doesn’t care for his sensitive skin, Conan coins the episode title:

  "It's very Croatian of you. It's very Zagrebian. You're giving me that Zagrebian tude. There's the title: Zagrebian2. That Zagrebian2." — Conan (16:57)

6. Comedy as Comfort During Wartime

• Moving Reflection

  • Tasha turns serious, sharing how, as a student during Croatia’s tumultuous early-‘90s war, she and friends relied on Conan’s show as a lifeline.

    "...we had this surreal reality of the war...I would watch TV...it was one of the main shows that I watched, and it brought me joy and relief." — Tasha (21:19)

  • The group reflects on comedy’s power to comfort during hardship, with Conan expressing deep gratitude.

    "The idea that you were going through this terrible ordeal...and that you got some sustenance out of our silliness means everything to me." — Conan (24:01) "It really means a lot to me to be able to share it with you. This is like a dream come true." — Tasha (24:25)

7. Goodbye and Gratitude

• Sincere and warm farewells, as both sides appreciate the odd and amazing ways lives connect via comedy and podcasts.

  "Anyway, Tasha, it was an absolute joy talking to you. You're a very special person and I do hope we get to meet up." — Conan (25:38) "You're such wonderful people and keep doing this. Don't ever quit." — Tasha (25:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I think you should try out all the different roles [on the yacht]...maybe I want Sona to teach me how not to care about my job as much.” — Tasha (10:24)
• "There’s a little bit of passive aggressiveness between [Matt] and [Conan]...maybe you should go to a couple therapist about it." — Tasha (07:29)
• “Why don’t you just get like a down on his luck Ronald McDonald with sores on his face?” — Conan (19:30)
• "[Comedy] was one of the main shows that I watched, and it brought me joy and relief." — Tasha (21:24)
• “That’s the magic of it all...that you got some sustenance out of our silliness means everything to me.” — Conan (24:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:19 — Tasha introduces Croatia, her background, and recommends Conan visit.
• 03:06 — Tasha discusses her dual career: psychotherapist and cruise manager.
• 05:23 – 08:35 — Playful psychoanalysis of Conan and staff dynamics.
• 09:00 – 11:00 — Yacht “Below Deck” antics, Sona’s legendary chill, Conan volunteers for security.
• 16:57 — “That Zagrebian ’Tude” is coined.
• 21:13 – 24:25 — Tasha’s story: watching Conan during the Croatian War; the group reflects on comedy as comfort.
• 25:38 – 26:00 — Sincere goodbyes and mutual appreciation.

Conclusion

“That Zagrebian ’Tude” captures everything listeners love about Conan’s podcast: quick, irreverent wit; profound human moments; goofy, off-the-cuff invention; and heartfelt connection across cultures. Both the comedic banter and the serious reflection underscore comedy’s unexpected reach and resilience, giving fans a top-tier episode to revisit.