Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Chelsea Peretti

Episode Date: March 4, 2024

Comedian and actress Chelsea Peretti feels excited about being Conan O’Brien’s friend. Chelsea sits down with Conan to discuss her comedy influences, the upfronts of yesteryear, her podcast Call ...Chelsea Peretti, and how to survive a bear attack. For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com.Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (669) 587-2847.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hi, my name is Chelsea Peretti. And I feel excited about being Conan O'Brien's friend. I'm not buying it. I'm totally... There was... It was the delivery. The delivery was way over the top. Should I do another take?
Starting point is 00:00:19 Nope. We're gonna go with that one. Okay. I'm like... You're a... One. Okay. I'm like. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like. Fall is here, hear the yell, back to school, ring the bell, brand new shoes, walking lose, climb the fence, books and pens.
Starting point is 00:00:35 I can tell that we are gonna be friends. I can tell that we are gonna be friends. Hello, it's Conan O'Brien needs a friend. I'm Conan O'Brien. Usually I say welcome to, but today I just said it's Conan O'Brien needs a friend. Is that okay? Well, it's true it is Conan O'Brien.
Starting point is 00:00:52 Yeah, it's like saying it's Dragonet or... Why would I use such an old reference? I should use a... We're gonna get so many letters. No, I'm gonna use a new reference, you know? Cause I was too old. It's saved by the bell. What? What are you talking about? What are you too old. It's saved by the bell. What?
Starting point is 00:01:06 What are you talking about? It's bring us in the late 80s. Who did that? I'm trying slowly to try it. What's that? But who did that? Like what are you talking about? It's saved by the bell.
Starting point is 00:01:16 Who said that? No one did. Yeah. No one's gonna notice you said something different. Okay, so now I made a big thing of it. You shouldn't have done that. I said it's Conan O'Brien needs a friend and that felt a little strange to me and then I started commenting on it. Yeah. I want to
Starting point is 00:01:30 do the thing where we take it again and I tell you that I'm going to edit that first part out but leave it in. So you're definitely going to edit this out, right? Absolutely, boss. You know I wouldn't lie to you. You know I wouldn't lie to you. How often have you done that seriously? I think every time. So you've never, anytime I've stumbled or fumbled and said you'll take it out and you say, yeah, don't worry, boss, you leave it in. Unless, yeah, if it's to comedic effect, I absolutely leave it in. But unless it's like a sensitive thing.
Starting point is 00:02:00 So you lie to me. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'm okay with that, actually. Yeah. Yeah, and you know We're gonna clean it up and people are gonna think we're and it's not like I rush around listening to the podcast No, you don't so you can get away with murder. I don't think you even know how to find it, right? I have tried every dial on the radio
Starting point is 00:02:17 I saw you at Amoeba Records the other day looking for the podcast in a rack. Yeah, but you know what's weird There is now a vinyl of the podcast in Iraq. Yeah, but you know what's weird? There is now a vinyl of the podcast that came out and I realized my radio joke doesn't work either because we're on SiriusXM104. So all of my quips don't work because we're everywhere. We're on vinyl. We're on the radio. You know what else has happened too is that when you ask a parent, have you checked out the podcast and they go, where do I watch it? That now is true because the podcast is on YouTube, so most people are watching it
Starting point is 00:02:49 and now the parents are right. This is horrible. This is great. Yeah. How you doing all of that? I'm doing really well. So on a left and made a very large sandwich while we were talking.
Starting point is 00:03:00 When you guys go down this, like these kinds of avenues, I'm just like, let them just go. Let them just go talking. That's why I'm constantly saying to Matt before we start, I'm gonna stop for a second and think about a good thing to talk about. And you always say, just go, just go, just go, just go. Just get this fly by the city or gold.
Starting point is 00:03:15 This isn't good. This isn't good. No one's gonna say, oh man, what a, that was a sweet treat they just served up. This is a dog's breakfast, it's a mess. People don't want good podcasting, they want real podcasting. Okay.
Starting point is 00:03:31 Is that true? I don't know, I made that up. I just made, I think, that's like saying, I'm glad you're not a car manufacturer. I'd have to recall this podcast over and over again. Exactly. What do you, is this car, hey, hey, I just was driving the car and the wheels fell off
Starting point is 00:03:45 and it crashed and a bunch of people in the car were killed. I feel terrible and I'm badly injured myself. Yeah, this car was just, we improvised. We just threw it together and that's real, man. I would say since I've been doing podcasting since 2006, I should be trusted, but the sad truth is I should be put out to pasture. Right, because you're now a
Starting point is 00:04:06 2006 that makes you you were in on the very first podcast where you talked about the moon landing and stuff Right, that's the very the very early podcasts. Yeah, ladies and gentlemen president Eisenhower has died That's the kind of podcasting you did at the beginning. That's right fireside chats incredible. Yeah when they were on pods That's right. I pods. Yeah, which Yeah. When they were on pods. That's right. iPods. Yeah. Which is why they're called podcasts. I never thought about that. Are you serious? I didn't. It's yeah, it's a pun on broadcast, but podcast. Yeah. And now the iPods been gone for what? A decade? How long has it been gone for? 15 years? Mine was stolen. Really? From my car. Yeah. That was me. Oh, come on. What are you doing? I thought it was funny. I
Starting point is 00:04:44 smashed your window and I took your iPod and threw it away. That's a prank. Isn't that a prank? Or is it just a crime? That's a crime. Okay. I get confused what they are a lot I pulled a prank on an old woman last night. I knocked her down and I took her purse Yeah, yeah, those pranksters that robbed the bank the other day that was me Yeah, it was my friends. Oh. It was just a prank. You were wearing a nun mask. You never go back and say it was a prank, you just keep what you steal?
Starting point is 00:05:11 Yeah. Okay, cool. I call it a lucrative prank. That's my defense. I just, it's a prank. You know the way people are always doing that, they're going around, they have like some YouTube channel, they're trying to start and they'll go around
Starting point is 00:05:24 and prank people. And I just think, yeah, often you look at them and go, I think that's a kind of a crime. Yeah. Sort of a fine line. There really is. Some of them, because they have to do whatever they can. And now some of them are like,
Starting point is 00:05:38 They're getting desperate. They're stealing stuff. Yeah. You know? But they're not pranks. I think they're just like, I can do this. So I'll do it. I think this started out as a prank.
Starting point is 00:05:47 This podcast. This podcast. And then, you know, it grew into whatever it is now. It may still be a prank. I don't know. Well, the big prank is we've told you this thing goes out and it never does. I know what's listening to this.
Starting point is 00:06:00 Oh my God, we come every day. So you hire people to drive by in cars and shout out the window, which just happened in Dublin. There was talk of gerbils! It's that happened, I mean, sorry, that was in Dublin. That was walking along the Liffey River. And people are shouting stuff out from the podcast. And I think, wow, Gourley is just paying people.
Starting point is 00:06:19 Out of my own pocket. Yeah. Infestation, we're really, that's ridiculous. What? I don't know that people yell that in like foreign countries if they're like, there was talk of ger own pocket. Yeah. Infestation. That's ridiculous. What? I don't know that people yell that in foreign countries if there was talk of gerbils. Oh, why do you make people do that? And you said do that to me.
Starting point is 00:06:33 Yeah. First it was Katakai as God made her. Now it's there was talk of gerbils. Pretty soon we should move on to a new one. I like there was talk of gerbils so much that I didn't want to stay with it for a bit. And it's still one of my favorite fan encounters is when someone came up to me
Starting point is 00:06:46 And I don't know where they were and they had an accent I can't remember which country they were from and they said there were rumors of hamsters There were rumors there were room and he said it like oh, I've got it. There's Conan There were rumors of hamsters and I said dude. You are so close I'm gonna give it to you, but it's talk of gerbils. And you saw his whole face fall. Cataclysm as Zeus fashion for... It's Catacit as corn cob released her.
Starting point is 00:07:17 Kit Kat. You should have just let him have it. I should have, but I'm a stickler. I'm a stickler. I'm like, yeah, one of those uptight deans in one of those movies. You are. You are, yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:29 You are that guy in like... Animal house. Animal house, I mean, I was thinking TCU, yeah. Or old school. You're that guy in old school. I'm obsessed with those characters. And one of the Simpsons episodes I wrote, it was an obsession of mine that Homer's has to go
Starting point is 00:07:46 to college and his only knowledge of college is from those movies. So he's convinced that he's like, we gotta take the starch out of this Dean's shirt. He's obsessed with that. And he shows up and I just wanted the Dean to be, the Dean is the nicest. He's a young guy who's like,
Starting point is 00:08:01 hey man, I used to play bass with the pretenders. If you wanna jam, he couldn't be nicer. And Homer's like, we're going to get him and get him good. That was my obsession. So yeah, long time ago, long, long time ago. Well, should we do it? Should we get into the old shazo? The old shazo?
Starting point is 00:08:22 I swear I haven't been drinking yet. What if we're laughing now in two years from now I'm in a catatonic state? Come on. And they're going through all of these hints with Gourley and they're saying you didn't know that his cerebellum was- Oh I knew, I just wanted to hasten it. This is all gonna be played back for you one day by a neurologist and both of you are gonna be in the haig
Starting point is 00:08:46 as war criminals. You could have saved him. When he said it's time for the sh- sh- sh- sh- shizzo, you didn't know that he was bleeding into his cortex? You just laughed. And now he's dead. All right, my guest today is a hilarious comedian whose podcast called Chelsea Peretti releases new episodes every Thursday.
Starting point is 00:09:18 Chelsea Peretti, welcome. I'm thrilled to have you here. I really am. Actually, I'm really genuinely happy to here. I really am. Actually, I'm really genuinely happy to be here. I am. I swear, there's no way to sell it, but I am. I first of all want to thank you for your stunning portrayal of my assistant, Sona, in your character as Gina Lynetti on Brooklyn, that's right. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, because I will say something.
Starting point is 00:09:45 You played this iconic character, and it's one of your thousand accomplishments, but you play this character who is a terrible assistant, and I swear to God, I always thought like, this character is so much like Sona, who's been my assistant forever. Yeah. Brilliant. And then Gorgias.
Starting point is 00:10:03 Oh, thank you. Yeah. Brilliant. And then, Oh, thank you. Yeah. But then there's an episode where Gina gets an assistant. So Gina doesn't do anything. And then she has an assistant who's basically just writing down her insults, you know. And, Sona got an assistant who works for me.
Starting point is 00:10:21 And by the way, as a massive fan of yours and Brooklyn 99 said. Can she also? He. Oh, can he co-assist and also split assist me? Yes. Yes, yes. My current assistant lives in Joshua Tree,
Starting point is 00:10:33 and he's building like a hobo camp with yurts. Why? I'm kind of in dire need. Let's get the word out. He like remote assists me, and he's not good with like dates and times. That's me too, that's how I was. I took, it got so bad
Starting point is 00:10:50 and the fans got to know Sona and they got to know that our relationship. So we did a remote once where I brought in a, was it, it was an HR? It was an HR rep from TBS. An HR rep from TBS, an actual HR rep who's a real person. And she was kind of just talking to both of us. And she said, D'Sonah, what do you think your issue is?
Starting point is 00:11:07 And she said, I have a real mental block about helping Conan. And I said, you're my fucking assistant. But I loved when, because David Hopping's the guy who took over for you. And when that episode came out, David and I were talking about this because it's just hilarious that you got an assistant and you refused to
Starting point is 00:11:27 help me. That's true. It's the long con. It's very, very clever. Yeah. Thank you. Anyway, it's a very incredible portrayal of something that really happened in my life.
Starting point is 00:11:36 I love that. Yeah, well, goodbye. That's all we needed. Thank you for having me. Oh my goodness. Thank you for having me. Oh my goodness. Thank you for being here. We have a lot to talk about because I am, in addition to somewhat being in comedy,
Starting point is 00:11:51 I'm also a lover of comedy. And you have been, I was looking at all the points of intersection that you've worked in, in comedy. And it's crazy how many different shows you've been involved in, how many different, like, whether it's Stand Up, or whether you've worked for a bit of, I was brief stint on SNL, working with people like Sarah Silverman, like, you've kind of, kind of been everywhere and done a lot of amazing stuff. And yet, what happened with me? You know?
Starting point is 00:12:15 You're here. No. This podcast is the sign that you've- Yeah, I think your point still stands. The point still stands that your career is in terrible trouble. Yeah, it's in tatters. I need this more than you know. Uh-huh.
Starting point is 00:12:29 Yeah, I mean, I love comedy. I always, I think it's like my religion. I don't, I envy people who have a religious base in a way, although lately not as much. But anyway, I just, comedy is everything to me. So. Was it always like when you were a kid? I think so. much. But anyway, I just comedy is everything to me. So was it always like when you were a kid? I think so. I mean, it kind of shifted in junior high, because
Starting point is 00:12:50 I was always like weird in elementary school. How weird? Because I'm usually I can beat people that say they were weird when they were kids. I didn't self identify as weird. Let's say that I was listed on it. Like if you went to the supermarket, if someone passes a bad check, it would just say like weird kid. There was a photo of me. I was identified, not self-identified, identified by everyone as weird kid.
Starting point is 00:13:12 That's how I was identified by others that way. And I didn't, and I, for example, I wrote a play called Gertrude's Revenge. And the subtitle was All Popular Kids Beware. Oh, cool. Like, never a more heartbreaking play to be written by your child in elementary school. And yet, no intervention of any kind. Also, any child in the modern era who's named Gertrude would be justified in seeking revenge. Why would I choose that name for my protagonist? Enid evens the score. Like I chose a weird name. It was in my blood.
Starting point is 00:13:54 So yeah, I don't know. I just felt very uncomfortable in elementary school. Then junior high, I flipped weird to funny. And so that was when I started to feel really funny. What was your appearance like? How did you dress? Horrific, horrific. Ugliest I've ever been.
Starting point is 00:14:11 Junior high I had a perm, but straight bangs and braces. Wait, wait, wait. How do you pull that off? Do you go to Q difference for the last? I did that too. Bangs grow fast and I would curl them in one like hard, shiny curl forward. And then my nose would be like protruding out. I was so skinny that I had no face to balance anything. It just looked like a piece of paper, you know, under a sheath of bangs.
Starting point is 00:14:39 And you know, my knees were bigger than my legs. Like, was just bad. Seventh grade was the all-time low. Eighth grade, it got a little better. Like, yeah. And what are you wearing? What kind of things are you wearing? Okay, this was the era of, you know, gap, clothes, big, huge plaid, gap shirts, big jeans. I mean, kids at my school were wearing Oakland Raiders jackets,
Starting point is 00:15:00 starter jackets. And Elise, you familiar with Elise Conan? I'm not familiar with Elise. And I say that proudly. What is Elise? It's a shoe brand that was popular in Oakland in that era. And Nike Cortez, I'm sure you had a pair. Oh, sure, I'm wearing them now.
Starting point is 00:15:16 But not on my feet. Don't ask any questions. What? What? Where's that HR lady? Bring her in. Right. Hey, that's a very vague joke. No, I just love HR people.
Starting point is 00:15:29 They're fun to talk to. They really are. They're a good time. They really are fun to talk to. I love it when they come and speak to me for things I've done. Daily. Yeah, it helps everyone feel at ease.
Starting point is 00:15:42 We've talked Conan, why? Yeah, well I used to pretend to be the HR person. Conan, why? Um, yeah. Well, I used to pretend to be the HR person. Oh, I hated your HR person. Because what was it? Because you would just do this with your hands, and you'd be like, shut up, go have a baby, dumb little bitch. Why, wait a minute, I would not say that.
Starting point is 00:15:57 Oh my God. No, I would put- Who are you? I would put fake- She would say, why is there no HR here? And I'll say, I'll go get him. And I would leave and I would come back. And I would, I'd be like, what's going on? Just suck it up.
Starting point is 00:16:09 Yes. Just suck it up. And she'd be like, that's you making glasses with your fingers that is not HR. That's such a suck. Admit that your crimes were greater than mine. No. All right, you're fired.
Starting point is 00:16:20 Okay. Okay. So you were very interested in comedy, but did you when I was a youngster, I never thought there's no way like this can be a living. I didn't think it was a way to, is that something you thought? I mean, unfortunately, I like wanted to be rich and famous when I was young. So I think I did have, I thought it would be easier. But I don't know.
Starting point is 00:16:43 I guess it is weird to want that and then achieve that. That's pretty weird odds. The best part about being famous is... People with a checkout line stopping you and saying to someone else at the checkout line who's working another register, hey, you know this guy?
Starting point is 00:17:01 That's just you who it is. And the other guy is like, no. Come on, think. I don't know. Break your brain. Remember? It's the weird kid from the bulletin board. Yeah, exactly.
Starting point is 00:17:15 But they were, I've had that. That's my least favorite thing would be someone going, hey, you know this guy? You don't think it's worse when they go up to you and go, what are you, you're from something. You probably don't experience that. I don't experience it as much because I'm, no one else looks like me.
Starting point is 00:17:32 I don't know. People have either. I'm racking my brain to think of someone who looks like you so I can say it. It's like, I've said this before, but it is like if Big Bird from Sesame Street was walking through a supermarket and someone said, I know you from somewhere.
Starting point is 00:17:47 You know, you either know Big Bird or you don't. Right. So. Yeah. I hate the charade of having to like supply my resume. Your resume. Yes. That's stressful.
Starting point is 00:17:58 But what I love is going to restaurants and having an easy time going to restaurants. Okay. I have a friend who is enraged that she won't be able to get into a restaurant so she'll call me. Yeah. And I'll say, well, I'll go with you
Starting point is 00:18:13 and I go with her and we get in. And she's sitting there enjoying this really nice meal being like, this is not right! This isn't fair! And I'm like, hey! Then, Oh! Amy!
Starting point is 00:18:24 Yes! We don't say her last name, I knew what you were talking about. We won't say her last name. But yeah, she'll go to the trouble of making me take her. But then be enraged. This is wrong. Could I have more brunet sauce please? Right. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:18:35 Not wrong enough. I thought you were gonna say that once you walk her in, you leave and then she eats alone. I wonder if that move works. You could start a side business. That would be a great business. The restaurant's like, we're gonna have to take that table back.
Starting point is 00:18:49 Oh no. Do you think that would work? No. You walk in and you sit with them for a second and then you say, I have to go, I have diarrhea. Yeah, exactly. No one ever questions diarrhea because no one wants to get into it.
Starting point is 00:19:01 Yeah. And then they can't take that table back. And then they find out that I've been doing that at restaurants all over town. And also I like the idea that I'm not like Leonardo DiCaprio, you know, so there'd be plenty of restaurants where I wouldn't get in, hold for laugh. But anyway. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Sorry, gotta go. Let me guess, Diarrhea. That's right.
Starting point is 00:19:27 Yeah, that would wear out fast. The words, the words all over town. Diarrhea O'Brien. That's me. So would you say, because I know that you stand up, you did stand up for years. Who was your influence? Who was the person that we were watching when you were young that made you, you were like, I got, that's who I wanna be. I mean, honestly, it wasn't so much stand-ups.
Starting point is 00:19:50 Like I loved Gilda Radner and Eddie Murphy. Like I would watch his VHS of, you know, best of Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live and Steve Martin. And, you know, I do remember watching Eddie Murphy Raw with my grandmother for some reason. But it was at her insistence. Yeah. We're not going to watch it again.
Starting point is 00:20:09 I'm like, no, yeah, she influenced me. I remember Adele Givens on Deaf Comedy Jam, Deaf Comedy Jam I used to watch a lot of, but yeah, I wasn't like a crazed standup fan, like a lot of standups. You and I were at a social function, there were a lot of standups there and everyone was I were at a social function, there were a lot of stand-ups there and everyone was going on listing the stand-ups
Starting point is 00:20:27 that influenced them. And I remember, I can't remember what you said, but I just, we were going around the room and I was thinking it wasn't, for me, it wasn't stand-ups that excited me the most. It was sketch players and comedic actors that made me really excited about comedy. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:20:44 I mean, listen, lately I've really been, I don't do stand up as much. And what I really think about it is there's almost no one I want to hear talk for an hour straight. You know what I mean? Like I think it's a flawed art for me. Okay, this podcast is- This is canceled.
Starting point is 00:20:56 55 minutes. So we just get you in under the wire. We're both talking. There's an interplay. You know, it's like someone standing on stage and talking. It's just it's I always want There to be another reality to come in so I was so happy doing late night because I could be talking and a man could interrupt me from The audience who's dressed in a beekeepers outfit and a whole other reality could come out. That's the world I always wanted to live in. Yeah, I wanted to start doing something or talking as a normal person,
Starting point is 00:21:25 but then I wanted to be stopped by either a bear wearing a diaper or a guy praying to be a gold miner. And then I wanted maybe some tape to be involved that took us to a different reality. That was the world that I was always happy with. Yeah, I like that interplay and the whole comedy game and the playfulness of those kinds of moments. And so, I think for me stand up,
Starting point is 00:21:48 it was one of these things where I kind of love hated it and I kind of just kept doing it and I was kind of good at it, but I never like, you know, what I realized like I would get off stage and I don't feel good, but most comedians I know get off stage and feel incredible about themselves. You know, they're like on a high,
Starting point is 00:22:04 whereas I'm like the one person who didn't laugh, the joke I forgot, whatever it is, I feel like I'm fixating on, you know. What didn't happen. Yeah. Or comparing it to my best show I've ever had and it doesn't live up or, you know. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:22:16 I have found at times when, there were times when it wasn't clicking and I would almost in a masochistic way, the way you like pick at a scab or a wound, I would be like, oh man, they're not with me. I'm going to enjoy this. I'm going to enjoy this silence right now. I didn't, I found it usually wasn't the way to go,
Starting point is 00:22:38 but there were times when it felt like it saved my sanity. Yeah, I think that that's what people loved about you because I feel like then it feels like we're on your team. Right, right. We're relating to like, yeah, in acting, comedy acting, I like to be the person that's like, this is great, you're all crazy, you know? And I feel like you are doing that a lot as well.
Starting point is 00:22:59 Like surround yourself by insanity that you clearly approved. I was there at rehearsal. My favorite thing that was to act like, what is happening? Yeah, like bulking at it. Yeah, no, this is wrong. And it's like, no, no, I was at rehearsal. I was there the night before.
Starting point is 00:23:14 I'm part of all of this, but I love pretending. Whereas actually the lot of the madness here is, I mean, there is no script with this, but there are many times where I'm quite upset with both of you. Many, yeah, I mean, there is no script with this, but there are many times where I'm quite upset with both of you. Yeah, many. Yeah, most of the time. Yeah, that seems to be the secret formula. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:23:31 It's just raging. I was curious, because you and I have a similar experience, which is you did you temp for a while? I did. I did. I tempt also in the leaner times of my career. I was a temp. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:23:53 When I was either a student or when I was working a serious job, I wasn't at all funny. I was just did what people needed me to do and kept my mouth shut. To the point where later on when teachers found out that I was in having success in comedy, they were stunned. And I remember it as a temp, just doing the work. And then I was in between writing jobs with my partner, Greg Daniels, who you know. And then, oh, let's just say you know him. I love the guy.
Starting point is 00:24:22 You know why Lemon Cakes alone? Yes. Lemon Cakes, Christmas Lemon Cakes. I love the guy. You know why Lemon Cakes alone? Yes. Lemon Cakes, Christmas Lemon Cakes. I did get those for a span of years. I've never gotten one from Greg. Really? No. I don't think he sends them anymore
Starting point is 00:24:32 or I'm not on the list anymore, but they're delicious. Greg, he did one of the funniest things, which is that he showed up at one of my Christmas parties about seven years ago with this giant tower wrapped in plastic of like fruit and nuts and it's all very exotic and I look at it and it says to Greg from the sound editing team at you know you know H you know H and B and Greg had crudely crossed it out and wrote love Greg and I totally crossed it out and wrote, love Greg.
Starting point is 00:25:03 Making no attempt to hide the re-gift. And I loved that more than any real gift. It was so funny that he could have gotten me. Yeah, that's pretty good. One time I was at Aspen Comedy Festival, and I received a large fruit basket, and I was like, oh my God, the festival sent me this fruit basket. And all my friends were like, what?
Starting point is 00:25:24 We didn't get one. Everyone was like, jealous and upset. And then my mom was like, did you get the fruit basket? And I realized it was from my mom. And it was another crushing blow in a series of programs. Shouldn't it have been nicer than it was from your mom? No, I thought it was like, hey, best of the fest. Here you go, pineapple. A phone call, there's a phone call here, someone's saying they love you very much.
Starting point is 00:25:50 Is it the industry? No, it's your mother. Then fuck it! Send it to the voicemail. I love you and I'll always cherish you. Is it Warner Brothers? No. It's Warner Brothers? No. It's your mother and father.
Starting point is 00:26:07 Fuck! What's wrong with us? That's terrible. I know, it's really broken. It's broken people. In the heyday of the Aspen Comedy Festival, I don't know who was running this thing, but they just threw money at it.
Starting point is 00:26:21 Yeah. And I'd be in New York and it'd say, hey Conan, do you wanna come out and interview Steve Martin and all of your comedy heroes? And I'd be like, yeah, and they'd say great. And then they'd fly me out there and they'd say, here's a, you know, here's a parka that says Aspen Comedy Festival. Diamond-encrusted skis.
Starting point is 00:26:38 Diamond-encrusted skis. And I'd say, are these blood diamonds? And they'd go like, maybe. And no, it was just, you just were like, what is, who's paying for all this? And then I guess some, someone took over the festival and looked at the books and said, this is insane. The books were cooked.
Starting point is 00:26:57 The books were, I don't know what was happening there. This is actual cocaine on these mountains. Yeah, exactly. This actual cocaine on the mountain. And they would, there was a whole slope where you is actual cocaine on this mountain. Yeah, exactly. This actual cocaine on the mountain and there was a whole slope where you could just ski on Rolexes. And I was like, this just feels wrong.
Starting point is 00:27:11 But okay, I guess I'll go. Yeah, all the affluence of yesteryear. Like every writer's room I was in, they're like, we used to eat steaks every day. And then it would be like, even at Brooklyn, they would cross out a certain dollar amount entree. Like you could only order under.
Starting point is 00:27:27 No, it's funny. I come to NBC in 1993 to do the late night show. And my introduction is to go to an upfront, which is where all the advertisers get together. Love up fronts. Oh my God. So chill. I know I didn't.
Starting point is 00:27:42 Love up fronts. No, but I go to an up front because they say, oh, it's this new kid, Gunn-Lobrien, you know, it's, you'll see, it's going to be something you'll see. And I, which was a terrible slogan, by the way. You'll see. That's the best around. You'll see, he'll be something, I suppose.
Starting point is 00:27:59 I don't know why Norm MacDonald is saying it, but I show up and huge ice sculptures of peacocks. And then, you know, you got to think about it was friends, it was cheers, it was, and so giant fountains that, you know, I've heard it, I'd heard of liquid chocolate fountains, but just craziness, it looked, it was madness. And then I'll never forget when I, one of the last up fronts I went to,
Starting point is 00:28:23 it was a tent that was leaking because it was raining and it was a cash bar. And that was over. I want to say that was like a 15 year period, but that was just how things changed. And now, you know, now it would be like an individual camping tent and everyone gets to go inside. I don't know. It was, yeah, it wasn't, there was a crazy time there where there were three or four networks and they would do things like I, I missed this phase, but they would tell me,
Starting point is 00:28:49 oh, two years ago, it was a cruise and all the advertisers were taken on a cruise and massive stars mingled with them and everybody was eating, you know, squab. I don't even know what squab is. It's delicious. Yeah, but it sounded like madness and it is very, very different times.
Starting point is 00:29:11 Yeah, it's like Robin Leach set up a promise, you know, in my youth. Remember, run away with the rich and famous? And like I watched, I'm like, wow, like this is gonna be me someday. And then now it's like, eat the rich. You know, like I'm like, ugh, wrong timeline, you know? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha I don't know where he is. He's definitely. He died. Yeah, 2004. 2018.
Starting point is 00:29:45 Ah! Oh, recently. Longer than I thought. Recently. Wow. Well anyway, I had the same thing where there's, yeah. You know, I thought Dog the Bounty Hunter died and I used to do a joke about it where I go,
Starting point is 00:29:57 Dog the Bounty Hunter died. Yeah, I know that one hurts or this one hurts or something. And then someone just told me he's alive and that was fake. It was him at a show. I thought he died. He stood up, excuse me. It was fake.
Starting point is 00:30:11 Can you look up another death? Is this your death research? Yeah, yeah. Yes, Eduardo. Hey Eduardo, am I still alive? This is death styles of the rich and fairies. Let's just spend the remainder of our time looking up celebrity deaths. Dog is with two Gs. No, he's still alive. Yeah, he's still alive. Let's just spend the remainder of our time looking up celebrity deaths.
Starting point is 00:30:25 Saga's with two Gs. No, he's still alive. Yeah, he's still alive. It's not like the hog, D-A-G-U-E. You know what we should do? We should turn this whole podcast into Who's Alive? Who's Alive? His wife died.
Starting point is 00:30:36 Oh, that's what it was. Oh, maybe that's what it was. Yeah. Yeah. Try not to be all smiley when you say that. You put that in with him. Eduardo just said that with the biggest smile. Like, that's a terrible tragic loss.
Starting point is 00:30:48 His wife. I was just glad I found the right information. Yeah, well, just think about what you're saying. What a win for you. OK. That's why they won't let you work at the hospital anymore, Eduardo. Your grandpa's dead.
Starting point is 00:31:01 Eduardo? I was just happy that I had the right information. Uh. I was just happy that I had the right information. I was excited that I was right. He is dead. You've done something that absolutely terrifies me, which is you directed. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:13 I'm terrified of the idea of directing. Yeah. I feel like I'm a boss. I like to direct small things, but if I was the formal director of a movie, I would be very frightened. Yeah. Well, it's weird because I think that's weird. I think that's weird. I like to direct small things, but if I was the formal director of a movie, I would be very frightened.
Starting point is 00:31:27 Yeah, well, I it's weird because I think I am sort of an anxious person. I was thinking about trying beta blockers. You ever done that? Sure. Really? Wow, you went dark. Wait, wait, let's speak, let's define our terms because I want to make sure we're defining our terms. Beta blockers are, for example. I don't know. You looking at me? Yeah. Eduardo, right? That's what we want to ask sure we're defining our terms. Beta blockers are, for example. I don't know. You looking at me? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:46 Eduardo, right? That's what we want to ask. What's that? Has anyone ever died from beta blockers? Wait, wait, what's that? I'm just trying to define our terms, because medicine's at lower blood pressures is what it's defined by the Mayo Clinic.
Starting point is 00:31:58 I thought of Xanax or something. Oh no, I've not done that. I'll be clear, no, I've not. I don't think it was a blood pressure medicine. I thought it was for an anxiety thing. Years ago, my dad told me to take it for standup. It says that beta blockers cause the heart to beat a little more slowly.
Starting point is 00:32:13 Wow, I got to try it. It also says dog the bounty hunter has just passed. Oh yes! Wait, no he's back. He's back. This is a site that monitors his heart beats, and it's very slow. According to Blaze research,
Starting point is 00:32:29 also a person may develop depression when taking beta blockers. Really? That's a confusing mix. Can I just say this? You brought up beta blockers. Yeah, sorry. It completely threw everyone off.
Starting point is 00:32:40 So have I taken medication for anxiety and maybe a bit of depression? Yes, I have. Well, I wouldn't have presumed to ask you that. I thought that Beta Blockers was more like, hey, I have a show, I'm nervous, I'll take this and it helps you be calm. I wouldn't be like, are you on anxiety meds?
Starting point is 00:32:58 Oh, I'm okay with telling people that because I'm a believer in people getting help. But the thing I do, the thing I do to help my help me before I have to go out in front of people is prepare. I think that is the best medication, prepare. And whenever I feel that's the thing that calms me down is if I feel like I put some thought into it and and and was prepared before I went up there. Uh-oh, everyone's scrambling around in the background.
Starting point is 00:33:27 The beta blockers, they're like beta blockers, beta blockers. It's the new P's and apples. So what is, okay, differences, beta blockers are typically prescribed to treat high blood pressure and heart problems and they are prescribed off-label for anxiety. Xanax is a different kind of drug, benzodiazepine that is a type of tranquilizer, widely prescribed for anxiety. Yeah, developed by the Nazis. a benzodiazepine that is a type of tranquilizer
Starting point is 00:33:45 widely prescribed for anxiety. Yeah, developed by the Nazis. Oh, it always goes back to them. Sorry! Is it really? Well, there's a whole book about the Third Reich and how the Germans developed the Benzo drugs. It's a handwritten book by a crazy person. Who lives in Vermont?
Starting point is 00:34:02 It's a book I found on a park bench after I wrote it. It's actually a very good and I think quite popular book that you could look up Eduardo so we could tell people about it. Wait, so there's a Nazi drug now? No, no, this is off the rails. I apologize. No, you should. These are my favorite ones.
Starting point is 00:34:19 My favorite ones are like this, where we bounce around. I talk about Nazi's. Yeah, with each other. The Nazis have to make one appearance. Always. What's it called? Blitz, drugs in the Third Reich. Yes, Blitz in the Third Reich.
Starting point is 00:34:35 It's all about how the Benzo class of drugs, why did I read it? That's exactly what I was thinking. You're in a bookstore and you're like, do, do, do, do, blitz. Wait. Nazi drug makers. Because it was all about how they were, it explained, you know,
Starting point is 00:34:51 they were all fucked up out of their minds. Oh yeah. Yes, on various, and the Fira was taking a million different things. So yeah. And so anyway, I'm gonna get this thing back on the rails. Do you have like one of those SS jackets in your closet? It's not in my closet. I wear it when I, it's a jacket I regularly wear
Starting point is 00:35:14 when I'm driving my vintage motorcycle with sidecar. What's everyone so mad about? It's beautiful leather. Sona, you've written this me many times and said, cool long jacket. But not knowing what it meant. Oh man, SS is just, you know, little lightning bolt. Sure.
Starting point is 00:35:37 So it's like, oh, he likes thunderstorms. He works with the electrical company. Right, right. No, I did not. I, okay, so you see what our podcast is company. Right, right. No, I did not. OK, so you see what our podcast is like. I love it. And it's a train wreck, but we like that part of it. Tell us about yours.
Starting point is 00:35:52 Call Chelsea Peretti. I want to talk about this because you're a delightful person. I would listen to you for hours and hours and hours. I really would. So I want to hear about the podcast. Great news. I've recorded many episodes. It is a reboot of a podcast that I started,
Starting point is 00:36:07 I forget when, but a long time ago, like 2014, 2011. Before there were podcasts. Yeah, basically. Kind of it was like the time where podcasts felt like zines and not that many people had them. Now it's like everyone's a brand and yada yada. But I take phone calls from random people. I just post the number and people call
Starting point is 00:36:27 and it puts me into my fight or flight mode, which I think is a funny place to be for me. Right place to be, yeah. Yeah, so I just take calls and then I have sound effects that I play and I have topics. I have an obsession with bear attack survivors. Let's talk about that.
Starting point is 00:36:41 I love, listen, just so you think that I read widely and weirdly. Well, you know. So I have read many books. I have read many books about bear attacks. I'm so in a lives in bear country, right? I do. There's so many bears in Altefina. He read the book called the Third Reich Bears
Starting point is 00:36:59 training regiment. Yeah. All your books somehow. One of their early, when they invaded Poland, it was mostly bears that went in. And they were all hyped up on Benzos. And they were wearing long leather coats.
Starting point is 00:37:14 Elizabeth Banks' movie is loosely based on. Loosely based on the invasion of Poland. But anyway, so what have you learned about baritites? Cause this fascinates me. Well, they can run around 40 miles an hour. What? Yeah, you can't outrun. Don't out try to outrun a bear.
Starting point is 00:37:30 Yeah, I've learned that groups of three are statistically much less likely to be attacked than one or two people. So if you're ever walking around in bear country, bring two friends. But yeah, I mean, the whole time I had my first run, I was like, Barotek survivors, call in. Not a smart strategy to get a Barotek survivor, because it's just statistically unlikely. You're a statistics guy.
Starting point is 00:37:55 I love that you, because I come from improv, yes, I am. I know my stats. So you get that. And so anyway, this time I just searched, I trolled around online and I found Bear Attacks and I had my producer reach out to those survivors and see if they would come. So I've gotten two so far. And so they were attacked and they survived. Yeah. Okay, but what I'm saying is were they,
Starting point is 00:38:22 are these chilling stories? Well, that's the thing that I'm like always trying to calibrate like what's the Perfect level of bear attack for it to still be funny and register comedic Wow very light attack If it's still gonna be funny a light That's a cuddle You know a swat but like the guy just had he was 17 and a grizzly bear attacked him. He was alone on a mountain top and sees a grizzly bear barreling toward him.
Starting point is 00:38:50 Can you imagine? And so, like, see? No, this is good, yeah. So, the bear, like, lunged at him to kind of, like, see what he would... to see if he would flinch, you know? And then it slapped him. That was what I thought was comed? And then it slapped him.
Starting point is 00:39:05 That was what I thought was comedic. It actually slapped him. But keep in mind a SWAT, a slap from a grizzly bear can take your head off. Yeah, it basically, he said, I mean, it actually, I hate to say it, it really did sound cartoonish and I'm really into sequences of actions as well as sounds. He said the bear said chomp or clack his teeth
Starting point is 00:39:25 right by his head and then slapped him. So clack, slap, then his body flew up horizontally and the bear, before he hit the ground, bites his thigh. Jesus. Yeah. Now, did he lose any limb? No, but he lives with like constant pain. He kind of lightly said that. Why did the bear let the guy go?
Starting point is 00:39:46 They do sometimes. They just passed out. Yeah. Yeah, so you know a little bit about this. No, I've read a bunch of books about bear attacks. You really have? I have. What are you supposed to do, curl up?
Starting point is 00:39:58 Well, it depends. There's black bears, there's brown bears. You're better off in general, encountering a black bear. Grizzlies are scary. They're usually not a problem. They're just as afraid of us as we are of them. Would you come on my podcast as a bear expert? Yes I would.
Starting point is 00:40:16 I would, you know, and what I wanna do, I wanna come on as a bear. We're talking to a grizzly here. Rrr. I do not have to ask the guy, like, would it be triggering to you if I played a bear growl sound effect? That's terrible. This man was almost lost his life to a bear and you said, lives in constant pain and you can't get that out without laughing.
Starting point is 00:40:44 I feel better now. You feel better. Eduardo, turns out you're not the sociopath in the role. We are kinfolk, you know? But yeah, so he, listen, he came on a comedy podcast. Yeah, he knew what he was doing. So I figured he would be all right with it. But he was like the most kind, sweet guy.
Starting point is 00:41:01 Couldn't have happened to a better person. But the truth is, is like there's really nothing you can do is really what it comes down to. Unless you're holding Bear Spray for the entire hike, but he was on a 40-day camping trip. Oh, that's on him then. And it was on day 29. That's why I only stay in hotels. Nice hotels. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:24 And still I've been attacked several times. Offline, I'd love to know your favorite town. On the elevator. On the elevator. No, that's the other thing too, is the more you read about Barrattacks, the more there is no certain rule. There just isn't.
Starting point is 00:41:38 Mostly it's don't surprise them. You always hear that like for a brown or a black one, you're supposed to play dead, one you're supposed to get big and make a lot of noise is that it's brown Play down You're totally mixing these If the bear slaps, wear a cap. You know, the, that's why there isn't one thing you're supposed to, I mean, it just
Starting point is 00:42:13 varies so much, but I think the big things are make noise as you walk, which is why when you're in bear country, you're supposed to wear like a bell so that you don't surprise bears. And the other thing is- For all types of bears, this holds true. It just feels like we should get this right. You're supposed to hit a cowbell. Like...
Starting point is 00:42:30 LAUGHTER They're like, how annoying would that get? Yeah. Dork, dork, dork. Then the bears attack because they really hate the sound. They're like, I was trying to hibernate, and you're just... Dork, dork, dork, dork. Well're just going going going well why do you know supposed to be rhythmically bopping from side to side enjoy it otherwise what's the point yeah Jennifer samples who is
Starting point is 00:42:56 a producer for team Cocoa in a huge outdoor person just texted me saying black attack brown lay down wait you're supposed to attack a black bear. Yeah, that's what she said, don't. And then she put a nerd emoji. Can I say something? I want to legally distance myself. Hey, if you see a black bear and it's hundreds of yards away from you, attack it!
Starting point is 00:43:21 She's listening and texting me in real time. Why don't we just call the offensive now? Let's go get all the black bears. She said, and then she, cause she's listening to us right now, she says, yeah, get big. For the black bear. For the black bear, get big.
Starting point is 00:43:32 What I'm saying is this whole thing of you attack it, sounds crazy to me. I thought it was black, fight back. Well fight back. Well fight back is different than black, because again, I just don't want people listening to this and they're at the zoo and they see a black bear behind bars and they squeeze in there and start
Starting point is 00:43:52 whaling on it. I see you. Remember when it's black, you must attack. No, no, it's sedated and it's fine. Bars like are these official limericks from the Parks and Recreation Department? Like who comes up with these? Yeah, did they find the rhyme first and they're like, eh, it's a 50-50 but it's good rhyme.
Starting point is 00:44:12 Sometimes they have really good advice but it doesn't rhyme so they don't tell it to you. Right. They're like, nothing rhymes with pigeon so we won't tell people about the killer pigeon. A smidgen. Right. We actually played this game with my son.
Starting point is 00:44:26 We go, well, when he was little, we go like nothing rhymes with smidgen. And then da, da, da. And one was nothing rhymes with pony. And I swear he was like three years old. And he said Nina Simone. No! No!
Starting point is 00:44:38 Prada Jean. And I was like, holy shit. This kid, but I don't want him in the biz. He's really into it now. No. Six years old, I'm like, don't do it. I really want him to be a marine biologist. That's what we all want for our children.
Starting point is 00:44:55 Yeah. Yeah. I can't believe our producer, Jeff Ross, admitted to me once. You know, for years I've been like doing a Jeff impression which is basically Jackie Mason basically Jackie Mason going like, let's get some soup, let's go, go, go. And then he's all about the business
Starting point is 00:45:11 and he's all about, you know, he's reading the trades and hope, let's go, let's go to a good restaurant. And then he told us once, I want to be a marine biologist. And I said, and then I just pictured Jeff at the bottom of the sea, like texting different eight. And the most, yeah, little bubbles.
Starting point is 00:45:31 And when the bubbles hit the surface, it's like, let's get some soup. But the most exotic rare fish in the world will go by. But Jeff is busy texting, can they get me into Craig's? Craig's is not even that good. Don't say that! Oh, wow! You know what I love?
Starting point is 00:45:49 There's, I know- The chicken, truffle chicken. I've never been. That's good. I've been to Craig's like twice, but one of the funny things is I once went, and I didn't know this, but there's the paparazzi hanging out outside.
Starting point is 00:45:58 And it was hilarious because I had just come from a Robert Carroll event where I was reading, he was talking about his work's famous biographer of Lyndon Johnson. That's what I'm doing in my spare time. And I walked from that event with the book that he signed for me. And I step out and all the paparazzi put up their cameras to like, oh, you know, it's Conan, let's just get this in case he dies tomorrow. We got one. And I just hold up the book and because they're clicking away and because I'm holding up a biography of Lyndon Johnson, all the cameras go down.
Starting point is 00:46:30 And it was like putting up a cross in front of them. I tried to turn my moment with the Bob Rossi into a teachable history moment. And all the cameras just went, did you ever look for it? Oh, if someone can find me holding, yeah, a Robert Caro book online, walking into a restaurant. It's very well.
Starting point is 00:46:52 Search Conan Craig's Getty Images. I think I'm very good at Google searching. I'm trying to come for your job. My guess is it doesn't exist, because I think at that point, they all smashed their cameras. Yeah, they don't post the re-jax. All those guys quit the biz.
Starting point is 00:47:10 They all became missionaries after that day. But they're all doing the Lord's work in various... Look at Eduardo can't find it. Of course you can't find it. Wait, look up LBJ going to Craig's. Maybe that'll work. Yeah, they'll see Lyndon Johnson there. I'll see why you keep this guy around.
Starting point is 00:47:31 You know, it's funny, because in some interview, you were talking about how you were pretty sure that when Get Out was released, you were like, you thought that, or maybe it was just a joke. I'm pretty sure it's a joke. But it's a joke,
Starting point is 00:47:44 but that Jordan was writing about your family. Yeah, because well, the funny thing is everyone was like, oh, is this about her? And I was like, yeah, it's a documentary. Like that was that was a joke. But now years later, I'm like, maybe it was like, you know, like I would be too like self confident that I'm not a monster. You know, to go.
Starting point is 00:48:02 No, it actually is about me. It's the perfect cover. You know, assuming that my husband loves monster, you know, to go, no, it actually is about me. It's the perfect cover, you know. Yes, oh, couldn't. Assuming that my husband loves me, you know. That is funny how the initial reaction of most people who are in the business is they want their kids to have nothing to do with it. Isn't it? Because it's awful.
Starting point is 00:48:17 I mean, when I first started Stand Up, and like, they would, like, they, I don't know who they is, but if there was a YouTube clip online, the comments like when I first experienced what that was like, I cried for like two hours. And then you get a little better at it. It just makes you like, I remember I did your show and your social media team posted a photo and I was all gussied up. You know, this is going to end badly.
Starting point is 00:48:41 I was in like a sparkly dress and a makeup artist took like a big swing and did like a bold, what I would call a bold eye. And one of the comments was, what is that? And I was like, there's really no like, there's really nothing that cuts to the quick, faster than what is that? It's like three words and you decimated me. But you know, so it's, why would I ever want my child
Starting point is 00:49:10 to experience that? That's why I don't post his photo. I mean, I've posted photos of myself as a kid and people are like, you look like a boy. And I'm like, you're attacking a child. So why would I ever want to subject my own child to it? You know? I think, yeah, I think, first of all,
Starting point is 00:49:25 I came to the conclusion a long time ago, uh, I've had guests on my show over the years talk to me about, oh, the previous time I was on, I got some negative comments and they will quote it, and my friend- And it's you, it's actually you. Well, look, you're trolling all your guests. Because I want them to learn. If they're annoying on the show. I thought Helen Mirren could get better. You're trolling all your guests. Because I want them to learn.
Starting point is 00:49:46 If they're annoying on the show. I thought Helen Mirren could get better. And that's why I did it and make better choices. No, I, my reaction was always, why are you looking at that? I know, but I don't. Because I don't, the last thing in the world I would ever choose to do, I got plenty of mean things said about me back
Starting point is 00:50:07 in the old days, pre-Internet, when it was critics saying, and more than happy to bring up my physical flaws and all kinds of stuff about the- But you're perfect. Thank you. So I remember that at the time and thinking, oh, this is terrible.
Starting point is 00:50:26 So the idea now that, uh, and that was just when there were just a couple of hundred critics in America who were all saying terrible things. But now there's millions of people. I would not choose to go looking for it. I know. I mean, I don't really like, I do limit it. You know, I've started playing blocky doku, which I'm replacing a lot of my Instagram time on and stuff. And I don't read all of it, but I definitely read some of it.
Starting point is 00:50:52 I just don't have the personality where I can't read stuff. Like my movie, like some people wrote bad reviews, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna read it. I can't not read it. I need to like, I guess part of me does feel like I'm gonna learn something from it like you're joke. That's good. I mean, if you can do it, if I think there's something that I can learn, then yes, I do want feedback, but I kind of want it to be constructive feedback.
Starting point is 00:51:13 Not, I hope you die feedback. Because I can't do anything with, hey, Kona, I hope, you know, why are you still alive? I can't, that doesn't help me in my work. Right. It helps you in your mirror work where you're just like, why are you still alive? I can't, that doesn't help me in my work. Right. And... It helps you in your mirror work where you're just like, why are you still alive? Yes. Why am I?
Starting point is 00:51:32 Well, those things cut deep sometimes. You really, it sticks with you. Yeah. But yeah, I don't know. I just don't have the personality of like, if being that evolved. I don't know that it's evolved. I might just be afraid to look.
Starting point is 00:51:43 To not breathe? Yeah. I'm not saying what I'm doing is evolved. I'm just saying that's a choice I made a while ago to just... It seems like, you know what? I don't have willpower in a lot of ways. It seems like a very like puritanical
Starting point is 00:51:57 that you can do that. I'm puritanical. You're puritanin' right. I'm wearing iron underwear right now. I'm very puritanical. And every time I disappoint myself, I turn these two screws on either side. Which also is a little erotic.
Starting point is 00:52:11 All right, let me make sure we get the word out. Call Chelsea Peretti. Yes. It's podcast, and I'm going to come on as a... Bear expert. Bear expert, which is a... All I know is if you see a black bear thousands of yards away from you,
Starting point is 00:52:24 and it's walking away with its baby Don't jump on your bike and grab a scythe and go after it That just seems cruel, but I adore you I'm so happy that you came by and you're always so nice you came on my show. You're always hilarious and you've had Spectacular glad you exist in the world. That's very nice. Let's get that online.
Starting point is 00:52:52 That balances out my hopes. Really one of my biggest regrets was Joan Rivers. You used to do that show in bed with Joan Rivers, and they asked me to do it, and scheduling didn't work out, and then she died. And so now I'm like, you really do have to tell people like. So you're here because you thought I could go at any minute.
Starting point is 00:53:08 I thought you're getting close. Thank you. You know what? Yes. I'm getting close. Yes. Guess what? This is a great booking tool.
Starting point is 00:53:18 Yes, yes. We should start to bring out there. Conan, we're a little worried about him. Conan's under the weather. Anthony Hopkins is here to talk at length about whatever I want to talk about. Cause he's worried you're gonna go. Yeah, he's worried I'm gonna go.
Starting point is 00:53:34 That's funny. Please come back. He doesn't give a shit. Please come back, and because I love talking to you, and go in peace. We both want each other to die. Yeah, what's going on? No, go in peace. It's not to...
Starting point is 00:53:50 Rest in peace. It's a stone's throw from rest in peace. It's how they used to end mass when I was a kid. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Except our priest would always have, he'd go, I just wanted to just say, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. And our priest was a real, like he acted like Jimmy Cagney
Starting point is 00:54:04 and he jingled change in his pocket. And he'd go, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. And our priest was a real, like he acted like Jimmy Cagney and he jingled change in his pocket. And he go, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Have a nice day, have a nice week. See you around. Oh, wow. That's the new New Testament. Do you think he was on the spectrum? I think he was on Nazi Benzos.
Starting point is 00:54:19 Oh no. Nazi priest. Nazi priest, are the best kind of priest. All right, no. Sorry. Nazi priests. Nazi priests are the best kind of priests. Bye, everyone. All right, bye. Bye. Okay, this segment is airing after our conversation with none other than Chelsea Paretty. And in that segment, we found ourselves talking
Starting point is 00:54:45 about bear attacks. Quite irresponsibly. Very irresponsible. Yeah, that was not a good... We're here to clear the air, which is that no one in this studio, especially Chelsea Peretti, but including myself, is an expert on what to do in a bear attack. We started saying some shit, but anybody who's tuning into Conan O'Brien needs a friend to know how to survive in the woods is a fool in my opinion. And no one should be listening to us. And keep in mind, no lawyers contacted us. We even ourselves were like, this is ridiculous.
Starting point is 00:55:16 We're going to get someone killed. Yeah. We are doing this because of our conscience. We just want to make sure that, well, collective, the three of us together have one conscience. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah. Did you really read all those books on bear attacks? I have read a lot on bear attacks, but do I remember with great authority
Starting point is 00:55:32 what to do and what not to do? No, I don't. Do you think anybody knows? Now, see, but that's just what the bears want you to think. You know what I mean? I think the bears are also online putting out a lot of misinformation. Yes, exactly. They've got a Russian server farm working for them. They're typing on a computer? You know what I mean? I think the bears are also online putting out a lot of misinformation. Yes, exactly. They've got a Russian server farm working for them.
Starting point is 00:55:47 They're typing on a computer. Grizzly bears love that whole thing of just lie down in front of the grizzly and we won't bother you. That's grizzlies sitting at computers putting that out there. The best way to avoid a bear deck is to lather yourself in gravy and lie down in front of a base. Bring a gravy boat, pour the gravy on you, lay down on a large platter with an onion in your mouth
Starting point is 00:56:09 and lay still for the bear. Signed, I am not a bear. So I don't know what to do in a bear attack. And we have a producer on the show, and she's a researcher, Jen Samples does an amazing job, and she claims to know, but she said, she texted him while we were talking to Chelsea Peretti and she said,
Starting point is 00:56:29 if you see a black bear attack, which sounded crazy to me because it sounded like the black bear could be six miles away on a far ridge smelling a dandelion and your job is to race over there and start punching it. Jen samples does, she goes hiking and like every weekend she's always doing outdoor stuff, always camping and she texted me during the Chelsea Parody thing saying if you see a black bear attack, we can get her on the phone, should we get her on the phone? Yeah, get her on the phone. All right, yeah, let's call her up.
Starting point is 00:57:00 So my question is- What if it's a bear on the other line? Big bear. No, no, he's saying like on the other line? Big bear. No, no, he's saying like, Jen's not here right now. All right, we got her on the phone here. You want to take the phone and you can hold it. Okay, why don't you hold it? I'm holding it.
Starting point is 00:57:14 Jen, can you hear us? Yeah. Okay, Jen, you're not being patched through in any kind of sophisticated way that I would expect from Eduardo, who is a mastermind. Instead, Blay just is calling you on a cell phone and Sonia's holding it. I'm holding it.
Starting point is 00:57:31 I just said Sonia's holding it. I know what I'm saying. Of all people in here, I'm the one who's holding it. It's a really bad idea. Oh yeah, because you drop stuff. Okay. You've dropped your twins many times. Anyway, so, Jen, we want to clear the air
Starting point is 00:57:43 because Chelsea Peretti was talking about what to do in during a bear attack. We got the sense that she didn't know what she was talking about. She induced me to talk about it. I started saying shit, but I'm not sure I'm right. And then you text in and say, when you see a black bear attack, which sounds crazy to me, you don't attack a bear that's mining its own business. Okay, I'm not saying like go after a bear.
Starting point is 00:58:07 Well, that's what it sounded like. Yes, but like you wanna like make yourself big and like bang pots and pans and like, you know, kind of just like make yourself taller than the bear. That's what my wife did when I met her. When I met my wife and tried to talk to her in a bar, she started hitting pots and going, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. I had to re-approach many times over the years to get her.
Starting point is 00:58:32 Anyway, so you're saying a black bear, now a grizzly, what do you do? Well, okay, so here's the rhyme because we haven't even gotten into polar bears and that's a whole other bear. Oh my God, what about koala bears? Well, yeah, I don't know, those ones, you know.
Starting point is 00:58:46 But okay, so the rhyme is as follows. It goes black attack, stand by that. Brownly down, so like play dead because if you fight back, a grizzly brown bear is going to just kill you.
Starting point is 00:58:58 Yeah. And it's horrific. And then white, good night. So you're just screwed. Like if you run into a polar bear, you're dead. I've always heard if it's polar, go solar. Meaning try and just get, because it's responsible. They are bears that respect going green
Starting point is 00:59:19 and being more responsible in your use of electricity. Well, you bring up a kind of interesting point, Jen, how much of this is contingent upon this rhyme? Did they reverse engineer this? Is there science to this? Where are you getting your facts? No, I'm telling you, because, okay, I listen to a lot of podcasts about bear attacks also. I am fascinated by bear attacks, and I spent a lot of time camping up in grizzly bear country, up in Montana. So I do a lot of research and I like to be prepared
Starting point is 00:59:45 when I go out there. Obviously having bear spray is key up there too, but yeah, it's proven fact I think. I think that's like the go-to rhyme that like the National Park Service and everything goes by. So I say, so bear spray is good and also wearing the cologne jupe. They're just bottled the same formula.
Starting point is 01:00:06 Tracy Morrigan's brought me a bottle of jupe and man, I think that would work on a bear too. Eduardo, you have some confirmation here? Yes, I can kinda confirm what Jen's saying. I went to nps.gov, which is National Park Service, and they say, if a black bear charges and attacks you, fight back with everything you have. Do not play dead.
Starting point is 01:00:26 There you go. It says, and furthermore, it says, direct punches and kicks at the bear's face and use any weapons like rocks, branches, or bear spray to defend yourself. So that's for black bears. Okay. If a grizzly slash brown bear charges and attacks you,
Starting point is 01:00:42 play dead. Do not fight back. Cover your head and neck with your hands and arms, You know what I did? I did some of this research and I went camping not long ago and I had a friend who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who was a friend of mine who Do not get up right away because the bear may still be in the area. Wait several minutes until you are sure the bear did go. You know what I did? I did some of this research and I went camping not long ago and I brought a casket with me.
Starting point is 01:01:11 And when a suit, and when I saw a brown bear in the area, I put on the suit and got in the open casket. And you hired a bunch of people to come to your funeral as actors. I hired nine people to just look sad and be around me. And they were all killed. And pick it. They were killed because they were... I also brought food for them to eat because that's what would happen at a wake. So they were all picking at chicken salad. The bear attacked and killed them. But I was safe and then the bear actually stopped and crossed himself. And then did he give a little speech? He gave a short speech which is like, this was a life well lived. And I think they did a good job on him. He looks pretty lifelike.
Starting point is 01:01:50 Oh my God. And he did remark that I looked paler than most dead people had seen. And that was a polar bear. Yeah, exactly. So anyway, wow, okay, this is good. We just wanted to make sure, Jen, that we got some real information out. But I do wanna underline that when Jen said, if you see a black bear attack,
Starting point is 01:02:08 what she meant is if the black bear has attacked you, do not start searching for black bears and then randomly just punching them with your fists. That's, I think, a terrible thing to do. Yeah. Yeah, let's make that clear. That is not what I'm saying. Well, it's what it sounded like. It sounded like, if you can find a black bear, punch him in the back of the head. Go find one. Thank you, Jen, so much. Of course. Don't koala bears have like, yeah, gonorrhea.
Starting point is 01:02:35 Yeah, so that's, what's the rhyme for that? Well, definitely don't lay down and spread your legs. Okay. Well, I'm sorry. Come on. I'm just picking up the other advice. Spread your legs. That's what you said about the brown bear. Spread your legs. That's just what the bear wants. That bear has done any time in prison. Oh, man. Anyway, okay, well, thank you very much, Jen. And I'm glad that we were talking to you. You know what? I think we were responsible here. I agree. Because sometimes people get... Of course, talking to help. You know what? I think we were responsible here.
Starting point is 01:03:05 I agree. Because sometimes people get confused. They're listening to a couple of comedic fools talking and they might, you know, misremember later on. I think the lesson here is listeners should come here for their nature facts from here on out. Yes. If it's polar, go solar.
Starting point is 01:03:23 I apologize again for this podcast and it should be stopped and we will stop it eventually. Take care. God bless. Conan O'Brien needs a friend with Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Sessian and Matt Gorely produced by me, Matt Gorely, executive produced by Adam Sacks, Nick Lee-Ow and Jeff Ross at Team Coco and Colin Anderson and Cody Fisher at Earwolf. Theme song by the White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.
Starting point is 01:03:50 Take it away, Jimmy. Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair, and our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples. Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnick. Talent Booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista and Brick Khan. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode.
Starting point is 01:04:14 Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco Hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It too could be featured on a future episode. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

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