Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Norah Jones

Episode Date: March 6, 2023

Singer-songwriter Norah Jones feels ecstatic about being Conan O’Brien’s friend. Norah sits down with Conan to discuss her podcast Norah Jones Is Playing Along, collaborating with Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, serendipitous run-ins, and more. Plus, Conan responds to a voicemail with a state senator’s official invitation to the USS Sequoia.

Hi, my name is Nora Jones, and I feel ecstatic about being Conan O'Brien's friend. Hey there, welcome to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. Conan here, as if you didn't know that, hanging out here with Sonoma Session and, of course, that scamp, Matt Gorley. I'm sorry. And you're just laughing because we did three, two, one, and then usually I go right into it, but this time I took, I would say two or three beats before I started speaking. But more than that, if you were a candidate, it would have gone three, two, one, nine, eight, seven, six. Yeah, I took a little extra time to create a tension in the room, which then I could exploit because I'm a master of this medium.

There's no tension. Oh, that's right. I forgot who I was dealing with. You're six gummies into the wind right now. I wish. She puts them in her scrambled eggs in the morning. But it was really funny. We were laughing our asses off, just goofing around. And Adam Sacks, who's our master and our guru, he's in the room and he was like, enough, enough. He said, all laughing has to be done on mic. No laughing off mic.

Yeah, no laughing off mic. And so that's why I think I took a long pause was to try and kill the joy that was in the room before we got started. I see. Yeah. We were having a good time. We were. No, no, no. I know we were having a wonderful time and Adam Sacks comes by and you're, feel free to defend yourself, Adam. And don't have any fun on mic.

Yeah. But what happened? You sensed. I'm not going to defend myself because I agree with the way you're characterizing what happened is I just, you guys were laughing. We don't have a lot of time. We've got 35 minutes. No, wait a minute. Why don't we have a lot of time? There's another podcast coming up. Okay, let me tell you something. This is my podcast building.

What do you mean? I'm being shoved out of my own studio. So we don't have a lot of time and you guys were laughing and I was looking at the clock and I got nervous and I said, laughing's okay, but only do it while the mics are on. But like, what would happen if you went out and told the guys Conan O'Brien's in there. They're like, oh my God, oh my God. And, you know, what it was, they start quivering. It's going to be another five minutes. Is that the end of the world? No, that would probably be fine.

Yeah, oh, probably be fine. I can't speak for them. I think it would be fine. Five minutes, yeah. This building, we're painting my face on the side of it, you know. And also you explaining this is now prolonged this intro because we still have to do bits and giggles. No, we have to do bits and giggles. Is that what we call it? Sure.

Bits and giggles? Sure. I didn't slave away for 40 years to craft a career in bits and giggles. We were here changing the way man thinks about man. Oh, better late than never. Is that what we're doing? No, I just said something and thought it would help. I don't know what we're doing.

No, but I'll tell you this, Adam, I do appreciate the hard work. And yes, we do need someone to crack the whip occasionally. And let us know that our Tom Fullery, our hijinks. Bits and giggles. Our bits and giggles maybe are wasting time. And we've got to make way for the next podcast. What if this is part of our process? Right.

Oh, oh, oh really, Sona, talk about your process. You have a process? To get in the zone? No, no. Sona uncaps a hollow molar and out drops a gummy edible. I wish I was as high as you guys say I am, but I'm not. You used to be. I did.

Yeah. Yeah. And now with twins, of course. Yeah. I got to stay normal, babe. Stay normal. I got to stay normal. Now, can I ask a question?

This is, I know, personal, but if you're breastfeeding, you can't, right? Because. I did it. Yeah. Because the gummy would, it would come out in the milk. Is that right? The full gummy would come out the nipple. Yeah.

I just picture a gummy shooting out the nipple. You are fairy. Into Mike and your Charlie's mouth. That's where I picture. I picture Mike and your Charlie or one on each breast and all of a sudden each one goes gloop, gloop. I got the prize. Yeah.

They sleep really well that night. So it's totally worth it. Did you ever get up in the middle of the night and find them mashing? Just in their crib. In their crib? Just ruling around and just mashing on top of each other? No, I didn't. No.

Glad you answered that honestly. Yes. No, I have not seen them mashing. The strangest thing that's ever come out of your breast. Honestly, milk. What the fuck? What is that? That's got to be a very strange thing.

It's weird. It's really. And I had to pump. And so you put like a cow. You put these things on your boobs and then it just like squeezes liquid out of your nipples. I have a question. Sure. I'll handle this.

Okay. Thank you, Matt. If I attached those to my nipples and they sucked really hard for a long time, would any milk come out? Is there any milk in there? Oh boy. I just don't know about how humans work. I think there have been some instances where men have lactated.

Right. First of all, your dad is a doctor. So if you asking this question is already very unsettling. My dad said he was a doctor. But when we asked to see any kind of certificate, he got real squirrelly. Where was he going every day? I think to the train station. He ate a sandwich.

He was going to the doctor. No, it's weird. It is weird. First of all, I don't think milk would come out of your nipples. Oh, here we go. What does it play? To start, male lactation has been observed a few domesticated animals, including cats, goats, and guinea pigs on rare occasions.

And also it says here, some transgender men and nine binary people nurse their babies and use the term chest feeding or body feeding rather than breast feeding. Okay, there we go. All right. Why do you guys want to lactate? First of all, let me tell you this. If science made it possible. If science made it possible for men to lactate, I think women would be very happy if they

could get up for some of those midnight feedings. You're right. Or would you be jealous? Would I be jealous that like, TAC would be able to breastfeed instead of me? No, I wouldn't. But it's not like it's fun when you squeeze your boob and milk shoots out. It's weird. I can't think of anything that'd be more fun.

I'd be firing at people. I would, too. You know what I'd love to do is if I was at the beach and I didn't have my shirt on, just go like, oh, man. You'd be like, what is it? Oh, this part of my chest is real sore. And then I just push it and shoot you right in the... It's a squirting flower that's part of your body.

I go to the carnival when you're supposed to shoot those water guns into the clown's mouth and see if you can raise the balloon up the wall. Yes. Yeah. I would do that, too. This is why men don't lactate. You guys know this why. You know what?

If men could lactate, the baby would get none of the milk. Right. Because we'd be going to carnivals and trying to shoot ducks with our lactation milk. Right? Yeah. And we'd be playing pranks on each other. My chest is sore. What is it, man?

Squirt. Gotcha. Yeah, exactly. It's a huge disservice to babies if men lactate it. So I think it's important that women just... Yeah. You know, I think that, you know, we followed Adam Sacks's advice and we got back on track and talked about some really important stuff.

We got into some tits and giggles. Okay. What? I'm sorry. I just... You know what? That's both of... I finally...

It's also called... No back? Yeah. I've checked in the boxes. Yep. You just made it finally to the very top of my list of worst people ever. Mission accomplished. Hitler number two, Stalin number three.

Who's Hitler number two? What's that? Who's Hitler number two? Oh, he's number two on the list now. Hitler number two. Well, anyway, our thanks to Adam Sacks for getting us to settle down, stop being silly so that we could get back to being silly. My guest today is a singer, songwriter and pianist who has won nine Grammy Awards.

That's too many for her work. Her debut album Come Away With Me was a global phenomenon selling over 27 million copies. Now she has a new podcast. Nora Jones is playing along and she's joined by other musicians for conversations and musical collaborations. I am very excited. She's here with us today. I really adore her.

Nora Jones, welcome. You know, I've adored you for so many years and you were kind enough to come on my late night show or in shows plural, I'll say, over the years. Oh, well, I was trying to figure out how many times. You know what? We could probably look it up, but you came on. That's okay. I mean, I said that.

Everybody get going. Nine people in the room started getting on their computers. Oh, no, I've just got some medical results. Yeah, you started crying. Don't worry, six months is a long time. Oh, Jesus. Oh, my God. Too long in this job.

Yeah. Okay. Take it easy. We're sitting here with Nora Jones. I am not going to waste time bantering with you about your life expectancy. You came on many times and in so many different guises because you would perform yourself. You'd be performing your work. And then I remember we did a George week once in order of George Harrison and, you know,

Paul Simon came, all these amazing people came by for the week. Danny Harrison was around and it was this wonderful week and you came. And I'm trying to think, I think you did. I'd have you anytime. No, I did behind that locked door. Behind that locked door. Okay. It was so fun.

That was one of our, actually, I remember my band and I, because we'd done a lot of TV shows together at that point. That was probably one of our best TV performances. You know, usually you do it and you're like, uh, it would have been better if this. And we're like, yes. Nailed it. Yeah. The problem is you did that on camera.

You turned to the camera. We high-fived. Yes. Nailed it. Mid song, too. And you said, top that. Other musicians in the world. Yeah.

Better than George's version. Yeah. Better than George. You know, when you started dancing and saying better than Harrison, that put a lot of people off. No, you were, uh, I was trying to remember what song it was this morning and I could have just typed in, because we live in that world where I can type in, you know, Nora Jones, George Harrison, Conan or whatever, and it would come up immediately.

But, uh, I can't work my own phone. I can't turn it on. That's less fun in any way. Yeah, exactly. So, uh, but you, um, you came on that week and you were always coming by and performing and I just loved it every time you came on the show. Thanks. I'm a massive fan.

And so. I'm a massive fan. I remember the first time I came on your show was for my first record. 2002. Yeah, that's right. And I was so excited. Oh, well, that's, I remembered you, uh, of course, that was the record come away with me, five Grammys, you know, I remembered at that time, finding out about you, hearing

about you and saying, who is this Nora Jones, what is this all, I'm very skeptical. What is this come away with me album? I'd better check it out and see if it's up to snuff and listening to it and thinking, I don't understand how someone your age at the time or anybody could come out with an album of all brand new standards. It was like, these are all going to be in standards books that everyone has to have forever. And I was like everyone else in the world, like a 85 billion other people completely floored.

Well, that's nice to say. Uh, yeah. And I remember whoever was playing guitar with you, I think you did, um, don't know why. And I was, he offered to show me how to play it afterwards. Oh, wow. And so he came into, I don't know who it was, but he came into my dressing room and he's showing me how to play the guitar parts. And I was like, I think I got it and then we got into a lot of stuff, you know, in edits

and work and we got to figure out tomorrow's show. And then I got home completely forgotten. I think it's a hard song to play on guitar. Yeah. It's probably not in my wheelhouse. It's not in my wheelhouse. It was either Jesse Harris who wrote the song or Adam Levy who toured with me at the time. But that's, that's really fun.

Um, I think it was the person who wrote the song. Then it was Jesse Harris. Yeah. Well, Jesse, I need, I need you to come back. It's, uh, I need another lesson. He'll probably send you a video if you just give me, give me your phone number. No, I need him in person. Yeah.

He needs to fly out to LA at his own expense that I do require. Um, I was thinking about, I wanted to mention first that you have your own podcast, which I've really been enjoying. Thanks. Uh, and it's, uh, uh, it's Nora Jones is playing along, is playing along. And what's nice about it is that you get these people, it's two musicians talking and screwing around and it's a very loose atmosphere. And I was listening to you with Jeff Tweedy, who's one of my favorite humans.

Yeah, mine too. And, um, it was such a great vibe. And I was thinking, man, I'd like to be on this podcast. And then I realized, oh, right, I'm not a musician, except you are. Well, not really, but can you, does it ever expand out to non-musicians? Because they're playing music with me. I think my only, my way in is, you know, there's so many podcasts, of course, and you guys were kind of a big inspiration because over the pandemic, I, I just hearing you guys laugh

really lit me up. Oh, that's nice. It's just like belly laughs were needed and, um, it felt really good. And, um, I, you screwing around with people on this podcast is kind of like what I want to do, except I'm a musician. So it's a little bit different. No, but it's the same idea. There's such a, we talk about this a lot on the show, but, uh, I've been fascinated all

my life with the fact that I have a, um, natural, uh, you know, bent towards comedy. But I'm always, the grass is always greener. I'm always peering over into the music yard. I see that. Yeah. And thinking, man, it's so cool. That's the cool place to be. I'm over here with the laughing clowns.

Well, sorry, not you guys. Oh, no, no, no, I never, I don't think of you as comedians at all. Oh, well, um, I do. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. What do I know? I'm just a musician.

Thank you. Yes. Yes. You don't have a professional life. I got you. No. You're like hearing you with Kevin Nealon just like messing around. I mean, that makes me so happy and I feel like that's kind of what I'm trying to do with

music, with, with people who I know, some who I don't know, and we'll find this common place and we're speaking like the same language. Well, this is what always fascinates me because I, you know, if there's something that you don't do, you put it on a pedestal or you don't have a natural inclination. So when I see you, when I see you sit down on a piano and play and sing, I think, well, she's superhuman. I am immortal. You know, I said, immortal, not immortal.

I just want to be really clear. There is such a close connection between comedy and music. It's the same. I mean, you could do a perfect take of a song and it just doesn't feel right. Or you can do a really messed up, messy version of a song together and it just feels magical. It hits the spot, you know? I was thinking about your, your, your path, your journey. And I was thinking about how growing up, because I know your, your mom and dad divorce when

you're pretty young, they were never married, but they were never married. But yeah. So they were living in sin, as we kind of say, I mean, I honestly, I don't even know their story is so crazy. I, I don't even know what was going on, but, um, really, after all these years, you still don't know. I've heard a lot of different versions that way, but, um, yeah, no, I think, yeah, they split up when I was really young.

So I just, I grew up with my mom. Right. And this is interesting thing in grapevine, Texas. Yeah. And I'm, I'm, so what's interesting is that you have anyone who doesn't know your dad, Ravi Shankar, it, you come and, and your mom as well had both have this musical pedigree, this musical background. So there's some of that, but then you're transplanted to Texas.

Yeah. And I think that's got to be fascinating because you grew up, you grew up in this environment that had to have influenced you. I mean, if you had grown up in New York city, do you know what I mean? Or in India. Or in India. With my dad. With your dad.

You might not be, you might not be you at this moment. Does that, does that make sense? Yeah. I mean, my history is very different. I mean, it's interesting cause I'm a musician and he, he, he was, he passed away, but he's, he was this brilliant musician, Indian musician. And my mom is not a musician, but she loved music. So I grew up with my mom seeing my dad here and there and then not seeing him for a long

period. And then we reconnected later, but growing up, I, I was influenced by my mom's record collection. So, yeah. So who were you listening to? Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson. So this is what's fascinating. So you grow up and you're listening to those people and you're in this, what, what I imagine

is this, is it a small town in Texas? Ray Fine is a huge sprawling town now, but when I was little, it was small. Right. So you're growing up in this environment and you were not that connected to the pop music of your time. Is that right? I was in middle school. I loved Casey Kasem's top 40 every Sunday.

Like I was obsessed with that for a while. I just listened to Casey. I would turn off the music. I just fell in love with the voice of Casey Kasem. Who's going to be number one? Yeah. You can buy bootlegs where it's just Casey and you don't hear the music. I have all of them.

They're awful. There are Casey Kasem bootlegs. I don't know if you've heard of them. No, I have. Oh, really? Yeah. We know where he loses it. Yeah.

He has a meltdown. Oh boy. We should start releasing mine where I have a meltdown. Oh, yeah. There's a lot. You can actually physically hear me hitting Gourly. But so you were somewhat aware, but you were, I guess, jazz was, was jazz a bigger part of your life?

Yeah, I was after a certain point, but I was really into Nirvana and the Violin Femmes at one point, you know, and then maybe like ninth grade, I got really into jazz. And then that's all there was for like the next five years. That's all I was obsessed with. I'm so intimidated by jazz. It's a lot of people are, even I am, because I'm not really a great jazz musician. It's kind of where I came from musically. But I never practiced enough to really hang with, you know, real jazz musicians in a jam

session, jazz, that's exactly what they call themselves. Yeah. I've always thought of jazz music as, you know, you're sitting at the sushi bar and they're, they're like, it's chef's choice. And you're, you don't know exactly. It scares me a little bit. And I, and that's just because I have some mental block. I was all about rockabilly, crazy intense rockabilly.

And that was the stuff that, that, that pulled me in and, and kind of lit me up. You know, it just, it inspired me in so many ways. It's great music. But very, very simple. Yeah. Extremely rudimentary. And that was, that was maybe part of the magic for me is it, I could play it. I feel you.

I mean, that's why I, I love country songs. And sometimes you just cut straight to the heart of something with the most simple thing. I think that's, I can't play fast jazz either. So we're in it together. In that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that, in that. There were so many ways in which we're similar. Yeah.

And that's one of them. People are always calling me the Nora Jones comedy. Exactly. Um, you know. I think they call you the Jim Jones of comedy. Oh yes, that's right. Yeah. You're right.

I'm sorry. Cause I'm leading my followers to your instruction. Yeah. Well, either way. I'm fine either way. And either way, it's a compliment as far as I'm concerned. Okay. But you know what's amazing is that you grow up listening to the music.

And you grow up listening to these people. And then if you could ever imagine that, okay, you, you were a huge Willie Nelson fan, Ray Charles fan, you're going to be playing with these people. You, you did a duet with Ray Charles. Yeah. Yeah, I did. I mean, it's crazy. What was that like?

What was Ray Charles like? He was very nice. We, you know, we went in for 20 minutes. We did three takes of the song and that was it, but we were all live in the room together. It was amazing. He was sweet. Yeah. Yeah.

That's it. I think you have a, this longer lasting connection with Willie Nelson. I've been so lucky to play and sing with Willie like multiple times. I love him so much. Yeah. He is such a great spirit. Yeah. Did you see they're having a big show at the Hollywood Bowl for his 90th birthday in

April. Yeah. Yeah. He is a great advertisement that marijuana is not bad for him. Exactly. He, he and Snoop Dogg will live to be 600. You know, what's, what's amazing to me is I'm thinking about the first time I met Willie Nelson, he came on my late night show in the early days and he had that incredible beat

up guitar he has trigger trigger that, that, that he's played forever. Is it a Martin? It's a nylon string. That's a nylon string. That's all I remember. Yeah. But he puts it through an amp. Yeah.

He puts it through an amp. Which is totally cool. Right. So, I think pickup and he plays it through an amp and it's got a hole in it as if it had been recovered somewhere and a rat had eaten through it. Not the sound hole. It's got a separate. No.

It's got a gaping hole. It's got its own. It's, yeah. There's the sound hole and then there's this thing that looks like a ferret clawed its way into the guitar or clawed its way out and it's covered in signatures. And it's all these people, he's had trigger forever and it's, everyone has signed, he's had all these amazing people sign trigger and the show's over and, and I said, that's just incredible.

He's got like George Jones signature, he's got all these, he's got everybody and there's Tammy Wynette and there's, but all these, he said, yeah, sign it Conan. And I said, no, we shall not sully this, he's like, come on. And he, so I signed it with like a ballpoint pen. Wow. Oh, you did? I'm sure that when Willie got backstage, he wiped it off. That's cool.

I don't think I've signed trigger. That was a dry erase marker. He said, I said, I'll use my penny went, oh no, use this one. Wipes off easily. That's lucky. You get to touch trigger. I got to touch trigger. It is funny when you get, when you get to hold an iconic instrument.

Yeah, it is. I've had that experience, I'm sure you have where it's, it's, you know, a famous guitar that you get to hold on to. I don't know if I actually have, but my friends, we did a song with Willie and before he got to the studio, his, his tech asked a friend of mine to tune it or to hold it and play it while they, while they did the sound and my friend was pretty excited to play trigger. I would imagine. Yeah.

That would be pretty freaky. I think I've seen just over the years, well through Danny Harrison, I was in England and went by his house, which was his dad's house, obviously, and he, he, he showed me and he's acting like it. Oh, you know, do you want to hold the 1963 Gretch duo jet that my dad played in the cavern? Oh wow. And I was thinking I shouldn't touch it. It's like, I'll defile it and then you realize it's a guitar.

Yeah. And it needs to be played. It wants to be played. It wants to be. Well, actually the guitar did see me and say, no, not him. I'm rather knocked. Actually, you're reminding me, I have played a very famous piano and I got to go to Friar Park and met George Harrison and Danny was there in Olivia.

When I first reconnected with my dad, actually, I was, I was 18 years old. We finally reconnected and we got very close over the years after that. So it was a great thing. And I remember I landed in London to go visit them for the first time in a long time. And they were like, we're going to George's house for dinner. So just take a nap, clean up. I was like, okay, whatever. I didn't know we were going to George Harrison's house.

Oh my God. Who is this George anyway? I was kind of oblivious. You know, I was just jet lagged and young and we get there. And he, he was so sweet and he was so happy to see me and my dad reconnect as well. And he idolized your dad. He did. Clearly it was, your dad changed his life.

Of course. Yeah. I mean, it was, it was kind of a crazy night and I was half jet lagged through the whole thing. But he, he asked me to play for him because my dad told him that I was this piano player and I was like, okay, because I just was like, you know, I knew who he was at that point, of course. You played for George Harrison.

So I, I sat down at this piano, which now I know I didn't at the time, but I think it was one of John Lennon's pianos. Yes. And I've seen it because it, when I was there, I think they moved it to, this was in a different, it's not in the house when I saw it. It's, there's this other place where they shot all the interviews for the anthology and it's got this hand painting on it, like a rainbow and sort of psychedelic stuff. Yeah, so I didn't know this at the time and I was kind of just oblivious to the whole

meaning of the moment, but I sat down and I played an old Hogi Carmichael song, The Nearness of You for George. And he was so sweet and it was just a very funny moment that I just now remembered. And he, he like, I'm sure he loved it. Yeah. I mean, he was kind about it. I don't know. If he hated it, he didn't.

He pretended he loved it. He was kind. You are Nora Jones, you know. I know that. I was 18. I know, but if I had come in at 18 and played a song on the piano for George Harrison, it would have gone very differently. Well, I sang it too.

Clang, clang, clang, clang. Luckily, I didn't know the instrument was so historic. Yeah. It's good not to know those things. I think so. It's better to just be oblivious. Yeah. I'm kind of intrigued that when you first started out, before you had all your success,

you were a lounge singer, you know, and I, and for just a little bit, you were a lounge singer and I'm thinking, you know, let's say things hadn't blown up for you. Do you, do you think you could have like made your peace with being a lounge singer for a long time or is that a tough gig? I mean, it's something you don't really know, right? You can't go back. I wouldn't. Yeah, I kind of was a lounge singer, but it was really more like a restaurant than

a lounge. So you're playing for people while they're eating. Yeah. And, and usually they wouldn't clap and nobody heard, but the gig was actually to just play piano. But since I sang, I asked if I could bring a little, little amp and sing like every five songs or something. And it was actually the best practice I ever had.

This is in college in Dallas. And I basically learned how to sing and play at the same time because it's kind of a coordination thing. Sure. Yeah. So it was, it was great practice. And every once in a while, the whole restaurant, like one person would just start clapping and then slowly the whole restaurant would start clapping.

But then usually they weren't, they weren't clapping at all. I will tell you that first of all, the thing I hate the most in comedy is when you have to perform for people who are eating. Yeah. And it doesn't matter what stage you get to, there's, there are benefits where you, they say, okay, go on up and you have your jokes and you have your riffs that you want to do and you get up on stage and you hear the distinct sound of, of, of silverware hitting each, you know, clanking together.

Which is a horrible sound. And then, and then, and people chewing. And I remember being at the, there's a big ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria and I had to do benefits there a million times when I was in New York and being up there and the crowd doesn't even know. Just a voice of God goes, well, there's gentlemen Conan O'Brien and people are just getting there like plates are being put down and served and people are saying, no, no, no, I said red, not white.

Yeah. And I walked up stage and there wasn't even any sense that I was on stage. Yeah. And I go, well, anyway, and I start to get into my thing and a man was sitting right in the front row. Oh, just signing. And his back was to me and he was cutting into his meat and he put it in his mouth and he's chewing.

And then he whipped his head around to look at who's this annoying person at the podium behind me. And I just saw a chewing unhappy face looking up at me. That's not great. And I thought, fuck this. This is, I don't want to perform for people eating. You can have like a no eating clause. Oh.

I actually, yeah. I know. Yeah. Like you need more quality industry. You can say like, I'll do it, but not when they're eating. When they're eating. Directly before dinner or after the place have been cleared. But I will tell you this Nora, I am a person who if I'm anywhere, if I'm in a bar or restaurant

and someone's playing when they finish the song, I applaud. I don't care. And sometimes it's awkward because I get self-conscious because if you're the, if I start applauding and no one else does, I think I'm making the situation worse. Yeah. Especially no one else does. Yeah. It's kind of weird.

And also you're drawing attention to yourself. Well, I love that part. Oh, okay. I didn't know if you liked that. Oh, no. I go out. I go out in a t-shirt that says I am Conan O'Brien. And then parentheses.

It explains who that is. You start clapping in the middle of the song. Yeah. Conan likey. Yeah. Yeah. Many times when you've been on the show, I'd clap midway. Conan's happy.

I get a camera on me. I just want to get a cockaroo while we're here. A cockaroo. Yes. Thank you. Oh my God. I can die now. I just want to get a cockaroo while we're here.

That's what she said. Yeah, exactly. I've been getting that all my life. You know. What? I'm thinking about all the different people you've collaborated with because you mentioned Ray Charles. What's amazing to me is that you have, I think, a very enviable career.

You've had massive commercial success and you're respected and you're a nice grounded person. So that you know of. I usually find out. Word gets out. I'll tell you what. Word gets out. Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so. I talk to Uber drivers and they tell me. But you've collaborated with Keith Richards. Yeah. What's that like? Again, just like a nice human, you know, a musician. Yeah. Yeah.

Sometimes you do these collaborations and the song's already been recorded and the person's not even there. Oh. And you go in and you add your vocals and I've done a couple of those with Keith. But I've actually been in a room playing music with him a few times and it's incredible. I would. Yeah. That would be sort of otherworldly.

Yeah. But you know, I just, in the few times that I've had little contacts with him. Oh, yeah. Very, you know, like he didn't know who I was or anything. But. I'm sure that's not true. No, no. This was years ago.

Oh, a long time ago. Before I had my show. You weren't wearing your little t-shirt? I had it on even when I was before I had a TV show. I had it on. But yeah, I'm always fascinated when that it feels to me like it would be a great exercise to one, one might not immediately link Nora Jones and Keith Richards, but you can get together and musically you guys can find, find the groove or find what it is.

Oh yeah. I mean, we both love Hank Williams, right? Yeah. So it's not a problem. It's, it's, it's a language. And it's like that. That's what's so fun about this podcast is it's like a never ending list of people to just play with and play music with, but it's like really just like playing in a playground.

You know, it's like that. It's so fun. And do you have like your bucket list of these are the people I've got to have on your, on your podcast that you want to mess around with? It's just never ending. It's, it's a bazillion people. It's like, of course, you know, my idols or, or a young musician who I admire or someone that nobody knows about that I just like or, you know, whoever.

I mean, that's so fantastic. Yeah. And I think that's what this medium, this podcast thing, what I'm, I mean, every time we come into the studio, I, I'm delighted that this form exists. Me too. It's, it's, it's like intimate and fun. And it's, it's, I'm never, you know, going to get invited to dinner with you probably. So it's fun to just have this time together to talk and I know you've asked a lot.

I know. I'm still not ready. You've seen that very hard to believe. Yeah. Yeah. I just need to hear a little more of your stuff. But you know what I mean? Like there's a lot of people you might not cross paths with in an intimate way.

So it's a way to really connect. Yeah. That's what I was, I was on my way to work today and I called the guy who's a good friend and he booked music on our show all through the nineties, 2000s, Jim Pitt. Oh yeah. I remember him. Yeah. And, you know, great person who helped put the, really put the musical stamp on, on my

show, which was so important to us. And I called him up and I just was as excited and I said, Hey, I'm going to be, I just want you to know I'm going to be talking to Nora in like half an hour. And he was like, Oh my God. And we were chatting about how nice it is. And I said to him, all these years, Nora's been coming on my show and performing. And of course we chat, but I never got to sit down with you and talk to you because people don't realize show business is, you know, you do your, your set, your soundcheck, your

rehearsal. And I say, Hi, then I've got to go and do my stuff. Then you perform. I thank you. And then you move on. I move on. Yeah. It's brief.

Yeah. And this is, this is what I love. Yeah. It's so much, it's so like warm and it gives me the warm fuzzies, you know, because I didn't know that country music was so important to you. Yeah. I grew up in Texas. Yeah.

Exactly. It was in the water. Yeah. You know, and my mom's from Oklahoma. Yeah. And I love that Ken Burns documentary on country music and, you know, he's taking you through everybody and then he gets to the, there's the chapter episode about Hank Williams and it's entitled Shakespeare of the South and you're like, yeah, that's right.

That's right. Yeah. I love that music. But also you get to like work with outcast, Foo Fighters. Yeah. So. It's around the gamut. I've been super lucky.

Yeah. Has anyone ever asked you, like, can I do a duet with you? And it was someone you did not want to do that with. You mean, do I say yes to everything? I just meant in person. Yeah. You know, I meant like the awkwardness in person. Oh, yeah.

Like you're talking to someone who. Like let's do this. Yeah. Well, actually. I'm ready to do a duet with you. I don't think. I've got my ukulele. Never happened like that ever.

But yeah, I mean, I've turned a few down, I guess. I've got my ukulele. I have my bassoon. Come on. We can do it right now. I would do that probably. It was just like really easy, but I don't know. I've turned a few things down.

I've turned a few things down where I really liked the person and I just didn't have time. You know, stuff just happens. But doing this podcast, it's like, I have to actually ask people now. And that's kind of nerve wracking for me. Ask them. To ask people to come be on my show now. Right. And being in that position of asking and maybe getting rejected.

That's been like the most kind of like, I don't know what I'm doing, you know. You know, it's funny. I'll just, just because I've been doing this for so long. I used to take it personally. Yeah. If someone couldn't come on the show or said no to the show. I took it as them saying Conan O'Brien. Thank you.

No. Yeah. What a jerk that guy is. Yeah. And then later on, it took me years cause my, my publicist used to say, no, don't take it personally. They're in town. Yeah.

And then I realized cause I'd been on the other side of it where I'm someplace and they'll say like, Hey, there are these five people that, or these five shows that are saying, can you come do something? And you think I'm only here for a day. I can do one or I don't really want to do that this time or I can't do it for some. And you realize that it's not personal at all. I mean, sometimes it is. Sometimes it is.

I had celebrities say, I despise that guy and I don't realize why that has to get back to me. Some of them personally. Yeah. Yeah. George Clooney calls and says, no, no, no, no. No, thanks. You are not my cup of tea.

You're way too silly. If only that were a joke. Oh. Oh. Oh, come on. Not Clooney. I'm just, no, no, no. He loves me.

He'll connect eventually. But no, no, let's not put that out there. Or do we? Yes. What's that? I want George Clooney. Yeah. Oh, really?

Can you be better? Can you change yourself? Go get him, Tyra. I'll try. I'm going to try and up my game. Yeah. Thank you. Get all of Ocean's Eleven in here.

Oh, yeah. Yes. At the same time. Yeah. Please. I think I could get two of them. Carl Reiner. No, no, no.

No, no, no. Carl Reiner passed. We can't get him anymore. I could have. I could have. But we'd need some hoodoo magic to get him now. Nice one, Gordly, by the way. Yeah, I picked the one guy who's not alone.

Yeah. No, I'm talking about waiter number three. Oh, he's good, though. Yeah. Yeah. What is your? I'm so sorry. The way you just went right back into the country.

That's what I have to do. No. I'm a pro. Nora gets it because she's a pro. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Right? You were on a podcast.

You know how to just snap back. I love when you get Sona going. It's my favorite thing. When I get her angry? No. When you get her laughing. When I get her laughing. Yeah.

She gets going. It's my favorite thing, too, actually. Well, it must feel so good to laugh like that. It does. It's rare to laugh like that. For some people. I'm a hearty laugher. Yeah, you are.

In general. And then also just working for someone, for Conan O'Brien, has been the best. So I think the thing that comes, that is real is how much bullshit happens between Sona and I and laughing that isn't recorded. Yeah. Because I will call you and say there's something really important I need you to do for me. And then it's something that's completely made up. Yeah.

Yeah. And it is. He'll go on riffs on the phone with me just because I'm laughing and I think it's a, because it's a drug for him. It must feel so good to have her around. It is. Oh, thank you. Thank you more.

Yeah, Gourly less so. Thank you. Gourly isn't really a laugh. Gourly is funny as hell. I know. He cracks me up. I don't. I remember when I first started listening to your podcast, he was just kind of quieter.

Yeah. Well, he's a quiet, and then he started. He's really come out. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And now, guess what? Now we're trying to get him back in. Yeah, too late.

The cat's out of the bag. No, no, no. Genie's out of the bottle, baby. Yeah. He's out. It's like, it's a jack in the box that I'm trying to jam. Yeah. Back into the box.

Can't do it. No, it's good. He complimented me really well. No, no. I got very lucky because this all came together. I mean, Sona, I knew was going to be part of it. And then they brought this Gourly guy in. And I said, absolutely not.

And they said, no one else will do it. And then. That's true. That's true. And even I did it because I was being blackmailed. Oh, my God. It's a beautiful thing. But I'm curious if, because I am baffled by songwriting.

I don't understand it. Me too. I don't understand comments. And I guess, even people that do it, but, you know, I play a lot of guitar and don't really know what I'm doing. But the idea, and I've talked with Amy Mann about this extensively. I heard that. I loved that episode.

And we're supposed to write a song together. Yeah. Did it ever happen? Well, it's my fault because she said, I'm ready to go when you are. And I'm terrified because she mentioned, yeah, you need to sort of make yourself emotionally available. Oh. And what is it you want to say on your song?

And I'm thinking emotionally available. What's that? I can't do that. Everybody's different though. Yeah. I think everybody has their own process. Right. And that Jeff Tweedy actually has this really great book called How to Write One Song.

It's like this little inspiration guidebook. I have to get that. You would love it. It's great. How to write one song. Yeah. And he talks about how he doesn't believe in writer's block. But actually he just thinks it's you self-editing yourself.

Yes. I love that because I agree with it. If you just let it go and you're not worried about it until later, then you can clean it up or not play it for anybody. It's funny. It's nice. When creating stuff in comedy or all the years that I was a writer, one of my biggest problems was I have such, there's a little gremlin on my shoulder that is so, no, not good enough.

Well, exactly. You know all about it. Yeah. And get that guy drunk or he has to ties him or excites him in some way and just go. And that was a major revelation for me in my career was I thought writing comedy meant sitting down and getting to work, which yes, it does mean that. But then there were so many times where I was just screwing around making people laugh and they would say, oh, that's great.

Write that down. That's a sketch. Yeah. And I'd say, what? Yeah. I was just having fun. It's the inspiration. Yeah.

And it's just if you can, if you can remove this serious, it's time now for I, Nora Jones to get to, if you got to get rid of that. I can't do that. That doesn't work for me at all. I have to just record ideas as they're in my head in the shower or driving in a car or whatever. Just get it down real quick on the recording part. So instead of soap on a rope, you have a tape recorder on a rope in your shower.

Yeah. No, but seriously, like you just get it down and then later you can work on it. But the inspiration part has already happened. Does anything ever come to you in a dream because famously you hear about Paul McCartney waking up and in saying, oh, I don't know what this is. I think I must have heard it somewhere and it was yesterday. Again, and that's Paul McCartney. But does that do things like that come to you in a dream ever?

I've had, I've written some brilliant songs and dreams that are basically like the Jack, like the Tenacious D song tribute where you can't remember it. Right. Right. And it's basically that, you know, you know, it's amazing that then you wake up and you can't remember it. But I have written songs doing like meditations before and I'll think of an idea and I'll stop really quick and record it and then finish meditating or when you're falling asleep

and you're in that in-between spot, stuff comes there. And I've written a couple little ideas from that that I really like. Anytime I have, you know, awoke in in the middle of the night and scribbled something down in the morning, it's just total gibberish. It's like caramel gravy fight. Not bad. And I look at it and I go, what? Oh my God.

I love those dream journals. Yeah, people write like the first thing that comes to mind and it's bananas. Right. Yeah. And you're, I know you're, you're living your East Coast exclusively pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. New York.

Is that just, it's so funny because I was so East Coast for so many years and then came this way. Yeah, I know. I remember. And yeah, that's right. You greeted me as I landed. I was there. You were at the American Airlines gate.

Actually, I saw you once at the airport in New York. I was like, I don't know how old your oldest child is, but you had a newborn in your arms. And it was like after a red eye from LA. And we had done your show a couple of times and I was like, look, there's Conan O'Brien. We were holding a newborn. Yeah. It wasn't my baby. Yeah.

It was definitely your baby. No, they were just giving them out on the flight. Oh, yeah. It was like, it was first class, get a baby if you want. I didn't want to say hi. I didn't want to say hi. You didn't? No, I didn't say hi because it was like a red eye.

It was six in the morning and you had a newborn in your lap. Well, I would have been delighted, yeah. And now I feel like I would say hi to you if I saw you at six in the morning. You would. I knew you were holding a newborn. I love randomly bumping into people that I adore. I remember so clearly coming off, I think, a red eye and going into JFK and there's this one specific part of the airport I'm walking through and I bumped right into, literally

almost ran into Paul Rudd. Oh, amazing. He was holding a guitar case because he was working on his guitar playing and we bumped into each other and we had this really great conversation. And now every time I pass that part of the JFK terminal when I'm walking through, which I am all the time, I think of like this romantic moment with Paul Rudd and he's told me that Eve thinks of it too. That's sweet.

You should recreate it. Yeah. Can I come? I think we should just now. I love Paul Rudd. Yeah. You know what? Nobody dislikes Paul Rudd.

No. That's true. And I've been searching because I'm determined to find somebody. It's totally true. Yeah. There's some people. Paul Rudd and Dolly Parton. Yeah.

Oh my God. Yeah. Nobody dislikes. Have you worked with Dolly? I have before. Yeah. I got to sing with her. Oh, that song you have creeping in with Dolly Parton.

Yeah. I did creeping in. Yeah. And she came and sang with us at the Ryman and I got to sing one of her songs with her voice. Okay. That's just crazy. But this is forever ago and I mean, she's the best.

It doesn't matter if it's forever ago. It happened. She's the best. She is the best. She's the best. And the funniest. You should have Dolly on. Yes.

No, no. Dolly. She's not ready yet. Why ready? She needs to prove herself a little more in the world of music. No. Yes. Dolly.

Dolly. You know what I love is when people say you should have her on. You should have. As if you haven't thought of that. As if I'm forbidding it. Yeah. It will happen. Adam, it's going to happen.

Please. But one of my favorite things, this reminds me of when you host a show, people are always suggesting guests in the early days of my late night show, there was a guy who, and I can't remember what I think he was, he was from Central America and his job was to sort of be the guard that stood on the way into the elevators at 30 Rock to get into our part of the building where the offices were. And I, I, I remembered this guy was very nice. He was very young and I think his name was like Luis, I think, and I'd come in and he

would be like, oh, hello Conan, good to see you and I'd say, oh, hi, Luis, you know, have a good day. And I remember I came by once and he said, hey Conan, and I said, yes, and he said, the Rolling Stones are in town. And I said, oh, I know Luis, it's been in all the papers and he said, I think they'd be pretty good on your show. And I said, yes, Luis, they would be amazing on the show, but the Rolling Stones are the biggest musical act in the world and they don't do shows like mine and he, and also

if they were going to do a show, they'd probably do like a big 1130 show like Letterman and I'm a 1230 show and, you know, we've only been on a few years so they wouldn't probably come on my show. And he looked at me and he shrugged and he went, I think they'd be good. So sweet. Like I was blowing him off. I'm not. You're missing an opportunity.

You're right. Can you help me facilitate that? Exactly. He's like, Mick, Mick Jagger was on the phone like, come on. No. That's funny. Yeah. But.

Somebody told me I should have Billie Eilish on my podcast and I was like, that would be amazing. I don't know if she would want to do my podcast. I think she would. I think she would. I think anybody would. Yeah. That's the nice thing is you are in that sweet spot of, I just think a new act, an

act that's been around for a hundred years. Anyone's going to want to do your podcast. Well, thanks. Not anyone. But I'm. Let me talk to them. You talk. You be my liaison.

Please. Hey, Colonel O'Brien. Yeah. Listen to me, Eilish. Get me Billie Eilish. You're going to do Nora Jones. See? Who am I?

Colonel O'Brien from television. Well, not any more television, but used to be television. Eilish, are you there? Are you there? Eilish. Yes. Maybe I shouldn't do that for you. Please do that for me.

Yeah. So I was, where was I? I was having dinner with. I think I was, what was I having dinner with? I think it was Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. And one of, someone looked over and in a far corner booth was Dolly. Oh, wow. And I know Dolly because I think she did the late night show once or twice.

They are both like, can you bring us over and introduce us to Dolly? And it was just so, it was like going to say hello to the Pope. Yeah. Actually, I'm going to say higher than the Pope. Whoa. Well, I'm sorry. Aren't you Catholic? Yeah.

You are very, your family especially, you're very Catholic. Yeah. But there's a lot of popes. They keep replacing them. You're right. There's only one Dolly part. There's only one Dolly part. Yeah.

There's been like 175 popes. Right. Then they had two popes at the same time. So. They did. I'm sorry. The Pope like the Euro has been devalued. There's just too many of them being, too many of them are being minted.

But there's only one Dolly part. Yeah. It's true. And man is she. She's the best. She is the nicest person. We were all like quaking in our boots and she couldn't have been a more beautiful soul. She's very giving with herself, like her, her personality and everything.

You know. And she is never, she's always of the time. Yeah. In this crazy way, which is so a few, you know, in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, like right now, wisdom from her is as precious as it's ever been. And, and or her doing a musical performance. It's just kind of neat how she's sort of transcends time. I don't know how she does that.

She's great. Well, she just got inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and she thought it was kind of funny because she says she's not a rock and roll musician, but she did it anyway and she's very gracious about it. And now she's made a rock and roll album. I think. Oh, really? I think as a sort of like, you know, I might as well.

And I think that's pretty awesome. I always feel like nine to five is kind of a rock and roll song. Yeah. I mean, I mean, I, she definitely deserved it, but yeah, yeah, a rock and roll song that has typewriter for percussion. Oh, that's right. Yeah. That's so cool.

I think that it'll have already been out, I think by the time, but Jane Fonda sat in that chair a couple of days ago and we got on the topic of Dolly Parton and she spoke of her as if she was, you know, when she idolizes Dolly Parton and told these really great stories about her. I bet. So. It's Dolly Week at Conan. I know.

I know. I know. Sax. You know what? We've all wanted Dolly, but Adam Sax is forbidden it for now. Why is that? Yeah. There's one track.

There's one track she cut in 1973 that Adam Sax didn't quite like. Now that Nora Jones has blessed it all. Thank you. Go to Dolly. I know. Go to her. Go to the light. If we do book her and you have to travel, will you let me and Gorley go?

Yes. I mean, sometimes you don't let us come. Well, I have to come is the caveat. Oh, you can come. Yeah. Yeah. Look, let me explain. Oh, man.

You know, Barack Obama or someone, there's security issues involved, background checks, and that's why you two are usually excluded. Right. You know what you did and you know what you did four times. Yeah. I mean, yeah, but. You're a shoplifter. Okay.

Are you? What about? Yes, I am. I am. I was. I was. I'm not anymore. And I've never been caught.

So it wouldn't be on a record. So there you go. You've only talked about it. Yeah. You talked about it. Many times. But I say. Yeah, that's a great criminal.

I wouldn't have been confessed, but you brought it up. But Dolly Parton doesn't have a secret service. So Gourley and I, I mean, we're putting you on the spot. You're taking us with us. You're taking us with you. And if you don't, we're striking. Okay. All right.

Okay. All right. Yeah. Okay. What could you did, Nora? Opposed. We're not. You know what happened?

Gourley's been getting a little more feisty. We all know that. Yeah. And so, and of course, always just a terror. And you come in and you, and you praise them both. And now they're insane. They're like, we're going to strike. The three of us are striking.

Yeah. It's fun. Uh-huh. Yeah. It's fun. Yeah. All right. Well, so what's, what do you have planned for this coming year?

I know that. Are you recording right now? Yeah. I may, I'm actually making an album and a lot of the songs came from those in-between sleep, sleep times. Okay. Oddly enough. And I'm going to go on tour in Europe this summer, which is always a joy to play

music live. Yeah. And really just doing this podcast and trying to hang out with people in front of microphones. The podcast is Nora Jones is playing along and it's a terrific, Mavis Staples was on the podcast. Yeah. She was at Marc Rebier. Do you know him?

Oh my God. He's incredible. I'm not as familiar with him now. Yeah. We had Bobby Hall, AKA the rapper Logic, which was a really fun like meeting of two different worlds. Yeah. And it kind of runs a gamut.

There's no limitations. It just has to be playing music together. There's no genre or anything. Also I'll tell you this as a fan of your podcast, you have an amazing, obviously you have an amazing singing voice, but I love your speaking voice. Really? Yeah. It sounds very, it just sounds really lovely.

That was the thing I was most nervous about. It was like, well, you know, when you hear yourself speaking, recorded is the most annoying thing on the planet to most people and I'm no different. So when I hear myself sing, I can, I can get with that. I'm used to that. But when I hear myself talk, sometimes I'm just like, ugh. I think that's healthy. I think it's normal.

I think when, if you're someone who, when you hear yourself says, yeah, more of this, more of this, something's wrong. I am, I am horrified when I hear myself speaking. And then I just say, yeah, that's just self-hate and it's probably done you some good. It's done. Yeah. It's done good. And also one thing I did notice listening back and approving stuff is I have a weird

cackle because when Sarah and I get to laughing sometimes, my co-host and or whenever me and one of the guests laugh after the song is done, there's always like this crazy laughter because we're trying a song for the first time and then we just bust out laughing when it's done. But I have the, my laugh surprised the hell out of me. I didn't know I had a cackle. Right. I know.

Yeah. Occasionally you discover things about yourself. Yeah. So have you enjoyed listening to yourself? I don't really listen to the podcast. Well, you've got these twins. You're busy now. Well, if I didn't, I mean, I didn't always have the twins even before.

I didn't like, it's not like that. You have to go overboard and say, even when I had nothing to do, even when I literally had nothing to do. If someone pressed play and put like headphones on me, I would just take them. No. I really, I don't. I'm not a consumer of, you know, the dealer shouldn't consume his own. Yeah.

That's the old saying. Well, it would be, it would be called podcastor baiting. If you listen to the podcast, God, we've got to clean up this Nora Jones podcast. Yeah. I never thought I'd be saying that. I love it. I wish I could take credit. Sarah came up with that when she was listening.

Really? I should listen. I mean, I don't have any. You mentioned earlier, like, well, I wouldn't have never have a chance to have a meal with you. I'd be delighted to anytime. If you're going to be in town and you need someone to grab, you know, breakfast, whatever, I will pick it up and bring it to my hotel breakfast.

We're not quite to dinner yet. I know. We can't be forward. Not even brunch. You're like nine a.m. No, no. Nine a.m. Five a.m. is when I get up, when I come to LA because I've gone from the East Coast.

Yeah. That doesn't, that's not bad. I will take you up from meal between 7 a.m. and 8 30 a.m. Souls. Yeah. And we split it. It's got to be an international house of pancakes. Yeah.

Can I come? No, seriously, anytime. Thank you. I would just be delighted. I would be ecstatic. Thank you. Thank you so much. We brought a full circle.

You are a podcaster. And I a pod masturbator. Pod masturbator. I just said pod masturbator. Yeah. Pod masturbator. You really just went for it. Yeah.

It's different than what you're talking about. Well, it's been another filthy show with Nora Jones. Nora, thank you. Thank you for having me. That was amazing. That was great to see you all. We haven't done voicemails in a while. Okay.

You know, I'm always a little on edge because I feel I'll be criticized. You always say that. And then I never give you any that are critical. So you're saying there are ones that are critical. I'm not saying that. You just did. No, I'm saying I never give you any that are critical. I was going to maybe go on to say there are no critical ones.

I don't think you were, but it's okay. There's got to be. This is America where 50% of people hate the other 50%. They can't all agree. This is a voluntary thing where people call in and they're already fans of yours. This is not going to be the place where there's craziness in there for sure. Good. Well, that's how you know they're my people.

Yeah. Okay. I'm ready. I'm ready to prepare myself. Okay. Eduardo, punch it. Hey, Conan. This is State Senator Kathy Breen.

I'm calling from Maine and I'm calling to see if you are familiar with the retired presidential yacht, which is called the USS Sequoia. Given that you are such a history buff, I wanted you to know that the ship is being restored here in Maine at a shipyard in Belfast. And I wanted to invite you to come and see the ship sometime during its restoration, which will be over the next few years. It's an amazing vessel, literally, of American history that will just blow your mind when you realize all the many events and historic figures who spent time on the yacht.

It was in service from the time of President Wilson until President Carter. And it's really just an amazing gem of US history. And it's here in Maine for a few years, getting restored. So I wanted to invite you to that and find out if you're familiar with it and see if you might want to come to Maine and see it. Wow. That was State Senator Kathy Breen. I am aware of the Sequoia.

I didn't know about this. Well, I could be wrong, but I think this was the presidential yacht that is featured in the movie Nixon. Remember the movie Nixon that was made by Oliver Stone? With Anthony Hopkins. With Anthony Hopkins as Nixon. Nixon used to love to, I think, get in the Sequoia if I'm thinking of the right ship. And he used to like to sail up the Potomac.

That was like his idea of fun, which actually does sound fun, but he'd bring like Haldeman and Ehrlichman and Kissinger, which sounds less fun. And they would sit around and go like, I think we're going to get away with it. You're going to get away with it, sir. Yeah, yeah, boss, you're going to get away with it. I really do. Hey, hey, let's take it up to 20 knots. What do you say, guys?

And so I think it was that kind of deal on the Sequoia, but it's portrayed in Oliver Stone's movie. They're all on the Sequoia. And I have to say, I've enjoyed some of Oliver Stone's work, but sometimes he has a heavy touch. I'll say. And so there's one scene in here, which really was like, oh, that's too much where Anthony Hopkins as Nixon is on the Sequoia.

They're saying, you know, Mr. President, what should we do about the Cambodian? He's like, bomb, bomb them all. And then someone says, oh, but Mr. President, there could be loss of life. I don't care. Bomb, bomb, bomb. And then just then the chef says, Mr. President, your steak. Put the steak in front of him and Nixon just then goes to cut into the steak and it's all red and juicy.

And he goes, blood, blood. Too much blood. Oh my God. Well, he then did turn into a bat and flutter away. But you know what I mean? Just the, I was like, come on, Oliver Stone. I don't care. Bomb them all.

Here's some steak. Blood, I can't, I must go back to my ancestral Transylvania. But I believe that that is a moment in film that depicts the president on the Sequoia. Well, we should get you on that yacht and you can recreate that scene with some steak. I will. But you know what? We have to act quickly because the Sequoia is being restored according to State Senator Kathy Breen over a four year period.

We've got no time to waste. I would like to see it though. Yeah, I would too. You like that stuff. Oh, I love. Any piece of any sort of history. You're like, oh, this is a plate that, you know, Reagan used. You're like, what?

A plate? Oh my God. I think that's, I get that. I don't know. I think it's a plate. Especially that era, late Cold War era. Yes. I'm with you.

I find that when someone, well, you famously, yeah, I mean, you have Eisenhower's phone. We talked about this once and you brought it in. And I thought that was cool. And I think I'm fascinated by that stuff. So I would love to take a quick tour of the Sequoia. And I think it was a very nice invitation. Yeah. And.

Cassona, did you ever have to do like duck and cover drills in school for a nuclear war or was it just earthquakes? Not for nuclear war, but for earthquakes. Yeah. See that's, I think something that shapes a child that when you have that existential fear of dying from the Cold War, no warning. Today at my kid's school, they do the same thing, duck and cover, but it's for a nut allergy.

Oh God. I can't even. I can't. Come on. That's not a solid joke. Was it? No. Wasn't a little cheesy.

Oh, but I mean, come on. Come on. I don't know. We're having fun. We're having fun. We're having fun. We're having fun. Come on.

We're family. We're having fun. It's time to duck and cover someone use the wrong pronoun. I'm just saying times have changed. Times have changed. Anyway, welcome to our Joe Rogan moment. I know. I hope you enjoy it.

I know. Wow. Yeah. I would check it out. I would check out. I'll check out his ship. Well, first of all, first of all. First of all, check out our mic.

Yeah. The mic is down. The mic is seven feet from you. I'll check out his ship. Yeah. Well, first of all, you're not invited. She didn't say Sona. She said Conan.

And by implication, Matt. She called the podcast. She called the podcast. You know what? You're right. And I don't often admit I'm wrong, but you're right. You never admit you're wrong. I just did.

I know. I... The gummy just hit. Yeah. Look at this one. What is wrong? What is with you? I don't know.

It's such a good fall today. Your hand is on your belly. I know because I don't know. Okay. But also, can I say... No, stay there, Sona. This is nice. I like the way you are right now.

I'm very comfortable right now. But you know what I love? How entitled are you that you're in that position and you had your hand on your bell and you went, I'd check out the presidential yacht. No. That's a lot of entitlement. That assumed your generation. You millennials.

How dare you? You millennials. What is your deal with not allergies and pronouns of my generation, brah? I think that's why I'm like this right now. You're aging yourself and I'm getting younger. Yeah. And more Jamaican. I'm repping...

I'm repping the millennials. Okay. Yeah. Okay. No, I... The mills. You grew up in a very different world where, okay, you had an earthquake drill, but we grew up under a constant existential threat of nuclear war.

And that shaped Gourley and I and made us the cold warriors we are today. It was a walking ball of anxiety because of that. That's not true. It's true. It's totally true. You know what? Every generation has their own existential fears. Yes.

Every generation. No one gets out scot-free. We all are as we always will be and always have been. I'm a wise man who can see things that others can't see. You belong on a presidential yacht. I do. I've got to get on this point. I'll check out a yacht.

Of course you will. Well, anyway, it's a very kind invitation, Kathy. And I will try to make this happen because I would love to see the Sequoia. And I hope I'm right about my Nixon reference. I believe that's the ship that he used to take up. And his favorite thing to do was sail up to Mount Vernon. This is what I recall from... Oh, I've read this somewhere.

I think he used to like to sail up to Mount Vernon, Washington's home. And I think by this point, they were all loaded. They were drinking the whole way. And when they got to Mount Vernon, they would fire off a military salute, probably taking the chimney off of Mount Vernon and then turn around and come back. So those are good times. I wish I had a yacht with a cannon on it. That's what I wish I had.

Yeah. Have I mentioned this? I was driving through Missouri. I was in a car. I was by myself and I pulled into... My car was overheating. So I pulled into the Truman Presidential Library parking lot and my radiator overheated and green goo went all over their parking lot and a docent from the Truman Library came

out and started yelling at me. I put my car back into drive and grinding cylinders the whole way, tore out of there. Straight to the Eisenhower Library. Yeah, leaving a bunch of muck behind, steaming muck behind me in a furious docent. So my apologies to the Truman Presidential Library. So, what's your Presidential Library story? I have a car story. I mean, you were in a Lincoln.

Huh? I know. I've been to the Reagan Library. I went to the Carter Library with you. I met President Carter, which was really nice. Yeah. I introduced you to not just the president, but the first lady, Rosalind Carter, was there as well.

I started crying. You did start crying. Yeah. And then when we took a photo, he said I could stand next to him in the photo, which was really nice. It's a great photo. It's the four of us. It's a wonderful photo.

Yeah. I'm jealous. Yeah, it was a really nice thing. I mean, they like were talking and then his assistants were like, you know, you can go in there if you want after they're done meeting. And I was like, I can't. Yeah. I was like, me?

Yeah. And you know what Carter didn't have? A nut allergy. Peace out, Mike Trop. Conan O'Brien needs a friend. With Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Sessian, and Matt Gorely. Produced by me, Matt Gorely. Produced by Adam Sacks, Joanna Salatarov, and Jeff Ross at Team Cocoa, and Colin Anderson

and Cody Fisher at Year Wolf. Theme song by the White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino. Take it away, Jimmy. Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair, and our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples. Engineering by Eduardo Perez. Additional production support by Mars Melnick.

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