Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Summer S’mores with Conan and the Chill Chums Season 5 Episode 3

Episode Date: August 7, 2025

Conan and the Chums get a history lesson on the invention of the Hershey Bar. Heads up: This is a special sponsored episode — which means it’s not part of our regular, ad-free lineup. We’ve partnered with our sponsor to bring you this content.  While it’s a bit different from our usual episodes, we think you’ll still enjoy it.  Thanks for supporting the sponsors who help keep the mics on! Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan.

This episode of Conor Bryant Needs a Friend is sponsored by Hershey's. Guys, I'm going to ask you a question. What better way is there to make summer memories than having s'mores with Hershey's milk chocolate? There's nothing. Toasted marshmallows, melted Hershey's chocolate, crunchy gram crackers. The classic taste brings family and friends together for ooey, gooey, good times. And I'm saying that with a straight face. Yeah.

And college diploma, ooey, gooey, good times. Make s'm more memories. see what I did this summer with Hershey's milk chocolate this episode of Connor Bryant needs a friend is sponsored by LL Bean just 15 minutes of outdoor time

can make you feel happier and more energized that's a fact Ask any doctor, ask any noise Ask the lady with the alligator poise Get out there and get your butt in LLBin LLBin makes getting outside more comfortable and more fun with expert quality clothing and gear

towels cooler totes and camping chas, you'll be get up for your best day outside ever for the best outdoor products and to save 10% on your order. Visit LLBeen.com slash Conan outside together since 1912. Summer Smoors with Conan and the Chill Chums,

a six-part series with Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Sessian, and Matt Gourley. Let's get started. Hey there and welcome to episode three of SummerSmore. Smoors, 2025. I got the chill chums here. Matt Gourley, Sonoma of Sessian.

Yeah. And as I said before, we are in the backyard of our Larchmont podcast studios. Yeah. It's very nice back here. And we are protected, of course, by beautiful LLB and umbrellas. We have just a great show planned. This is our fifth summer smores, I was figuring. Yeah.

We've been a podcast for seven years, but we started after summer the first year. And we did a deep. dive with Dana Carvey the second year, then we did an in-studio one of these, and then we started doing them outside. And when did we start going after smores? I mean saying, our smore is good, or smore is bad? What do you think? Pretty quickly. The first one. Was it? I was very skeptical about smores. I thought that it was a snack that people pretended to like, but they don't really like it. And it inspired, I think, the greatest division in America we've yet seen. I'm hard-pressed to think of a more divisive moment

in recent American politics. Yes, I agree. And it really got everybody electrified. Smores people are just nuts for smores. Yes. So it was just a simple misunderstanding. But I should probably bring up that we have a special

sponsor today. Is that right? Who are you looking to? Yeah. I'm asking. Eyes over here. My eyes are right here. You're just sitting there and I'm keeping for you to say, I'm filling time here saying some stuff. I think I'm doing a great job. Because when I fill time, it's when other people, you know, give the greatest speech of their life.

I think I'm doing my part. And then I think you're going to come in at one point and go, hey, Conan, I got some interesting news for you. But that part never comes. I didn't want to step on your 15-minute tirade about conduits last week. Yeah, yeah. Hey, Conan, I haven't interested something interesting for you. Oh, you do. This is great.

When we first call Ripley's Believe it or not? Okay. What is it? Honestly, nothing. I just said it because I felt like someone needed to say it. But, you know, that's... When you said it. I have something important to say I was fascinated.

Come on. I was. I say important things sometimes. I say interesting things. Just find one time. Try to say something important right now. Yes, let's say it. Off the top.

Who can ever do this off the top of their head? I love my children. I mean, that's pretty important. Yeah, I do. Okay. Wow, so defensive. Yeah, I love my children. I do love them.

It was last time you saw him. Six months. You know, something important. Um, the, uh, fucking, uh, I love s'mores. Like, that's just an important aspect. You do love smores. I remember the first time I had s'mores. Was it at that summer camp you went to that was, you went to an Armenian school, yes?

I did. I went to an Armenian school. Uh, shout out, messrobian, what's up? Um, no one else cares. Wow, the boards are lighting up. Let's bring her out. No, but this was, this was Girl Scabian. And then I, because, you know, even Armenians, like, we're not, I don't know, for smore people. Like, we don't go camping. At least my family didn't go camping.

So I went with Girl Scouts and someone handed it to me. And I was like, what is this? And they said, it's a smore. It's short for you, when you get one, you want some more. And I was like, I do want some more. Hence the addiction. Hence, yeah. Wow.

Okay. I freaking love them. Yeah. I call them no mores. Okay. I want no more of these. Less. Yeah, a lot Celeste. I think we've got a very good comedy routine going that we'll rival who's on first. Look it up, kids. It's really funny. I make a lot of references that are at least 50 years old. Some as long as 100 years old. But that's another matter. I think you have something important to say. I really do. Me? Yeah. Is it about Hershey's? Yeah. Well, we do have this whole smorgas board. Yeah.

Why can't you say it? I didn't know. We're sponsored by Hershey's. There you go. There we go. They sponsored. because they're a very key ingredient in s'mores. But they've also got a new line of perfectly suited s'mores chocolates here. Look at this. They've got Hershey's caramel. That actually sounds really good. Hey!

Oh, wow, look, it's... Thank you, Chills. All right, well, show us what we got here. I'm so happy. Very exciting. Hershey's, of course, a vital ingredient in s'm smore. You know what, you're not going to find in a good smore, some dark, bitter chocolate

that has a panda on it from Norway. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. It's got to be, it's got to be Hershey's. What is that? It's caramel. Oh, God.

Hey! Oh, wow. It's the best day of my life. What is this? Oh, my God. Get it out of the sun. I want it to live forever. Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. We've got a letter. Okay, okay. Wait for it to, you know, this is important. You know? And can I say something? We've had many different people, you know, sign up to advertise on the podcast. But Hershey's, this is a bond.

This is a bond that goes way back. Hershey's has won me over. I mean, summer camp to me meant Hershey's, you know? It really did. It went down the wrong pipe. I can't breathe anymore. I'm really serious. Are you okay?

I mean, you can't joke about that. Do you need medical attention? Drink the water. They do. Okay. Well, we'll take care of it later. We actually have a doctor here. Oh, Dr. Royo, step in.

Hi. Are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine. All right. Because if you can laugh, you can breathe. Okay. You're right. I'm sorry.

Thank you. Apparently no one's breathing here. Here's a letter from Hershey's. Yeah, letter from Hershey, let's go. Dear Sona and Gourley, Hershey is thrilled to finally sponsor Summer Smoors with our favorite chill chums. We know some people, not a lot, who aren't chill enough to appreciate what makes this classic campfire treat so great.

But you both get it. Whether it's with your family, your friends, or your fellow podcast, co-hosts, when you are making s'mores, you are making memories. As a token of our appreciation, please accept these sweet gifts from all of us at Team Coco, O.A. And let us know what you think of our new Hershey's Caramel made for Smoors. But please make it clear to Mr. O'Brien, we are sorry, but we only sponsor Smores Lovers and Chill Chums. Let's Smoor more. Andrew R. A. Shamba, President of Chocolate, the Hershey Company. He's like Willie Wonka. He's the president of Chocolate at Hershey's. You got a hand-signed letter from the president of chocolate.

Do you know that he wears a giant top hat and he's holding a contest to see who will take over Hershey's and he has a glass elevator? Do you know that he was written by Roll Doll and that this is me doing some sort of weird parody of Willie Wonk in the Chocolate Factory except it's Hershey's? You know, you're really bringing us down. Sorry. This is so cool. Can I also say, I mean, this is a very serious thing and I know they're sponsoring us, but if you give me smords that don't have Hershey's in it, I won't eat it. Yeah, that's good to know. Look at that.

Our names are on here. What's that? Is that their mascot? Is it a chocolate bar? What are you holding in your hand? Yeah, it looks like a little chocolate bar. All right, here's a question I want to ask. Robert Smichael and I used to talk about this back at Sarnet Live, which is products that want you to eat them.

Do you know what I mean? Isn't that a strange concept? So that's a Hershey bar that's saying, eat Hershey bars. And he is a Hershey bar. Eat me. I'm so delicious. It's a strange thing. He longs for.

himself to be devoured. This is a strange concept. That's his job in life. If he if no one eats him, then he just goes bad and he throw him away. Are those pajamas? Oh yes, sorry. I'm just going through my swag. Sorry. You got some serious swag there. This is amazing. I love swag. Wow, this is incredible.

Did you get anything? Well, I probably shouldn't say this on camera, but Hershey sent me a completely refurbished cobra. You mean the snake? What do you mean? No. It's a it's a version of a Mustang, Cobra, it's refurbished

1969, I think it's got probably a street value or collector value of it over $700,000. They sent it to me and it says Hershey's chocolate on the back and so thank you Hershey's for the I mean, it's a classic car and they use seven helicopters to bring it in. Oh boy.

Why didn't they just drive it in? You know, I don't know. Okay. Because they're just three blocks away. I don't know. But, no, I did not get anything from Hershey's, but you know what? Hershey's already gave me a gift. Years and years of memories, happy memories. And I just thought of that. I didn't say on my feet because I'm sitting,

but that's pretty good. Can I eat a s'm? Yeah, you have, of course you can. How do we eat s'm so, uh, Hershey's, everybody. Yeah, so we have special torches just for some. These are Hershey torches, you said. There we go, special torches. This is amazing. To make your s'mores. Conan, uh, Hershey's wanted you to know that they specifically did not sponsor you because you've, uh, said that you didn't like smores. Can I, that's right. You get to keep those. That made it all. That's right. That's great. You guys have laser beams now.

Oh, smell it. I believe I have identified the flaw with the s'more, and this may cause some controversy. I was thinking about it. I love Hershey chocolate. I love graham crackers. It's the marshmallow. Sona, do not get your hand in the way of that. I know.

This is really... You've got a burning marshmallow. I do. Oh, my God. It's on a wood tray, too. This is not good. This is not good. Everybody...

It's out. Hold on. Everybody evacuated. Whose idea was it to give Sona? I got it. Don't hold it. I don't know how else to do it. I really don't know what else to do. I mean, someone gave me a blowtor.

My house burned down. Her house burned down on the Altadena fires, and you were creating this triggering situation for her where she's supposed to hold a fire and shoot it herself? Blake, get in there. I can do it for you here. I'm sorry.

How are you going to do it without holding it? It's easy. Look, you have to hold it. He's not a real person, Sona. Hold my mic. I want it more. Look how good that is. No, I need it more melted.

Thank you. Thank you. Oh, now Chill shows up with a fire extinguisher. Today's the day I brought my kerosene rag collection. The best moments happen outside, wandering along, and hey, look, that mama birds making a nest. That's something you can't see when you're inside looking at. your data screen on one of your special data phones. The only thing that can make a perfect outdoor adventure even better is quality, outdoor clothing and gear from L.L. Bean.

Yeah. Showboat and tote with L.L. Bean's iconic canvas bag still made in Maine. That takes me home. And I would see people with the L.L. Bean tote bag. Yeah, it's a nice one, too. Yeah, well, I want to grow up to be that person. That's what I would say, and they'd say, okay, kid, that's good. Aim high.

At a monogram to make it your own and avoid friends and family making it their own. Get comfy on an L.L. Bean, easy comfort beach chair. Whether you're setting up at the beach or bark, enjoy a built-in pillow, and four reclining positions for the best naps with backpack straps for easy carrying. We're sitting in those chairs right now, and they are very comfortable. Truly. And they've got, you can keep, there's a little place to keep a drink. Yeah.

Or, I don't know, maybe a bird would build a nest right there. And you could watch it right up close while you had your drink. Cool breezes. Sudden drizzle, the legendary mountain classic, Anorax. Resist wind and water so you can enjoy your day outside to matter. the weather. No, seriously, LL Bean, this is good stuff. For the best outdoor products and to save 10% on your order, visit LLBeen.com slash Conan outside together since 1912. Hey, time for shout out to Hershey's. And a huge thanks to them for sponsoring Summer Smores.

You have to admit, kind of a perfect sponsor for Summer Smores. Hershey's, the chocolate bar in America. I think the world. Now you can smore like there before with Hershey's milk chocolate with caramel. These are people that won a long time ago and they're not satisfied. They keep thinking of new ways to delight us. Sweet new take on the classic treat, this Hershey's milk chocolate with caramel. Groundbreaking delight delivers an over-the-top smores experience. Each Hershey's caramel bar is perfectly sized for smores.

They did this. They engineered it with smores in mind. Delivering optimum ooey-gooey goodness in every bite. And I say that with great sincerity. It's not just goodness. it's ooey-gooey goodness. Bla, you laugh when no one else did. So grab your chums and gather around for toasted marshmallows,

crunchy graham crackers, and new Hershey's caramel bars. Only a fool could resist a smores like this. I think they're talking to me. I'm not a fan of a smores, but you know what? They're tempting me a little bit with this new chocolate confection they've arranged. It's an indulgent new way to make summer memories. Try Hershey's milk chocolate with caramel today. more, more.

Is it good? Do you like the caramel? I love it so much. Hershey's, you've done it again. We thought you had perfected the chocolate bar, which goes way back to, I don't know the history of Hershey, so I'm going to make it up.

Elijah P. Hershey came to this country on a chocolate canoe in 1881. And he created the chocolate factory for Hershey's in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And since then, Hershey's been the chocolate bar that Americans love. Famously handed out in World War II to GIs. It became kind of a calling card saying America is sweet and tasty.

It was actually 1883. Was it 18? And what did I guess? 1881. Isn't that crazy? And I know it's not Elijah P. Hershey, but I've been. You bet it's something close. It's Milton. Milton.

Oh, it doesn't even better name. Milton. Oh, Milton. Milton created the chocolate bar accidentally. Yeah. Why, how? Oh, it's a crazy story. It's really insane.

What is the story? Oh, wait, do you hear it? We're waiting. Well, I think for help, we're going to bring in Dr. Arroyo. Oh, yes. Dr. Royo. Wait, you outsource your improv to your doctor? Dr. Royo.

Tell him how Milton Hershey accidentally invented the chocolate bar. This is the kind of thing I could improvise like a madman in my 20s and 30s, but those days are gone. So take it for me, will you, Doctor? Sure. Well, it's a fascinating story. Well, I had that part already. Oh, very good. This thing's a real corker.

Tell him, Dr. Arroyo. Well, Milton Hershey came to this country in a canoe. I did that. You did that. All right, Fernie. He stuck to cold water. to keep it going and he had a dream

and his dream was to make the best chocolate he could and he succeeded and I'm being told to stand closer to you by your directors and I hope that's okay you're enjoying that chocolate

I ate this whole thing and you know what it's nice and I like chocolate when it's a little bit melty and because it's warm out here I'm still wearing corduroy because I think it looks good I die from my public

I'm now eating this and it's pretty much liquid what was the city of Hershey called before Hershey got there? I think it was called Wonderful Town. And people love that name.

Where's the torch? I'm going to do another one. They took yours away. By the way, I fully endorse playing with torches in a hot day. That's right in my wheelhouse. Are these for anybody?

Or just for the town? I think not for you, Dr. Royal. Very good. We don't want you on a sugar rush when you're doing brain surgery in an hour for someone who can't afford real brain surgery. Well, that was wonderful of them to send all this nice stuff. That really was. You could perceive it as kind of an ad, but I don't. I think it's just a gesture of goodwill.

And that's lunch taken care of. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. We don't need to eat lunch because we've just had, well, you've had smores. I've just had several Hershey's chocolate bars at this point. And they're delicious. It reminds me at my old camp, Cragut Mountain Farm in Freedom, New Hampshire. That's where I used to go. I loved it there. And I used to wear very short shorts because that was the style in the 70s. And you ever thought about bringing those back? You have very long, skinny legs.

What I will tell you is that I once took a really long trip in an aluminum canoe. Oh, yeah, we've heard. Yeah. And man, that fried me up. Oh, ma'am, I guess we've done this for seven years. Oh, my God. There's got to be something. This is bad.

What's that? This is bad. Why is it bad? Look at it. Oh, it's a mess. It's such a mess. I'm really questioning your choice of wardrobe today. This was such a bad idea.

Why did you wear a white jacket on smore making day? I didn't know someone was going to hand me a torch. Look at Conan and I planned ahead. We're literally wearing brown. Jesus, you look like you just tended to someone in a collar award. Hey, guys, we are a s'mores. What? Chocolate marshmallow graham crackers.

Hey, that's something that could probably make it into the actual podcast. That's good. That's great. I like that. No, I'm serious. I want to double down on this. I think the marshmallow is the flaw. I agree, though.

Because I like chocolate, I like graham cracker, and the marshmallow is this gooey. Do you need more sugar on a Hershey bar? I don't think so. Well, is there any reason we can't have you try? Just the chocolate and the graham cracker. I'll roast some chocolate. And we don't have to put the...

Do you even need to roast it? Just hand me a chocolate bar. You got to have the effect. What are you going to roast over a fire if you don't have a marshmallow, though? I'm thinking of something right now. What? Me?

No, that's a terrible joke to make. I don't want to see you burn. over a flame. Man, I'd love to see her burn over. Oh, wow, you're a really top chef. God, you are torching the hell out of that thing. It's got to get, it's got to penetrate, you know? Don't mess with my technique.

Okay. Got penetrate. Yeah, man. Yeah, I know what you're saying. Yeah, yeah. Oh, wow. What a fancy plate. I wonder who makes it.

I wonder if they're allowed to be mentioned in this segment. I don't know how things work. I don't know what the rules are. Well, I mean, there's logos everywhere. Tanisha, who runs our advertising world, is, wearing those reflective sunglasses that the guard wears in Cool Hand Luke, and it's

terrifying. Every time I wonder if I'm handling the product correctly or saying the right things, I look at her, and she's staring back at me with reflective shades like I'm going to die. Oh, that's great. I don't miss the marshmallow. Hey, here's my suggestion. When you're going to make a smore this summer, think about

not putting the marshmallow one. I do think that's the flaw. Maybe this is a new dessert we've created. Instead of smore or sless, it's just some. You know? I think that's a terrific thing you just said. But it's S-apostrophe O-M-E. Yeah. Yeah. I got chocolate on my pants. What that?

I got chocolate on my pants. Yeah, of course you did. Yeah. I have eaten with you all around the world, Sona, and all across the nation on our tour. I never saw you not spill something in yourself. No, you're making, are you doing a bit? I'm not doing a bit. I'm not a messy eater. I love eating, and I want it in my body as quickly

as possible. Right. And sometimes some of it comes off and on me. And we know what spilling is all about. Yes, we know the concept of spilling. But I just, I really, I think it comes from my enthusiasm for eating. Yeah, that's great. So you give me smores in a torch and then obviously, obviously. I didn't give you smores in a torch.

Someone who works here had that idea. Yeah. And I think they will not be working here tomorrow. They'll be at NASA because I think they're geniuses. I got on my pants. They got on pants. Yeah. Well, this has been lovely of her, she's a

send all this and I think we said their name many times and I think we said it in a positive way but thank you Hershey you did exclude me no no company we've worked for has ever rewarded you to and then excluded me in such brutal fashion but I understand why they're doing

it they have integrity and they don't want to have anything to do with someone who's actively anti-smoor and it got us to talk about the product for the entire 20 minutes of the whole I bet so there are a lot of fans right now thinking this is a rip-off And that's why I'm trying to add a little something kind of fun and add a little protein,

you know, so it's not all about Hershey. But God, Hershey's good. So what are you adding? Okay. Yeah, what's the protein? So, like, what did you add? Okay. You want to get Dr. Arroyo back?

I know. No, I really don't. I... You want to talk about the time you were in an aluminum canoe again? We're in little hot pants. I'll tell you this story. The tents that we had at Cragut Mountain Farm, were, I think, Army issue from the 1940s.

They weren't the modern tents that you would get, like at, say, an R-A-I or some other place that sells camping technology. They were just these sheets of, like, old, faded green canvas, and when it would rain, rain just poured through the tents,

especially if the tent was bulging and you tried to hold it up a little bit, once your skin touched the tent, it would bring all the water into the tent. I've never been that miserable in my life. You guys, so you did actual camping. Oh, yeah. Oh, I was in like...

I hiked the presidential mountain rain. Oh, that's nice. They had you do Mount Washington, Madison. They, there was even a, there was a Mount Trump then, because someone was thinking ahead. Oh, come on, no, we are not a political show at. I won't have booing and I won't have yaying. I'm just telling you, I just did a little fun. Didn't hear many yays.

Yeah. I heard one. I heard any. Dr. Arroyo. Ever since they said vaccines are bad for you And they pretty much got rid of all the medical experts Dr. Arroyo was thrilled I think he was offered a cabinet position

Yes, I was but I was overqualified Oh, okay, okay There's Dr. Arroyo with some political humor Very good, Dr. Royal. Look on us for the daily show look at me I'm Bill Maher yeah I'm showing the man what it's all about What's that? Two for two I'm buttoning these episodes

You did a great job and let's not talk too long afterwards But I have to tell you those tents Oh God they really were You act like you were in Vietnam or something I know I keep dragging us back in When I went to camp We were in like air-conditioned cabin That's not camping

In like the palisades Yeah oh my God It was really nice It was the Armenian camp I went I don't even know how they got these, this like place that we went to, but it was so fun. Did you, but you liked the camp, obviously, because it sounds like you just went to a spa. Yeah. You went to a real camp, I bet.

He didn't go to camp. But that being said, I did a lot of camping. In fact, one time I slept on the ground with some friends way up in Yosemite, and there was a bear 50 feet away in the middle of the night, just staring at us. Right. You know what? I don't like camping. I do. I think that people buy so much gear when they go camping so that it feels like they're at home.

That's true. And it's like just stay home. Like, why are you going outside? Can I remind you the LLBN is our sponsor? Right, right, right, right. I want to counter what you said, Jonah. I love getting in the great outdoors. I really do.

No, you don't. I do. I used to go camping all the time. I love camping. Do you have any stories about it? What's that? You have any stories about it? I do.

I'll tell you about a tent I had once, Dragon Mountain Farm. Really inferior quality. And I think it was Army issue. Probably World War II or the Korean War. And that's no joke. Wetest night of my life. The third time I've put this up here

He's putting the wrap up again But I'm not going to live there's a time You know where I went camping once was Hawaii Yeah Come on You're not camping You're just vacation Remember the time you camped in Las Vegas

At the Wynn Hotel? We're going to wrap it here Because we've gone too far And I think been too funny Okay Dr. Royall come in and get us out of here Here he comes Time of death of this episode

107 p.m. See you next week. We'll see you next week. Thank you, Dr. Arroyo. Summer Smoors with Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Sessian, and Matt Goorley. Produced by me, Matt Goorley. Executive produced by Adam Sacks, Jeff Ross, and Nick Leow. 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 Sound. Engineering and Mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnik. Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Britt Khan. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts,

and you might find your review read on a future episode. 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. You can also get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign up at SiriusXM.com slash Conan. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O'Brien needs a friend wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.