Watch: Conan O'Brien Says Farewell To Late Night Television
Conan O'Brien's late night talk show Conan came to an end last night on TBS. The series has been on the air since 2010, with a total of 11 seasons comprised of over 1,500 episodes. But the comedian's tenure in late night television goes back nearly 20 more years when he took his position at the desk of Late Night with Conan O'Brien on NBC in 1993. So the last episode of Conan isn't just the end of his most recent show, but a farewell to his entire run as a late night host. It's a big deal, and you can watch clips from the final Conan episode below.
Homer Simpson Conducted Conan's Exit Interview
Before Conan O'Brien became a staple of late night television (and allowed a great gag with Paul Rudd to endure over the years), he was a writer at The Simpsons. So it only seems appropriate that he got an animated send-off with an exit interview conducted by none other than Homer Simpson himself. Of course, Springfield's most charming idiot thinks Conan is one of the Impractical Jokers. There's even a reference to Homer's time spent as a monorail conductor in one of the most beloved episodes of The Simpsons that Conan O'Brien had a had in creating.
Will Ferrell Sends Off Conan...Again
Comedy superstar Will Ferrell also popped in virtually to send off Conan. This is not the first time the former star of Saturday Night Live (where Conan also worked as a writer) has appeared when Conan is leaving a show behind. Ferrell appeared on Conan's final episode at Late Night and his last night as the host of The Tonight Show. That might seem like a nice tradition, but Ferrell calls it "fucking exhausting." In order to prepare for the next time Conan leaves a show, Ferrell took this opportunity to record some future farewells, so he doesn't have to deal with this nonsense anymore.
Conan Says Goodbye
After plenty of laughs, which included Jack Black bringing the thunder as Conan's final guest, the comedian took the time to properly say farewell to everyone who has worked on his late night show and everyone who has been watching for nearly 30 years.
Conan reminded everyone that his position in late night wasn't always so revered. When he inherited Late Night on NBC from David Letterman, who was leaving to host The Late Show at CBS, audiences weren't thrilled about it at the time. But look where we are now.
In his farewell, O'Brien succinctly offered up his approach to comedy
"I've devoted all of my adult life to pursuing this strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid. There's a lot of people who believe the two cannot coexist, but God, I will tell you, it is something I believe religiously, I think when smart and stupid come together... I think it's the most beautiful thing in the world."
Reaching out to anyone out there who may have the same comedic sensibilities, or anyone who may need a push in the right direction to do something they love, Conan added this, getting a little choked up at the end:
"So my advice to people watching out there right now — it's not easy to do. It's not easy to do. It's not easy to do, but try — try and do what you love with people you love. And if you can manage that, it's the definition of heaven on earth. I swear to God, it really is."
So long, Conan. We'll miss you.