Conan O’Brien's Full Biography
Conan O'Brien is an American comedian, writer, producer, and television host, best known for his work in late-night television. Born on April 18, 1963, in Brookline, Massachusetts, Conan Christopher O'Brien rose to prominence as the host of NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and later "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien."
O'Brien's career in entertainment began as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) in the late 1980s. His distinctive humor and writing style quickly gained attention, and he became a key contributor to the show. In 1993, he was tapped to replace David Letterman as the host of "Late Night" when Letterman moved to CBS.
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" premiered on September 13, 1993, and O'Brien brought a fresh and irreverent approach to late-night television. His quirky humor, absurd sketches, and memorable characters, such as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, endeared him to a dedicated fanbase. Despite initial skepticism and low ratings, O'Brien's show developed a cult following over the years.
Early Life/Education
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American comedian, writer, producer, and television host. He was born on April 18, 1963, in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA.
Conan O'Brien grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Massachusetts. He attended Brookline High School, where he was known for his humor and writing talent. O'Brien later attended Harvard University, where he wrote for and became the president of the Harvard Lampoon, a prestigious humor magazine.
Career
After graduating from Harvard (magna cum laude) in 1985, Conan O'Brien moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy writing. He worked as a writer for several television shows, including Not Necessarily the News and Saturday Night Live. During his time at SNL, O'Brien earned recognition for his contributions to the show's comedic writing.
In 1993, O'Brien was chosen to replace David Letterman as the host of Late Night with Conan O'Brien on NBC. Initially met with skepticism and low ratings, O'Brien's unique style and quirky humor gradually won over audiences. His show gained a loyal following, particularly among younger viewers, and he developed a reputation for his offbeat and irreverent humor.
In 2009, Conan O'Brien briefly took over as the host of The Tonight Show on NBC, succeeding Jay Leno. However, due to a series of network conflicts and poor ratings, O'Brien's tenure on The Tonight Show was short-lived, and he left the show after only seven months.
After his departure from NBC, O'Brien hosted a live comedy tour titled The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour and later returned to late-night television with his show ‘Conan’, which premiered on TBS in November 2010.
‘Conan’ continued O'Brien's tradition of delivering clever and witty comedy, and it showcased a mix of celebrity interviews, sketch comedy, and musical performances.
Throughout his career, Conan O'Brien has received critical acclaim and numerous awards for his work, including several Emmy Awards. He is celebrated for his quick wit, self-deprecating humor, and ability to connect with a wide range of guests.
Beyond his work in television, O'Brien has made guest appearances in various movies and TV shows, and he has also lent his voice to animated characters.
In 2021, it was announced that ‘Conan’ would come to an end after 11 seasons on TBS, marking the conclusion of his long-running late-night show. However, Conan O'Brien continues to be involved in various projects and remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.
Business Ventures
Through his television production company, Conaco, which he founded in 2001, O'Brien shared the "Late Night" production credits. He has produced a number of shows and pilots over the years, including Andy Barker, P.I. (2007) and Outlaw (2010).
After the Jay Leno/NBC debacle, Conan founded a production company called Team Coco. Conan and Team Coco were able to acquire ownership of the show's rights by making a significant concession to TBS. Under the terms of that agreement, Conan was permitted to post interviews, musical performances, and comedy sketches from the TBS show on websites like YouTube. Team Coco kept the money it made from the YouTube videos.
In November 2018, Team Coco released the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. Awards for the podcast include Best Comedy Podcast and Best Ad Read from the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.
Later, Team Coco published another dozen podcasts. By the middle of 2022, the podcast network had received 200 million downloads annually, or 16 million downloads each month. The main Conan "Friend" podcast received around ten million downloads per month.
Conan revealed that he had sold Team Coco to SiriusXM for $150 million on May 23, 2022. The Team Coco podcast will continue to produce content for a Team Coco channel on Sirius as a result of the acquisition. A 5-year talent contract was also given to Conan. Surprisingly, the contract gave Conan ownership of the original intellectual property while giving Sirius the right to receive every dollar made by Team Coco on YouTube.
Personal Life
Conan O’Brien is married to Liza Powell. The two married in 2002 and have two children together; Neve and Beckett.
Net Worth
Conan has a net worth of $200 million. His wealth comes from his career on television and owning all of his material; however, the buyout of Team Coco for $150 million surely helped too.
Activism
Conan O’Brien supports efforts in mental health and teen suicide awareness. He has been actively involved in promoting these causes through his platform and has used his influence to raise awareness and funds for organizations dedicated to mental health support.
Conan's commitment to these issues extends beyond just raising awareness, as he has also taken steps to destigmatize mental health discussions and provide resources for those in need.
