During the time that Conan O'Brien was on the late night scene, there were many guest encounters that brought viewers pause or shock. One instance in particular was when Sophie Tuner slapped Conan across the face during a demonstration of a game she played on set with her past co-stars. However, there were many other occurrences that caused ripples of laughter from the audience, guests, and host combined.

These days, it's more common to see Conan on his YouTube channel or through his podcast. He interviews celebrities just like he did when he was on network television, but in a different type of environment. His guest appearances have continued, and a comment that was made during a live episode of SmartLess led listeners to believe there may be beef between O'Brien and host Jason Bateman.

Conan O'Brien Didn't Invite Jason Bateman To His Christmas Party

Bateman's co-stars were on the guest list, but not him

Via: TheThings/Instar

During his appearance on the SmartLess road show, the topic of Conan's annual Christmas party was brought to light. Towards the beginning of the conversation, it was revealed that of the three SmartLess hosts, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes were in attendance at the soirée. However, Jason Bateman was not.

Fans of the podcast were led to wonder about the reasoning behind Bateman's absence. Many alleged that Conan must not have invited Jason and that there were problems between the two. On the other hand, many were quick to point out alternative reasons, including the idea that Jason Bateman had declined an invitation due to schedule conflicts.

Will Arnett Has A Long-Standing Friendship With Conan

Both Arnett and Conan O'Brien have partnered together many times in the past

Conan O'Brien has a lengthy history with Jason Bateman's SmartLess co-host Will Arnett, which stems from the actor's marriage to his ex-wife Amy Poehler. When she was getting her start in the entertainment industry, Poehler routinely played the role of little sister to Conan's show partner, Andy Richter.

Because of this connection, Conan struck up a friendship with Poehler and, by extension, Will Arnett. O'Brien and Arnett went on to do other projects together, including an episode of Murderville. Fans of the duo made sure to alert others to this friendship and the fact that Jason Bateman was likely an extension of the Arnett relationship, similar to the one that Conan had with Sean Hayes.

However, the most common belief is that Conan and Jason share a mutual fondness for one another that has resulted in an ongoing comedic feud. This idea was also put into action when Conan made a comment about not wanting Jason Bateman to be part of his Wordle group because he wasn't looking to spend more time with the guy.

It's Assumed That The Relationship Resembles Another Famous Duo

The quick jabs remind many of another famous late-night host and big actor

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Many might think that if Conan O'Brien was going to have a running gag with any guest, it would be Al Roker. Roker was the guest with the most appearances on Conan's show and, therefore, many opportunities were available to carry on such a joke. However, it would appear that perhaps Conan O'Brien and Jason Bateman are channeling more the antics of Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon.

Kimmel and Damon have a long-standing joke to the public in which Kimmel acts as though he doesn't like Damon and is constantly seen on his late night show as running out of time on the show to have him on as a guest and subsequently "bumping" him into the next episode where he is inevitably bumped once again.

Although Jason Bateman has been on Conan O'Brien's talk show, and Conan on the SmartLess podcast, they appear to have a fun rivalry. In fact, in an episode of Conan's podcast, O'Brien accuses a lone bird off in the distance of being a disguised drone operated by Jason Bateman to spy on the competition. He then goes on to say that he loves the SmartLess guys while also revealing the fact that he has never been to Jason Bateman's house in the Hollywood Hills.

With the full picture laid out, it would appear that there is no beef between the comedic superstars and that Conan O'Brien and Jason Bateman instead have a mutual love and respect for one another while playing into a fun public rivalry.