How Did Conan O'Brien Become Famous?

By Tiara

As we all know, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno was one of the greatest shows in late night television history. It had great hosts, incredible guests, and always kept you laughing. But now that it has ended, there is an unexpected opening for someone to take over as host.

Conan O’Brien will be leaving his position at 10 p.m. every weeknight to make way for whoever takes over his time slot next. While most people agree that he did a good job hosting The Tonight Show, some believe that he is no longer wanted there.

If this were the case then why would they give him his own show right after? Many think that NBC could easily find another person who wants his position more than he does.

Many talented comedians have made their name in the industry by being funny, so how can they feel that they are not worthy of having their own talk show? This creates a situation where they are constantly disappointed and feeling less than before.

It is important to realize that talent is what makes someone successful, not just being very witty or telling off-the-wall jokes. Being abletostandup under pressure and relate to others is also considered talent.

Someone with these qualities may get overlooked too often, which is why many professionals keep themselves busy and spread out.

Became a comedian

how did conan o'brien became famous

As we mentioned, Jay Leno was already hosting The Tonight Show when Conan debuted in September of 2010 as The Late Night Comedy Series with his first show being about Spider-Man! He quickly gained attention for his comedic style that incorporated jokes about politics, celebrities, and even technology.

Conan’s dry humor and quick wit made him very popular and he eventually landed The Talk Show, which is now one of the most successful talk shows out there. His popularity soared after he gave us all our favorite catch phrases such as “You know what they say, if you can’t make them laugh, then you’re just not funny” and my personal favorite, “I'm having a bad day at work so don't take me seriously."

He also hosted the coveted Emmy's where he would roast famous people or brands in an entertaining way. Many have said his roasts are some of the best ever given their entertainment value while still making fun of the person/company in question.

Made a TV show

how did conan o'brien became famous

Before he was famous, Conan O’Brien made a lot of jokes that got him well-known. He spent his early career as a writer for The Simpsons before creating his own late night talk show in 1993. Since then, he has developed his style as a comedian while also growing more thoughtful and serious about social issues.

Conan is known for making fun of himself and the media frequently, but he also uses his platform to promote socially conscious topics such as feminism, LGBT rights, and anti-racism.

He even took time off work to protest the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died after being placed into police custody in Minneapolis.

Made a movie

how did conan o'brien became famous

While hosting The Late Show, Conan O’Brien made his big break in entertainment by producing, writing, directing, and starring in an MGM comedy he also co-wrote called Merely Surviving. It was released in February of 2015 and received mostly positive reviews from most audiences.

O’Brien played Robert “Bobby” Miller, a TV chef who is so good at his job that people come to him for food tips instead of creating their own dishes. He then meets Tara (played by Alison Brie), a struggling artist whose work Bobby encourages her to pursue.

They begin dating, but she soon finds out about his wealthy family and how he overhypes himself when it comes to being successful. This makes her feel uncomfortable and they break up.

However, she later realizes she still loves him and wants to give their relationship another chance. They start working together as friends before becoming romantically involved again.

Their chemistry seems real and viewers can relate to them as characters, making this film very popular with audience members.

It is not uncommon to see many fans talking about it online or even organizing meetups to watch it. Many have said it helped them learn more about love and relationships!

Conan has mentioned how important this movie was to his career growth in interviews and promotions.

Won a Grammy

how did conan o'brien became famous

After leaving The Jay Leno Show in 2009, comedian Conan O’Brien was looking for his next career move. He had just finished taping an episode of his show when he received some good news: His hosting gig at NBC’s late night talk show, The Tonight Show, had been bumped up to 11:30 p.m.!

With that new job came more responsibility — not only did he have to prepare and host his own show, but now he also needed to pick and choose which songs would be played during the show.

O’Brien picked something special for his first song as the new host of The Tonight Show. On September 25th, 2012, he took the stage wearing headphones and singing the lyrics to Katy Perry’s hit track “I Kissed A Girl.”

But what made this performance so memorable is not only the fact that it featured one of today’s biggest music hits, it gave viewers a look into O’Brien’s personal life. As he sang, he removed his shirt and revealed a bralette and knee-high black leather boots.

His choice of lyrics (and wardrobe) clearly showed that he was very open about his love life. This sparked many comments and reactions online. Some people praised him for being honest with his audience, while others criticized him for using such a popular song to promote his sex appeal.

Became a talk show host

how did conan o'brien became famous

As mentioned earlier, he began his career as a comedian in television with The Jay Leno Show. He then moved onto hosting The Tonight Show before being named the new host of Comedy Central’s late night staple, The Late Night Talk Shows.

Conan has always been known for making jokes that are considered to be socially conscious or humorous about sociopolitical issues. This includes everything from gay rights to politics to religion!

He is well-known for having fun while talking about these serious topics but also taking them seriously when necessary. His fans appreciate this quality of his!

Many people know him not just because of what kind of humor he offers, but also how he presents himself. He does not take himself too seriously which makes him likeable to most everyone.

Helped make a TV show famous

how did conan o'brien became famous

Before he was known as The King of Late Night, there was someone else who made a big splash in late night television. His success came not because of his witty banter or flashy guests, but instead due to something that most people have never heard of.

He coined a term — “shock jock” — and helped popularize it by what some describe as being too direct and aggressive with his style.

His tone often got him into trouble later in his career when other hosts took offense to his jokes and styles. But at the time, his approach was what put HIM on the map.

Had a famous guest

how did conan o'brien became famous

Back in 2000, Conan was just another late night talk show host that you may or may not have heard of. He had only been hosting The Late Show since 1999, but he made a name for himself quickly!

He got his big break when Oprah Winfrey appeared on his show to promote her new self-help book. Since then she has returned as a special guest several times on The Tonight Show with Conan.

Oprah is one of the most well known celebrities in America, so having her appear on your show is an incredible way to get exposure. People watch her shows, so by inviting her on yours, you are grabbing attention for your show.

Her appearance also helped boost ratings because people wanted to see what questions she would ask about her book. It gave her audience more content to watch.

Conan’s appearances with Oprah have boosted his fame even more. Many people know him now due to this connection.

Published a book

how did conan o'brien became famous

In 2003, Conan O’Brien left his position as The Jay Leno Show host to create his own show. He was not given much time to find his footing before he had to quickly win over fans that have already seen him in television for years.

He needed to establish himself as an adult comedian with jokes people could understand. Luckily, he received some great reviews of his stand-up comedy shows and TV segments while at NBC.

Conan then took it one step further by writing and self-publishing his first book titled I Am Not Waylaid: An Accidental Guide To Living A More Purposeful Life.

His goal was to inspire others to live their lives more purposefully by offering tips and tricks on how to do this. Many of these tips are about living with no distractions or changes to how you spend your time.

He also shared stories from his life that applied to the concepts behind his books. His many achievements include them, making his book successful. Since then, he has published two other books and is currently working on his fourth.