More On The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien
Conan Continues His 100th Episode Celebration
Nov 10, 2009
The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien celebrated its 100th episode on Monday, November 9th. In a previous article posted on Suite101, this episode was reviewed in the context of low ratings. Here, the discussion continues.
One hilarious monologue moment occurred when Conan and Andy began riffing on English singer-songwriter Rick Astley’s song, “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Andy’s interaction with Conan is always fresh, and sometimes when the monologue drags, Andy’s asides save the day.
The Best of the Monologue: Improv
Another monologue segment showed irritating videos of Germans celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Richter’s improvisation, “what makes it particularly German is the joylessness,” had the audience and Conan in stitches.
Conan then had an announcement to make, “I’m straight.” Andy’s reply: “it’s about time.” Conan, continuing the improv: “I’m hearin’ all kinds of talk, and it’s gotta stop.” Then, to make the real announcement, Conan thanked the audience for sticking around for the show’s 100th episode.
Conan's Dad To The Rescue and Andy'll Try It
The final monologue segment, and the best by far, was a short video message from Conan’s dad, possibly an actor, in Massachusetts, “recognizing” the 100th episode. Most of his dad’s response appears below:
“The day you left home, your mother had tears in her eyes. I told her, for god’s sakes, he’s 31 years old. She agreed, and we had sex, right there…..Sometimes I miss my son, no, not you, I mean your brother Randy. He’s still at the bottom of that frozen pond thanks to your stupidity. I guess we’ll never know what he would have accomplished, but I’m sure it would have been better than what you’ve done.”
After the commercial break, Andy Richter participated in the skit “Andy’ll Try It.” Demonstrating some of the ridiculous exercise equipment advertised on infomercials, the bit was amusing, yet it paled in comparison to the night’s monologue. One excellent “Andy’ll Try It” skit happened last week when Andy wore women’s pants. Remarkably, they fit and looked very well.
Kelsey Grammer: The First Guest
Kelsey Grammer was the featured guest for the evening. Conan sometimes has difficulty interviewing his guests, yet he and Kelsey are remarkably intelligent and funny, so the segment went fairly well. A shocking, yet funny moment occurred when Kelsey revealed he had been offered $10,000 to do a porno very early in his career. No, he didn't take that role.
Kelsey mainly discussed the problem of finding roles other than the character of Frasier Crane, his most recognizable role. Later, a dramatic, slightly weird script Kelsey received provided some laughs. The line that caused Kelsey to turn down the role was “and then the penis hits the pan.”
Towards the end of Kelsey’s guest spot, his love of sailing was mentioned, and seeing Kelsey and Conan tie a sailor’s knot was not as boring as it might seem. As Conan said, the show was educational for a change.
Brian Dennis and Nubs: Miracle In Iraq
In a modern-day nod to Lassie’s many adventures, the middle guest was Major Brian Dennis, a border transitions team leader who trained Iraqis on counter insurgency and border security. Serving three tours of duty in Iraq, he appeared with Nubs, an Iraqi dog. Nubs was injured after an Iraqi soldier stabbed him, and the dog’s ears were mutilated, too.
Dennis formed a bond with Nubs, yet he had to leave for another mission. Miraculously, the dog travelled 75 miles across the desert, finding Dennis. It was especially touching as Conan tried to connect with the dog, finally petting Nubs at the segment’s end. Kelsey made friends with Nubs backstage by giving him snacks.
Seeing a human interest story on Conan needs to occur more often, even though Dennis used the appearance to plug his children’s book detailing the event. The immortal Johnny Carson and his successor Jay Leno were famous for incorporating regular folk into The Tonight Show.
Final Thoughts on the 100th Episode
Welsh singer-songwriter David Gray concluded the 100th episode with a spirited, strong rendition of his latest single, “Fugitive.”
The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien has now been on the air five months, and despite sluggish ratings, Conan is a talented comedian whose self-deprecating humor may not always register with Leno’s former audience.
Some episodes may be average, and others will shine. The 100th episode is a prime example indicating Conan’s staying power among a myriad of late night hosts. NBC believes in him, and it is high time audiences discover his unique brand of comedy.
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