Conan O'Brien

Conan O’Brien is a comedian, writer, producer and television host best known for his late night talk shows Late Night With Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien and Conan. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, O’Brien attended Harvard University, where he studied history and literature. At Harvard, he served as president of The Harvard Lampoon, honing his comedic writing skills before moving into television.

O’Brien began his career as a writer for Not Necessarily the News and later joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons, earning Emmy Awards for both. In 1993, he was chosen to succeed David Letterman as host of Late Night, a role he held until 2009. He briefly hosted The Tonight Show before Jay Leno returned after previously announcing his exit. In 2010, O’Brien launched Conan on TBS, which ran for 11 seasons until 2021.

In addition to his talk shows, O’Brien is known for his podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” and for producing a variety of comedy and travel specials. He has won multiple Emmy Awards, including for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, and is widely recognized for his influence in late night television.

O’Brien met advertising executive Liza Powel in 2000 during a taping of Late Night. The pair wed in 2002 and share children Neve (born in 2003) and Beckett (born in 2005).