Conan Week—Satellite TV Channels
Conan O’Brien will record his last talk show on TV tonight. The comedy giant (and almost literal giant?) already has his own popular podcast network, and there will be more projects in the future. But in honor of this occasion particular phase’s ending, Afternoon Delights will be featuring various Conan O’Brien-centric clips/videos/whatnots.
It’s weird to come to an end. Even if it’s just before mutating into another form, it’s a peculiar time to reflect on what has come before, what it meant, and how it will impact what’s next. That probably sounds overly serious for an entertainer that has been surrounded by Masturbating Bears, creepy wax statues of The Fonz, and being harangued by a Ted Turner impersonator on top of a stuffed buffalo. But it’s true! Conan O’Brien has been a fixture in my life since September 1993 (I literally watched his first episode), technically earlier with his work on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.
Through the changes at Late Night (Andy Richter joining/leaving, a rotating group of recurring characters/sketches, Max Weinberg going on tour with Springsteen, etc.), the move to Tonight Show (which was shaky, but improved over time and then exploded as the drama with Leno/NBC began), his live tour (seeing it in Boston where the audience inexplicably booed Duxbury), his TBS show (which itself changed formats a few times), his podcasts, and more. Almost 28 years later, this chapter is closing. I’m very curious what the next volume will produce.
But before he rides off into the sunset in his ‘90s Ford Taurus, there’s still some more celebrating and recognition to unleash. There were so many bits and moments to choose from (including a written post that will publish tomorrow), but I went with this greatest hits video of one of the Late Night recurring bits: “Satellite TV Channels”. Why this one?
I continue to reference the “Inappropriate” since it aired.
I watched this the night it aired and vividly remember it. Chris Rock was the first guess, and the episode was soon after the deaths of Chris Farley and Phil Hartman. Rock came out and made a joke that SNL folks need to watch out for a light falling on them as they’re dropping like flies. After the audience laughed/groaned, Rock replied “Inappropriate?
It’s indicative of O’Brien in all of his permutations. It’s a basic premise that allows for launching into all sorts of bizarre tangents, including those that are dark, nonsensical, musical, throwbacks to old timey things (like spoooky skeletons) or just a silly bit that tickles folks for no real reason.
Enjoy!