Conan O’Brien, one of comedy’s most enduring legends, is stepping back into the spotlight as the 2025 Oscars host. From writing for Saturday Night Live to pioneering his own iconic talk shows, Conan has kept audiences laughing for decades. Along the way, he’s built a loving family and continued to pursue fresh projects like Conan O’Brien Must Go. Here, Conan reflects on his career highlights, his life with wife Liza Powel and the legacy of his late parents.
Conan O’Brien’s journey from Harvard to ‘Saturday Night Live’
O’Brien was born on April 19, 1963, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was reportedly always interested in comedy. He even carried this love to Harvard University, where he became the president of the school’s humor magazine, The Harvard Lampoon. He then graduated from the school with a degree in US history and literature in 1985.
“Like many members of the Class of 1985, I’m still trying to figure out what to do with my life, so you can imagine how terrifying it was to be asked, as a freshman over 25 years ago, to choose a major. I wasn’t ready to limit my horizons in any way,” O’Brien said in 2006. “Then I heard about this amazing department where I could major in both history and literature. And even better, I found out I could major in the history and literature of England and America.
“All these years later, I’m grateful to the good people at Hist and Lit who tolerated my young, scattered mind and patiently shepherded me safely away from Law, Science and Government, where I could do real harm. I honestly don’t think I could have found a better home for myself.”
After graduation, O’Brien moved to Los Angeles to pursue his love for humor writing. After several failed attempts, he moved back across the country to New York City and began writing for the hit sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live.
Conan O’Brien talks about his writing career
O’Brien joined the Saturday Night Live writing family in 1987 and remained there until 1991. While a part of the show, he helped create content for 71 different episodes, won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program and was nominated for two more. But while it may have seemed like a dream job, the host said that his time on the set wasn’t as glamorous as it looked.
“I regret being so intense about that job,” O’Brien said in November. “I was way too intense, and I think I robbed myself of some fun that I could have had. I did have a lot of fun, but I think I could have had more fun. And I think I could have maybe written there a little longer if I didn’t make it such a grind for myself.”
After leaving Saturday Night Live in 1991, O’Brien went on to write for shows like The Simpsons, Andy Barker, P.I. and the 2006 Emmy Awards.
The late-night era: Conan O’Brien’s talk show legacy
Post Saturday Night Live, O’Brien began to host his own late-night shows. Initially, there was Late Night with Conan O’Brien, which he got after David Letterman left.
“We really wanted to not be in Letterman’s shadow,” O’Brien said in 2023. “Robert [Smigel, a comedian] would say a lot, ‘You don’t want to be compared to Letterman.’ And you’d think, ‘I’m replacing Letterman, there’s no way to avoid that.’ There was this sense that I’m going to get killed by the press and everybody because Dave is at the height of his power, and I’m like an amoeba. He’s this fully formed falcon that can see 10,000 miles, an apex predator, he’s a Tyrannosaurus rex; and I’m three-celled, a piece of algae that’s replaced him, and I’m going to need a million years to grow a couple of legs.
“It was Robert’s idea. He’s like, ‘We should change the name of the show so it’s not Late Night.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’” he continued. “Then we came up with the name that we wanted, which was Nighty Night. Nighty Night With Conan O’Brien. Like, ‘Nighty Night,’ which we thought was just really cartoony and funny and arch. Kind of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.”
Sadly, though that never happened, O’Brien remained the show’s main host until 2009. He then became the host of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien after Jay Leno took a brief hiatus from the show. Leno would then return to host in 2010, which caused O’Brien to depart.
“NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years, The Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying The Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting,” he said at the time. “The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.”
“So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of TheTonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with The Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.”
Despite that speed bump, O’Brien continued hosting. He launched his own show, Conan, in 2010 and remained there until 2021. During that time, he earned seven Emmy Nominations and one win.
“These shows exist because they’re promotional machines. I always understood that. My goal was to make it as creative as possible with everything else. But over almost 30 years, you get to a point where the oil doesn’t get to certain parts of the machine. I started to burn out a little bit,” the host said in 2024. “I miss that band terribly, the way you miss a lost limb. I’m an amateur guitarist, and I got to play with those guys every day. It got to a point where they had a hard time getting me to rehearse the comedy.”
Conan O’Brien returns to the spotlight as podcast & TV host
After his time on a talk show came to an end, O’Brien decided to continue recording his podcast entitled Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. He launched in 2018 and is still actively recording episodes for it today, with the show airing on SiriusXM.
“The reason that I wanted to be with SiriusXM was that I wanted everybody to be able to hear the podcast,” O’Brien said. “I love the connection I have with people. I cannot tell you how many times people have walked down the street with earbuds in and told me, ‘Hey, I’m listening to you right now.’ SiriusXM was interested in us having a channel, and that seemed like a great way to keep things moving.”
He also launched a television show on Max called Conan O’Brien Must Go, where he goes around the world meeting fans.
“I’m maybe one of the whitest people in America. I have this Lucille Ball hairdo and I’m 6-4—6-5 in boots,” O’Brien said on his travels. “We went to Ghana with Sam Richardson [in 2019], and at one point, I ended up at a nightclub. There were maybe 400 people dancing, and I was the only white person. I realized I’d never experienced that before. It was powerful, realizing how many times a Black person is the only Black person in a room with a couple of hundred white people. It’s an unusual feeling.”
Conan O’Brien Must Go has won one Emmy since its release earlier this year.
The sweet story of how Conan O’Brien met his wife Liza Powel
O’Brien has been married to his wife, Liza Powel O’Brien, since 2002, and they have two children.
“I walk into this room of 11 people, so we’re sitting here with the creative team at FCB [Foote, Cone & Belding], and everyone here is in black, which is, I guess, a New York advertising thing,” the TV personality said of their meeting. “I immediately start talking to her [Liza], and then I’m not even trying to be funny … I’m just trying to find out more about this woman.
“Then I left the room after this 20-minute conversation with only her … We were breaking down the equipment, and she walks out. We start talking some more, and then we end up talking in the lobby.”
The two often walk red carpets together and speak very highly of their relationship.
Conan O’Brien honors his parents’ legacy after their passing
Conan O’Brien recently experienced the profound loss of both his parents within a span of three days. His father, Dr. Thomas O’Brien, passed away on December 9, 2024, at the age of 95, followed by his mother, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, who died peacefully on December 12, 2024, at 92. The couple, married for 66 years, were both distinguished professionals in their fields and resided in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Dr. Thomas O’Brien, a physician and professor of medicine, and his mother, Ruth O’Brien, a former attorney, were a major influence on his life and career. Known for their support and sharp wit, they instilled in Conan a love for humor, intellect and hard work. Though he hasn’t shared many public details, Conan has spoken fondly of their impact, crediting their values for shaping who he is today. The comedian continues to honor their legacy through his work.
