Conan O’Brien Fights Tears On Final ‘Tonight Show’
After 17 years with NBC, Conan O’Brien bid the network goodbye on Friday night with his final “Tonight Show” taping in Los Angeles, where he fought hard to contain his tears.
“Despite this sense of loss, I believe this should be a happy moment,” he said from the chair that once belonged to Johnny Carson. “Every comedian dreams of hosting ‘The Tonight Show,’ and for seven months, I got to do it my way with people I love. I do not regret one second of anything that we’ve done here.”
According to a source close to O’Brien, he had to fight hard to keep it together.
“You could really tell Conan’s monologue at the end invoked some stifled tears, which came when he was thanking the fans for being so supportive with the rallies, the online support, and the audience tonight, which camped out in the rain to see him today,” our insider told Tarts. “That last part was really hard for him to keep it together.”
Steve Carell made a surprise cameo on the show, playing an NBC employee who shredded O’Brien’s staff ID card. The crowd left laughing as Will Ferrell closed the show with “Free Bird” (pelvic thrusts included) with some help on stage by Beck, ZZ Top, Ben Harper, and O’Brien himself.
The comedian also said that under the terms of his exit contract with NBC, he was not allowed to host another show for seven months, and made light of the situation by joking that starting next week, his pal Andy Richter would host the program and he would step in as the sidekick.
And while we’re told the staff (most of whom relocated from New York to L.A. seven months ago to stay with O’Brien) is “furious” at NBC for giving Conan less than a year to build ratings in the time slot, they seemed to forget their woes for one night and focus on the good times by drinking Jameson and partying on the incredibly packed stage immediately after the taping.
“The staff was handling it really well; they were in a good mood – obviously disappointed but very upbeat. Everyone was anticipating something big for the future, but for the night they just let loose for the party,” said an on-set source.
“Conan spent most of the night taking pictures with his staff and crew and thanking them all. He got choked up only while thanking the fans, other than that he was in good spirits.”
Andy Richter, Will Ferrell, and “30 Rock” star Jack McBrayer kept the laughter coming well into the wee hours and brought out the sloth fossil as a centerpiece to the stage (part of the show’s “crazy expensive” sketch) and the crew and staff formed a dance circle for Conan, with staffers “busting moves” in the center.
And although O’Brien is yet to sign with another network, he was overheard assuring pals that while his future is unknown he will certainly be “doing something.”
Stay tuned.
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