Is it just me or is Conan O'Brien not funny?

B.A._Baracus

Just seen a random clip of him on YouTube and never got his humour. Not saying he is talentless or unlikeable. Nothing like that. Just well not funny.

Am I alone?

Rodney Bathgate

I think I read somewhere that comedy is subjective.

EmmetSpiceland

His show was great “back in the day”. Andy Richter, Pimpbot 5000, In the year 2000, Max Weinberg, it had it all!

Montage of Feck

I like him, most talkshow hosts nowadays are pious smart arses.

py2006

Most American talk show hosts really are not funny.

What/Why is Andy Richter there?

KungPao

He's gettin' old, and he's rich. The funniness drys up. See Jerry Seinfeld's recent Netflix special - big fan of his sitcom, but that was rubbish. Also see Eddie Murphy, was one of the funniest motherfu...gentlemen ever, but now...

Conan was funny back in the day.

Kylo Ren

I think he's one of the best chat show hosts (low bar) and was on a team that churned out some great Simpsons episodes.

His best stuff is when he's abroad or with Jordan Schlansky.

alta stare

Conan is good at the chat show thing. I loved any interviews he done with Norm McDonald. Now there is a funny comedian...Norm McDonald.

marcbrophy

Koolguy wrote: »

Didn't he get into big trouble out in Jamaica with digicell

No, you're thinking of Conan, the Barbarian!!

Rodney Bathgate

alta stare wrote: »

Now there is a funny comedian...Norm McDonald.

Correct.

I Am Nobody

Not funny at all. He has a face I just want to hit.

Rodney Bathgate

I Am Nobody wrote: »

Not funny at all. He has a face I just want to hit.

Ginger too.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

I find him very funny but he’s not for everyone.

Kylo Ren wrote: »

I think he's one of the best chat show hosts (low bar) and was on a team that churned out some great Simpsons episodes.

His best stuff is when he's abroad or with Jordan Schlansky.

The Jordan remotes are my favourite.

ILoveYourVibes

He was one of the writers on the Simpsons so YES you do actually find him funny.

He is funny sometimes.

Like 70% of the time.

ShatterAlan

Every man masturbates but he is a textbook WANKER.


Peace

tdf7187

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Just seen a random clip of him on YouTube and never got his humour. Not saying he is talentless or unlikeable. Nothing like that. Just well not funny.

Am I alone?

No its not just you. He is painfully unfunny, as is Jay Leno. But - and this is literally the only thing I'd say in their defence, compared to Tubridy they are utter comedic gods.

Tell me how

At this point, Boards criteria for starting a thread should be changed so that whatever the focus of the complaint in the thread, the OP should have to give an example of a high quality person/place/thing which they rate in comparison.

So, a Conan O'Brien is not funny thread, would have to include who is a funny chat show host by comparison. This sh*tting on things because of subjective tastes is f*cking tiresome. At least offer your own standard bearer so people can respond with the appropriate amount of venom and disdain.

recyclops

He is at his best on his podcast where the guests are rarely on to sell stuff.

Fwiw I find him quite funny

Montage of Feck

tdf7187 wrote: »

No its not just you. He is painfully unfunny, as is Jay Leno. But - and this is literally the only thing I'd say in their defence, compared to Tubridy they are utter comedic gods.

In defence of Jay Leno his youtube channel showcasing his impressive car collection quite interesting.

Earthhorse

His show definitely dwindled in quality over the years; I feel it was never quite as good once he moved to LA. He's pared it back to half an hour now which I’m glad to see.

Since lockdown he's undergone a bit of a revival in my opinion. I’ve enjoyed his interviews with Adam Sandler, Nikki Glazer and Martin Short during that time as well as his Zoom bombs of his employees' Zoom parties. He's often at his best in those situations as well as with Jordan and Sona.

Anyway I defy anyone to watch this clip and not find it funny:

Montage of Feck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Potential-Monke

He's alright. Typical annoying American, who is "100% Irish" and considers himself an Irish American, even though both his parents were born in America, like he was (think his grandparents are from Dublin, but that does not an Irish American make imo). But he has had moments. Didn't know he was a writer on the Simpsons. Absolutely hated him in Lego Batman 3. He doesn't have the head/voice for games, as again evidenced by his appearance in Death Stranding.

B.A._Baracus

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

I think I read somewhere that comedy is subjective.

Is that a dash of sarcasm I taste? Haha..

Tell me how wrote: »

At this point, Boards criteria for starting a thread should be changed so that whatever the focus of the complaint in the thread, the OP should have to give an example of a high quality person/place/thing which they rate in comparison.

So, a Conan O'Brien is not funny thread, would have to include who is a funny chat show host by comparison. This sh*tting on things because of subjective tastes is f*cking tiresome. At least offer your own standard bearer so people can respond with the appropriate amount of venom and disdain.

Who in the blue hell are you?!
This is just some random dumb thread I created. Not talking about abortion or something Fu*king serious.

And you know the funny thing? I checked your profile and with over 12 thousand posts you have only started 14 threads. One of which is you moaning about why you got an infraction.
So don't you go on about the "quality of threads" knowing you have never created a "barn burner" of a one yourself.

Perhaps I need to take a break from boards. Maybe it's me getting older (or is in fact others) but you can read a lot of arsehole-ish replies on here lately.

completedit

Potential-Monke wrote: »

He's alright. Typical annoying American, who is "100% Irish" and considers himself an Irish American, even though both his parents were born in America, like he was (think his grandparents are from Dublin, but that does not an Irish American make imo). But he has had moments. Didn't know he was a writer on the Simpsons. Absolutely hated him in Lego Batman 3. He doesn't have the head/voice for games, as again evidenced by his appearance in Death Stranding.

In fairness, he's from a family that is 100% Irish since the famine. He is by every definition an Irish American. I think Irish people think Americans really think they are German, Irish, Polish, Italian.....they don't. Their story is shaped by who came before them and in the case of someone like Conan, if you're 100% Irish from an area with lots of Irish, you will identify with that culture. As you leave the North East, I find that association with the motherlands isn't there.

I wonder do Brazilians, Mexicans, Argentinians etc. do the same thing?

Bobblehats

tdf7187 wrote: »

No its not just you. He is painfully unfunny, as is Jay Leno. But - and this is literally the only thing I'd say in their defence, compared to Tubridy they are utter comedic gods.

Painfully funny. Side-stitch inducingly funny, in fact packing another pair of y-fronts is now imbedded in my conan routine

Mad_maxx

hes funnier than jay leno

Mad_maxx

Potential-Monke wrote: »

He's alright. Typical annoying American, who is "100% Irish" and considers himself an Irish American, even though both his parents were born in America, like he was (think his grandparents are from Dublin, but that does not an Irish American make imo). But he has had moments. Didn't know he was a writer on the Simpsons. Absolutely hated him in Lego Batman 3. He doesn't have the head/voice for games, as again evidenced by his appearance in Death Stranding.

that is exactly what an irish american is

jack presley

Kylo Ren wrote: »

His best stuff is when he's abroad or with Jordan Schlansky.

I love the skits with Jordan and with the ones with his assistant. They're hilarious.

I'd also agree that his podcast is well worth a listen.

Degag

Think he's really funny most of the time. Seems pretty genuine too imo.

Check out his Clueless Gamer skits too (especially the earlier ones). Very enjoyable watching.

Potential-Monke

Mad_maxx wrote: »

that is exactly what an irish american is

That's why I said, and I quote, 'imo'. Where does it stop? How many generations of Americans born to American parents who have Irish ancestry are considered Irish American? I personally think, imo, that it should stop once an American born child has a child with another American born child in America.

But again, just my opinion.

Skylinehead

Potential-Monke wrote: »

That's why I said, and I quote, 'imo'. Where does it stop? How many generations of Americans born to American parents who have Irish ancestry are considered Irish American? I personally think, imo, that it should stop once an American born child has a child with another American born child in America.

But again, just my opinion.

Yeah but it's literally the definition of Irish American. It's the ones who are 1/64th Irish claiming it that stretches credibility.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Potential-Monke wrote: »

He's alright. Typical annoying American, who is "100% Irish" and considers himself an Irish American, even though both his parents were born in America, like he was (think his grandparents are from Dublin, but that does not an Irish American make imo). But he has had moments. Didn't know he was a writer on the Simpsons. Absolutely hated him in Lego Batman 3. He doesn't have the head/voice for games, as again evidenced by his appearance in Death Stranding.

He annoys me less on the Irish-American score because his lineage is 100% Irish.

Agricola

He's no Ryan Tubridy......

Luckily for him

MrMusician18

Most of these late nite chat show hosts are more miss than hit when it comes to the jokes. And remember it's not just the host that writes the gags, they have a team of writers working behind them.

I think the real problem is that these writers have literally a day or two to come up with fresh topical comic content, and no team can be consistently that hilarious. Being on TV, it's too easy to compare them to a well written sit com for example, which might have months of creative comic effort put into that 25mins.

valoren

Go and re-watch the episode "Marge vs the Monorail" and if you find any part of it funny then Conan O'Brien is funny.

y0ssar1an22

i only ever really watch his clips with bill burr. bill burr is hilarious, and conan just kind of lets him rant away.

1 thing i noticed though that annoys me; he always need to interject, throw in an inane comment and look to the crowd for gratification. i suppose they all have ego's that need filling.

Outkast_IRE

I think his podcast is very good most of the time. He has some excellent guests on ranging from the likes of Michelle Obama to the likes of Lin Manuel Miranda.

The pacing of the podcast seems to suit him, plus the flexibility to have some random genuinely interesting people that you may of never heard of such as historians / biographers.

Riddle101

I love Conan O'Brien, He's the only American talk show host I actually like to watch. I like his interviews with Timothy Olyphant who he has great chemistry with. As far as his comedy goes. I think he very witty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOXyUyvA1fc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23zjmYXrXC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-lg5-ou59g

Sugarlumps

Just started listening to his podcast, there’s some bint in the background with a big fake laugh that’s highly irritating.

completedit

Conan won't be for everyone, he's kinda nerdy goofy funny, not really Irish humour

blockfighter

I'm a big fan. Loved him on the Late Night days and The Tonight Show when he briefly took over from Jay. His best stuff was when he knew he was getting sacked so that Jay could come back. Those few weeks were hilarious, he didn't give a crap.
His podcast is pretty good. Currently working my way through it.

jack presley

More Schlanksky than Conan here, but this is brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmRouEds_2A

king_of_mayo

A lot of American "live" humour does not translate. Have you ever watched SNL? Awful.

He's a funny guy though, he's more than his show.