'You're no one': How Lisa Kudrow's cheeky compliment gave Conan O'Brien courage before late-night debut
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As Conan O'Brien embarked on his late-night journey in September 1993, the seasoned comedian was well aware of the challenges that lay ahead. A "complete unknown," as he describes himself, O'Brien faced skepticism and pressure, especially when compared to the late-night heavyweight David Letterman.
However, a unique compliment from his then-girlfriend Lisa Kudrow provided unexpected encouragement.
Lisa Kudrow's backstage wisdom
In a recent oral history by Vanity Fair, chronicling the first year of 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien', Lisa Kudrow, now 60, shared her perspective on that crucial period. She vividly recalled telling O'Brien, “I don’t know how much we talked about it. I just knew, ‘You’re trying to replace David Letterman. No one replaces David Letterman. You’re no one,” Kudrow, 60, explained. “It can’t be anybody that an audience would know.”
Lisa Kudrow's comment to Conan O'Brien, suggesting he was "no one" in comparison to late-night heavyweight David Letterman, wasn't a discouragement but a strategic insight into the world of late-night television. As O'Brien ventured into the challenging realm of late-night hosting in September 1993, Kudrow, then his girlfriend, believed that to compete with a giant like Letterman, choosing a fresh face was the key to success.
According to Vanity Fair, NBC was contemplating Garry Shandling for the late-night slot at the time, but Kudrow's insight seemed to align with the network's vision.
O'Brien, now 60, admitted that his hosting audition felt like "linguine meeting marinara sauce for the first time." The debut season faced criticism and struggled with disappointing ratings, almost facing cancellation multiple times. However, a pivotal moment occurred when David Letterman made a "gracious" appearance on 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien' in February 1994.
“We were very naive. I just had to go through the spanking machine. I had to develop from a fetal pig to a full-size pig in front of America,” O’Brien told Vanity Fair. “And that just had to happen. There was no way around it.”
This boosted O’Brien's confidence, offering viewers a reason to give the show another chance.
Show's rise from challenges
In the summer of 1994, 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien' experienced a remarkable resurgence in viewership, marking a turning point in the show's trajectory. The surge in numbers was driven by a specific demographic – college students.
Conan O’Brien, reflecting on this unexpected boost, shared, "Suddenly the audiences became great. I didn’t know what was happening. And then it dawned on me,” O’Brien explained. “Colleges let out. So college students started to come.”
The late-night show, which initially faced challenges and negative reviews, went on to become a significant success story. Running until 2009, 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien" garnered 28 nominations and received one Emmy in 2007 for outstanding writing for a variety, music, or comedy program.
In 2009, O'Brien took on the prestigious role of hosting 'The Tonight Show', succeeding Jay Leno. However, his tenure was short-lived as he departed after just one year, expressing his reluctance to "participate in what I honestly believe is (The Tonight Show's) destruction." Jimmy Fallon assumed the role and has remained on air since.
In 2010, O'Brien embarked on a new chapter, joining TBS with 'Conan'. Hosting over 1,400 episodes, O’Brien continued to bring his unique comedic style to late-night television. His farewell to late-night TV in 2021 marked the end of an era.
