"When celebrities inflict their hobby"
November 9, 2010 3:38 PM   Subscribe

2002: Conan O'Brien disses former talk show host Alan Thicke for playing guitar with the house band on the first "Thicke of the Night" show:

"He's rocking out with the band, and I was sitting there and I was 14 and I'm like, 'You're an ass.' Click. I always knew that as a lesson, that [guitar playing] is my hobby, and I don't like it when celebrities inflict their hobby [on the audience] ... It's one of those things that I'm very careful not to do." (YouTube link, from 1:27.)

2010: Conan plays guitar with Jack White and the house band on the first "Conan" show. (YouTube link.)

What will Conan do next? Unisex mud wrestling? Invite drag queens? Write theme songs for sitcoms?
posted by iviken (51 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Most professional comedians are assholes.
posted by Joe Beese at 3:41 PM on November 9, 2010 [6 favorites]


What will Conan do next? Perhaps he'll be more like Jon Stewart and alternate between biting, relevant satire, and thoughtful, intelligent conversations with guests.

Or maybe he will just recycle a masturbating bear.
posted by KokuRyu at 3:41 PM on November 9, 2010 [7 favorites]


I'm going to say that Alan Thicke was on to something.
posted by josher71 at 3:41 PM on November 9, 2010


Obama is a professional comedian? I KEED JOE BEESE!!!
posted by josher71 at 3:44 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Was that Alan Thicke in that Fudgsicle commercial 25 years ago saying, "The 'bad' is good and the 'good' is 'bad'!"? I don't know, maybe it was the hair... maybe it was Rick Perry.
posted by crapmatic at 3:45 PM on November 9, 2010


Wow, Joe, that was a great observation for me to poop on
posted by kittens for breakfast at 3:49 PM on November 9, 2010 [16 favorites]


The only thing worse than people saying "keed" is when they say "methinks."

Of course now someone will now use both in the same sentence and I will have to hunt them down and make them pay.

posted by milarepa at 3:52 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Well, it does work in context. Kind of like a Shakespeare quote, methinks.
posted by josher71 at 3:54 PM on November 9, 2010


Can I pay in Metafilter Cookie Swap cookies?
posted by josher71 at 3:54 PM on November 9, 2010


Btw, Conan was #1 in ratings last night. So obviously the channel isn't too much of an impediment. It'll be interesting to see if he can sustain those ratings. How epic would it be if he stayed ahead of Leno.
posted by delmoi at 3:54 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


His music was the most self indulgent part of his live show this year.
At first I was like "awwww, let's let the guy have his moment. He's been through alot"

Then I realized I was paying him $200 to live out his music fantasy.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 3:58 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


I love Alan Thick. He seems really wise in interviews. Like very measured and reasonable and insightful. Like if there was a shit my dad says by Alan Thicke's son it would be things like "Do your best and follow your heart, and know that I love you no matter what" or "You've gotta take some risks and you need to learn to tell when you're not taking risks because it isn't smart and when your not taking risks because your scared."
posted by I Foody at 4:00 PM on November 9, 2010 [5 favorites]


I miss Pimpbot 5000.
posted by elizardbits at 4:02 PM on November 9, 2010 [4 favorites]


Like if there was a shit my dad says by Alan Thicke's son

I thought that was called "Growing Pains".
posted by Spatch at 4:04 PM on November 9, 2010 [6 favorites]


Joe your stupid and your opinions suck!

(When do I get my professional comedian badge?)
posted by oddman at 4:04 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Of course now someone will now use both in the same sentence and I will have to hunt them down and make them pay.

Methinks you keed.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 4:05 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


(Alan Thicke's son)
posted by Flashman at 4:06 PM on November 9, 2010


If Conan ever writes a theme songs as good as "Diff'rent Strokes," I'll be okay with him sitting in with the band. Until then -- your the host. The guest is the star.
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2010


Blame the writer's strike if you don't like it. Up until that point, Conan only played guitar in a comedy segments out on location where he was, as The World Famous points out, acting like an ass on purpose. But then the writers went on strike, he had time to fill and it turns out the audience likes totally self-indulgent rockabilly performances.
posted by Gary at 4:08 PM on November 9, 2010 [3 favorites]


Yeah but his son, Robin Thicke is kind of talented, you know in a poor man's Justin Timberlake way.

Still watching Conan next to The Daily Show just reminded me of how antediluvian the whole format is. You have the Celebrity, some zany bits and you lightly chide your guests for saying shit. I like Conan, but this is definitely one of those parts of culture that are just ... fading. I say this knowing that we'll have Jay Leno, Jr. on NBC in 35 years, however we still have the nightly news and that doesn't mean that's not dead.
posted by geoff. at 4:09 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Yep.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 4:19 PM on November 9, 2010


FWIW, here in Canada, Conan's shows have always aired on CTV, the very same network that gave birth to the original pre-Thicke of the Night Alan Thicke talk show, The Alan Thicke Show.
posted by Sys Rq at 4:24 PM on November 9, 2010


(Or, wait, maybe the previous two were on Global. Whatever!)
posted by Sys Rq at 4:26 PM on November 9, 2010


it turns out the audience likes totally self-indulgent rockabilly performances.

This is not a world that anyone should ever want to live in.
posted by dhammond at 4:30 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


On the one hand, seeing him strap on a guitar at every oppotunity between the last tonight show seems to be a reasonably well-earned "fuck it, I'm just gonna do what I want" gesture, but then again that's the same reason Reverend Lovejoy inflicted his organ playing on the congregation. But Conan didn't write that episode so whatever.
posted by anazgnos at 4:38 PM on November 9, 2010 [3 favorites]


I'll let others comment on the quality of Conan's playing, but it should be pointed out that he's played with Jack White before & they've produced a live album of the resulting set. So Jack at least isn't embarrased about it.
posted by scalefree at 4:39 PM on November 9, 2010


between the last tonight show and last night

(edit window)
posted by anazgnos at 4:39 PM on November 9, 2010


Remember when Letterman's musical guests always played with Paul Shaffer and the band? Same sort of thing.

Maybe this could be Conan's thing, too. I guess we'll find out tonight when he joins Soundgarden on stage to sing Jesus Christ Pose.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 4:45 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


I love the new show. Just like the old show. But as soon as he straps on that guitar, he loses all his comedy credibility and becomes, basically, me if I had my own talk show.
posted by Faze at 4:45 PM on November 9, 2010


HAH! A CELEBRITY SAID A THING ONE TIME AND THEN DID THAT SAME THING ANOTHER TIME!

Man, fuck that guy.
posted by bondcliff at 4:47 PM on November 9, 2010 [3 favorites]


he's played with Jack White before & they've produced a live album of the resulting set.

And Alan Thicke was/is a professional musician and songwriter. I wouldn't be surprised if Thicke anno 1984 played guitar better than Conan anno 2010 .
posted by iviken at 4:54 PM on November 9, 2010


Apparently, there's an alternate universe where Alan Thicke's son has become a fairly big R&B star without me being aware that he even existed.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:58 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Most professional comedians are assholes.

I know a lot of professional comedians and none of them are assholes.
posted by unSane at 5:43 PM on November 9, 2010


Mister Fabulous, expect me.
posted by milarepa at 5:46 PM on November 9, 2010


this is definitely one of those parts of culture that are just ... fading.

Except on CBS at 12:30, where it's alive and vibrant, and nearly everyone blows a little mouth organ after dancing with Secretariat.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:22 PM on November 9, 2010 [4 favorites]


"SHA LA LA LAAAAAAA."
posted by millions at 6:49 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


I took it more like...he recorded a record with the guy on his tour, and played a song from it. So less of indulging a hobby, and more just booking himself as the musical guest,
posted by lazaruslong at 7:02 PM on November 9, 2010


Are the number of incorrect uses of "your" instead of "you're" in this thread some kind of obscure Conan in-joke, or is it just a weird coincidence?
posted by dvdgee at 7:58 PM on November 9, 2010


You know, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for you, may not be right for some. And Conan should know that!
posted by Mael Oui at 8:54 PM on November 9, 2010 [4 favorites]


I know a lot of professional comedians and none of them are assholes.

I know a lot of professional comedians and none of them are funny.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 10:37 PM on November 9, 2010 [1 favorite]


Are the number of incorrect uses of "your" instead of "you're" in this thread some kind of obscure Conan in-joke, or is it just a weird coincidence? - dvdgee

I bet your still waiting for an answer.
posted by palacewalls at 11:21 PM on November 9, 2010 [2 favorites]


Yeah, no one ever changes their mind over the course of eight years. Ever.
posted by Philipschall at 11:32 PM on November 9, 2010


What a coincidence. When I was much younger I was watching Conan for the first time and I thought, 'You're an ass.' Click.
posted by Splunge at 3:37 AM on November 10, 2010


I, too, have occasionally changed my mind about stuff.
posted by Decani at 4:15 AM on November 10, 2010


I, too, have occasionally changed my mind about stuff.

But did you first diss others for doing what you did later?
posted by iviken at 4:23 AM on November 10, 2010


But did you first diss others for doing what you did later?

I can't even count the times.
posted by josher71 at 4:43 AM on November 10, 2010 [2 favorites]


But did you first diss others for doing what you did later?

I can't even count the times.


But not on Carson Daly's show?
posted by iviken at 4:48 AM on November 10, 2010


I really have to side with Conan here, as Thicke of the Night is an objectionably, thoroughly, monstrously terrible name for a TV and it makes me think of Alan Thicke's penis which no thank you.
posted by kittyprecious at 6:37 AM on November 10, 2010


"SHA LA LA LAAAAAAA."

Dude. That's Family Ties. Tom Scott wrote that.

That's Tom Scott, musical director of The Pat Sajak Show and bandleader on The Chevy Chase Show.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:42 AM on November 10, 2010


If Conan ever writes a theme songs as good as "Diff'rent Strokes," I'll be okay with him sitting in with the band.

But the Diff'rent Strokes theme song gives me nightmares.
posted by dgaicun at 8:15 PM on November 10, 2010


I think the difference here was that Conan was actually good with Jack White, that they had recorded a song together for the album from his summer tour, and that the focus of 'The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour' while in-between shows was heavily music based with many of his musician friends.

If you don't care for Conan, that's fine; but if you're watching his new show, which is quite good, then you probably like his schtick and probably found the final musical number from the close of The Tonight Show where he played 'Freebird' with Neil Young, Beck and ZZ Top quite entertaining.
posted by cgomez at 8:47 PM on November 10, 2010


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