MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio. This seminar, co-sponsored by the Writers Guild of America and moderated by the Museum's television curator Ron Simon, features an interview with the writing staff of "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" and excerpts from their work. Head writer Robert Smigel and writers Andy Richter, Louis C.K. and Dino Stamatopoulos join Simon for the first segment of the seminar, as they discuss how the program was conceived and developed. Smigel acknowledges his desire to create a late-night talk show that was oriented more toward performance than other shows of the genre. There are clips of several "desk pieces" where sketches revolve around the traditional talk show setting. These sketches include "In the Year 2000," and a "Clutch Cargo" bit where an actor's mouth superimoposed on a picture of President Bill Clinton's face says things that portray the nation's leader as a boorish hillbilly. Richter, who doubles as O'Brien's sidekick, discusses the freedom he feels he has as the host's right-hand man. In two clips from the show, Richter gradually runs the New York City Marathon in small increments over a six-week period, and dresses up as former Phillipine first lady Imelda Marcos. Several of Richter's fellow writers then join the panel as the audience questions them about the show. Highlights of this segment include the following: audience questions about the underrepresenation of women and minorities on the "Late Night" writing staff and in most television comedy; a typical day in the life of a "Late Night" writer; audience criticism of the show's opening monologue; Smigel explains why he thinks Brandon Tartikoff is "brilliant" and why he considers television personality Uncle Floyd an influence; and how the writers believe the show has progressed since its inception. Other clips include the following: "The Laughing Genie," "Dizz," a Bob Costas interview with the two surviving members of "The Wizard of Oz" (a munchkin and an embittered talking tree), "Dippy the Hippie," "Alien Corner," a visit by the forlorn tyke "Billy Tyler" (featuring New York City Mayor David Dinkins), "The Adventures of Conan's Babies," and a Columbus Day performance by the "Seasonal Choir."
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: January 13, 1994 7:15 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:33:58
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:31077
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Interviewer
- Louis C.K. … Guest
- Andy Richter … Guest
- Robert Smigel … Guest
- Dino Stamatopoulos … Guest
- James Leamer … Guest
- Tom Agna … Guest
- Michael Gordon … Guest
- Marsh McCall … Guest
- Chuck Sklar … Guest
- Bob Costas
- David N. Dinkins
- Conan O'Brien
- Brandon Tartikoff
- Vivino, Floyd ("Uncle Floyd")