Conan O’Brien May be left behind for late night Podcasting, Travel the world and – soon – Oscar Hostingbut his sketch work and Man on the Street comedy are not so easily forgotten.
On Thursday, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, recognizing O’Brien’s talent and experience, announced that it will award him the 26th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at a ceremony on March 23. (The event will air on Netflix at a later date.)
The center cites O’Brien’s “unique blend of smart, silly, insightful and hilarious” — possibly his most famous writing credit: a monorail episode of “The Simpsons” — as well as a comedian, Night His achievements as a host, actor, writer, podcaster and producer.
In a statement, O’Brien, 61, cited the lesser-known work of Samuel Clemens — better known by his pen name, Mark Twain — for This award is nominated. “I have the honor of being the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize, which was recognized not for humor but for my work as a riverboat pilot. is.”
O’Brien began writing for “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s, then served as talk show host for nearly three decades — from 1993 to 2009 on NBC’s “The Night,” on NBC. “The Tonight Show”. “Conan” ended its run on TBS from 2010 to 2021. He has won five Emmy Awards and is known for his brand of gleefully silly.
In 2018, he launched a weekly podcast, “Conan O’Brien needs a friend.“which featured him talking to fellow comedians and actors, as well as friends, political figures and people he admired. He pitched the show to SiriusXM as part of a deal for his podcasting company. sold for $150 million, which set a template for other former hosts such as James Corden and Trevor Noah.
Since leaving late-night television in 2021, he has continued to work on the podcast, which he expanded into an international travel series, “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” which premiered on Max in April. The show, in which he meets in person with fans he previously chatted with via video calls on his podcast, won an Emmy and was renewed for a second season.