Conan O’Brien Opens Up About the 'Worst' Thing Talk Show Guests Can Say: "That’s Not Show Business"

Conan O'Brien, an adored talk show presenter for over three decades, has disclosed the most disastrous 'move' a guest could execute in the industry. O'Brien was a guest on Hot Ones, the top-rated YouTube series in which celebrities respond to inquiries while consuming wings that became increasingly spicy. As reported by HuffPost, during his appearance on Thursday's episode of First We Feast, O'Brien disclosed that the worst possible outcome for a visitor is to 'tell the audience [the interview isn't] going well.'

O'Brien said, "I‘ve seen it happen many times. It’s an amateur move because the host can do a lot to let people think it’s going great, even if it’s not. There are many things the host can do, [that] the host can be enjoying — the host can act a little bit, the host can do things. Audiences want to see a good show, they want to see a good interview. I was always amazed when someone would come out and they’d be doing OK, … and then they would just look right at the camera and say, ‘This just isn’t going well is it?’" He maintained that 'audiences wanna see a good show and 'a good interview,' adding that it 'always astounded' him when visitors would comment that they were being bombed.

The legendary host further added, "I would look out at the audience, maybe 200 people sitting there, and I would see 200 souls leave 200 bodies and float up to the ceiling, because they were just told they were not getting a good show. That’s not show business. Show business is, you’re getting the greatest show in the world."

Conversely, when Sean Evans inquired about the type of guest that prospective U.S. President O'Brien would welcome to his podcast, O'Brien immediately recognized the ideal candidate. He said, "Richard Nixon, Oh my god, it’d be fantastic. He’s such a comedy figure when you think about it and we could get him to [say] ‘Watergate’…and he would try to be funny. It would be fantastic." 

O'Brien's appearance on Hot Ones came just one day after his first appearance on The Tonight Show after his dismissal in 2010; O'Brien returned to The Tonight Show for the first time in fourteen years after his unannounced departure as presenter. As per ET Online, O'Brien, 60, acknowledged on Tuesday evening's episode of the popular late-night talk program hosted by Jimmy Fallon that his return felt 'abnormal.'

After serving as the late-night presenter for the network from 1993 to 2009, O'Brien assumed a temporary hosting role on NBC's The Tonight Show for a duration of two seasons. He was terminated from the former in 2010 as a result of the return of host Jay Leno. The travel-themed comedy series Conan O'Brien Must Go, which premieres on April 18 on Max in the United States, marks the comedian's return to television. As he visits countries including Ireland, Thailand, Argentina, and Norway, the series will chronicle O'Brien's experiences with local cuisines, cultures, and landmarks.