(audience applauding)
Now Jack, first of all, congratulations
on all your success.
You did a great job for us over the years,
playing in these different comedy bits.
We'd call you up sometimes at the last minute,
you'd do these bits and there is a pattern
to all the things that you would do for us.
It seemed like over and over again,
you would play kind of a dim, hillbilly character
on our show.
Yeah, well, I wouldn't use those words at all.
(audience laughing)
I did play a lot of Southern characters.
Yes.
But magnified and stretched out a little bit.
We actually just looked today,
we didn't have a lot of time, but we just looked
at a couple of the last few appearances you've made
and strung 'em together, to give people some tiny idea
of the work you've been doing here on "Late Night".
Let's take a look at what Jack's been doing for us.
(banjo strumming)
(audience laughing)
(banjo strumming)
Darn, that dog done beat me again.
(banjo strumming)
(audience applauding)
Come on.
Where are you from, Jack? You're from Georgia.
Whereabouts in Georgia? Conyers, Georgia.
How do they feel when they see you?
Oh, is he really from there? (audience laughing)
I didn't think so.
When you do that on the show,
what do they think when you do that?
It's like homecoming. (all laughing)
They welcome me home.
Of all the different things that you did for us
over the years, what was your favorite comedy bit
you got to do?
Well, the first one that stands out in my mind
because it was the first, but it was also just so much fun.
And I remember you actually liked it in particular.
I was an overly confident, new prison inmate.
And I walked onto the stage,
these two huge prison inmates are doing weights
and I'm like, listen up guys, I'm new here
and I'm taking over (exhales sharply)
I remember that, yeah.
You're very funny as you're very sweet.
You have a sweet persona and it always makes it fun
to introduce you in a sweet persona
and then beat the crap out of you.
It always, comedic gold.
Now over the years,
I've spent hours and hours and hours working with you
doing different bits.
You always say, "Yes, sir". Yes, sir.
Or if a woman, "Yes, ma'am". Yes, ma'am.
Is that real?
'Cause sometimes, I remember when I first met you,
I thought this was a put on, is it?
Gosh, no, no, that's real.
When you're raised in- Yes sir, it's real.
(Jack groaning) (audience laughing)
Say it.
That's how we're all raised down there.
Yes, sir, yes ma'am, it's pretty nice.
It's out of respect.
A lot of people get a little ticked off
because they think it's an age thing,
but it's all about respect
or when you're first meeting somebody.
But I would think in Manhattan, you must get.
Here you are, living in Manhattan and you must,
when you're walking down the street
going like, "Yes ma'am", "Yes, sir"
and tipping your cap to everybody.
Do people ever think you're doing like-
(all laughing)
Mary Tyler Moore.
Yeah, you're Mary Tyler Moore, when you come here.
You're the Georgian Mary Tyler Moore.
Do people ever think you're putting them on?
It is confusing to some people but on the other hand
sometimes you get away with a little bit more
because you can always play, I'm new here y'all.
This city's big and scary. (audience laughing)
Even though you've been here many, many years.
I don't wanna talk about that, so.
Have you ever been asked as an actor to audition
for a role that's clearly against your type,
like playing a thug or a real tough character?
Yes, I had to audition one time
for a public service announcement against drug abuse
and apparently I was a crystal meth addict.
And so there's this dude with the camera going,
"All right, so you've just done your crystal meth, go."
And I'm like (groans) (audience laughing)
I have no idea.
Well, sir, I just did a lot of crystal meth.
(all laughing)
Oh, I'm excited.
My emotions are all over the map.
And I take it you've never smoked crystal meth.
Oh, no sir, I've never done.
I do Bud Light, but I don't do drugs.
I've never smoked, my lung collapsed in '91.
What? When I was 18 years old.
When you were 18 your lung collapsed?
What caused it to collapse?
It was a spontaneous pneumothorax.
(all laughing)
Your lung just collapsed for no reason?
You were just walking down the street.
And it is not uncommon, it happens in tall thin males
between 18 and 30, so, I'm surprised that you-
(all laughing)
That's very nice of you.
I'm in my late 60's, but thank you.
Now, did you tell your folks that you were gonna be
on television tonight? Yes.
Was there a lot of excitement?
Yes, they love Conan O'Brien.
(all laughing)
No, of course, they're huge, huge fans.
Well, be honest.
They're huge fans but it comes on so late, so.
It's on very late.
My parents don't watch this show.
So I told them, they're like, "Well, we're gonna watch
"30 Rock" at eight o'clock on NBC"
and then they're gonna take a disco nap
and then they're gonna wake up at 12:30 to watch your show.
Very nice, very classy.
Very classy, definitely.
Well, please give them my best.
Of course. They raised you good.
Real good.