So you were there from the very beginning?
I Was, I was there...
One of the lifers.
I was a Conan lifer.
I started working on the show.
I worked with Conan at SNL.
When he was a writer there.
And-- That's interesting.
I didn't know that the writers would
interact with the music Booker.
Well, when Conan started
I had that experience
that I think a lot of people do with him.
I remember going home and telling my wife like,
"I met a guy today Who's like
"maybe one of the funniest people I've ever met."
(all laugh)
Which I know sounds crazy,
but he like... I don't know. Yeah that's true
Not that I'd spent that much time with him
but we definitely connected.
It's not like we became best friends
but you know, at SNL,
especially for a young, a new writer like that,
when you would identify someone
who was sort of nice and supportive and you know.
And a good laugher.
Good laugher, yeah.
Oh my God, you get a pair of handcuffs.
He was like, "I got a life one."
And of course Smigel worked at SNL.
Robert Smigel
Robert and I worked together my entire time at SNL.
You know, we were pals
and got to know Conan a little bit.
And so when the opportunity came up...
So each season, like the year after I started
I got a job at talent department.
And then the next season
I became a talent coordinator.
And just sort of worked my way up to music booking.
Right.
Which is what I did the last few years I was there.
And so, you know, when Letterman was leaving
it was obviously a huge deal, you know,
we all know the story obviously.
Right, he was leaving NBC.
Leaving NBC and Lauren was given the hour
and to find, you know, given the 12:30 show.
Charged with picking Letterman's replacement.
I'm assuming that everybody read bill Carter.
(chuckles)
Anyway, when he chose Conan,
I was thrilled
for Conan,
and knowing that Robert was involved,
and I knew that Jeff Ross was gonna be involved
and I knew Jeff a little bit.
So,
I saw that as an opportunity to do something musically
or a, to be part of a cool startup. And--
Yeah.
And were you like,
"I don't know how much longer SNL is gonna last."
I know! (all laugh)
Listen, I did the calculus and I--
There's no way it could go beyond 95.
Yeah, yeah.
No, the second element was that music wise,
I always thought the 12th...
Like on the Letterman show,
they were able to do a much more varied lineup.
You know, SNL had to be a big, big, big.
In terms of the musical acts.
Yeah, and what appealed to me was, you know,
doing stuff that was sort of all over the map
and a little more eclectic.
And finding new talent. Yeah
So Conan, they did a press conference at the...
His opening press conference was at the rainbow room,
where he was introduced.
And I ran into he and Smigel up there
and said, "Hey." You know,
"I'd love to be a part of the show."
And, you know, one thing led to another.
You just happened to be dancing up there.
I was, yes.
That was a fortuitous moment I guess, right?
It was.
And you know, I spoke to Lauren
and he sort of gave his blessing for me then
to change shows.
And so I was part of the first...
I mean Paula Davis,
myself
it was a head talent--
Talent producer
There were only a handful of us.
But we were there, I would say in,
like the show went on in September,
we were there in like July
for the start up.
Were you like, "Well, the show's coming on in September,
"it's July, I'll get around to looking at bands
"like you know, late August."
(all laugh)
"There's no rush."
Could've requested the first guest that was on--
Yes I mean, he's distilled it down to like,
they told me I could have whoever I want.
I mean, it was-- (all laugh)
In a way Within reason.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sure
Conan and all that summer,
while we were in the office,
it's sort of a well-known story now.
But as he always does walked around with his guitar.
But the song that he was more obsessed
with than any was 'Creep'. Sure.
So that was 1993,
And I remember him doing that
in 2021.
Last week.
Right.
So he's been doing it for 30 years
and still hasn't improved.
(all laugh)
And, you know, you have to remember,
they weren't yet Radiohead, you know,
they were another band--
Was that the year their first album came out?
Creep was the first single,
was the current single.
Wow.
Yeah. So, and yes, it's when that album came out.
So I, you know, went right out to Capitol records and said,
"Hey." you know, "Everyone's aware of the new show."
And like,
"Hey, we'd love for them to be the first music guest."
And...
So it wasn't really a huge get at the time.
I mean, yes they had a big hit and Conan loved it.
Right.
But they just easily could have been--
They could have been a one hit wonder.
You know, Urge Overkill,
or you know, The Breeders.
You know, any other band that we had on in those weeks.
You know, but of course,
in retrospect it looks genius
and it's awesome. Totally!
I love it.
I mean,
it's a great legacy.
It was a great kickoff for music on the show
And Conan and loved it so.
Did Conan try to play creep with them
on the show?
Did he wanna do that?
No, no.
Jessie, I don't know if you've
watched many of the old music clips
or remember them from when they aired.
But the first year on the show,
one of Conan and Robert's ideas was to have footage
like stock footage playing on a screen behind the bands.
Right Weird
Yes,
just non-sequitur, ridiculous,
you know.
And was it like a menu
that the bands could choose from?
Yes, we gave them our film researcher.
I don't recall who it was at the time,
but gave us a list of (mumbles), you know.
And so I remember taking--
It's like when you do Karaoke
and there's always just sort of..
Exactly.
So we took-- Random stock footage.
We took Radiohead up to the ninth floor
conference room and,
you know, showed them a few of the different options.
And they chose
cars driving around in circles, very slow,
like in slow motion.
And so that's what appears behind them
on their first Conan appearance.