Conan O’Brien Says He Reaches More Fans Now Than in Late Night TV

Nearly five years after leaving late-night television, Conan O’Brien says he may be reaching a bigger audience than ever.

The six-time Emmy winner ended his TBS talk show, Conan, in 2021. Since then, he has focused on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and his travel series on HBO/Max, Conan O’Brien Must Go.

In an interview with The New Yorker, O’Brien said he believes he now reaches “more people” through these newer formats than he did on traditional late-night TV.

“I left my late-night show four years ago. I’ve had a wonderful time,” he said. “I think I reach more people now, either through the podcast or doing the travel show.”

O’Brien said the classic talk show format is fading. He added that digital platforms and streaming shows offer more creative freedom.

“I have all this freedom to be me in different ways, in different formats,” he said. “There’s a lot of really beautiful opportunities.”

Before his TBS show, O’Brien hosted The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and Late Night with Conan O’Brien on NBC.

He said newer formats allow him to do interviews and comedy in ways that were not possible in traditional late-night TV. While he believes the old format is “going away,” he sees many new ways to connect with audiences and experiment creatively.