Come Watch Conan O’Brien Play With Himself on His Podcast

The Toy Story franchise will be the first film series I have watched with my kids in anticipation of a movie releasing in theaters. It’s been an absolute blast, albeit one filled with tears, and most of them have been from me. Early on, during the first film, I realized for the first time that the toys (Woody and Buzz especially) are stand-ins for parents, watching their child grow. It was an absolutely devastating revelation, and made Toy Story 4 much more effective. The first time I saw it, I thought I wouldn’t appreciate its themes until much later. I was wrong because it destroyed me on this watch.

However, unlike Woody in that fourth film, I don’t have to worry about what my life will be like once my kids move on (yet). Instead, we’re deep in the midst of me sharing the things I love with them. There’s been lots of movie watching over the last week as school winds down and summer begins. And we had actually planned to see Toy Story 5 yesterday, but my little dudes still have a slight lingering cough. Hopefully, it should be gone by tomorrow, and we’ll venture to the theater so I can share another favorite with them: Conan O’Brien.

My kids are kind of familiar with Conan. They’ve certainly heard me talk about him and listen to him on occasion. One of them has even seen his talk show. A few weeks ago, one son came downstairs when he was supposed to be sleeping (a first), and, instead of sending him back up, he hung out with us for a bit. I put on some Conan sketches. One featured Pee-Wee Herman explaining the origins of Easter (my kids’ first bible lesson), and the other was the classic Nut Spoon. He had a blast.

Tomorrow (Zod willing), I get to share Conan with them in a more appropriate setting. He’ll be playing a character named Smarty Pants, a potty-training toy. My excitement for his inclusion in the film is boundless, and yet his excitement has made me even more so. Conan discussing the film and walking the red carpet has been a joy. His interviews promoting the film are hilarious. And now, we get to see the look of satisfaction on his face as he plays with himself on camera.

Yes, Conan was given an actual toy version of his toy character on his podcast, and seeing him (and it) light up is pretty spectacular. There’s also the revelation that he recorded the lines for the toy in his studio (I thought that was cool), and he jokes about not wanting to be the reason this new one is bad (a fear that appears unfounded).

It’s also been amazing to watch Conan… blow up over the last couple of years? He was always popular, and his podcast certainly helped propel him to a new level of fame, but I feel like after Hot Ones, he’s been everywhere. He’s in movies, hosting the Oscars, and traveling the world for his show. By the time my kids are old enough, there will be even more Conan to share. How did I get so lucky?!