Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Andrew Sanford | News | February 23, 2026
It’s hard to think about how one may deal with a tragedy. That’s mainly because most of us would not want to face such a thing at all. The idea of dealing with something awful happening when your life is already under a microscope feels even worse. It’s safe to assume that a lot of people wouldn’t want to talk about the awful things that have happened in their lives, but when you’re a celebrity, you’re going to get asked tough questions sometimes. You can (sometimes) decline, or you can talk about it.
That was the case for Conan O’Brien in a recent interview with The New Yorker. Rob Reiner, his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, and their son, Nick Reiner, were all at Conan’s house for a Christmas party the night before Nick murdered his parents. People have since claimed that Nick had an intensely awkward interaction with Bill Hader at the party, as well as an argument with his father. Conan was asked about the awful events and, like all of us, was deeply daddened by them.
“I knew Rob and Michele, and then increasingly got closer and closer to them, and I was seeing them a lot,” O’Brien explained to the outlet. “My wife and I were seeing them a lot, and they were so — they were just such lovely people. And to have that experience of saying goodnight to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they’re gone. … I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward. I mean, there’s no other word for it. It’s just very — it’s so awful. It’s just so awful.”
Conan went on to do what many of us did when Reiner passed, which is note the immense career that he’s had and his impact on the film business. He was a man who cared deeply for our country and didn’t want to see it torn apart by bad people. He cared. Deeply. That’s what Conan gets into, and it’s a blessing to be remembered that way, even if the way you met your end is so absolutely devastating. Knowing how much of a wonderful man he was makes talking about him now a little easier.
I ended up watching Spinal Tap 2 after Reiner passed. Not only was I upset that I hadn’t seen it sooner, but I was amazed by how seeing him made me not sad, but amazed. He’s so funny in that picture, and you can tell how much doing it meant to him. We get stories of his legacy, and that is a beautiful thing. As always, you wish people could see the outpouring of support and love that is thrown their way when we lose them, but I hope Rob Reiner knew.
