The last time Conan O’Brien appeared on TV without a beard, he was playing rhythm guitar while Will Ferrell sang “Freebird” to close out O’Brien’s final “Tonight Show.” On last night’s “Conan,” Ferrell appeared on the TBS show for the first time, and made a big to-do about getting rid of the host’s whiskers (video below).
It would have been a cute little story for Tuesday morning if the show hadn’t been taped in the wake of Osama Bin Laden’s death. Trying to care about some TV host’s beard when America’s #1 enemy for the last decade has just been killed is too frivolous even for me, and I LOVE frivolous bullsh*t. I mean, this is a TV blog that focuses on dogs wearing sunglasses half the time because Hollywood industry news isn’t frivolous enough. I am an expert in things that don’t matter, and this really takes the cake.
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Oh and I suppose talking about the world’s most expensive toilet is also “frivolous.”
Will Ferrell is a lot like cinnamon. Great if it’s just a pinch, but if you try to take in a whole bunch at once, you just end up gagging and crying and coughing and your mom starts asking questions about what you’re doing with your life and I think I forgot what I was talking about.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the idea of the stunt, I just think the timing lessened is impact.
It’s not really their fault for the timing. This was built up for over a week. I understand what you’re saying, Matt, but I found it enjoyable. Although afterwards, Conan just didn’t look right. I don’t know, maybe I just got used to the beard, or maybe a beard has that much power over someone’s face. Or maybe I don’t keep OBL’s death at the forefront of my mind because I was too chickensh!t to join the military.
Either way…I found myself laughing.
Now the world’s most famous beard is Cameron Diaz.
@Lenny
Subtle ARod gay joke? Even though I am a Yankee fan, I approve
@Lenny,
I was going to say Katie Holmes.
“What’s that, Excalibeard? I’m dragging this out too much?”
That killed me. I love that he’s self-aware.
I thought it was hilarious, Ferrell brough his A game.
I’m sure the show’s writers (and Conan himself) would have liked to focus on OBL, but what can you do when this appearance has been hyped for so long?
@Chad Henne Checkdown Clinic agreed.. although I thought this was pretty funny
I miss the deadpan delivery of Conan’s prime years at Late Night. I understand the need for a bigger audience, but the ironic/ cynical laughter and comments after each joke really kill the appeal for me.
In Conan’s defense, he did acknowledge the poor timing via twitter: “Yesterday, we took care of one maniac with a beard. Today, Will Ferrell will take care of another. #Beardpocalypse”
are we still pretending that osama’s death actually means anything? i really don’t understand how this was “poor timing”
Bring back the beard!
And bring back the 70s bush!
This whole thing really had me losing my shit. Some of the stuff Ferrell was coming up with…priceless.