Paul Scheer (FULL EPISODE) | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Paul Scheer Feels…

1. 00:00:03

   Paul Scheer introduces himself and shares his optimistic feelings about being Conan O'Brien's friend.

Eduardo's Career Day Follow-Up

1. 00:00:24

   Conan, Sona, and Matt discuss Eduardo's recent career day presentation at Altaloma High School, where he spoke to students about his role as an audio genius for the podcast.

2. 00:01:15

   Eduardo, initially terrified, created a five-minute sizzle reel featuring guests like Ryan Reynolds, Billie Eilish, and Hot Ones footage, which garnered some laughs from the students.

3. 00:04:01

   Out of 80 students, only seven were aware of Conan's work, but one student named Kane, a big fan of Conan's Late Night clips, asked for an autograph, which Conan promised to provide along with some swag.

4. 00:06:59

   Conan expresses his awe and respect for teachers, highlighting their essential role and praising Eduardo's cousin, Mr. Angel Moreno, for his work.

Paul's "Late Night" Appearances

1. 00:08:29

   Paul Scheer recalls his first professional acting foray on Conan's show, a significant step up from his previous improvised robot-themed performances.

2. 00:10:19

   Paul describes a memorable bit where he and others dressed as 'beach apes' to signify the end of summer, running up sand dunes in elaborate costumes.

3. 00:13:47

   Paul shares a particularly gross experience from a 'desk drive' segment where he played a Hari Krishna and was run over by Conan in the meatpacking district, leaving him covered in a lingering smell.

4. 00:17:24

   Conan reflects on the era of his show when they had a budget to create elaborate bits, often cutting expensive props and performances if they didn't quite land the desired comedic effect.

Paul's "Late Night" Appearances

1. 00:21:02

   Paul emphasizes that his approach to comedy has always been self-centered, focusing on what he likes rather than what America wants.

2. 00:21:21

   He advises aspiring comedians to find a supportive group of like-minded people, as failing on stage with friends in robot costumes is easier than failing alone.

3. 00:21:38

   Conan jokingly points out that this philosophy is also how cults thrive, to which Paul humorously responds about having seven funny wives.

4. 00:21:56

   Paul concludes that being on stage alone in a robot costume makes one either an artist or insane, but with friends, it's the best situation possible.

Blue Man Group Fail

1. 00:22:31

   Paul Scheer's improv group was invited to perform a new, untested Blue Man Group bit at a popular New York comedy show, City Stella.

2. 00:23:24

   The sketch involved the group painting themselves blue, pretending to kill an audience plant backstage, and then reappearing covered in blood, but the video machine meant to show the 'killing' failed to work.

3. 00:24:18

   Unable to break character as the Blue Man Group, the performers walked out covered in blue paint and blood to a silent, confused audience, resulting in a complete and utter bomb.

4. 00:25:11

   Despite the initial crushing feeling, Paul and Conan agree that bombing with friends, especially when an ambitious idea fails, can become one of the funniest and most memorable experiences later on.

ESPYs Bit Gone Wrong

1. 00:27:39

   Paul Scheer describes a bit for the ESPYs based on a famous photo of a couple kissing during a riot after the NHL Championship, which Seth Meyers planned to recreate with celebrities.

2. 00:28:31

   The bit, involving Paul and Lennon Parham kissing, completely failed because the audience didn't understand the reference, resulting in dead silence and awkwardness.

3. 00:29:06

   Despite the initial failure, the bit was performed three more times, each time dying and eventually making the audience angry, with Jay Leno even commenting on its failure backstage.

4. 00:31:13

   Conan recalls another famously bad ESPYs bit where Will Ferrell as Harry Carrey insulted athletes, which Conan found hilarious despite the audience's negative reaction.

Dark Web with Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel

1. 00:33:02

   Paul Scheer discusses how the world has evolved to support niche ideas, allowing creators to produce content without concessions, like his podcast 'How Did This Get Made?'

2. 00:33:57

   He describes 'The Dark Web,' a show with Rob Huebel, where they've created a kids' YouTube show approved by YouTube, showcasing their ability to pursue unusual creative paths.

3. 00:34:35

   Scheer reflects on the difficulty of receiving feedback like 'that's not funny,' arguing that humor is subjective and not everyone needs to find the same things funny.

4. 00:35:30

   He shares an experience making a 3:00 a.m. infomercial for Adult Swim, a 15-minute piece about a haunted hotel, highlighting the magic of creating content for a specific, late-night audience.

How Did This Get Made?

1. 00:37:36

   Paul Scheer explains that his podcast, "How Did This Get Made?", explores movies that, despite good intentions, turn out to be bizarre or poorly executed, like "Jason Takes Manhattan" where Jason is only in Manhattan for five minutes.

2. 00:42:36

   Paul recounts how he got into trouble for his overly scary trunk-or-treat decoration at his kids' school, where he created a San Diego Zoo theme with his brother-in-law in a cage and himself as a gorilla.

3. 00:46:02

   Paul reveals his plans for this year's trunk-or-treat, which involves an alien theme with an inflatable alien costume grabbing him, complete with acid burns and a melting face, despite his son's pleas not to make it scary again.

4. 00:46:44

   Conan and Paul discuss the later "Death Wish" movies, particularly one where Charles Bronson, due to budget constraints and a contract, travels by bus and ends up in a completely different, arid ecosystem to help old people trapped by a motorcycle gang.

Niche Comedy

1. 00:49:12

   Paul describes a niche comedy show called "Bronson Tonight," where Charles Bronson hosts a talk show as his Death Wish character, which Conan finds hilarious.

2. 00:50:31

   Conan and Paul discuss how comedy tastes have evolved, leading to an appreciation for concept-heavy comedy, citing examples like "Bojack Horseman" and "South Park."

3. 00:52:21

   Paul emphasizes the importance of exploring any idea in comedy, as execution can turn a seemingly bad idea into a successful one, highlighting the freedom of independent creation.

4. 00:53:28

   Conan expresses his fear of being an executive who has to predict the success of comedy projects, referencing a negative script coverage for Paul Thomas Anderson's "Boogie Nights" as an example of how wrong predictions can be.

Sponsor Message

1. 00:57:56

   Sona expresses her love for her new Hyundai Palisade, calling it her "oasis" and refusing to let Conan ride in it.

2. 00:58:23

   Conan attempts to earn a ride by highlighting the car's features, such as its 600+ miles of range and class-leading interior space.

3. 00:58:36

   Sona describes the comfort features, including a reclining seat with an ottoman, while Conan mentions the seating configurations for up to eight passengers.

4. 00:59:19

   Sona reiterates her love for the car, emphasizing its ease of driving, beautiful interior, and ample space for her two children, whom she also doesn't want inside.

Sona's Speaking Engagements

1. 01:00:01

   Sona discusses her experience speaking at an assistants' convention, noting how well-organized and prepared the event was due to the attendees' professional skills.

2. 01:01:06

   Sona humorously describes feeling like a 'party clown' at the convention, providing levity to an otherwise serious gathering of assistants to high-stakes tech executives.

3. 01:02:53

   Conan encourages Sona to pursue more speaking engagements as a potential career avenue, despite her concerns about finding suitable audiences beyond assistants.

4. 01:06:15

   Sona reflects on the professionalism of the other assistants at the convention, acknowledging that her role as an assistant to a 'late night clown' might be perceived differently than those assisting high-profile figures like Michelle Obama.