
2024-07-25 00:25:21
After 25 years at the Late Night desk, Conan realized that the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him. Over the years and despite thousands of interviews, Conan has never made a real and lasting friendship with any of his celebrity guests. So, he started a podcast to do just that. Deeper, unboundedly playful, and free from FCC regulations, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way.
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Summer S'mores With Conan and the Chill Chums a six-part series with Conan O'Brien, Sonam Ovsessian and Matt Gourley. Let's get started.
Here we are with Summer S'Mores 2024.
This has become quite the tradition now. How did it all start? Summer s'mores, I forget.
We were doing the first year in studio at the Earwolf Studios. But I think it was just based off a joke where we were trying to get you be more chill, like Sona and me, right?
It all starts to unravel the minute you pick it apart.
Then it became we got into a big argument about s'mores and I took the position, which scandalized Sona at the time. That s'mores are a treat that people think they're supposed to enjoy, but a lot of people really don't.
I didn't know people, didn't like them.
I know you made a fool of yourself and there are people that like them. But I was surprised it was one of the first times, Matt, that you agreed with me.
That's what I was just going to say.
It really was when I think we grew a lot closer. It's a very dry treat.
That's when we moved in together.
Yeah, we shared an apartment without driving each other crazy, but it's a very dry treat. It's not particularly, I think people think they're supposed to like it, yay, s'mores, but a lot of people don't.
So anyway, we took down S'Mores. And then a lot of fans called in and agreed with me, and I felt empowered and I felt seen for the first time. Oh, did you?
Yeah, really seen.
Oh, I'm so happy for you that you felt seen.
I finally felt seen.
I think it brings joy.
And you don't like things that bring joy.
There you go, that's very good. So we started doing this series and started taking them outside, which was fun. And then we thought every year we want to elevate it because the fans seem to really enjoy this.
It's a summer treat they just do, and we've got to do. This is what Adam Sachs calls fan service. He's like, Well, we should do some fan service.
And I'm like, Hey, Mr. corporate ladder, can't you just say, why don't we try to make people that like our show happy? And he's like, it's called fan service at business school. That's what they taught us.
We're servicing the fans.
Yeah, okay.
Digitally, huh? We're servicing them, get it?
I'm trying not to.
We're blowing everyone digitally.
I see, yeah.
It's a sexual thing.
We're servicing the fans.
Got it, yeah.
Blowing them, okay? So we wanted to elevate it, which we just failed to do.
It'd be nice to break even again.
It'd be nice, but we thought we'd go someplace, we were trying to think of where to go. And then Sona kind of threw down the gauntlet. Because I rib her sometimes about how far away she lives.
Which is in Altadena, Yes, Altadena, yeah, and I'm still it's not on a lot of maps.
Like, if you go on Google Maps, they don't show Altadena, there's just a blurred area.
Or even if you just google Altadena, it doesn't come up.
No, but I looked at a map.
Where do I live?
I looked at a map of the Greater Los Angeles area and as it got over towards Altadena, it got blurry. And then there were just drawings of sea monsters.
Because a lot of, you know, early sailors just didn't know what was over there, so they drew sea monsters.
A lot of people just think, now it's in Westeros.
Yeah.
It is featured Altadena is featured in the last season of Game of Thrones. You know, there's different kind of cool castles that come folding out and come rising up, those cool meet.
And then there's Altadena, which is just one gear spinning on its own. Broken, it's broken, but anyway, you said, let's go to Altadena, so I thought, you know what?
I'm going to shut up enough of my jokes about, you know, okay, I'm over on the West Side and I have to go to Altadena, that's not cool.
Okay, how about embrace this? This is a fun thing. So I got my shots.
Can I ask a question? Yeah, when you get to Altadena, you're not going to make any jokes then.
I don't think so.
Okay.
You know what? I'm going to say something? Okay, I'm going to say something, I know me.
Yeah, and I'm not the kind of guy to take a bit and just drive it into the ground, okay?
Not only will you not make any jokes, they won't probably be the same ones you're making right now. Probably not.
Yeah.
Probably not.
Because we definitely have not already recorded no, no.
No, no.
So you won't make any jokes.
No, no, no for a fact that. no, no, no, I'm telling you, I'm telling you.
I have no intention of doing those cheap. Oh, I got my passport, you know, okay, I changed my currency.
Like that stuff, a six year old could make those jokes. A child, a child. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so, no, I won't do that, and also I'll embrace that. It's a rich, vibrant community it is. Is there like a playhouse or a museum there?
What?
What do you mean?
Yes.
Is there a schoolhouse? There's things.
There's things, there's things we have, all the things that other places have. When did you become a guy in a David Mamet play? There's Things.
There's things.
We have the normal community, it's got everything.
And also, well, just say one thing that it has, you can't keep saying normal community, and there are things. We have a store.
A general store?
Do you have dry goods? We have a place where you can get food.
We have a place.
It's called a refrigerator.
You can go there and you can get things that you need.
There's a place you can go. Yes, okay, well, you just answered all my questions. There's a cultural center, there are museums.
I'm sure there's a library, there has to be legally, there's definitely a library.
The Alcidino Library is actually a pretty cool library.
Have you been there?
Yeah, I've been there. Do you know you're a pony express rider?
Did anybody get that? I don't know.
He did.
Yeah, he did.
What do you mean like mail? Yeah, oh God.
Well, listen, I really.
Why have I joined in on this? I don't even know.
You live like 15 minutes away from me, Matt.
I know, but he has a point. You're 15 minutes out there.
Oh my God, I'm just, you know what? It's a lovely community, there's horses.
There's a lot of like people who have farms.
Have you seen the original Wonder Woman, the first movie, you know, that way?
No, I haven't.
On her island, yeah, you can't see it, and then you go through some fog and then you just peer in and then suddenly there's this amazing island.
It's like, literally, like, six miles off of New Jersey.
Oh, the recent one.
Yeah, the one that came out.
Oh, I thought you meant there was like a movie that came out in, like, 1973.
No, the first gal Gadot Oh yeah, yeah. What I'm talking about is, I think that's a little bit Altadena, which is it's close to Pasadena, but very far away in other ways.
It's like Brigadoon or Atlantis or something, It's a little bit mythical.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, I'll take it. It's a lovely town, it's a great place to live. And yeah, you guys are just jealous.
No, I'm, oh, anyway, well, listen, we're going to go, we're going to go to Altadena.
Yeah, and I am looking forward to it. Is there anything that you would advise me to bring along in preparation for this trek?
Bear spray.
What?
No, do you have bears in the area?
There are bears, okay, but they don't like, No, they do. They'll come if you're there.
There's a lot of Coyotes.
Yeah, you said they'll come if you're there, yeah, they're online, they'll probably hear about this.
No, they don't get.
I mean, they're not like, scared of people really. they like, go through people's trash a lot. We have a lot of coyotes.
I wonder if we'll see.
There's a lot of peacocks.
You know what I'm going to say, I am? I do fear a bear, I don't. I just don't know why I don't fear a coyote.
There's a bunch of them, I think I would just charge them and start swinging. I think like, they're just dogs, I'd start swinging away at them.
You think you can fight a pack of coyotes?
I think I could, actually.
Amanda just saved a dog's life from two coyotes. Is that true three days ago?
No.
A little dog was running down the street.
Oh, I thought they were blackmailing the dog. She intervened and called the authorities.
She called elder abuse.
The Coyotes were engaged in an online scam. They were calling a little dog and saying you need to help your cousin in Argentina.
Roof, roof, roof.
Yes, just send a check.
The coyotes talk, but the dog doesn't talk.
Little dog doesn't talk in this reality, and the coyotes can kind of talk, the coyotes can kind of talk. Just send a check to, I mean,....
Yeah, I love the idea of the Coyotes they're just calling. It's this shitty scam, they're working. It's kind of....
Yeah, that's good, it's a good bit.
Is it a good bit?
I think it's a pretty good bit.
I'm so pleased with you. I want to actually hear how she saved it.
She just chased them down and got them away from the dog.
Oh, they were starting to circle.
Yeah, but she went into, like.
Talk about Amazon Warrior woman. She just went ballistic and screamed and ran down the street, flailing her arms, and my daughter started freaking out. It was crazy.
Whose dog was it?
We don't know it was just someone....
Now, so they left.
They were full on attacking the dog, you know what they do, coyotes, they have one coyote that kind of lures the dog.
Yeah, I don't think they did it.
They hadn't attacked it physically yet, they were circling it.
Yeah, I've always heard that there's a Coyote that comes out and maybe sort of puts on a wig and some lipstick. And it's just like, you know, those are some pretty broad shoulders and a fluffy tail, and the dog's like....
Come with me and then they lead you into the woods and the dog is like, Are you sure there's a bar here? I don't know, sure. Yeah, honey trap.
Just keep heading this way, big boy. And then suddenly you realize there's like, you know, 30 coyotes surrounding you. Maybe not.
Is it a honey trap or honey pot? Is it a honey pot?
Honey trap implies more. There's a you're snared, you know?
But fellas, what a way to go.
Being mauled to death.
Yeah, it doesn't work.
Yeah, but what a way to go, ripped apart by dogs. Oh, forget. I said that it's a guy who always says, but what a way to go and hopes that it's applicable.
Anyway, they burned up on re-entry, yeah, but what a way to go wait, burning up on re-entry after a failed what?
Yeah, but I'll forget it.
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I will say this, I am excited to go to your home.
Oh, I am, too.
Thanks guys, yeah, and I know that. Listen, I've been to your house before in daylight, I have not been to Altadena in the nighttime. Yeah, and I don't think many people have.
No, it's just one of those things that they tell you that, like, when you land at the airport, don't go to Altadena late at night. Is there electricity?
Yes, it's a normal town.
It's their stuff, okay?
Stop saying there's stuff that doesn't work.
Well, you keep calling it normal, which makes me think it's not normal, yeah, because we're joking, but then when you say that.
I think maybe there's something to this. Hey, you want a burger? there's a burger.
You want a pizza? there's a pizza, there's a burger, there's a burger in a field, yeah.
There's a burger in a field and even the Coyotes won't touch it.
There's parks, there's things.
That's the town burger.
Yeah.
Do you want to eat a burger? Well, it's out here. I'll show you why are you wearing a wig? Coyote? You want to eat a burger?
It's up this way, then you get to the burger, that burger looks kind of old. Why are you taking your wig off?
Sucker.
So I think we're going to have a good time.
I think so, too.
You know what, I'm going to say this, and I know this sounds a little corny, but when I'm with you guys, I have a good time. So I think wherever we go, we'll make it a good time. Even if it's Altadena, what?
Come on, you were so close, you were so close to being nice. Altadena is a really cool place.
Stop shouting.
It is, it's a cool place.
Would you ever run for a city council and become part of the community service?
I would. You're a famous person that lives in Altadena.
You're announcing your candidacy. There is no city council, it's not incorporated, it's an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County.
Wait, there's no city council.
As far as I know, no, it's part of the Greater Los Angeles.
When you turn your faucet, what comes out?
Pasadena is incorporated, Altadena is unincorporated.
We're part of L.A. County, I will not live someplace that isn't incorporated, I need to be part of a corporation.
Where you currently live is an unincorporated part of Los Angeles.
Don't say where I live, I'm just saying, listen, people just need to remember that I live in Catalina.
No, but where you live is not incorporated. You don't have your own stuff, you don't have a fire department, you have L.A. fire department.
No, that's insane.
Well, you guys just have a bucket for good.
You live so close to me, you really live close by.
Within the corporate realm. Yeah, Pasadena, though.
Right, and you know, we have, like, I don't have anything, but there's some celebrities that live in the area. I know they all have robot drones that will take care of if shit goes down.
Oh, okay.
There's robots that will.
I could get a robot drone.
No, no, no, not. Altadena. The robot would be like, Thanks, but no, I'm good.
It burns it down.
Not worth the risk. Where is it? I'm checking Google Sea Monsters.
I think I'll be.
You're a robot, you have to do what I tell you to do. I have to do most things, but that's a little sketchy outside of my directive.
I'll just hang out in Pasadena. It's incorporated a legal tax entity.
Are we gonna drink?
Oh yeah.
Oh, you making a cocktail?
I worked up something. Yeah, I don't know if it's called the S'Moresessian. Hey, in honor of you.
That's nice.
That'll come along later in the batch of episodes, though.
That's cool, this man. Matt Gourley makes a mean cocktail, sure does you really are an artist?
I don't know what I'm doing, but thank you.
You're quite good as long as we within reason, as long as we just sip lightly and we don't go at it too hard.
We're waiting for later in the episodes, we're not gonna get to it right away.
That's good because it can obliterate an episode I've seen it happen in the past.
I think it's fun.
I know you do, but I'm not taking you home in a wheelbarrow again.
It helps me tolerate these Altadena jokes, actually. So I think it is in our best interest.
It's a whole kind of joke now, Altadena.
The city itself.
No, she said. These Altadena jokes, it's become like mother-in-law jokes.
It is.
I think I want to ask the people of Altadena to rise up.
It's all right.
I don't know we can do something.
Speaking of, and this is no pun intended, but it is very high, you're at a very high altitude.
It is a high altitude, yeah, altitude.
Oh, you're an altitude.
It is.
It's a high altitude, it's nice, it's in the fire zone, but it's really pretty up there, there's so much hiking.
It is beautiful up there, you know, waterfalls nearby.
It's just cool, I think you've got to give it a chance.
You sold me.
I'm going to, I'm coming all right, just come, yeah.
I'm going to go and experience Altadena.
Are you doing anything to the house to prepare for the onslaught of crew and cameras and stuff?
You know, I want to make that clear to people that I know we have a very casual vibe here, but this is a professional organization we are. I was going to say, we're a big podcast, and when we move, an army moves with us. Yeah, I mean, really dedicated people come and they set it all up.
They take care of everything, it's very impressive to see.
I mean, there's probably at least 20 people coming to something like this, right?
Yeah, oh, and I'm going to get food because I have to give people some food.
And what will you get? Oh, will your parents be around? yeah.
They're going to watch the boys.
Okay.
Will you get the burger?
The burger? Yeah, well, you can get the burger we could do, the pizza we could, I don't know.
I was going to just get some, like, you know, Boregs from, Sorry, what? It's a cheese-filled puff pastry.
What, I don't know what that is, I honestly don't know what a Boreg is.
You wouldn't.
You wouldn't know, no, and I wouldn't.
You wouldn't know.
Boreg What is it?
It's a cheese-filled puff pastry.
I'm still not getting it, say it again.
There's, like, different, there's a lot of different cultures that have.
Is it Armenian or Greek?
I think that there's versions in many cultures, okay, but in our culture it's, yeah. It's just like puff pastry, and then there's cheese, and then you bake it right, or you can fry.
It can't go wrong, there's so many different ways to make it. And then, you know, I'll probably just get some other stuff. I have people come to my house and not feed them.
My mom would be furious.
Are you good about that? I'm very good at when people come over, I want to feed them, I want to, I want there to be bounty when people come over to my house. Yeah, and I, my wife, that wasn't her culture so much.
And I, We, you know, we. We worked that out over time.
Okay, you brought her over to your side.
I did in the early days, she'd say, Oh, and I, I purchased a there are three people coming, and I purchased three thin wafers.
That surprises me.
No, she's so sweet, she's very nice, she just didn't know. And I come from these. Just a giant, crazy pirate ship of of insane people who just buy tons of corned beef and rolls and just lots of everything. If two people, whatever food you would need by 10 times that much is what how I was raised.
Yeah, same, yeah, okay.
Well, I think we did it.
Is it done?
It sure sounds like it.
Can it be done?
Hey, a quick question, Yeah, uh, what should I be wearing? are there? are there, uh, mosquitoes? uh? Does it get super cold at night?
There's a lot of random insects. But you should just just dress kind of, kind of warm and then we'll have a fire and so it'll be fine.
Would it be off-putting if I came in a very, very fancy uh trailer and uh, and I was inside and I would just?
Like the star Wagons.
Yeah, and I would just peek out the window occasionally at you guys. But I was inside and I was, uh, you know, watching Lawrence of Arabia on HD. And and eating like a incredible veal parmesan and wearing a silk, a silk lounging robe. And then every now and then, I'd I'd lean out my head and go, there's nothing like it, and then I closed my little window and you'd hear.
So the rest of the episode is just me and Sona hanging out. No, no.
But I occasionally lean my head out, Yeah, I'm there for the entire episode, right? oh?
But I only occasionally lean out.
That sounds pretty good. I actually wouldn't mind that at all. Yeah, it's not bad. We'll have the cocktail early.
Just some Sona and girls time.
Yeah, that'll be fun, I agree. Then you keep noticing that incredible foods and masseuses are going in all kinds of. There's just a constant stream of people going in to take care of my various needs, but we still just get to hang out together.
Yeah, but just the two of us, we're cool with that.
That's fine. Did I mention that I have a generator? That's fine? It's very loud and shoots out a lot of toxic smoke, but it's there, it's there to power.
Well, how do you think her house already runs?
It's there to power my massage chair.
I think that sounds like a good time, all right. We should definitely do a summer s'mores one time where it's just me and Matt.
Yeah, okay, that'll be fun, you know what? I'm okay with that.
Okay, and you know what? I don't think the fans will miss me at all.
Oh my God, I'm so full of myself.
All right, well guys, let's head out to Sona's place right now.
Off, we go for episode two to Altadena to see the wonders of a new world.
Okay, it's just a normal place.
Altadena.
Normal things.
Tell my wife I loved her, okay?
I drive there every day.
We already sent out the scouts.
They didn't come back, the horse came back without them.
You sent a horse.
They came out, they went on horseback, and then the horse just comes back without them. And old westerns, that's how, you know, there's trouble.
Oh, okay, yeah.
That's good murderer.
Summer S'Mores with Conan O'Brien, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gorley produced by M.e. Matt Gorley. Executive produced by Adam Sachs. Nick Liao and Jeff Ross at Team Coco and Colin Anderson and Cody Fisher at Earwolf. Theme song by the White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.
Take it away, Jimmy.
Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair and our associate talent producer is Jennifer. Samples engineering by Eduardo Perez. Additional production support by Mars Melnick, Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista and Rick Kahn. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts, and you might find your review read on a future episode.
Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It, too, could be featured on a future episode, and if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan. O'Brien Needs a friend wherever. Fine podcasts are downloaded.
This has been a team Coco production in association with Earwolf.
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