Conan Has Fond Memories Of Howard Johnson’s | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

[@WdawgSmith]

No 2 minute ad in a 7 minute video !! They do read the comments !

[@joygirl09]

Value city, kids R Us and borders were my favorites growing up. I was so sad when I grew up and realized they were gone!

[@missoctober8859]

Oh wow, I forgot about Value City!

[@unusedaccount6200]

I've been a huge fan since COVID and never felt more connected than the podcast this time. My father worked at a HoJos as a short order cook, and I still miss Radio Shack. Going there as a 6-9 year old with some basic electric knowledge probably made me the engineer I am today. I'd usually make a little fan, get a supply box, or just parts to tinker. RIP real Radio Shack (not whatever company bought the naming rights this year and is selling batteries)

[@shivanhaven]

These are my favorite bits from the show!

[@avoiding-regret]

I like these off-the-rails segments

[@JohnSmith-fm3pn]

Man I so hyped when my parents said were going to Circus City . Imagine my surprise when we pulled into circuit city

[@DualStupidity]

Man, at least Conan's childhood places lasted until later adulthood. I'm not even middle-aged yet and all these places from my childhood are gone. I miss my town's trees.

[@bobkerr2755]

All my favorite places to go as a kid, gone like they never even existed in the first place. Zellers, K-Mart, empire theaters, upper clements park, rainbow valley. My old elementery school is now a cannabis factory, can't say I saw that one coming.

[@dollyandsandy]

I'm sorry for the loss of your town's trees. 😭😭🍂

[@patton303]

Radio Shack really hurt. For musicians, it was the only place where you could find any kind of adapter you needed. Two RCA male to two 1/4” female turnarounds? Yup. They’ve had that adapter in a drawer since 1987. Sorely missed.

[@LastSifu]

They still have a website, so does Circuit City.

[@knifeforkandaspoon]

If I needed any sort of adapter, my go-to was always Fry's Electronics. Glad they're still around. Wait a minute...

[@patton303]

@ We never had Fry’s in Colorado but I always went there whenever I was in on the road in California.

[@mediocreman2]

There are still independently owned Radio Shacks out there.

[@patton303]

@ Well there aren’t any near me anymore.

[@maximillianosaben]

When a conversation goes everywhere and nowhere.

[@sew75962]

“Welcome to Circuit City, where service is state of the art” 🎶🎵

[@Ohm521]

Love this energy right now. It is needed.

[@pisethmok1111]

There is never really a "We have nothing to talk about" with Conan. The guy is the Level 100 boss of Conversationist.

[@JomerTB]

He is the Master baiter at baiting and debating (with the chill chums)

[@Bryan-b1r2i]

Can't wait for him to host the Oscars 😊 He is perfect for it and it never occurred to me

[@lummy7865]

Nothing better than Sona teeing up Conan for jokes. The dog barf part is a classic.

[@gilbertodepiento8521]

Just got the news that our Coco is hosting the Oscars!!! To much excitement!!! Way to go

[@kensalter]

If this is true then this will be the first time I watch the Oscars

[@mediocreman2]

F the oscars

[@gilbertodepiento8521]

@@mediocreman2 he will

[@acerjuglans383]

Conan is exceptionally quick witted.

[@drizzt5788]

"Man when I eat pea protein and lettuce shake my dog just goes in the corner and starts making a noose" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mediocreman2]

Thank you for quoting that correctly. Just needs a couple commas. 😅

[@SuperGaijinAlan]

Not sure what year it was but maybe circa 1992 i was about 8 years old and my mom took me to circuit city in escondido california to see a free band perform live in the parking lot. The band was called "BAD4GOOD". Imagine my surprise as an 8 year old going to the urinal in the mens room and budnick from Salute Your Shorts walks up and takes a leak next to me. He was the voice of montana max in looney tunes! Even as a kid i knew exactly who he was. I dont remember much else from the show, except afterwards when we were loitering in the parking lot, the drummer from the band took the time to teach me how to blow a bubble using Hawaiian punch bubble gum! The whole band was extremely friendly and signed an 8x10 for me that i have framed. Ill never forget that trip to circuit city! Hahaha. Taking a leak next to Danny Cooksey! hahahaha... I cant believe im sharing this but thats why its good to go off script Conan!

[@muppetsstoogesfan1]

One of the first celebrity chefs Jacques Pepin was the head of Howard Johnson's Test Kitchen for a decade. Afterwards he had a soup kitchen in NYC. He was in a car accident and pivoted to teaching after, which led to his tv career.

[@peterrajchert1335]

I noticed the Directed by John Glen T-Shirt. I just rewatched his Bond movies with Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton. My wife also permitted me to say that Dalton is the most underrated James Bond.

[@paulmichels7928]

RadioShack still exists outside the US. Saw a store in a Mexico City mall

[@WG55]

You don't have to leave the US. There are 14 Radio Shacks in my state of North Carolina, with one in my home town. It is my favorite place to go for lots of cheap batteries, and every imaginable electrical plug and socket type.

[@Arcturuseyes]

I will watch the show bc of Conan.

[@edfagan4251]

Had a elderly-feeling moment last week when I said "sometimes back in the '80s I'd get the USA Today just for the baseball section" and a young (25?) co-worker replied that she "understood all the words I'd used but not in that order"

[@cristinaf3844]

😂😂😂

[@007NowOnline]

Love visiting radio shack as a kid. I also loved visiting circuit city and media play.

[@missoctober8859]

Walgreens has Chunky candy bars.

[@OliverMiller1]

I was at the closing party for the last HoJo's in New York, and I was also crushed by it. We got drunk. We couldn't deal.

[@binlulung86]

Can't wait for March 2 Oscar award!!!!

[@jkap34]

I got a job in the summer of 2008 at circuit city as a high school student. They fired me in September 2008 under false pretenses(they were creating two schedules and only showed me one, scheduling me on shifts i told them i was unavailable for). Declared bankruptcy in December 2008

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN YOUR 2025 OSCARS HOST!!! congratulations Conan

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

Please tell me you're joking. Conan is a decent human and should stay as far away from that cesspool as possible. At least 80% of the people who will be in that room have partied with Diddy.

[@VitaminPete616]

Got that right. Cony is always been phenomenal

[@VitaminPete616]

@@palaceofwisdom9448 STFU about Diddy. We all know he wont see freedom anymore

[@GustafGouda]

@@palaceofwisdom9448 what are you talking about? a good portion of the people that will be in the first rows of that room have been on conan's podcast - or will be at some point.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

@@GustafGouda Are you under the impression that the host chooses who attends???

[@sew75962]

My grandma used to take me shopping at Woolworth’s in New York. They had a little attached diner that we’d get lunch at after, where i would always order silver dollar pancakes. I was very sad when they closed.

[@Altoclefkitty]

That sounds lovely! One of the last Woolworth's was in Cincinnati and sadly burned down. I remember watching the news and remembering the animals in the pet section and said "at least the fish are ok since they're in water?" to which my parents replied "sure..."

[@MiguelJimenez-uc3yz]

Blockbuster closing killed me That was my EVERY Friday. Rent a couple movies and watch them for the weekend

[@trusarmor4957]

'i'll just put a little Banana in there just to be a Naughty!'😂😆🤣

[@miker.9138]

"I Was a Sex Worker in Times Square" is the title of the forthcoming Conan memoir

[@Tonyhouse1168]

I was a sex “worker”

[@callmeshaggy5166]

Alternate title: "Stay in School, You Could Become a Waitress"

[@lehviboy9722]

I can't believe this is our 2025 OSCARS HOST 😭❤

[@kawaiiafangirl]

Congratulations on the Oscars job Conan!!! I have no hate towards Jimmy Kimmel or any previous host whatsoever, but I think this is the first Academy Awards I'll be watching live from start to finish.

[@miaque6460]

I have lots of disdain for Crybaby Kimmel but huge props 🙌 to Conan!

[@PooNanny-c5e]

Was way too stoned to watch this and now my face hurts 🤕😂.

[@shiryu22]

oh man circuit city. blast from the past

[@dlxmarks]

Now there are hardly any choices for retail midrange electronics except for Best Buy which has maybe one or two choices for most product categories.

[@tvstation8102]

You guys have great chemistry and almost always the segments are entertaining. But you definitely need an idea, this one was a struggle until the very end!!

[@christopherwaldrop5293]

Came here to share my own memories of Howard Johnsons but then went into a laughing fit over Conan's dog saying "I'd rather die!"

[@culwin]

This was some great verbal jazz

[@DavidZetino]

Conan O'Brien hosting the Oscars? This is going to be legendary! Can’t wait to watch the brilliance unfold. Finally, a host worth tuning in for! 🎉🎭 #Oscars2024 #ConanAtTheOscars #LegendaryHost @ConanOBrien

[@sarahdemorgan]

thats what i said!

[@lachauntiswashington231]

Congratulations on hosting the Oscars. 🎉🎉 I usually dont watch it, but I will go see it😂😂😂

[@fieonshakespearenut]

You had better find a seat for Matt and Sona at the Oscars!

[@danielhernandez-ij5sf]

Love how Conan just wants to make sona laugh.

[@catmansma]

I haven't seen the entire video yet, and I am on board because when I lost a bit of happy memories every time they closed a business. Those that close now...well, I wasn't so attached because they weren't good from the get go. Some are just on the way out and only here for about 2o years prior. I loved Ho Jo's. There was the one on the beach by me, they always had breakfast buffet...didn't have to have a room. Had salt water taffy-hated it but it was a memory. There was one by my school as well. Anyway...I am enjoying being part of a conversation about the old days, although...some only shut down a few years ago. Thanks for the laughs this morning guys...don't ever plan ahead again. Have a great weekend

[@janeltranmer2284]

Looking very much forward to watching you host the next Oscars, Conan! Congratulations!

[@davencw]

Oh man, my friends and I would go to the Ho-Jo’s by the Blue Hills in Milton/Canton, MA back in high school (1996-ish). We always got waffle sundaes. Great memories!

[@DeadlyKiss20]

Chunky candybar is still around, Walgreens carries it 🤤

[@gjameson6503]

Radio Shack closing bummed me out! When I was in high school, my first big purchase from my part time job was a nice stereo system from Radio Shack!

[@jackeppington6488]

I remember HoJo's ice cream fondly. And the all-you-can-eat fried clams. But what I miss the most in NYC is the Automat. You couldn't afford everything in the Automat, but you could always find something worthwhile for $1.00 or less. Whatever coins you had in your pocket would get your something for lunch.

[@lashutterbug]

Conan needs to do a field broadcast from Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Highland Park. He would be overwhelmed by the hundreds of classic sodas from his youth that they have there, like Grape Ne-Hi, which was the favorite soda of Radar from "MASH". They also happen to have loads of classic candies, including his beloved "Chunky" bar.

[@spidrawebster]

I think Conan has established that anything east of Larchmont means he has to wait for a visa to go, though.

[@AnimalXing]

I love these three

[@rcontre31]

Congrats on the Oscar’s. I was wondering why you had not been chosen

[@YodatheHobbit]

When Montgomery Wards stopped existing, it felt like LIFE stopped existing to me as a kid. One of my earliest memories was shopping with my parents at a Montgomery Wards in the late 80s. I thought, well there's no others places to shop for furniture! I was like 5. We went NO WHERE ELSE to shop for furniture and home goods. I think my dad's work gave him a discount. Being first born, rather than going to a laundromat, I think we got our first washer and dryer and a swing set.

[@CountBookula]

When I was a kid, my dad took me to the implosion of the Montgomery Ward building in St. Paul. There was a raffle to see who got to push the button

[@PaulMcCannWebBuilder]

Same, but it was Sears. It felt like everything in the house growing up was from Sears.

[@PIXPromosMore]

IIRC, Montgomery Ward STILL exists, but only as an online store (and mail-order catalog)

[@NoviJimB]

I don't think I ever went to a Howard Johnson's, but my sister would go there all the time with her friends for all-you-can-eat clams. I think they did that every Tuesday or something. I was at a Radio Shack not too long ago, there are still some open here in the Detroit area (I checked).

[@davetbrunner]

My first car audio system that was eventually stolen came from the walls of a Circuit City. I remember clicking all the satisfying buttons that allowed you to hear the system in store. For some reason the store near me raffled off tickets for the chance to win an Oldsmobile Alero. Somewhere there is a Circuit City Oldsmobile cruising the American highways

[@alfonsenstrom1445]

That thumbnail is frightening

[@DanielThureskog]

Almost like he was choking or got hit in the stomach.

[@paulisson]

Can't wait to watch next Oscars and see Meryl Streep yelling "THERE WAS TALK OF GERBILS!"

[@Davett53]

Boomer here,....Yay on that whole HoJo memory. I forgot about that place,..that was kind of big deal when I was kid too, but I'm a lot older. It was family style ice cream parlor and diner, it wasn't hep or cool, though perfect for letting your grand dad treat you to shake or malted milk. The food was reliably good. In the Mid-west, they were often located along the Interstate. They had their own brand of motels too, I think.

[@unitoolzee]

I remember paying $400.00 for 8 megs of RAM at Circuit City, and also buying my first 3D video card there, so that I could play VQuake. Good times. 😂

[@jkap34]

I was fired from there right before they declared bankruptcy. I was in high school and was hired in the summer, so they knew once school started, my availability would change. I told them that in the interview. I was in marching band. Well, come September 2008, they call me into the office and say I missed these several 11 am to 6 pm shifts during the week that were not on the original schedule that was posted and that's the reason I was being fired. I said "you knew I was in high school and marching band, I told you my availability was changing once school started" but they kicked me out the door. December 2008, circuit city declared bankruptcy.

[@ame-1105]

Conan's the BEST ❤

[@mst3kanita]

I think Conan was referring to tcby when he asked about fro yo? lol

[@redfields5070]

I really miss Radio Shack and I miss what it could have been.

[@CorwinPatrick]

I miss what Radio Shack used to be. It's mostly just a generic electronics store now (they still exist).

[@molin1]

I loved Toys R Us as a kid (and as an adult for quite a while), but I later took my kids to one and they were baffled by it - why does it exist, who would come here, that kind of thing.

[@laserbender2773]

Someone from the Team Coco staff, please tell Conan Chunky still exists and is for sale. And congrats to Conan for being the host of the Academy Awards!

[@littlebumgorf]

Hoping for diddy jokes at the Oscar’s, don’t disappoint me coco

[@mediocreman2]

5:43 The dog making a noose. 😅😅

[@florete2310]

You can hear the entire crew losing it in the background when Conan's reminiscing about his sad spinach-shake-laden experiences with his empathetic dog🐶🥬🙈. I am LMAO😂

[@McDuffin]

Sona is so adorable.

[@jessebarlow1277]

Conan's bout to get a giant box of Chunky's

[@futureshocked]

Circuit City was a bummer. But Tower Records was saaaaaad for me. I would go to the one in Chicago all the time on my lunch break at my first adult-job. I even went to one in Sicily and bought a Strokes album with the cover that was banned in the US.

[@RhinestoneLover]

I went to BU and my dorm for my Freshman and Sophomore year was a HoJo!!!! We were three girls in one room at a Howard Johnson’s!!!! Cray cray!!!!

[@Tonyhouse1168]

Baylor? My mom got a Masters from there. Driving through Waco from Dallas to SA; good times

[@andrewhawking7893]

The blender and dog skit is the best 😂

[@MiyangChoi]

👌Good! It's gonna be forever.

[@CitizenKang]

A good shot of the Times Square HoJo's in Taxi Driver.

[@cg2642]

My family stayed at HoJo's a few times growing up in the 80s. I dont remember them having restaurants, maybe that varied by region. I thought they had been gone for a long time, but i found one in Louisiana in 2009. It was clearly on its last legs and it was kinda gross, but there was no other place i could spend the night. Its probably gone now too, but i was shocked because i thought it was gone long before that.

[@Infinitesimal-ho7it]

"...Two lode stones." He accidentally gave them a compliment. And Sona did guide him into a bit.

[@mediocreman2]

I don't know if being called a magnetic rock is a compliment. 😅

[@Tonyhouse1168]

I miss Spaghetti Warehouse in Dallas. We used to tear up karaoke on Thursdays. And Saturday Night Out when I was 14. And Bluebonnet Palace when I was 15 but looked 18. And Savages, being walked in the back door as a 17 yr old freshman at UTSA. And Skateland East when I used to visit Pops one weekend a month. Damn. Don’t get old kids; it’s a trap!!

[@kludd28]

Every time Conan says something that makes me think of a Simpson’s reference, I really wish I was in the room. This time it’s “FroYo, you get your choice of toppings!”

[@3tequila]

omg he is hilarious!

[@joshliam1967]

Congrats on hosting the Oscars Conan! Looking forward to having someone funny host for the first time in years.🎉

[@CatCEnrico]

There is a Circuit City in St. Louis Park, MN still!

[@tinytanks]

Conan's Mayor McCheese voice strikes again

[@niyanlan8928]

Good luck at the Oscars man - just imagine you are Ricky Gervais and you’ll be fine 😁

[@perrodetokio]

There is a Howard Johnson's in my city of Córdoba, Argentina! It's a hotel, bar, restaurant and event venue.

[@BrettJohnson-n1v]

I miss record stores. My grandparents used to take me to HoJos, I remember ordering the clam strips.

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

For me it was Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. So many millennials like myself spent so much time browsing movies and video games there. It was basically a weekly ritual for my family.

[@culwin]

Blockbuster was pretty terrible. They put many mom & pop video stores (which were great) out of business, and they were just a bad store.

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

@@culwin Being successful in America isn't a crime.

[@culwin]

@@jonathanhenderson9422 Weird non-sequitur but OK. You're a Republican talking point I'm guessing?

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

@@culwin It's not a non sequitur. You're blaming Blockbuster for being successful. I actually lean left and vote Democrat. Doesn't mean I dislike capitalism.

[@culwin]

@@jonathanhenderson9422 I didn't do that. Blockbuster sucks, weirdo.

[@jimbo_pickens]

RadioShack is still quite common in Mexican malls.

[@MiyangChoi]

Wonderful 🤞

[@allycat2836]

Conan, congrats on the Oscar gig!!! I can’t wait until March 2025 👌

[@ConanThreepwood]

Conan mentioned Howard Johnson and I thought about that orange restaurant in the Mad Men episode

[@Uarehere]

I stayed at a Howard Johnson's in New Jersey in 2005. I think they still have one of my belts.

[@slipperypete4771]

In the early 70s we would stop at Howard Johnson's for chocolate lollipops on the road to New Hampshire.

[@joshnorko5586]

I had a HoJos near me that had mini golf too. Good times

[@betsyduane3461]

Chunky bars are still around.

[@danbee6103]

your dog deserves healthy food and outdoors time just like you sir, good day.😊

[@paulharrison8379]

Cadbury's Crunchie can still be bought everywhere in the UK and can be bought from Amazon America.

[@EldenRink]

Remember Big Boy restaurants and the big slices of strawberry pie? 😢

[@stfi7566]

Here in Cincinnati, a bunch of Frisch’s Big Boys closed in the past couple of weeks for failure to pay rent.

[@CSF0114]

I know, Conan hates these intros that it seem like they're going nowhere, but I enjoy them!

[@GGoAwayy]

His blender sounds like Roger Rabbit trying to say p-p-p-p-please

[@ThymeKeeper]

Circuit City still exists online. Radio Shack still has actual stores.