Conan Shows Off the New Set - 9/4/2001

The backdrop behind Conan would only last for four episodes. After September 11th, the backdrop was renovated again without the WTC behind Conan's shoulders. The song "Always and Forever" was removed from the end of the sketch to avoid being blocked, so that's why it's silent during the montage part.

[@ilovethe1950s]

This week's show and the weeks after it are truly different realities.

[@mynameisdpc]

So he got a new set with the towers A WEEK before 9/11…holy fuck

[@felixraue2025]

after 9/11 the hung a curtain over the background to hide the WTC

[@bmtguitar28]

What a beautiful backdrop. So sad that it lasted such a short time.

[@danieldougan269]

Even though the one that came after it didn't have the World Trade Center, it looked more like night time.

[@WhatsOn427]

@@danieldougan269 I was really surprised when I first saw this clip how bright the backdrop was. I liked that they took the opportunity to make it darker when also removing the WTC

[@officialAmpersand]

I wonder if it was still behind the curtain

[@Wolfdragon92584]

It's so creepy considering on this episode, he's just so celebratory about the most trivial things. He's downright saccharine. A mere week later, the entire nation was incredibly somber. He was criticizing himself for every little thing. Goes to show what an innocent time that was, before the attacks. And I just passed the part where he mentions "all the people who gave their lives for the new set," cutting to a bunch of bodies spread across the floor. Holy crap, that's freaky.

[@codym8897]

When "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" premiered on NBC on September 13, 1993, it had a mustard colored backdrop set, with picture frames, a window with the New York City skyline, a desk with a microphone, a chair, two furniture seats, and a curtain backdrop where Conan did the monologue, and musical guests. In 1996, the Late Night with Conan O'Brien set changed again; which consisted of glass windows with the New York city skyline, a desk with a chair, and furniture. The curtain was redesigned where Conan did the monologue, as well as musical guests. In 2001, the set changed again, and Conan's desk was redesigned. The set also had new furniture and a panoramic view of New York City. There was also a curtain backdrop where Conan did the monologue, and so did musical guests. This set lasted until the end of the show's run in 2009.👍

[@Havok259]

Thank you, Alexa.

[@rhyancoleman6462]

Actually the first show back the backdrop was wrinkled in a way that they can obscure the view of the towers.

[@brothersgalore]

How bittersweet . we’re witnessing the last days of an era here. This was on a Tuesday. On September 2001 Next Tuesday EVERYTHING was gonna change ..Thank you for uploading

[@xmisteralex]

I'm not an American, but I feel sad when I remember 911. What was it like before 2001 in the US?

[@tigerburn81]

@@xmisteralex Normal.

[@Havok259]

@@xmisteralex much more chill, laid back, optimistic, just a better mood overall.

[@a_can_of_soda]

@@xmisteralex We were more optimistic, more free, and there was no paranoia.

[@shutup2751]

from ireland, we will never forget the resolve, bravery and love of the american people in those dark days that followed, we will never forget

[@trevour]

I remember the night this aired! I always wanted to hear the robotic voice he used for the globey lights again. 19 years later, I can finally die happy.

[@RobiYorkMusic]

And I never knew that the lower part of the background was meant to be a balcony.

[@RationalGaze.BingChillin]

Loved the sets he had on nbc

[@frank234561]

I really miss the era of Conan playing off Max Weinberg. Haha. Max had the perfect dead pan reactions to Conan's antics.

[@Mrd9960]

Yeah I know what you mean, now we have stupid idiot Jimmy Fallon, how far we have fallen, no pun intended, lol😂

[@drumsNstuff79]

I always loved this set the best and thought it was so hilarious and cool when at the end he smashed it up and gave away the pieces.

[@trutle88]

What’s crazy is now Fallon with the Tonight Show has essentially the same backdrop but with the One World Trade Center replacing the Twin Towers

[@johnking5174]

When they returned after 9/11, they simply put a thin curtain over the backdrop, specially designed so you could see the backdrop city of New York, but a key part of the curtain ensured the twin tours was obscured as much as possible.

[@rhyancoleman6462]

Actually the first show back the backdrop was wrinkled in a way that they can obscure the view of the towers.

[@rudyshipp8919]

I had read on a website somewhere (seems to have been taken down. For the life of me, I can not find it anywhere), that specialized in the sets of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" that after the Producers had a chance to touch up the backdrop after 9/11, they tossed the curtain, since the backdrop no longer featured the Twin Towers. After about a week, or so, the curtains returned permanently, apparently as the backdrop was by then considered too "bare" looking. Not sure if any or all of the above is true, especially considering that all Late Night with Conan O'Brien episodes post-9/11 feature said curtain. Any episodes that prove otherwise would be nice to see.

[@ConanFanatic]

At first the backdrop had the curtain in front of it, then on 10/2/2001 a modified backdrop was introduced, without the WTC and the sky color is much more blue than the first one, but after that one episode, the curtain was put back in front of the new backdrop and remained that way until 2009. It was only one episode, you can see the bare new backdrop here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6GxZIGonaeMhJI

[@rudyshipp8919]

Conan Fanatic Swagtacular!! Thanks for that clip. It genuinely did help to clarify the set dilemma a bit for me!!

[@Littlescienceguy]

“Look at this panoramic view of NYC right here…” One week before the attacks. So sad.

[@bartolomeestebanmurillo4459]

The end of innocence, really end of the 90s idealism because just a week later the world changed forever.

[@adorabasilwinterpock6035]

So cliché

[@mst3kanita]

I don't know why Conan looks so strange here in front of this earthy-purply set but yet it looks totally normal on his future "Conan" set (pre show being shortened to 30 minutes).

[@BreannaMae]

So this aired 7 days prior to the events of 9/11 back in 2001.

[@WhatsOn427]

Yep. That backdrop had to be changed after just 4 shows

[@expiredmonke6429]

Ok wikibear.

[@JasonL77]

Unfortunately one week later, that backdrop became outdated.

[@mediocreman2]

"You can't leave cable lying around!" 😅

[@christianlorre]

I like the set, the problem is they added those curtains so you couldn't see that beautiful skyscraper backdrop as clearly.

[@AshleyPomeroy]

It's almost as if one particular aspect of the backdrop dated surprisingly quickly.

[@mutestingray]

I thought the darkening and the curtains added a certain depth

[@KH-lw5ze]

@@mutestingray Same.

[@User-ge7ni]

@@AshleyPomeroy shouldn’t have been removed

[@rhyancoleman6462]

Actually the first show back the backdrop was wrinkled in a way that they can obscure the view of the towers.

[@RobiYorkMusic]

How do you have all these episodes??

[@ConanFanatic]

Approximately seven years of searching.

[@RobiYorkMusic]

Conan Fanatic insane. Idk how you did it. Especially VHS recordings

[@ConanFanatic]

Most of the VHS rips came from other people even more devoted than I.

[@HumblyArtsy]

Conan Fanatic could you upload this full episode?!

[@elliottchrist]

4:39 - is that Jordan Schlansky?!

[@angeljohnson6665]

Elliott Christ no

[@vincentforonda7381]

jordan is still at the robotic assembly lab for testing..

[@robertdavis4192]

I was just watched Conan's monologue after Osama bin laden was killed, hilariously mean.

[@HumblyArtsy]

Would you happen to have the full episode or episodes?

[@pnixandminiclipbowlingking5947]

Fuck copyrights.