Courtney Thorne-Smith Remembers Her Interview With Norm Macdonald | Inside Conan

[@alexistrebexis3195]

What made the clip awesome wasn’t just Norm, and wasn’t just Conan, it was how well Courtney took it too. She could have been awkward and offended and made it weird, but she made it fun also.

[@christmascat7803]

100%

[@johndoyle2429]

To be fair, Courtney Thorne Smith would be to comedians in this clip. She is very smart person. I'm sure she has meet him numerous times.

[@pronkb000]

Courtney very obviously knew from the jump that she wasn't exactly plugging a starring role in Schindler's List. "It's like 9 1/2 Weeks, but with Carrot Top" is a pretty backhanded and facetious description of the movie and that's before Norm even says anything.

[@SpindicateAudio]

She was actually hilarious. She had couple nice jokes that played off Conan and Norm very well

[@daviddoss1104]

That little giggle that Norm gave right before the chairman of the BORED comment was classic Norm. You knew something wonderful was about to happen.

[@stephendexheimer7914]

The fact that Carrot Top played that clip at his show in Norm’s memory says a lot about Carrot Top’s character

[@JJvideoman]

He seems like a genuinely chilled out dude.

[@britturk123]

Bravo Carrot Top.

[@brandon.lewis.]

If you can't laugh at yourself, other people will.

[@oooops8883]

That or he's really really fkn dark and he's like "yeah who's laughing now bitch muahhhahaha"

[@amasterofbation]

i just saw carrot top in vegas last week and he was hilarious

[@pianofish5198]

She was a class act that night, she’s so smart, so quick. And humble too. Full package

[@EdDunkle]

Exactly. That's why she got so much work. She's very pretty, and smart, and easy to work with.

[@grief6052]

Good lord it’s been almost 30 years and she still looks absolutely gorgeous tf

[@anutpalgogoi9741]

Botox

[@BlastbeatsLOL]

She looks so fake now.

[@dr.p.wellington3604]

I'd do the other girl too. Something about that face looks DTF!!!

[@mediocreman2]

She actually looks slightly better now. She was not attractive in the '90s.

[@sorgism]

She’s stunning.

[@recipioct]

She is awesome. The complete package of looks and personality. She aged amazingly.

[@dr.p.wellington3604]

Courtney did too.

[@4seeableTV]

Her face is way tighter than a normal person's at that age. She's definitely had a facelift.

[@alistairclark6814]

She's not done yet. There is still plenty of time for it to all fall apart.

[@kenscarpa2318]

It’s called plastic surgery.

[@adamplace1414]

As great as norm and Conan made that bit, there couldn't have been a more perfect person to be sitting between them. What a gem.

[@willlinner44]

I saw this when it happened and it made me literally fall off the couch laughing. Cemented Norm as one of the great talk show guests. Courtney was awesome and had a great sense of humor about the whole thing. 👏

[@MarcKloos]

Congratulations - your comment was reposted 5 or 6 times by a "sexbot" account. Scroll through the comments and you'll see..!

[@gst013]

The execs who financed the movie probably weren't so cool with it 😅

[@MrDballmoney]

I was a teen and I too caught it the original night it aired. I became a Norm fan from that point. I also became a huge Conan fan because Conan had more off the wall moments as opposed to a tight Leno show with no give

[@mightisright]

I think Conan reran this episode a few times, because I don't think I saw this in 1997, but I saw it maybe a year after that. It always stuck with me as the funniest and most spontaneous things I ever saw on TV. Then decades later we can watch it all over again thanks to the internet.

[@jace2802]

I miss the 90s and I was only a child in the 90s 😂 I just get tired of all the streaming and Internet shows I miss just television

[@guillermo3564]

24 years later and she is still gorgeous.

[@michaelreardon303]

Yea, I hope…

[@fishhookism]

She did the right thing by having a good sense of humor and just letting him go.

[@subg8858]

She came off better than 99% of the people Norm trolled like that, including some of his own friends

[@hughjainis8302]

Norm's teasing ultimately came from a place of love. He knew that she knew (and that everyone knew) that the movie was crap, but hey whatever let's have fun. The man could locate and unite everyone's back-of-mind thoughts around laughter when those seemingly verboten truths would be otherwise left to die in shame. Even in his actual death, he continues to spread his love and laughter through this fucked up internet thing.

[@mem1701movies]

I doubt it was from a place of love...

[@gjoanne173]

This is perfect!

[@hughjainis8302]

@@gjoanne173 Hell yeah

[@TheoSmith249]

Damn , that’s well articulated.

[@Guitarsoul24734]

Well said!

[@moonlitegram]

I think her reaction on the show and her interview here are really a testament to her personality. A lot of people must ask her about this because there's so many people that would take that whole situation personally and feel very self conscious about it. But she seems to be such a down to earth, positive, open person, that those kind of thoughts or emotions don't even cross her mind. She was able to just enjoy herself. Lots of lessons to be learned there. Much respect.

[@DiscoverMontréal]

One of the greatest moments in all of television history. RIP Norm ♥️

Kennedy/Oswald assination, Moon landing and this? LOLOLOL

[@explodingmonad4535]

Courtney seems to be so much brighter than the interviewers. She can explain situations and feelings so well.

[@smelltheglove2038]

She was great. I came away really liking her. Even more so than I had from the original interview.

[@callmeshaggy5166]

Almost like she's done interviews most of her life

[@daa589]

This is more of a conversation which just goes to show how down to earth she is. She might just hate Interviews

[@avlisk]

I love 2 things that I never would have heard about without Norm: The ManGrate, and Courtney Thorne-Smith.

[@stanleydavidlepretre4241]

Courtney Thorne Smith seems like a very cool and genuine down to earth person. Wish her and those close to her all the best.

[@ployonion]

Courtney Thorne-Smith is an amazing Aunthentic individual! The clip of her with Conan Norm & Andy was something special I have watched it over the years and it fills me with Joy watching Courtney cry with laughter, one of the best interviews on the internet. Courtney you are a true star. thankyou! RIP norm ! Thanks Conan & Andy !

[@joshportnoy8102]

She really seems like a lovely person

[@JJ-fg2wd]

Courtney describing Chairman of the Board as "'9 1/2 Weeks' but with Carrot Top" in the original interview caught me off guard lol, that was a great line

[@ASJC27]

Is it called "9 1/2 seconds"? You know, cause he prematurely ejaculated.

[@hackabilly4787]

*bored

[@Kaervek87]

This was a really funny line.

[@mombosibes107]

Box office poison

[@ShaunHensley]

Norm ‘9 1/2 seconds’ ‘You know…. Because he’s a premature ejaculator’ 😂🤣

[@RHTeebs]

I just found out Courtney Thorne-Smith was also on Norm's short-lived tv show in 2000.

[@joedellaselva1251]

OUCH!!! 'short-lived'

[@jasontownsend9460]

It had 3 seasons, that’s not that short lived.

[@xedasxedas]

​@@jasontownsend9460 what? That fake geek bang theory went up to its 12th or something. Take that back.

[@user-vt3vo1yd3v]

@@xedasxedasOther shows went on longer, therefore 3 seasons is short lived? Most tv show that exist don’t go past 1 season.

[@john_avernia]

She's still lovely.

[@bsheffield5224]

Courtney’s voice snd laugh have matured well in the 25 years while also showing respect for her interviewers. A genuine person rare in Hollywood

[@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns]

Norm was the perfect guest. And Conan was the perfect host for Norm, because unlike other late night hosts, Conan has both a very high comedy IQ and isn't ridden with insecurities.

[@Norsilca]

"isn't ridden with insecurities" 🤔

[@Eliza-yd7fi]

Lol your comment is been copied and pasted by bots. Unless?

[@invisibot6602]

Riddled

[@NewOrleansGuy837]

idk about that but Conan wasn't afraid of just letting Norm go on one of his long winded jokes. he didn't try to steer the convo back to a point. He understood how Norm comedically operated and just wanted to go along for the ride.

[@nicholasmoose6574]

Conan's got tons of insecurities like the other hosts. But unlike them he's better at making fun of himself. and he's just overall the best host.

[@CptCrash21]

"I go by 'television's Courtney Thorne-Smith'." -- coming in strong to start the interview.

[@smelltheglove2038]

And stayed classy the whole time despite the attempts to get her to play a the victim. True class act and down to earth person.

[@JET7C0]

@@smelltheglove2038 I don't think they were trying to get her to "play the victim" or anything nefarious at all - just wanted to get her recollection of the night, since the clip resurfaced and became popular, so I'm sure tons of people were curious about that. That's all that happened, lol.

[@jamesduke2662]

It was totally hilarious and genius by Norm McDonald. But Courtney was such a good sport. She was like the “straight man” of a comedy routine. She came across like a trooper.

[@66bub]

I came across the clip about a couple years ago. Was already laughing hard, but when Conan said, "Do something with that, you freak!", within about 1second you can see in Norm's eyes and face the lightbulb light up. I knew SOMETHING great was coming, but I wasn't prepared for: "I bet 'Board' is spelled B-O-R-E-D!!" I about fell out of my chair laughing, just like Conan almost did. And Courtney is so lovely, a good sport and a great sense of humor herself.

[@Paul71H]

The crazy thing is that I've watched that clip at least 20 times, and I just about fall out of my chair EVERY TIME when Norm comes back with "I bet the board is spelled B-O-R-E-D." I know it's coming, but that line still hits me like a ton of bricks!

[@cumincalamity9867]

"I know, mom, you were big in the 90s! " That's so adorable.

[@JessUhland]

Man I miss Norm. This was great ♡

[@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns]

Courtney Thorne-Smith is beautiful both inside and out.

[@spid3rdan]

uh…

[@Deernest]

Box Office Poison and B.O.R.E.D is Top 10 Norm moments. The comeback is just insanely quick. We miss you Norm and Courtney just played into it, truly awesome moment

[@JimShadyUK]

The clip is of course am absolute classic, but I am happy that Courtney took it in good part. She was the vehicle for Norm, but not the object. It's just that it was SO funny that I wouldn't have liked her to have felt like she was the butt of the joke. Instead, she was an essential part of it and that's a good thing.

[@michaelnazar9358]

.

[@thedude4672]

I've aged decades since that classic piece first aired, but Courtney hasn't aged a day. Still drop dead gorgeous!

[@stevenloube6784]

Welll… a few days lol

[@neurohack9038]

Yeah she only looks 63 today! Back then she looked 23 xD

[@mylucidlife495]

I think she has had some "work" done

[@channello-fi9548]

I’d still do her…also her first line was great “ I go by Television’s Courtney Thorne Smith”

[@mediocreman2]

Uhh you blind? Or you think she's going to see this comment?

[@DonnyLusk]

Honestly it works both ways. Courtney was a helluva sport and Norm was at his best that night. It was perfection.

[@CharlesDarwinBarkley]

she is so cool.. she was such a good sport n that interview..

[@DB-sy4eb]

That has to go down in the annals of television as one the most funniest spontaniest episodes ever. Mike and especially Jessie trying to turn that brilliant event into a negative. It was plainly obvious it was good natured and everyone, especially Courtney was taking it in stride and having a good time. RIP NORM.

[@alittlecreepywhenyou]

I loved that Norm respected her and was genuinely enamoured with Courtney. And her response to the whole thing was brilliant, I mean damn, she climbed my internal ladder of huge respect that night.

[@bighuge1060]

Courtney's a great sport about that incident. It had to be a pain trying to promote a movie and have that interrupted but Norm never came across as anything but good-natured with it. And it really was a hilarious segment.

[@JarinUdom]

I wouldn’t even know this movie existed if it weren’t for Norm and CTS’s interaction

[@ekathe85]

She said she was actually glad Norm stepped in. She was pretty uncomfortable she had to promote it, and the movie itself wasn't anything she was particularly proud of.

[@louieatienza8762]

I think that Norm actually sensed that Courtney wasn't too thrilled about trying to promote that movie, and his stepping in actually saved an interview that wasn't going very far. I do think Norm was very good at "reading" people, and he somehow knew Courtney would take it well.

[@ourwayne]

She was just gracious and Norm was his typical animated self. Lovely memory of Norm.

[@boltsbees]

Courtney ignores the interviewers advances to make her seem like a victim. The both of them don't realize that Norm was joking, apparently. God Bless Courtney for being a smart, level-headed person. Even Carrot Top joked about this clip after Norm passed. Funny is funny, and no need to minimize the clever spontaneity of this moment.

[@E_y_a_l]

Do you even know who the "interviewers" are that you try to claim they don't realize Norm was joking? they understand better than you, they both have more Norm and definitely Conan in-person time than most people, they haven't tried to portrait her as a victim, they've tried to see if Norm was making her uncomfortable like many people that saw that clip assumed she was, it was a good question and I'm glad they gave her the opportunity to clarify that, you are the one that doesn't realize how interviews work.

[@boltsbees]

@@E_y_a_l ok

[@CitiesTurnedToDust]

What an...interesting...take on the clip. Who's your dealer?

[@ludmillagutomo]

she was such a good sport about the interview. love her!

[@bernlin2000]

We never got to see what a great sense of humor she has way back in the 1990s, rebounding from Melrose's Place 🤣. Such a great sport.

[@Paulafan5]

People forget that she was just about to do Ally McBeal, which was a huge hit for a few seasons.

[@SiccDeville]

she was pretty funny on According to Jim in the 2000s.

[@zahrans]

Seems like Mike and Jessie were trying to get Courtney to say something, anything critical about Norm here, about how he 'didn't let her talk" etc etc. Courtney to her credit had and still has a sense of humour.

[@RameshKumar-mv3jd]

Yeah wtf, whatever happened to not speaking ill of the dead?

[@smelltheglove2038]

@@RameshKumar-mv3jd what happened to having a sense of humor? Courtney is just too genuine and classy to take the bait and you could hear the dissatisfaction in both of the interviewers voice when she didn’t. It’s a pretty historic segment in late night talk show history and you can tell she appreciates that.

[@arnonroyna4420]

Conan: "Do something with that, you freak!" Norm: "I bet you the board is spelled b-o-r-e-d."

[@thesmallpockets3182]

Great actor, beautiful person. I love her!

[@dr.p.wellington3604]

Courtney too

[@AN-cy7xm]

It was the good humor she had that made this clip a classic, IMO. She was really cute.

[@johnyoung3397]

What a sweetheart and a great sport, she seems great

[@larryfunnelcake9669]

She has such good temperament and a sweet aura, I remember her from According to Jim, nobody could have pulled that off but Courtney!

[@justayoutuber1906]

What guy didn't have a crush on Courtney? Her ability to "roll with it" and not be offended, made her even sexier.

[@prashantnegi007]

Courtney Thorne-Smith, what a battle-axe.

[@elperrogr7836]

A battle axe...??? No one has called her a battle axe since 1945 ...

[@zahrans]

More of a comment really....

[@woozertoo]

@@elperrogr7836…and now a word from our sponsor, Chesterfield Figuredance.

[@ring7375]

I really wished they would talk about her appearance on Norm’s TV show Norm. It almost seems strange that they didn’t. 😥

[@ontologicallysteve7765]

Yeah, she said she never met him prior to the Conan interview. Very strange.

[@ring7375]

@@ontologicallysteve7765 She probably hadn't met him though. Norm's show happened years after that interview. Still, I thought it would be nice if they addressed the show.

[@wharsmetoothpicson9465]

The reason why it was such a funny clip and has lasted all this time is because it never came off as mean or condescending. It felt like Courtney was in on the joke the entire time and that made it okay.

[@strandvaskeren]

The dinner analogy is spot on, how on earth could you possible have a bad time with Conan, Andy and Norm? They could have easily just taken completely over and ignored her, but they didn't, they flirted with her, laughed with her, riffed off her "9½ week, but with carrot top" joke, they showered her with attention - you couldn't ask for three better guys at a talk show spot.

[@randomname3715]

She is the most beautiful person in the world from 1990 to present.

[@jimdukeproject]

Courtney was a trooper allowing herself the privilege of being the subject of Norm McDonald comedy. He is recognized as a genius but Courtney took it well and it actually didn't demean her at all because she understood the intent. Brilliant.

[@alolkoydesigns]

Courtney's line about 9 and a half weeks was great. She can hold her own with those iconic comedians

[@MusicLiberates]

It’s nice to see that Courtney had fun with the great Norm’s zany sense of humor. She seems very cool.

[@pat5882]

55 now and Courtney looks fantastic!🥳

[@kpd3308]

I'm glad to know she enjoyed it. She was such a good sport. It was an absolute pinnacle of talk show moments. PS - What a babe!

[@superfreak3050]

She still looks fine!!

[@thedude4672]

She might actually be hotter now than she was back then, if that's possible.

[@santasangre996]

@@thedude4672 yeah idk how that works

[@johnhuxley165]

@@santasangre996 it’s called plastic surgery. She does look great and I’m not judging. Good for her. If you have money and access to Hollywood rhinoplasty go for it. But yeah, no one defies 30 years of aging and gravity without some help.

[@playoffp.1501]

@@johnhuxley165 oh no karen pls 🤦‍♂️

[@superfreak3050]

@@playoffp.1501 this channel aint Ellen... LMAO

[@spatchmo6938]

After the Conan episode, she was a guest star on Norm's short lived sitcom, called "Norm," I think as a date for Norm's character? I am not sure if Norm invited her directly but that was a nice thing to come after that, too

[@bellbrass]

Most actresses would have been offended and done interviews afterward about how they were disrespected. Courtney deserves a ton of credit - then and now - for recognizing immense talent as it happened.

[@RegisChapman]

Man, she's still so beautiful and funny.

[@Aaliyahchannel2024]

And you're neither.

[@zbyszanna]

The episode was great, Norm was a beast and his talent was shining and once he got on track, there was not stopping him. I'm glad Courtney didn't think about this as a bad experience, because the movie was completely flatlined on the show (can't say Norm was wrong though, that movie has 2.3/10 on IMDB, so it is really bad, but still, that was a bit brutal). Also the male interviewer keeps saying she wasn't able to say a word on that show and that's not true, there was a long exchange between Conan and Courtney where they talked about the movie and it just didn't flow that well. I'm not an avid watcher of such shows so maybe that's how they are, but it felt like it was going nowhere, she said her piece, we all learned about the movie, who's in it, how's it's called and only then the storm happened. It wasn't like she wasn't allowed to speak. At some point she was just laughing so much, she wasn't able to talk, but before that, she had plenty of opportunity to say her piece. Norm didn't monopolize the show.

[@slxxpyhollow]

She seems to have gotten a lot funnier

[@vhaarr]

Can you give some context? You can't, because you're wrong - she was always this funny. It's just that Norm is a god damn genius and completely steamrolled (in a good way) that Conan segment.

[@rays5163]

@@vhaarr well there was that one movie she did, chairman of the board that wasn't very funny

[@slxxpyhollow]

@@vhaarr You're absolutely right.

[@duconmicro4331]

@@vhaarr Even in this interview hijacked by Norm, her "it's like 9 and a half weeks, but Carrot Top" line was pretty funny.

[@ronandrews6105]

Wow, she is delightful! I love when I can see a celebrity who allows themself to be seen as a real approachable person.

[@OldWorkingMan]

She was on his show a few years after the Conan episode. I wish they'd asked her about working with him on 'The Norm Show'

[@TheSandman121212]

She's still stunning.

[@Joel_Powell]

Just a small clarification - it wasn't Norm's passing that got people watching this clip - it was already being viewed heavily. I was watching it tons before Norm's passing and I know many others were. Norm's appearances on many shows (represented so well here on KZbin) have given me SO much joy over the past decade.

[@AnbuVega]

What a wonderful woman. It kind of seemed like they were pressing her to say something negative about Norm, but she handled it expertly just like she did the historic interview with Norm

[@safespacebear]

wow she's still as gorgeous and humble as ever. Bless her

[@NeedBetterLoginName]

Trying to flirt? If you watch it again, he was silent until the interview was kind of floundering. He tried to rescue her.

[@AtticAurel]

So heartwarming to see her side of things... :-) [And it also shows that we should be careful with being offended in lieu of others.]

[@JasonSimonEDU]

She's really a class act.

[@SeanMaccaUK]

She's a beautiful lady and a talented talk-show guest. I'd still lay down on top of her.

[@hinkhall5291]

A lot of stoner dudes watching Conan probably fell in love with her after watching that interview. I know I did. I hope she knows they made magic. It was one of the greatest late night show interviews of all time. She made history.

[@AW66888]

"Chairman of the Bored" ... this always cracks me up every time I watch it

[@ragnarokangaroo]

Norm has to be one of the only people in the last generation to have his talk show appearances become interview topics in their own right. This, the moth joke, his final set on Letterman. The only others I can think of in that category of legendary moments are Andy Kaufman's stunts or Buddy Hackett destroying Johnny Carson. Norm was from another era, maybe another planet.

[@stevemcvay2220]

She is still a very attractive women and norm will forever be an absolute legend!!! Love the both of them and the two of them had what’s arguably the best moment to have ever happened on Conan to date! Possibly even late night TV period!!! I honestly can’t think of a better moment in late night TV for me personally!!

[@SpaceForceCommander]

Courtney Thorne-Smith & Kimberly Williams-Paisley are the only 2 reasons I watched “According to Jim”.

[@thechase-secondchance5077]

And they both were even more attractive several years later when they played in Two and Half Men. Kimberly as "Gretchen" was amazing!

[@spiegel3269]

She was such a good sport about it. Normally if you say the slightest thing against an actor's career choice they would freak out about it.

[@britturk123]

One of the best things about that clip was that Courtney took it in absolute jest.

[@olivertruswell]

She looks better 25 years later...crazy.

[@charlieh3998]

She seems very smart and sweet.

[@gastondeveaux3783]

I am still madly in love with this beautiful woman. ❤

[@gregwhitsel5052]

CTS hasn’t aged a minute! Great girl, awesome sense of humor!

[@ericwatson54]

I absolutely adore Courtney Thorne-Smith. 😍

[@tmakinthehouse]

Warms my heart she feels this way.

[@juancarlosnunezf96]

Her good attitude and sense of humour were fundamental in this clip becoming a classic. She's a classy woman.

[@RobertBalto]

One thing that goes underrated about the interview with Norm is Courtney's joke that her movie is like "9 1/2 weeks with Carrot Top" that set off the whole thing. That is a pretty solid joke and funny image...

[@efuller3333]

Watched it recently , so fun/ funny to hear CTS’s perspective years later

[@explodingmonad4535]

It can also be such a relief when you know that your project is a bit so so and then someone have the guts to joke about it and remove the tension. (The Emperor's New Clothes)

[@katough]

they're right tho, there was a tension there that Norm was hyper aware and she could have annihilated his ego, but was an amazing sport and made the whole interview a joy to watch.

[@alexanderkatt3383]

She has wonderful humour. Great laugh and funny too. Of course absolutely gorgeous

[@NoOne-kr4jc]

She's so sweet. There's a clip of him on Leno with Rickles.

[@carllutz7523]

Norm loved Courtney. He wouldn't burn someone like that if he didn't care about her

[@CaptPicard81]

Whoa she's aged like fine wine 🍷

[@nanyabyzness3234]

We never laughed as hard at anything as we did at this clip when we first saw it.

[@mitchellbirkhead9214]

She’s still gorgeous

[@gregsworks8547]

She is amazing.

[@johnbrowne2170]

She was a good sport and came across as a nice person.