Jim Downey's Hysterical Jeffrey Epstein Intro

All credit to Team Coco they can come take whatever revenue they want they made it.
On Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, guest James Downey, the longtime head writer for SNL read the prompt:
"Hi I'm Jim Downey, and I feel ________ about being Conan O'Brien's Friend"
This clip shows how brilliant a comedy mind he is. His adjective of choice to fill in the blank was "unapologetic" and turned it into an insanely clever limerick that Conan picked up on right away and the two created this awesome comedy gem that left Sona, Matt and Conan in stitches.

[@stabledoofus2889]

The grin when he says, “with the island”

[@cesarmadero05]

He move his hand as well. Showing his entire deck of cards. That was so funny.

[@markstewart4501]

John Doe#174 on Epstein released documents, running for president, flew on his plane many times, talks publicly on howard stern about walking into the dressing rooms of younger ladies (teenagers at his beauty pageants), is the pick of the Christian Right...and Christians can NOT figure out why their religion is dying. They will blame everyone and everything else, but themselves...so self-unaware.

[@guhrizzlybaire]

that's my favorite part. i could watch it over and over.

[@greeneggsandham91]

"Jeff's dead? I didn't even know he was sick...."

[@soyitiel]

Like Norm used to say, "Hey, stop stealing my moves!"

[@michaelroy6630]

"Damn... praying for a cure"

[@yon_monster]

The word “sick” doing _a lot_ of heavy lifting in this bit 😬

[@vhufeosqap]

@@yon_monsterhaha

[@michaelharding313]

@@soyitielnorm was stealing Jim Downeys moves

[@andyspendlove1019]

This is a testament to Conan’s ability as an impromptu straight man. He teed this bit up perfectly

[@DerMoerpler]

It also works so well because most of the time, Conan is the unhinged one. He can play both roles.

[@andreaholcock8992]

I agree as a prepared-well-in-advance gay man

[@baayzil97]

​@@andreaholcock8992 This so stupid I had to laugh 😂

[@PeterSedesse]

Definitely, not a lot of comedian-hosts would be able to realize the bit and play the straight guy without trying to outdo him... just feed him the bait and laugh.

[@granitsky63]

I've seen this many times and it's incredible to watch Conan catch on and immediately play along with impeccable improv timing. It's gonna be a classic moment in podcast history for sure.

[@c016smith52]

... the financier? (this makes me laugh every time)

[@c016smith52]

Also. "he's Dead? hhaha No... sorry, nice try!" omg Jim Downey, this is probably my favorite CONAF clip

[@sstaners1234]

Best part was his build up like, there were great people who came before us who might have thought differently but made our lives better…like Jeffrey Epstein. 🤣 You can’t come back from that. 😂

[@stevvvvveperry]

OJ Simpson ? The Running Back ?

[@hagestad]

btw that man had money but he was not financier

[@fives.]

This man, in one podcast intro, unpacked every reason why Norm told Lorne Michaels they'd *have* to fire him if they fired Jim Downey

[@TheConeZone-m9g]

"Yeah I know Don Ohlmeyer and between you and me he's an idiot" -Letterman

[@hustlecrowe9440]

you got that backwards, they fired Norm and Downey quit.

[@rudydoody]

@@hustlecrowe9440 no dude, you got it backwards, listen to the whole thing, Norm quit because they fired Downey

[@doctorsuave]

​@@rudydoody Norm is the literally the most famous firing in the history of the show

[@rudydoody]

@@doctorsuave watch the full podcast

[@artkub5396]

Norm almost choked on his fried chicken, sitting on his cloud.

[@xlrichie]

Fried chicken he made on his Mangrate

[@douglasfulmer5483]

@@xlrichieNever disrespect the Mangrate

[@sstaners1234]

I’m on the floor 🤣 “Let’s call Gislaine..”

[@echambers1112]

Using "Jeff" was brilliant. Making him familiar makes the bit work so well.

[@JMT1985MO]

So true

[@elichilton7031]

That is a great comedy bit by a great comedy writer.

[@JakeKilka]

He acts the bit incredibly well, like a great strategerist.

[@scottshanahan3827]

No wonder Norm McDonald and he worked so well together.

[@Ordinaryguy82]

“No, I’m talking about Jeff Epstein-The New York Financier” and “He’s dead? Haha-Nice Try” 😂🤣😂🤣😂 Oh my God

[@moonmannd7501]

Love that he can't hold back the smile on "the island"

[@slimj091]

When he cracks when he says "With the Island" was done purely to satisfy the distinguished legal firm that works for Conan.

[@karagravis2671]

"Osama??" "Yes!" "Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden!?" "Yes, we're talking about the same Bin Laden"

[@highviewbarbell]

mm-mm, see, if that had happened i would have heard about it. admittedly i havent spoken to him since 2010 or so

[@goodday3023]

Bin Laden, the builder from Saudi?

[@denusklausen3685]

"Don't you think if two buildings suddenly disappeared from the New York skyline I would have heard about it?"

[@jakestores]

It reminds me of that tragedy...

[@fubardotjaypeg1458]

With the construction firm?

[@user-wd8qm5hl8l]

The smirk Downey gives Conan when he asks "How do you know these people?" like he thinks Conan is being naive is just perfect acting 10/10.

[@andrewlaxton50]

It’s all bits dude

[@nodical802]

@@andrewlaxton50toootaly

[@sstaners1234]

“There are many people in our society who contribute a great amount….Jeffery Epstein….” 🤣😂🤣

[@Spo8]

I’m sad to say I didn’t know Jim Downey before this episode and I was not prepared for how insanely funny he is.

[@MsMooreski1]

get with it

[@theboyx323]

if you've seen Billy Madison he was the gameshow host during the academic decathlon toward the end of the movie.

[@Ward413]

Trust me, you know him. He’s this guy in Billy Madison: “At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points… and may God have mercy on your soul.”

[@covenator190]

He wrote for SNL and was in a few skits

[@hippityhoppityw]

Unless you are a massive SNL nerd, you probably wont know who he is. He was there for for 30 years as a writer from the beginning

[@RM-eg1ed]

“I have to apologize for the fact that I know Conan O’Brian.” 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@Artimao]

The little hand gesture when he says "with the island", what a piece of comedy

[@artofsam]

He makes it sound like he was just Jeff’s neighbour and the only time he said hello to them was while he was outside cutting his hedges.

[@brucetownsend691]

The art of deadpan.

[@par32]

“I’ve not talked to him since the pandemic” BAH this gem went unnoticed unfortunately

[@kam0eb]

unnoticed by whom? the whole room except Conan and Jim are laughing

[@Ethan-tn4jc]

@@kam0eb whom sounds correct here, but I'm confused. "Whom" is reserved for the object of the sentence while "who" for the subject. In your question you are asking a question regarding the subject (ie. who is noticing vs. not noticing), so wouldn't it be correct to ask "unnoticed by who?" since the object is the "gem."

[@jaxsun72]

Sona howling and cackling in the background 😂😂😂

[@user-nk9kw1ip4k]

Conan is the absolute best at playing the straight man to jokesters. It's quite uncanny and magnifies the comic effect tenfold

[@norwoodeye2580]

"There's one easy way..." Wow this is funny. Downey is legend tier.

[@kuidaorekitchen5850]

This man and Norm together were the greatest writing duo in the history of comedy.

[@deckenneth]

Lets call Ghislaine just killed me.

[@AttilatheThrilla]

This is one of the most underrated Conan podcast episodes… Jim as usual was phenomenal and hilarious

[@jonathancineus6424]

😳 Duuuuude!!! Who is this Jim Downey guy, and have I been under a rock or something? He’s HILARIOUS! I was so afraid when he brought up Epstein but between him and Conan the comedic timing was IMPECCABLE! I’m still laughing! 😆

[@punksterbass]

SNL writer, wrote a lot with Norm Macdonald

[@MrUndersolo]

How many times have I watched this? 😅😂

[@ErosXCaos]

A tour de force. Impeccable.

[@Ally-Oop]

His delivery is so goddamn good that I don’t even recall how many times I’ve rewatched this clip.

[@bisonradio5847]

My son sent me this, knowing how much I would laugh. The back and forth, and the flawless incredulity of Downey.

[@hankdatank09]

Fucking home run….😂😂😂😂my gosh I watch this clip so often and it never fails to not make me laugh 😂😂😂😂 “haha nice try” always throws me off. 😂😂😂

[@MrMatenizer]

Matt's "I can see it." is why we love him.

[@dimestorephilosopher3308]

This might be one of the best comedy bits ever and it was just a Conan podcast with Jim Downey. oh right.

[@timmccaughey540]

"Sorry, nice try," is fucking genius.

[@Toots_Thielemans]

I haven’t seen a lot of Jim Downey, I knew he was a great writer, but had no idea his comedic timing and delivery was so good!

[@aviatornic2839]

I just saw the title of the channel. The Cone Zone? Thats 100% something conan would belly laugh at

[@thebendavis]

Sona's laugh is the best thing, ever.

[@abcdefghijkl5408]

"Best" = "the most forced and annoying thing"

[@Mildredpotka]

@@abcdefghijkl5408just like your mother giving birth to you.

[@McShag420]

This guy is an absolute comedic gem.

[@bzipoli]

i listened to this one in audio (is even better in video) and when he said calmly "let's call ghislaine maxwell" i laughed so hard i missed whatever they said for the next several minutes, lost my breath, had to backtrack to where i stopped it was when he said it laughed it all over again it took some time

[@Nthsey]

At “I have to apologize because I know Conan O’Brien and that’s a double standard” Conan almost lost it but these titans managed to turn an improv bit into something funnier than a most scripted jokes in living memory.

[@MrQdiddy85]

1:44 the laugh killed me

[@quicksandbuddy]

That gnome-like "ha-HA!" always gets me

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

If you want to see Jim when he was still just a kid, he's in one of Eddie Murphy's greatest SNL sketches (White Like Me). Eddie goes undercover, disguised as a white man, to see how whites treat each other when black people aren't around. Jim runs the store where Eddie buys a newspaper. Look it up immediately, because I don't want to give away what happens.

[@xhighone]

If anyone asks why people say Jim Downey is a big deal, this is the clip you show them.

[@SuperAzeone]

That’s the funniest bit I’ve ever seen on KZbin EVER!!!!

[@TheStuport]

This Gentleman Is Solid Gold! 🤣🤣🤣

[@GraemeGunn]

How did he keep a straight face, that's unbelievable lmao

[@dimshleifman7596]

My favorite thing. Watched it 4000 times.

[@matiasfaundez7339]

The way Sona goes "Oh no..."

[@troublebot]

It doesnt matter how many times I watch this, it still gets me every damn time.

[@nl5828]

walter white, the chemistry teacher?

[@TheConeZone-m9g]

From the car wash?

[@loud_laughter]

Genius level facetiousness.

[@matthewsawczyn6592]

"Sorry, nice try--" 😆

[@edgaramora1319]

i watch this more than ten times and still cant atop lauging

[@PSUtoPHL88]

Downey missed a big opportunity when Conan said Epstein was dead, “I didn’t even know he was sick.”

[@TheConeZone-m9g]

This is a Norm MacDonald bit for those who don't know. The full episode archives of the "Norm MacDonald Live" show are fantastic.

[@PSUtoPHL88]

@@teeveeparty I feel like you don’t know who Jim Downey is.

[@teeveeparty]

@@PSUtoPHL88 he's a legendary SNL head writer who wrote update with Norm.

[@gankt]

A great opportunity to steal someone else's joke? Stick to re-posting memes, buddy

[@GoadedGoblin]

James Woodward Downey (born 1952) is an American comedy writer and occasional actor. Downey wrote for over 30 seasons of Saturday Night Live, making him the longest tenured writer in the show's history. SNL creator Lorne Michaels called Downey the "best political humorist alive". Alma mater, Harvard University.

[@archiermanilo23]

"No, I'm talking about jeff epstein the new york financier." The way he just so genuinely says it so good.

[@porcelainpanelpro]

This was a fantastic bit

[@williamhornabrook8081]

This is probably the best start to a podcast that I've heard and I've been listening to podcasts since the Ricky Gervais podcast.

[@thetomster7625]

this might be one of the best bits I've seen on this podcasts so far^^

[@alexmar4252]

I can't believe I listen to this several times each month and I still laugh with tears...

[@Miguel.Angel.Galvez]

Best introcution to the podcast I have ever heard! 🤣

[@ethanadkins5638]

This is hilarious!

[@markcollinsage45]

This is the greatest video on the internet

[@rikurodriguesneto6043]

This dude is the perfect partner to Norm. 😂

[@SecUrityLM]

This is friggin hilarious. When he said "Let's call Gislaine." I peed alittle.

[@RonMotta1972]

This is why Jim Downey’s an absolute genius. And Conan is playing his part perfectly.

[@joevesayaporn]

This is hilarious

[@shannern]

The most brilliantly executed comedy masterclass

[@nl5828]

dolph, the artist?

[@davidmckesey7119]

Good Norm joke

[@ShawnMcLaren-s9m]

Am I the only one who is getting energy vampire vibes? This is a masterclass.

[@The_Bean_Head_Men]

This was a joy, perfect handling of comedy, that old boy.

[@kunserndsittizen2655]

This is some timely, cutting edge stuff

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

A lot of people don't know this, but Jeff was a wonderful painter. He could paint an entire apartment in one afternoon -- two coats!

[@lepus6511]

"haha nice try!"

[@faustoaguilar6527]

in the paul rudd redsturns episode, almost at the beginning of the episode conan says "we spend time on an island alone, wich is no ones business"

[@jonpon-r6w]

There's only one island in the entire world and Conan and Paul Rudd never joke

[@jhyacinth]

Genius, just genius 😂

[@GardenBound]

Best bit by a mile.

[@tyrannosaurus-dex7556]

"with the island" 😂😂😂😂

[@RafiOmar83]

"Suuure Jeff is dead, Conan. I bet he hung himself."

[@sanctifiedandsaved5298]

Jim Downey is fully committed and doesn't break - God bless him 🙂

[@jorgeG1349]

" haha nice try" 🤣🤣🤣

[@dennischiapello7243]

His laugh at 1:30 cracks me up.

[@Wesleech]

Why is this old man not a top tier comedian?

[@jeffnals]

Jesus Christ? The carpenter?

[@loganbrion1469]

Bro was on the island 🏝️

[@nodical802]

Salmf

[@razzle1964]

Didn’t Norm once say the same kinda thing, about Hitler?

[@brendanjones3816]

"I see it." - Gourley

[@lachiewren]

OJ Simpson? The football player?

[@stormblessed2321]

I can't believe he's the moderator in Billy Madison.

[@peterallison290]

That was hilarious.

[@NBM3]

The man's a genius !!!!

[@wordsisnukes]

jim downey is a comedy god

[@caman225]

This guy’s hilarious

[@andrewwhite1305]

Lol, Jim doesn't care, and it's amazing

[@jeffisaliar]

This guy looks like Stephen Hawkins sans the ALS.