Penn Badgley Is A Middle School Dropout | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Penn hosts a podcast all about awkward middle school stories, despite not finishing middle school himself. link.chtbl.com...
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ABOUT CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND
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. Watch highlights of Conan, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley chatting with celebrities and meeting fans, along with special segments like “Review the Reviewers” and “Big Dick History.”
ABOUT TEAM COCO
Team Coco is the KZbin home for all things Conan O’Brien and the Team Coco Podcast Network. Team Coco features over 25 years of comedy sketches, celebrity interviews and stand-up comedy sets from CONAN on TBS and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, as well as exclusive videos from podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,
Literally! with Rob Lowe, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, May I Elaborate? with JB Smoove and Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley.
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[@jonathansheldon6499]

Penn Badgley sounds like a name Conan WOULD make up.

[@cdbsk76]

he's Chip Whitley's cousin

[@matthewlongmire7656]

I think you mean Badge Pennly

[@aidakalybaeva758]

@@cdbsk76 🤣🤣🤣

[@justinlittle8906]

@@cdbsk76you mean whip chitleys cousin?

[@chiemela.i2196]

😂😂😂

[@cookiesncream789]

I am surprised to learn that Penn Badgley is a middle school drop out. Every interview I've ever watched of his, he is so intuitive and intelligent, I would have never picked up on that. That confirms what they are discussing in this interview; we learn a lot from life experiences.

[@bumblebee7384]

Well, he drops out but he actually took the proficiency exam and basically “graduated” high school at 13. What he didn’t say here is that he actually went to Santa Monica College after that, and was actually accepted in USC when he reach 15. So while he likes to use the word “middle school dropout”, in all technicality he never actually dropout, he just accelerated the process.

[@TheeDionysus]

this is an incredibly backhanded comment

[@mike04574]

dont lol. this only happens to 1%, just like steve jobs dropping out of uni. Don't do it cuz its rare

[@blueblack3591]

Wow

[@VioletEmerald]

He's not a drop out. He took a different path that was more like homeschooling rather than withdrawing from education.

[@spidercat2841]

"I retained the joy of reading" Yeah Joe we know

[@dawnfmEnthusiast]

LOL

[@ThePeanutGiant]

I'm South Asian, and it is really unfortunate that the worth of a child to a parent can be so much tied to their "success." Success meaning admission to the best high schools, the best colleges, and going into the "top" professions. Very sad.

[@charlesselby3559]

Bonin O'cryin, another great interview 👏

[@jdawg93]

This name needs to stick.

[@charlesselby3559]

@@jdawg93 I know man, I keep saying it in his comments in the hope it helps catch on

[@zzzzzz3708]

The fact that he said professor Snape is "involved" is gold. Conan you've outdone yourself again good sir!

[@GreatBritney99]

Penn’s sense of humor is delightful.

[@kanagawakenji7]

Conan: "I went to Harvard..." Also Conan: "I sometimes feel badly..."

[@nogglebeak]

tfw when you miss the humanity.

[@Sam-nm6hh]

that’s correct grammar?

[@kanagawakenji7]

@@Sam-nm6hh Not super important but "I feel badly" would mean you do a bad job of feeling; "I feel bad" means you are unhappy/ feel guilty.

[@aarondavis9355]

@@kanagawakenji7 Because I so rarely have to worry about bad vs. badly, I haven't really investigated...you taught me a lesson today.

[@eliminator173]

@@kanagawakenji7 its actually "I feel not goodly"

[@Rebecca-jh1ct]

I just love his voice

[@tikitiktok7777]

I remember the words of encouragement during a conversation from 4-star General McPeak (USAF). " It's not the number of degrees you get from fancy and prestigious universities...it's what you know and how you use it, common sense and learning from mistakes in the Air Force will give you longevity in your military career."

[@elecbass100]

This is a reflection of recognizing where I went to school or from where I didn’t complete my education does not define who I am or what I can do the rest of my life. Perspective.

[@Genny-Zee]

Also known as Penn “didn’t attend Penn State” Badgley

[@AlumniQuad]

Also known as Badge “didn’t attend Badge State” Pennley

[@kman20]

Also known as “University of” Penn Badgley

[@somethingcleverhere]

I get the sentiment behind this, I can't help but feel apprehensive about talking about reading as enough to lead you forward. I think we all know someone who reads without critique or curiosity (is that something that can be taught?) and knows less for it. We have to be skeptical enough to pick what we take in, and remember that what we read could be wrong and we could be wrong too to learn anything.

[@liloa03]

It’s almost always the people who went to schools like Harvard that then go on to say school doesn’t mean anything. You’re here because of the people you met. School isn’t just about writing essays. The luxury the few have to go to top schools affords them a kickstart in life many who cannot afford then cannot get. Some of our hero’s may be rags to riches but the vast majority of those who have achieved great success are those who were able to go to good schools. either getting in through merit or money there will still be those even with full scholarships who cannot afford to go to top universities far from home. I got into every school I applied for yet had to chose the one close to home just because I couldn’t have afforded the rent in the other places and I couldn’t afford to go back and forth at holidays. This isn’t a death sentence but the school you go to is like having an illness. You can get well but you’ve got it and it’s pulling you back til you push through. Pushing through is hard.

[@inachristine]

I think the ability to build and maintain relationships is the most valuable skill to have. No matter how much of a leg up someone else might have, if they're difficult to get along with or irresponsible in general no one's going to want anything to do with them. Building a solid reputation and putting yourself in new situations is really all anyone needs to start moving up

[@shabrinaz9877]

Yea because not many people would be transparent about their finance. The fact is that with great university credentials They secured 6 figure starter salary, and in even government official jobs You also secured many benefits including pension. All that is not even included bonuses. Great school does not mean everything but it still does mean a lot of security

[@bellaluce7088]

Immediately getting a 6-figure salary with nothing but an elite college degree is NOT typical, nor do most graduates go on to great success beyond what one would expect from a group already pre-selected for high intelligence and persistence. Yes, an elite degree can have benefits, but I wish people would also consider common downsides like massive debt, imposter syndrome, alienation from post-college peers due to assumed snobbery, and a perverse LIMITATION on opportunities because of the debt or internalized pressure to not take a job you might love because others could perceive it as "beneath you." I know a LOT of people who attended elite schools because of where I've happened to live and work, and most are living normal, pleasant, not especially noteworthy lives just like everybody else. I also know people with humble degrees or no degree at all who are living big, fascinating lives, and making an excellent living. So much of success in life (however we personally define that) is the energy we put into it and what we believe is possible. It's sadly ironic that elite schools--which are supposed to be in the business of fostering human potential--have such a paradoxically LIMITING effect on the sense of possibility of so many who did not attend one. Don't believe the hype. No matter what their marketing departments want the world to believe, Conan is correct that elite schools have no golden key to life success. If such magic does exist, it may be in what Conan described: pursuing things that interest you in the real world and being willing to make mistakes and keep trying. The good news is that path to success (and fulfillment, and joy, and...) is accessible to all, no tuition fees necessary.

[@VioletEmerald]

​@@bellaluce7088Really powerful comment and I believe it completely from what I know too of people who went to such schools.

[@bellaluce7088]

@@VioletEmerald : - ) I wish more people could see behind the curtain!

[@jdawg93]

Dropped out in 9th grade. Sometimes I wonder if I missed out on the HS Experience but I also think it was good thing I did.

[@everythingsfinett3903]

What you missed out on is friends, except for that HS sucks. At least for me it was constant grinding, it makes you tougher tho

[@VioletEmerald]

​@@everythingsfinett3903I have some positive and some negative memories of teachers, of learning, of the entire high school experience. It's a mixed bag. You have this in life too after high school. Of a new job. Of any chapter of your life. A relationship you enter into, whatever.

[@esareteefour]

My mom pulling me out of 7th grade cause I was having some issues EtC, literally saved my life to be honest! But years later at age 37 now, i still can definitely appreciate the value and experience of a good education! But every person is different! Not everyone HAS TO finish school, go to college and get married and have babies by 25!

[@KeyPoulanMusic]

As a teacher (band director), I thoroughly enjoyed this clip. with toady's access to endless information, the thirst for knowledge and the intrinsic passion to learn allows us to dig deeply into our interests by accessing information. Great teachers inspire students who may not have that immediate thirst or passion, but the primary responsibility occurs within each of us. There are many ways to "learn" informally and I love that Penn was able to accomplish this independently. Hearing Conan say that he can't recall exactly what he learned at Harvard rings true for so many. Our relationships with students and faculty give us nuggets of wisdom that mold each of us. I also believe that some of the best "learning" occurs through our mistakes. (I"I'll never do THAT again!" Great interview!!

[@bananawarriorwootwoot]

I have a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Networking. My senior at work is one year older than me and is senior to me. All he has is a highschool diploma. Some of us need college to get to a level that others get at ease. No path is inherently wrong. Just choices and consequences. Do what works.

[@MonkeyChessify]

In engineering specifically though, education can play a large role. You may not be able to become a Professional Engineer (PE) w/o going to an accredited school, or it may take much longer (10 years experience vs 4). Depending on where you work that can be a major issue.

[@bananawarriorwootwoot]

@@MonkeyChessify I suppose that applies to fields like Aerospace. For SWE, you can get by with HS and a passion for coding. That's how my senior got into the game.

[@sfbsfb]

Middle school dropout, no graduation day for you 🎶

[@ctrlshiftniall5877]

immediately thought this 😭

[@o0Theresa0o]

I have to firmly disagree. I didn't get to pursue my post-secondary education until I was an adult because I was super poor. So, I lived some life before finally getting to be a university student. University opened my mind to so many new perspectives. It taught me history and context I would have never known to seek out. I learned how to critically think, identify reliable resources, and carefully examine what I was being taught. I learned a multitude of skills that I use in my every day life. Many of these things I would have never learned to do without formal education. That isn't to say that you can't be intelligent/smart without that education. It doesn't mean that you can't be wildly successful without a formal education. It also doesn't mean that you can't learn how to do some of those things outside of a classroom. But it is entirely disingenuous to write-off post-secondary education as being less valuable to life experience. It absolutely isn't. And research clearly demonstrates that.

[@nataliajimenez1870]

A broad education with particular focus on critical thinking, logic, how science develops is necessary in our world in which we stay in very limited circles. Many of us are deeply ignorant and easily fall for lies and then just interact with people that believe the same lies. A true democratic republic needs citizens that know how to think. It's easy to fall for dogmatic tyranny when the public is highly ignorant. Education that just focuses in learning a particular skill do not address this fundamental needs of societies

[@bellaluce7088]

@Trickius and @Natalia Jimenez I wish all the topics you mentioned were part of every high school's core curriculum. These things are too important to only teach at the college level. I would also add the concept of ethnocentrism, and in an ideal world, anthropology of religion, REAL history of the U.S. (including things like redlining's impact on present-day racial wealth disparities, the Tuskegee experiment, Native American boarding schools, etc.), plus the top ten essential picks from a national sampling of high school and college teachers.

[@bellaluce7088]

@Trickius I didn't interpret this as Conan being disingenuous or suggesting people should intentionally choose life experience INSTEAD of college. I saw it as encouraging and kind of him to let people know that 1) Not attending Harvard [/any elite college] doesn't mean you've missed out on some magic spell for success; 2) Learning on the job is necessary in some careers and it's okay to make embarrassing mistakes and not know your direction ahead of time; 3) If for whatever reason you didn't get a college education, you are in good company with heroes of his, and it doesn't mean you can't achieve spectacular things. ❤

[@jfrancis6191]

My experience was the same. I was a poor kid and uni saved my life. It’s not necessary for everyone but it was for me.

[@manu.gibert]

Protect this two man.

[@CirclingDuck]

More like Badge Pennley.

[@bernlin2000]

More like Chad Babeley

[@Winteramen]

Ben Padgley

[@learntolove3683]

I don't get it

[@barrodexteriit.9301]

More like Penn Badgley

[@Hmoo424]

Who remembers Jennifer Aniston line about him in Horrible Bosses

[@mariambadal3149]

Conan I really, really love you. You're an A quality human being with a beautiful soul. Hope you know that.

[@inkymunich]

I didn't know much about Penn Badgley, but this is a great interview and an effective advertisement for his podcast

[@roscoemuttley]

Some people, very few, can get by like this. He is a great actor who gets jobs. He can make money, which really is the reason for all the education. I, however, have little talent and everything I learned at working regular office jobs started with a college degree.

[@roscoemuttley]

Not complaining, sort of in awe of both of them and harnessing their talent

[@WaitingtoHit]

That shouldn't be a person's only reason for wanting an education, but for most Americans, it sadly is.

[@FilippoBuscemi93]

@@WaitingtoHit not only americans

[@radhiadeedou8286]

@@WaitingtoHit why shouldn't it be in the modern world? If you just want to learn then you have all the knowledge in the world in your pocket, the only reason to get a formal education is to get a good job

[@shabrinaz9877]

@@WaitingtoHit sadly? Doing office job is not without skill and compentence 😑

[@tempospeed]

Autodidact. Thanks Conan for teaching me a new word. Harvard education pays off.

[@water.77]

in spite of looking like superman? poor kid I'll listen

[@AshokKumar-fl3uu]

He looks so tiny compared to Conan.

[@bernlin2000]

To be fair, his posture is somehow even worse than Conan's 😆

[@damnmuggle]

He is 5’7 lol

[@damnmuggle]

And he’s skinny

[@thomaschristopherwhite9043]

Who doesn't? Dwayne Johnson looks normal next to Conan.

[@darkclaw1462]

5’9 (5’10 with shoes on actually), but yeah. Not to mention Penn has slimmed down after starring In Netflix’s You since 2018, and Conan has a lot more fat on him.

[@prathapkutty7407]

Didn't know Conan was such a big hp fan 😂

[@eliogaitevre2853]

Did the whole course - including a successful apprenticeship as an industrial electronics technician and University. This enabled me to be a convinced unemployed.

[@soussansabra3207]

May who went to school or not make it through life successfully and happy 😃

[@john_avernia]

Formal Education was probably very important in the old days because it was the only way to learn about a specific topic. But nowadays, because of the internet, you could just go online and find free resources that could teach you stuff. Heck, you can even find a free internet courses to teach you things. I learned about programming from free courses in Edx and Coursera, and then continue my education from videos on youtube before building beginner, intermediate and advanced projects with the help of github. And in 2023, I also have plans to learn about pixel art and 3D modelling. Probably gonna take free courses on the internet, or just watch tutorial videos on youtube. But then again, there are still tons of profession where you need formal education. If you're a doctor and then mention to me, "I learned everything from the internet..." I will call the police.

[@tbtx7]

Badge Pennley and Bonin' O'Cryin' Why does that sound more Irish than anything ever?

[@lachauntiswashington231]

very good

[@Team_Slacker]

Get in high school just to get bully, bad grades and student debt is a no to me.

[@original_golden_egg]

When are we getting more Conan remotes?

[@jfish032]

You're laughing because you still have JOBS

[@DwayneShaw1]

I only have a 7th grade education - but I was expelled, again - and just didn't go back - joined a carnival instead and did some traveling - But I already knew it all by the time i was 9 anyway .. I read a lot too. mostly non fiction

[@talldude1412]

No one knew it all by 9 lol

[@DwayneShaw1]

@@themanthing2447 - Sacrilege!!! - not that I mind, but Circus folk would look with great disdain on the notion they were anything like a lowly Carny. I remember playing the Cincinnati Gardens in the late 70's, I guess I was 13-14, The Shriner's Circus were in the venue, and the carnival set up in the parking lot for a week. Those circus folks would barely speak to us. I was a 'ride jockey', for $88 a week, and we lived in a semi-trailer, with 18 three tiered plywood bunks, a couple banks of lockers, and two shower stalls that ran on what was probably one of the original gas instant in-line water heaters. I ran the 'Rock-O-Plane' I'm sure you could google an image - 8 two seater egg-shaped tubs [*] that spin as the ride goes around like a Ferris wheel - in the tub was a hand brake (to stop the spin) so riders could lock the tub and go upside down, and/or create more spin momentum [**] Later I ran the dodge-em's (bumper cars) for awhile, until Patches took off and I got put on the Hurricane - which resulted in poor hearing for the rest of my life - but had it's advantages [**] [*] The main thing to running the Rock-O-Plane was loading the tubs evenly, and opposite, to distribute the weight so the drive cable didn't slip off the pulley's [**] there were three kinds of rides; 'kiddie rides', 'shake rides', and 'p*ssy rides' (it was another time, and I was younger and cruder) kiddie rides were an embarrassment for anyone but women and old men (though, now that I think about it, a lot of potential for meeting single mothers). Shake rides shook change out of peoples pockets when they went upside down - which could add up - It might only be $3-4 bucks a night, but that would buy ya a sandwich and a beer for dinner (in those days) - some nights could yield $30-40 bucks - enough to fund the nightly party. When I played The Ohio State Fair , I was picking up $80- 100 bucks a night. 'P*ssy rides, got the girls attention - like the Hurricane... and the Rock-O-Plane which was a hybrid 🙃

[@DwayneShaw1]

@@talldude1412 - that's probably true, but if you told me that when I was 9, I would have punched you in the nose - if I could reach it 🙃 ... But I've since remedied any deficit - really, I can prove it 'Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared' QED

[@DwayneShaw1]

@@themanthing2447 ... I've said too much, now everyone must die... Please submit your addresses below , and a convenient time for you - if you like ...

[@vicki208able]

Conan wtf stop Interrupting

[@brattprincess69]

I'm sure he needs more than 1....

[@pbdubz]

i was really into what he was saying then bam interrupted again lol

[@nogglebeak]

Conan is way too smart to have ended up doing this. he would've been a great educator.

[@bellaluce7088]

The curse of the smart person/elite school graduate: people judging you for not meeting their personal idea of sufficient Achievement. Conan found a way to follow his bliss while making literally millions of people happy. In my book, that's a pretty successful life!

[@VioletEmerald]

​@@bellaluce7088What a great reply to that.

[@bellaluce7088]

@@VioletEmerald : - ) ❤

[@Grigsy]

Acting and the entertainment industry is the last group that still supports child labor and.

[@samcyphers2902]

"A love of reading conquers all" is Joe Goldberg's life philosophy, other than following the D.E.N.N.I.S System.

[@erniemendoza36]

School Sucks!

[@bahiya94]

Penn Badgely more like Badge pennly

[@MrSHIV923]

More like Badge Pennly

[@mariarahelvarnhagen2729]

There's Telesto

[@mariarahelvarnhagen2729]

No Relation To Winchester

[@mariarahelvarnhagen2729]

In The Sky

[@jeffreyimagine7962]

Damn that’s sad HS was so fun for me he missed out

[@jezabeltokio]

High school was so draining. I don’t think he missed out

[@jeffreyimagine7962]

@@jezabeltokio yeah he did

[@Davett53]

I'm too old, and haven't a clue who this fellow is. Is he an actor? Need to google him.

[@Fish56437]

Yes he comes out in movies this one in particular called The Stepfather (its on Netflix). He also is the main character in this show on Netflix called You. Its such a good show.

[@clayclifton3895]

Penn B. don't do interviews......... your great the way you are.

[@xploration1437]

Conebone69

[@Jimbean212]

Sona needs to keep quite sometimes, read the room!

[@alessioexperiences4221]

“quiet”？

[@EamonKelly]

So she laughed a couple times. Big deal.

[@kamikazilucas]

how exactly does being home schooled mean you are a dropout?

[@aznthy]

Because he didn't finish 7th and 8th grade you fool, if you stayed in school, you would have known that.

[@bernlin2000]

It wasn't real schooling, is what he's saying. No classroom with other students, no immersive experience. One on one tutoring is not even home schooling, especially if it's being done in the context of acting work. Tutors are oftentimes hired to work quickly so the actor can get back to set. Hard to learn properly if you're constantly being prodded to get back to work.

[@aznthy]

You dropout need more education, did he complete his high-school diploma and classes to completion? No? They means he stopped going and he dropped out. People need to learn context and wording because you people lack understanding.

[@bumblebee7384]

He didn’t actually drop-out. In fact he took his proficiency and was able to skip middle and high school. He just likes to say he’s a middle school drop-out because he never went to middle and high school.

[@VioletEmerald]

He was homeschooling briefly but also skipped a lot of grades.

[@oosthakker]

Why did conan quit his show on tv if he still does the same work now only with headphones on, with less famous people and without andy? Seems like a downgrade

[@learntolove3683]

He said he was going to work on a new project with hbo max bit that was a year ago he mentioned that

[@marcgw496]

I imagine it’s a little less stressful in a way.

[@donupp13]

i guarantee you this is not the same work. His old shows require tons of employees to even exist. He’s got new things in the works anyway, but it’s not necessarily a downgrade or anything

[@oosthakker]

@@donupp13 well going from primetime tv with everyone who is most relevant in the world at the moment to a simple podcast seems like a downgrade to me. And why do they always have to wear the headphones and huge mics for radio/audio when on tv you see nothing and the sound is as good as here? oke yeah i understand that this can be les stressfull and the interviews have to be less rushed and funny maybe thats what he needed than and thats the reason but not that long ago he was doing all this complaining because he had to quit his show and than he quits some time later himself to do this thats why i was confused. Hope he comes back he always had the best talkshow

[@Vendrix86]

it's best to think of this podcast as filler until he starts his hbo show. The only issue here is it's not clear when exactly that's happening. It's been 1.5 years since the announcement and still nothing. I would hope it's coming out this year.

[@frankyaeger7698]

Sorry but you can't "Podcast" Conan

[@marcgw496]

I like the less scripted feel of the conversations on the podcast personally.

[@bellaluce7088]

@@marcgw496 Yes, and they go deep! He could have been a psychologist in another life given the way some guests open up to him! For me it's apples to oranges--just glad I can still enjoy the Conan vibes in some format.

[@fredwild2166]

"feel badly"?! Harvard?! Conan, tsk tsk rsk!!!