Rivers Cuomo Had A Major Surgery To Correct His Uneven Legs | Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend

Rivers shares what it was like to undergo the Ilizarov procedure. Plus, Rivers shares how the experience affected his voice on Weezer’s second album. Hear more from this episode @ listen.teamcoco.com/riverssur...
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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.
Team Coco
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[@Lolbsterbiscuit]

My grandmother was a nurse who was caring for Rivers during his recovery for this surgery!

[@-Teague-]

Wait really? That's super cool! Did she know about Weezer at the time?

[@atravelerofbothtimespace4172]

❤

[@blueazure9658]

now why lie

[@-Teague-]

@@blueazure9658 why accuse people of lying? Is it impossible for anyone to ever have met or interacted with a famous person?

[@bobbert1945]

That's cool, and also since he was 25 (1995) when she cared for him, her sharing this information with people outside his hospital care team wasn't illegal yet. That law came a few years later.

[@EK-xz8ig]

Conan, I was a young teen with no bedtime when you came on, I absolutely loved everything you did, and still love you. Your fans are true lifelong fans!

[@gfox9295]

Agreed... sadly, there weren't enough of us to please NBC when Conan took on the Tonight Show mantle for awhile there. ;_;

[@rayawake]

Ditto!!

[@dpx4954]

same here, my sisters back then can't understand why i like Conan, now it's my wife

[@ashtoncavanagh1622]

It’s crazy that people didn’t like Pinkerton at the time. It’s amazing and their best album imo, and most people now seem to put it along with Blue as one of the best even if it’s not their personal favourite. Such visceral instrumentation and vulnerable lyrics. It’s really amazing to see that level of candour in lyrics.

[@jacobseal]

I totally agree. It's not only the candor in the lyrics but also the totally "outside" unconventional humor. It really felt like it was written by one of us. It was such a commercoal flop that I didn't even discover it until maybe 1999-2000. I was blown away by it and still am.

[@CSharpDCS]

@@jacobseal So good.

[@JustinCourts]

@@jacobseal I'm one of the weird ones that didn't really *hear* it until the 2010s. One of the albums I don't think I was really ready to love until I got a bit older. Now absolutely one of my favorite albums, front to back, of all time

[@SDCDIABLO]

It's hands down their best and all the outtakes and demos from that period, including all the SFTBH stuff and blue stuff.

[@YoctoYotta]

Pinkerton was their best album in my book. It's gritty and a little haunting. Saw them live on tour for its release in 96 when I was in 6th grade. That was pretty cool.

[@pfzt]

I love the sound of the album, so much crunch and garage power, sadly no one else (ha!) picked up on that and did similar sounding albums. So it stands beside very few other unique sounding albums (like AJFA/Metallica, Is This It/Strokes) in the hall of fame of rock music.

[@emeraldcelestial1058]

Blue is the best I mean c'mon.

[@JohnDoe-vc5qb]

@@emeraldcelestial1058 agreed

[@tamarockstar45]

It really was a great album. I wish it would have been more successful so that the band stayed on that path. It being a flop made them change a lot. Then we got the green album, which kind of sucked in my opinion. Pinkerton was their last good album.

[@YoctoYotta]

@@tamarockstar45 100% agree with everything you say. Their retreat into boring bubblegum pop music in the hunt for mainstream acceptance was pretty unfortunate. Kind of interesting to hear him say that even with their first couple albums, they found their primary market to be 10 year olds. I was 11 when Blue Album released, I guess that check out, lol.

[@gregory593]

I think it was Nietzsche who once said, "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes your leg longer."

[@jasonbink5276]

Obviously Rivers has matured over time, but I think part of the reason this interview is so good is that Rivers can connect to Conan who is also brilliant and is also an artist.

[@_LightLeak_]

When Rivers walked out on stage with a cane at the Warfield I'm pretty sure everyone thought it was a bit. I remember hearing laughter throughout the crowd. ...I also remember everyone going absolutely crazy when they played their new song "Getchoo". It brought the house down.

[@perkuskamui]

it is A TREAT to see Conan being so real and having a real talk. Musician and artist to musician and artist.

[@tishw4576]

Bless him. Anyone who has this procedure is doing this for health and not vanity. My upper jaw was extremely narrow and I has a pallette splitter. It was a steel bar across the roof of my mouth, attached to my molars. Every day I cranked it 4 times and it was so painful. However, I was able to breathe better and it allowed me to have braces with helped with my eating. I saved the key after it was removed and put it in a memory book.

[@Thepc425]

I’ve considered doing this, but did you do the lower jaw expansion? Because I read all they can do is push the teeth of lower jaw out to fix bite issues but it still doesn’t solve the less floor space on lower jaw and the only thing that does is a huge risky surgery. :/ I’m unsure if upper jaw expansion will cause ballooning effect of upper face, tmj issues, and unnatural difference between lower and upper jaw.

[@TrevorCopter]

Had the same thing. Painful enough spreading my mouth, lord knows how much worse it is for a leg 💀

[@Jcreek201]

Had an expander as a kid too. It was an “X” that strapped to four teeth. I only had to crank mine like twice a week and that was painful enough.

[@timvanboening9432]

I remember I got Pinkerton the day it came out, and being blown away. I loved it, and it’s only gotten better to me as I’ve aged. I got to see and meet Weezer on the 2000 Warped Tour in San Diego, as they were coming back from the break up/hiatus, and was blown away by Rivers’ kindness. He stood and talked to all the fans, and this young man with an intellectual disability came up to him and asked if Rivers had seen his Spider-Man wallet. Rivers said no, he had not, then walked around where we all were standing to help him find the wallet. It very clearly was not where we were, but the young man didn’t know that; he just knew that rock star Rivers Cuomo helped him try to find his wallet. Real genuine kindness.

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

I started watchin Conan when I was 12. It was really my first experience with entertainment not explicitly created and marketed for children and unlike I think every other thing I got into after that point, Conan has been a constant fixture in my life that has never stopped appealing to me.

[@Yomommahouse6801]

How does Rivers still look 25? He has some amazing genes.

[@xm23ful]

Remember the first time I saw Conan. Moving to a new apartment with my family, staying up let with my brother fixing our room. The tv was on, I never stay up late. My brother watched him from the beginning. 1993. Conan was the only reason to stay up late to watch tv

[@mladent1464]

I've never seen Conan being this calm and focused. That's what happens when you're around Rivers Cuomo.

[@YoctoYotta]

Yeah, definitely helps that Rivers isn’t exactly bringing a level of energy and reciprocal antagonizing on par with, say, a Leslie Jones

[@gwicks]

@@YoctoYotta Imagine Leslie Jones speaking with Rivers Cuomo! If only that skit they did on SNL was her actual opinion! 🤣

[@YoctoYotta]

@@gwicks omg, i totally forgot about her love for them, lol. That’s hilarious. That skit was so good. Man, she’s the best.

[@AFishNamedBob]

He's done this a couple times recently I've noticed. With Eichner and Kunis, letting them get very serious about things that meant a lot to them. I love that he knows when to shut it off and turn it on.

[@MrVisde]

Haha, I was going to say all these clips Conan is matching Rivers energy. Just very chill and laid back.

[@stephentaylor5607]

This is all I could’ve hoped for in this interview. My top two influences of my youth straight up talking about their insecurities of their youth that straight up guided me through mine. Pinkerton and the late show with Conan defined me and helped me carve my own identity.

[@charlockprime]

Another episode that I'd really love to watch in its entirety.

[@Nightbringer2000]

I know, I wish they would post the entire interviews.

[@brentj.peterson6070]

I was not a huge Conan fan early in his career. In this setting... he's so relaxed and relatable. Such a sweet cool guy.

[@zephyrleapold6796]

Having a pleasant convo with critics is a good way to get them to lower their guard, so they don't see the wrench coming

[@rainbow9832]

If you ever feel like succumbing to the social pressure and giving up, imagine what it would be like if Conan, a GENIUS of these talents, did the same! And that we would have never known of him! That should tell you something about the importance of perseverance.

[@neilcrowesongs9768]

I dig it when Conan gets real

[@user-uy8xf9tm5h]

Watching this interview was painful, my leg hurts now! 😢

[@matts5430]

When Pinkerton first came out, I bought it, and wasn't sure what to make of it. It was so different from anything I'd heard. 4 or 5 listens in, it became one of my favorite albums. And when the Deluxe Edition came out, I bought that, even though I had most of the tracks, thanks to Kazaa.

[@MaryamofShomal]

Oh man, *Kazaa* 🤗

[@CMUBruin]

I once got a shot of Demerol for pain and wow, after that I understood how people could get addicted to drugs. The pain I had literally disappeared and I felt like I was floating. Afterwards, I came to wonder if it was irresponsible for the doctor to give it to me.

[@profile2047]

I personally don’t think so. I’m more concerned that law abiding people might or will loose out on the ability to have great quality pin management due to people or culture not taking responsibility for themselves. I know that’s a bit archaic idea wise. But it seems in America we do that all the time. Even though my family eats healthy I’ll never get to have those unhealthy McDonald’s fries once or twice a year because people felt like they had to eat it everyday or way too often. And if one were to say fast food is cheaper. Well I think that person should look over what you can get at grocery stores. Anyways, weird rant, and sorry. Just an opinion and I’d bet I have a lot more to learn and be corrected on.

[@jacobseal]

I had a minor surgery about 5 years ago. They gave me a shot of SOMETHING in the recovery room. Within 60 seconds not only was the pain at the incision site gone, my chronic neck and back pain were also gone. I mean GONE. For the next 5 hours I felt better than I have in 10 years. I would not let them give me any more of that stuff. I can see how addiction could happen really quickly.

[@Nightbringer2000]

That’s so weird that the 2nd album wasn’t liked a lot or a commercial success. I assumed everyone loved it, because all my friends and I loved that album instantly, it’s one of Weezer’s best.

[@audunrundberg9180]

From what I can tell, The Blue Album never charted in my country, but Pinkerton did briefly. The Good Life was a radio hit. Didn’t hear about Pinkerton’s reception till much later.

[@MrVisde]

The blue album was universally appealing, poppy, and a bit quirky. I also wrote off Pinkerton when it first came out because it didn’t sound as polished. One of my friends just left the CD in my car and didn’t even want it…I started listening to it again and thinking “hey, this is actually really really good”

[@oakwalkermusic2593]

It's my birthday and this was the best gift! Rivers on Conan!? And they talked about Sona's bday too! Perfection.

[@DickDiamond74]

Was trying to figure out what to type as Conan mentions "enduring"...and that's the key to pushing thru : physical trauma, failure, criticisms, retrospect

[@LadyJD13]

I really enjoy these more subdued interviews.

[@captainloudpants]

Matt and Rivers could be brothers.

[@ke4nyv]

I have loved Weezer since the early days of the Blue Album. Rivers is one of the few that I would love to meet and talk to, but I'm afraid he would just suffer having to listen to me go on asking about the equipment they recorded the first two albums with and how much I love those albums. My six year old daughter almost always asks when we're in the car "Can we listen to Weezer?" It warms my heart and she loves the same song that I do, The World Has Turned and Left Me Here.

[@YouLikeBosch]

These are actually some of my favorite Conan moments, the more recent interviews with musicians. The Nirvana one about In Utero was really, really wonderful. Conan is king.

[@user-uo4tv1nt2e]

I’m on this part of the podcast now. I love weezer! I’ve actually only started listening to them last year and I learned about the band from one of my favorite youtubers Zack Scott and I love em so much!

[@kathyjones1078]

What can I say? I love Conan.

[@Shimanchu2006]

Awesome that Conan loves Pinkerton. Respect

[@CalvinEastwood]

Pinkerton is not only Weezer's best album, but one of the best albums of all time

[@kristopherclark-berroth4386]

Pinkerton is an excellent album. One of my favorite road trip start to finish albums.

[@riverscumo]

He looks pretty much the same as he did on the Green Album cover

[@MaryamofShomal]

That is the gnarliest thing I’ve ever heard - and I’ve had brain surgery! 😬

[@curtisnewton895]

I have the same issue, but when I see the problems it causes in my back, I am tempted to do the procedure no matter how painfull

[@h3artands0uLL]

Podcast guest request: Regina Hall! One of my favorite interviews Conan ever did was with Regina when they were talking about the bachelorette party she threw for her friend… The suctions..the cake… It was one of the most hilarious things ever. They have great chemistry it would be nice to see them talking again and catching up

[@midnightvargas9835]

Omg. I loved Pinkerton. Had no idea he went through all this.

[@KordTaylor]

Wow. I never knew. Such a struggle. ❤😊

[@OrangutanTradeSalesmen]

Pinkerton is a masterpiece, tempo changes alone make it great. The feel is insane

[@CuckFinn]

the way that little nerd belts out tired of sex live is unreal its so so so good

[@christopherdelude9441]

Pinkerton's my fav Weezer album by far.

[@alexTillery]

Rivers is an absolute legend

[@marshpw]

conans most serious interview ever

[@PaperHamburgers]

Pinkerton is one of my all time favorite albums.

[@rangers11ization]

Is it painful🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣The definition of a rhetorical question🤣🤣

[@kennetho2499]

This broke my heart 💔

[@Zannathin]

Pinkerton is a brilliant album. I didn't appreciate it when it first came out only because I was expecting something else and I was too young to have an open mind, but overtime I fell in love with it.

[@glenneric1]

He should've been called Ilene. I'll show myself out.

[@stocktonheath]

Come on!!!

[@pj101]

Take your kicks and and thumbs with you!

[@joseapsantos3633]

Boa noite, um boa conversa, sensacional. Gostei do vídeo.

[@madarab37]

Didn't know Rivers went through that. I remember years ago there was somebody doing that in China to a kid...breaking his legs and stretching out the legs. Now there's a company that sells up to 6 inches of growth in the legs for like 150k? and they're getting a bunch of tech guys forking over money for it thinking they'll get promoted faster. Imagine their disappointment when they only get old ladies at the supermarket saying "Hey, you're tall....could you get that can of soup off the top shelf for me?"

[@lordsubl1me]

this man can just look young whenever he wants to

[@stiltzy1534]

Dear Conan, When I was a teenager, back when there were only like 40 channels, I would sneak into the living room to flip back and forth from you and adultswim. You gave me great joy when I really needed it and together, we convinced my parents TV's default to closed-captioning, 1 bar of volume when they turn on heh

[@adamhasser2010]

Pinkerton hits different. It's one of my favorites.

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

Garrincha, the legendary Brazilian football player, was born with and uneven leg. A doctor said he would never be able to play football. He won two world cups.

[@kreuzschmerz36]

…and lived on until he died age 49 because of alcoholism,which was his way of dealing with the pain-way to go!

[@krisfinley6706]

The first time I heard of this procedure was in some documentary about extreme vanity cosmetic procedures. They showed some Russian teen girl having it done just to be a couple inches taller😟

[@1andonlyhoncho]

I wish Conan would play to the camera a bit more. I like to see his eyes; been a fan since the early 90's.

[@patrickm4729]

LOVE Weezer. And Pinkerton is so killer!

[@Mammothbronco]

Loved Pinkerton

[@accordion2kevin742]

Pinkerton is my FAVORITE Weezer Album. Everyone else is wrong

[@LivingWater-bs1hh]

this is why matt sharp should be in Weezer, Matt was the Conan of Weezer, and it brought very interesting stuff out of Rivers...although Rivers can do it on his own. there is something about matt...very talented.

[@nickblood7080]

Pinkerton is one of the most underated albums of all time

[@brentj.peterson6070]

I liked Pinkerton because it was so different from the Blue Album. Rivers should be proud of it. Btw.. Maladroit is a great album! Good rockers.. especially Take Control.

[@slimydick23]

Weezer's Pinkerton album... It's been 27 years and I still think about that crap at least twice a week. Entire album was 45 minutes long. An insane emotional journey. Critics hated it. It's unlike any other Weezer product. It was amazing.

[@danettegallaher8493]

🥰Love Weezer….what a journey he’s had. 👏👏👏🙏🌸

[@primus103]

I liked the 2nd album. It's really good.

[@farmerdave33]

Around the 8 minute mark.... JEEZ CONAN REALLY DOES NEED A FRIEND

[@chasenshirley8863]

My high school biogly teacher Mr. Scott Gillespie god rest his soul... told us a story beacahe everyone always noticed why the sole of his left shoe was 4 inch thicker than the other, so he always told the students before they asked him at the begging if year of new students in his class ... he said that he was hit by a train as a kid and it messed up that keg from growing the right length as the other...he had surgery he said but it never helped. He sadly passed away last year just after retiring the year I graduated 2018.

[@ImTheDudeMan471]

Please have "Arnold from Kentucky" on more. Please, please, please.

[@4Realzeaz]

Listening to their first two albums you'd think Pinkerton was their first. Love Pinkerton.

[@reality8605]

This dude reminds me of: Gourley, '92 Kurt Cobain, and Gavin from Kids in the Hall.

[@Parker--]

And now we know the inspiration for their song "Put Me Back Together." I guess the lyrics were trying to tell us all along: "When I walk, Down the street, I been trippin' on my feet..." "...Here, it's clear, that I'm not getting better, When I fall down, you put me back together"

[@KeonPH]

You know what it is? It’s Weezer time! 🍕

[@cinziaventuroli3167]

when i was a kid in Italy i had the same problem , no one could say why , some doc said was a virus , some was genetics gap on grow . At that time , my neighbours bought a house bycicle for me, ......With some luck my legs turn to normal in 1 years , but my mom still remember how may cry and pray ......

[@GrandpaEggMusic]

Pinkerton = masterpiece

[@RustinChole]

Pinkerton is my favorite. Easily. “The Good Life” might be my fav Weezer song.

[@alann5003]

Cuomo looks like Jordan Schlansky. 😂

[@absentstars474]

Pinkerton was like one of five albums that got me through high school. Half japanese girls do it to me everytime

[@tlgibson97]

It seems like it would be easier to shorten the other leg. But I'm definitely no doctor. I don't know if I could do it either way and would use orthotics or whatever nonsurgical methods that are available.

[@justinmraap]

Two of my worlds colliding.

[@jennhoff03]

I want to listen to this album now, but I can't figure out which one it is. His surgery is mentioned on 2 different albums' wikipedia pages. Do you know, by any chance?

[@justinmraap]

@@jennhoff03 He had his surgery after _The Blue Album_ (1st album) but before _Pinkerton_ (2nd album). His recovery and experience during his time at Harvard heavily influenced the songwriting and darker tone of _Pinkerton._ Rivers poured his heart and soul into making the album and the critics basically spat in his face about it and he ended up feeling embarrassed over _Pinkerton_ flopping, sending Weezer into a hiatus. I think it's an interesting story, but if you search for it you can learn a lot more about it than from just this comment. :)

[@jennhoff03]

@@justinmraap Thank you so much! I'll start listening to that album.

[@DavisComicFinds]

But to be clear….Was it painful?

[@rage12345678]

On the interwebs back in the early 2000s, the nerd (gaming) forums I'd frequent were obsessed with Pinkerton. I didn't realize initial reception wasn't so great. Odd.

[@lauriem7774]

Two stand up guys......

[@davidhurtado2725]

Fun (as in terrifying, people are sick) fact: in the last two years this procedure has become increasingly popular with people doing it in both legs to be taller, i.e. for vabrity purposes. About 200+ people did it last year. Look it up.

[@CaliMel184]

Ugh that is terrifying. If it goes wrong you could literally just lose your whole leg.

[@AttilatheThrilla]

I always felt the difference of the vocal vibe on Pinkerton and now it totally makes sense.. Also I’m definitely one of those people who thinks it’s their best album

[@MarcMcMillin]

I cried

[@FablestoneSeries]

Pain killers do nothing for me usually. but Demerol is amazing!!

[@MarcMcMillin]

I cried 😪

[@danlevay5657]

I liked you in 1993 and 1994. It was your Letterman morning show period.

[@localcrew]

Sona is so lovely. She is my Demerol. 😍

[@Allagi22]

I broke my leg ankle had massive surgery with metal put in both. Now its longer than my other leg causing me hip/back problems. Jeez I hope this isn't what I will have to do

[@lydianbreaux9332]

Pretty sure my dad had that same procedure as a baby in the 50’s.

[@helldeirch]

how did reviewers even pan pinkerton? It was honest, coherent, had good production and was way more technically complex than blue album

[@jtuds]

I still cannot understand how Pinkerton was a flop....it's an awesome album

[@nolanricardo9849]

Conan looks like hes about to fall asleep

[@joseville]

6:37 the perfect answer would have been "my dad"

[@curtislindsey1736]

Since we are doing lead singers, Conan should have Eddie Vedder on. That would be amazing.

[@FaintSmile66]

i hated pinkerton when it dropped but it's my fav now, like not even close.

[@TheMightymolar]

Pinkerton rules.