Q&A: Conan's Advice On Dealing With Insecurity & Self-Doubt | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

[@stevekombolis3542]

Man I love Conan. Not only he has been consistently at the top of his game as a comedian he is one of the most open and honest about himself public figures I have seen in my lifetime, which is almost 50 years.

[@Astronopolis]

One of a dying breed my friend

[@allgunsblazed9106]

@@terryt7720 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😐

[@forallthestupidshit3550]

You should watch the commencement speech he gave after all the late night drama. It is genuinely inspiring.

[@stevekombolis3542]

@@forallthestupidshit3550 I saw one commencement speech from him where it was the normal mix of self-deprecating humor and great comedy while being pretty inspirational but i don't remember when it was. I'm sure he's done more than one. I'll try to find it because if i haven't seen it I would definitely like to, thanks for the suggestion.

[@forallthestupidshit3550]

@@stevekombolis3542 I'll try to find it too. It was definitely after the late night drama, because he mentioned it in the speech. I already liked him as a comic and comedy writer, but after that speech, I loved him as a person.

[@kybercrow]

On the rare occasions that Conan isn't being his hilarious silly persona and actually gets real, you can immediately tell what a kind and intelligent human he is.

[@nnaheim.]

700 and 12.

[@thelostone6981]

In 2008, I found myself on the other end of a suicide attempt because my world had came crashing down. I spent the next few years trying to figure who I was, what I valued and why I was acting the way I was acting. Then, in 2010, I listened to Conan’s Dartmouth commencement speech and so much fell into place. In all sincerity, it brought tears to my eyes because of what he said and I still go back to it 12 years later. He’s a comedian, but he’s a very wise and thoughtful person underneath the jokes. Even though I doubt I will ever get to tell him this in person, I do owe a lot to him. Thanks Conan.

[@irmaiz133]

How inspiring and I am glad he uplifted you so positively!!!! I was fortunate enough to go to one of his taping in NYC. He is larger than life and very model-like handsome in reality. This was when Jimmy Fallon was a guest of his show that night along with mayor Bloomberg.

[@jemand8462]

thanks for you comment, I'm in a similar situation (minus the suicide) and will listen to it. I'm kind of procrastinating it for a bit because it seems to be uncomfortable to hear truths and realize your situation

[@angellacanfora]

Thanks for sharing your story! Now I need to find that Dartmouth speech.

[@mohnishr481]

Thanks For Sharing. You know i keep listening to that Dartmouth speech and fills my heart with optism. A good perspective and a laugh at times. I hope whatever you fought and won over never comes back to you. You stay blessed and find courage to live on a happy life.

[@ChrisHops22]

hope you are doing well, my friend

[@popFLYhigh]

Maybe the longest I’ve seen Conan go without doing a bit😂😂

[@chaoswitch1974]

Lol cracking a joke

[@nhokonhokopuala]

Ahahahahahhahahahahahahaha So true man

[@popFLYhigh]

I will say I appreciate the serious jibber jabber 😉

[@rojeezee]

They edited the bits to condense the message he’s trying to send - you could tell

[@Rattenhoofd]

He did several bits in this though.

[@AdamBobrow]

This is really a treasure! Vulnerable, honest, insightful and a powerful and helpful reminder. Thanks for everything, Conan!

[@clarky2228]

Wow glad to know the snake master is part of team Coco

[@AaronMurphyTBone]

Conan gives me great hope for my own dreams of performance and entertainment. Thanks Conan. You are the man and I love the kindness and good humor and silliness you bring to the world..

[@Virgox222]

You can do it!❤

[@ddebenedictis]

Stay on it Aaron, pursue your dream, the world needs quality entertainment.

[@Diesel257]

You'll never make it! (I'm the guy that motivates you to prove me wrong) 🙃

[@WTFG78]

You and me both. Maybe we can collaborate one day and help each other succeed. :)

[@X17xRJx17X]

liking and commenting so when you become famous i can show people this thread and be like "I knew Aaron Murphy before he was famous!"

[@mrrd4444]

I love Conan when he's funny but I love him even more when he just very plainly talks about what he thinks and how he feels in such an honest and unequivocal way. He's honest and frank but never cruel, he's kind but never equivocates. And that's important.

[@Ritwika-Saha]

Every Conan video that I watch ends with me saying, "I love you, Conan." I am grateful that you are here to make us laugh and learn. You are extraordinarily brilliant and so humble. God bless you and your lovely beautiful family.

[@greatone2155]

Weird video ending ritual...

[@raymonddagostino6118]

Well said!

[@MISNM0]

Very sweet!

[@Hajde_budalla]

Sycophantic.

[@tippitytop]

Sachmein behen. We all do love Conan.

[@Ragazar]

I love looking at Conan and Sona, it amazes me that after all the years she has been with him, she still genuinely laughs at the wacky things that come out of his mouth, and the look she gets in her eyes when Conan says something profound like in this video, it shows that she's still in awe of him after all this time. One of the best pairs of entertainers in the business.

[@DefaultName-du3kr]

I love Sona. Seeing her laugh is better than audience laugh.

[@Ritwika-Saha]

She truly looks up to him.

[@extramedium1]

Better than Ed McMahon could have dreamed!

[@chancestockman]

She doesn't do anything. They are not in love. What weird fantasy are you people watching?

[@bossdunkz]

@@chancestockman They're not in love but they clearly love each other. It's just nice to see two humans connect.

[@paulfitz6614]

Every time I hear a high profile person be open about their insecurities and how getting help is crucial, I am very grateful. Doing a real community service here, ask for help, everyone needs it at some point. Better off going to therapy or chatting with a doctor than living with crippling anxiety, depression, or self doubt.

[@pablot-r9402]

I agree for sure. There's always a degree of doubt or insecurity no matter how far along you get, but your comfort level and how you handle the doubt gets better with routine, repetition, reflection, improvement, and determination. Your biggest "opponent" is truly yourself, and you'll get better at handling yourself with time, just don't quit.

[@gymdian]

Honestly, Conan has brought me out of some really dark places in my life on more than one occasion. I'm thankful for him and what he brings us.

[@MrChrisStingray]

Conan is such a good soul. Just a good hearted man.

[@MaineOffGrid.]

I kick myself for not being a Conan fan back in his early years. I’m glad I have become one in the last 5-6 years. Conan is the most humble, down to earth comedian out there, besides Jon Stewart. And he consistently gets better. The fact that he answers questions openly and with compassion and awareness makes him even more awesome.

[@dr.p.wellington3604]

Jon Stewart Shout Out!

[@JamJells]

Proud of this entertainer making it through.

[@extramedium1]

I genuinely love Conan! He is thoughtful, kind, ridiculously smart, and so funny it hurts!

[@crzyruskie86]

Conan's show was the best late night TV ever.

[@Dulcimerist]

One of the many reasons why I enjoy Conan so much is that he has always been genuine, rather than trying to be some other persona on TV. He has just been himself, letting his innate humor and excellent interviewing skills entertain people for decades. I remember his first couple of seasons hosting Late Night, when he seemed a bit insecure and uncertain about the future of the show. He included some of that sentiment into the comedy of the show, and I greatly respect Conan for being transparent about his insecurities and being so open with his audience. His authenticity and vulnerability instantly made me a fan of the show, and I have immensely enjoyed every iteration of Conan's television shows ever since he premiered in 1993.

[@lempo222]

And he came to be one of the best (if not THE best) late night hosts of television history. I'm also glad that he's so open about therapy and medication, because those things do save lives

[@ernstthalmann4306]

As an anxious person knowing it will never go away is kind of comforting. Thank you Conan. I know I'm not alone.

[@eltravos99]

I loved Conan growing up. The thing is as kids/teens we didn't have that expectation of him being the next Carson. He IS our Carson. Conan and Letterman and Jon Stewart were my heroes growing up and going into my 20's and 30's. Just three awesome and good dudes to look up to.

[@digitalcassette5]

Been a fan since his late late night show used to stay up tp watch it after letterman. Hes such an inspiration and open about his struggles with depression.

[@thebreakfastmenu]

Conan's been a hero since I was a kid and he had that cartoon intro. Long time. I remember pimp bot.

[@derekfernandez7701]

I love Conan so much. This is the first time I've heard him speak about his mental illness - I feel that it is a brave move and I would love to know more about this side of his journey. 💙

[@bobbysummers9011]

He's a fine wine gets better with age

[@lacryingbaby3005]

Sounds like something EDP would say

[@TheGentleCreepers]

More like a sack of potatoes that turned into very good whiskey. 😉

[@JoaoSousa-yb7cs]

We love you Conan. I just got a new job in a leadership role and doubts/insecurities come to my mind all the time. Listening to you brought tears to my eyes 🥲

[@Kevin_geekgineering]

self doubt is you best friend in life don't try to lose it. it keeps you motivated to be better and down to earth, we need more self doubt these days

[@homafarster]

I am so thankful to Conan for his incisive honesty and graciousness. He has become a sage, and I hang on to every word 🙏🏻

[@kangarooninja2594]

There's a reality to dealing with insecurity and self-doubt that most people are never told. The reason you feel that way is because it's the truth and part of you knows it. If you want to end that feeling and find confidence in yourself, you have to convince that part of you that there's a reason to be confident. This means you have to prove your self-worth to yourself. You have to make good decisions, you have to do well at things worth doing, and you have to be willing to fail, get up, and try again until you succeed. That's it, that's the secret. Get uncomfortable and do the hard work of actually improving yourself. And be damn grateful you have that part of you that's willing to be honest about who and what you really are, not everyone has it.

[@DiscoFang]

That's better advice than the "good wife, good kids, therapy and meds" that Conan described.

[@kangarooninja2594]

@@DiscoFang Yeah, when someone thinks the answers to their problems lie outside themselves, it's a sign that they aren't taking ownership of them. That's not to say that other things and people can't help, but if we think they're the key, then we're in for problems. We can't shift the burden of the responsibility of that weight, no matter how much we try.

[@alexmini123]

I genuinely believe Conan is one of the most amazing people to ever live. You can tell he's genuine when he speaks

[@alicedeeper]

This was super great to watch - thanks Conan for being so open about this subject.

[@blueazure9658]

I’m gonna cry. You saved me many times. You should know that’s enough. Thank you. I KNOW I’m speaking for others too!

[@thomasfahey8314]

Started watching Conan when I was about 7 or 8. My sister and I would wake up and watch it quietly while my parents slept. Thanks for the laughs Conan, what a gift.

[@danielbarrero2815]

Conan is so wonderful

[@curtislindsey1736]

If you had told me in 1993 that Conan would be giving some solid advice for finding happiness in life in 2022...I'd never believed it, but here we are.

[@FunGamerClips]

I value Conan's genuine responses to these questions because it really humanizes the experience of being famous and a celebrity. It doesn't seem to be all glamorous or full of self-assurance.

[@connorduquette1432]

In addition to the wisdom he provides in this clip, I also greatly admire how he listened to this guy talk a little bit about how long he's been a fan and not only acknowledged it but went so far as to run with it and connect it to a short anecdote before even getting to the guy's question. Like, it really felt like he was interested in conversing with these fans instead of just doing a by-the-numbers QnA.

[@jma331982]

Hey Conan, I was one of those 90’s kids who watched your show and felt it resonate. I think your sense of humor had a tremendous impact on the shaping of my own. Silly, irreverent, honest; these are the comedic tastes that now reside in me. Also, I too have been plagued by self-doubt and low self-esteem. It has gotten better with age, but like you said it never goes away. As a therapist once told me (of my struggles with OCD), you never get over it, you just learn to live alongside it. Keep doing your thing Conan, and we’ll be there watching and listening!

[@RQuiaios]

As if Conan wasn't already the greatest, he then proceeds to drop this imaculate response just for us to admire him even more 😍

[@noosy530]

I love this man 😭😭😭💎 i would watch conan when i was in high school and uni, religiously going to the website to watch the night befores episode because we didnt have tv. It must be insane to find out years later how many silent young people admired him over the years.

[@RustyGrLashes]

Thank you Conan for your honesty. Whatever happened it’s the past, telling others about it, is truly honourable.

[@psychcasserole]

Conan’s advice is awesome, and one thing regarding the whole eternally-self conscious thing. I see that as a positive because then you can always be on your toes instead of always being at 💯 that would be so unrealistic.

[@Virgox222]

Perfect timing!❤️was thinking of this in my own life today.

[@Ritwika-Saha]

Me too! I keep thinking about how it must have been unimaginably difficult to hold his ground and keep persevering at NBC for 17 years without getting cancelled. He made it happen and worked hard for it every single day. Not just for himself but also for his amazing crew.

[@plutonian0612]

I know that we all need this, so thank you, Conan. Me, personally.

[@wojito]

I can't believe Conan said he forgot about the "If They Mated" bits from the past. Those were absolutely one of Conan's best bits that I miss dearly. Old school Conan was the funniest Conan.

[@johnnycashew9101]

It is here Conan transcends into a proper professor, his fans into pupils, and everyone lends an ear to a proper sage's advice on life. I don't think he knows how much it means to some of us, who have been following this man since the early 90s. We have grown up on him, he has shaped our sense of humor in life and by extension what and whom we find funny. And quite frankly, as an adult in a new career field, I still needed to hear it. Heavy words by the world's lankiest ginger

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

I'm 32 and still feel as insecure and clueless as I did 20 years ago when I first saw the late night show. I hope he talks more about this type of thing in the future. Between this, the hour long retrospective on him getting the late night show, and countless other bits of real glimpses into his life we've gotten from the podcast I feel like he has so much to teach all of us.

[@carlneedsajob]

ill always love conan

[@TheFrogrjb]

Thank you for sharing Conan.

[@pageup213]

I've thought about late night like this for quite a few years now: Carson built the format, Letterman elevated it, Conan perfected it. Craig Fergusson somehow sits between all three in some way shape or form and was a uniquely great host that also deserves a mention.

[@evelynibarra2143]

Conan is the true national treasure.

[@BCwell2010]

He seems really humble

[@ratinthehat_]

I love Conan. What a great guy.

[@mr.constitution]

One thing I always respected about Conan was that he seemed like a genuine person and not a phoney like Fallon, Kimmel, Corden, etc.

[@Ching_ima]

Thank you, Conan. Just a short talk but can see how genuine and wise he is.

[@flyboy008]

Great and honest question and answer! Love you Conan! Big fans!

[@TaylorMeadowSun]

Awww love you Conan!!! Yes medication, support, therapy!!!!!! Healing is happening :))))))

[@barrettpickett5603]

Very insightful and yeah meds.

[@BanjoBitty]

Your show got me through some rough years in my early teens and since then I've been a huge fan. My sister and I love you, Conan.

[@effurfeelings]

I would stay up really late when I was a teen for Conan. Got me through a lot of crap. Thank you.

[@Pneumanon]

One of the great things about Conan is just that he's a decent human being.

[@alankingchiu]

Serious Conan is my second favourite Conan. Behind Conan Gray of course.

[@BuildinWings]

Imposters Syndrome is real, even among the best.

[@miladbarikani3591]

there is some quality on some people that other people like a lot but when they will be asked about it the answer always would be a disappointing thing but his answer to this was totally mature human and honest and I think it goes right next to the reason for the question itself

[@m.d.atkinson6975]

Conan I love you.

[@kabirpalamadai3742]

I love this dude

[@emmayo27]

Conan is simply the best.

[@savagetofu1]

Conan, you will always be my favorite late night guy. I've watched ya in all your incarnations. As a musician, I fantasized about playing on your show.

[@jennifergersch9126]

Why not send them a tape?

[@savagetofu1]

@@jennifergersch9126 Thank you, for the encouragement. I think I'll do that. Don't know how...

[@FilipGiera]

DO IT. What is there to lose?!

[@amynelson6264]

Conan, you are the best late night host ever, and you're podcast rules too!! I watched you every late night and it was the highlight of my day. I would have sent you fan mail, had it not been for my own insecurity. I love your podcast too. Thank you for all of it!

[@LegendaryMel]

CONAN IS SO COOL!!!

[@GlassesAndCoffeeMugs]

Conan the GOAT for real 🙏

[@kalruggs1719]

I’m 36, I’ve been watching Coco since I was 12!

[@Ritwika-Saha]

You are pretty cool!

[@kalruggs1719]

@@Ritwika-Saha My mom thinks so!

[@tippitytop]

@@kalruggs1719 😂 😂 😂

[@tippitytop]

@@kalruggs1719 The Conan energy is strong in this one.

[@chrisbrant3120]

"If they mated" was always a favorite of mine lol and the walker texas ranger lever 😂🤣

[@apseudonym]

if they mated was so ahead of its time

[@KentAJDK]

I really enjoy you guys back infront of a audience. There is a awesome vibe. I do enjoy when only you three and the crew. But it Conan treivs with the audience. ❤

[@classictalkies]

Commitment to mental health always makes a huge difference ❤

[@daveigh]

The top of my bucket list would be to meet you Conan. I am claiming this wish. I will definitely see you soon.

[@BingoBilingual]

Always funny and candid, luv him so much!

[@hyperreal]

What a great answer. Thanks Conan.

[@NoLootStudios]

What a legend this man is! He always put a smile on my face

[@NasAfter]

Oh Lord I love this man so very much ❤️❤️❤️

[@Virgox222]

He is so special, kind hearted & genuine! Love Conan.

[@lotdproduction]

Thank for your words Conan. Love your show for pretty much all my life too. So great! Shout out to the guy for asking a really great question 👍🏿

[@patrickconnors2215]

Tremendous, God Bless you Conan

[@ricardomorais420]

I think Late Night audience demographics changed tremendously with Conan. Now that I'm 45 is when I'm starting to appreciate Letterman. When I was younger, I thought the best thing they did was to "retire the old man" and bring up some crazy Irish with orange hair. To be honest I still do. Conan, Oliver and Chapel... my 3 favs.

[@almighty1984]

Fagerström, I know you're in there!

[@YupImNegus]

Thank you for this, Conan. ❤

[@GlitzChickz]

I NEEDED THIS TODAY WOW

[@heyhey5963]

Much like Conan wished young comics told him earlier on he was an inspiration, I wish Conan spoke sooner about therapy and medication sooner. I'm sure it'd help a lot more people who feel the same way get the help they need faster.

[@ww21943]

I think it’s still stigmatized to a degree. To this day my mom freaks out if I share anything about my struggles with depression. I’m 37 and relativity successful by some peoples measures (certainly not my own lol) She has this idea that I’m going to lose my job and ruin my life if I do. Obviously, there is a time and place to talk about those things in public.

[@globdrop]

@@ww21943 I feel the same way. I'm 35. My mom has this weird dismissive attitude about my (at times severe) depression and sometimes medication and specifically stuff like marijuana. Meanwhile she was fine with me drinking since I was like 14. It's a misunderstanding or rather non-understanding with any generation pretty much before Gen X or Z or whatever I am. They just didn't talk about this kind of stuff so it's like not that real to them

[@apseudonym]

bruh, he's IRISH CATHOLIC. we repress that stuff until it's too late

[@westphillyscotty]

Conan really knows how to pull on those heart strings 💗. That must be why he's so good at the string dance 😁. Loving this new format btw.

[@raw_pc]

Live long and prosper Conan🖤

[@John.Christopher]

Thank you, Conan!!! We love you much

[@thecitizenjoan]

We loved you Conan!! I was 7!

[@Vinnipuhovna]

Conan is just beautiful person

[@StevenM801]

i love conan so much

[@abhishekgupta8934]

I just want to meet him once.....

[@lettuceleaf186]

Seems like a good guy

[@ac75911]

Watching Conan's older bits from the early 2000's always had me crying laughing. Oh my god, and the Walker Texas Ranger Lever. Vomiting Kermit, etc.

[@DirtyFrigginHarry]

If I ever see Conan on the street and impulsively yell something at him. It's either gonna be "walker told me I have AIDS" or "Feeelin Fiiiine, like Cher-ee-Wiiiiine"

[@RetractionMedia]

As a new content creator that’s somewhat reassuring to hear.

[@coosoorlog]

self doubt is a great mechanism that protects a lot of people from wasting their lives on futile pursuits that would only result in them being even more miserable.

[@xy6845]

It's always nice to see mental health treatment being a thing not just for you and me, but for famous people and let's be honest almost anybody as well. Apart from that - bet sb already wrote this quote down here anywhere (I don't even know who said it, but): "One of the world's major issues seems to be that critical thinking, reflective and considerate people tend to be overly self-critical and timid often times, while you know all the brain-dead, ignorant zombies speak out with overconfidence all the time." Sth like that.

[@artvandelay8030]

Best line-up in late night History... CARSON, LETTERMAN, CONAN. You were either there .......or you weren't. Sorry kiddo's. 😎 #PimpBotO'Brien.

[@vinerwe]

You’re a great human!