Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast name was supposed to be a joke, but not anymore

Variety

Podcasting has breathed new life into Conan's entertainment career, and he's actually forming bonds with his interview subjects. Conan originally had to be talked into launching his podcast, which recently finished its 36-episode first season that included interviews with late-night rivals Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, as well as historian Robert A. Caro, Michelle Obama, Howard Stern and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Conan recently struck a deal to do two more years and at least 72 more episodes of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. Podcasting has been so profitable that Conan has launched a spinoff podcast, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, and a special multi-episode podcast, Deep Dive with Dana Carvey. "Very quickly, O’Brien discovered he had a natural affinity for podcasting," says Brett Lang. "He liked the fact that he could talk to his guests in a looser fashion without having to worry about cutting to commercial, landing a punchline, or giving them ample time to hawk their latest movie. And, though the conceit of O’Brien auditioning friends was just that, a conceit, he’s found himself getting closer to his guests. He was particularly moved by a sit-down with Ben Stiller, a former colleague from O’Brien’s stint writing for Saturday Night Live, who admitted to feeling insecure about his work and accomplishments." Conan says of the Stiller interview: “When he left the room, I thought that’s the best conversation that Ben and I have ever had. The title of the podcast was meant to be just kind of a joke, but I swear to God, I’m getting closer to people. It’s been a gift.” ALSO: Martin Scorsese, Jack White and John Mulaney are among Conan's dream podcast guests.