MovieChat Forums > Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011) Discussion > I like him quite a bit less after watchi...

I like him quite a bit less after watching this

posted 13 years ago by escadamausgaby
11 replies | jump to latest

OK, to get it out of the way, I hate Leno for his stupid lack of humor and lowest common denominator approach. I've been a huge Conan fan since I saw him first on the long defunct "NBC Super Channel" in Germany. He seemed to be like a guy who's in it for the fun and doesn't care much about money or being a seen as a star.

After seeing him in this movie, I have doubts about his true personality. He seems more egotistical and in love with himself than is good for him or better yet, is to be expected from a guy of his intelligence. I am not too concerned about him being a jerk to his underlings (after all such a tour is an extreme phase of pressure where not everything that's said is also meant that way), but more about the way he seems to always act like "we're in this together, we all have to work super-duper hard to make *me* look good, because I lost my show, whine whine whine...".

After all, he got a 30+ million dollar compensation for being fired at NBC, in addition to the millions he made up to that point, not even to speak of endorsements/ book deals / ads, etc.

My point is that he shouldn't whine so much and realize that's it's easy to be that hard on yourself when you are a made multi-millionaire, because if it doesn't work out, you just walk away and live on a tropical island. Yet, for him to demand the same from all the guys who work to make him look good and don't have that security net, makes him seem really entitled.

We all saw, during the writer's strike, what Conan can do without those guys. It wasn't much.

[–] DeltronFF 13 years ago

Conan had a contract... in contracts you have certain things set up to where if you are screwed over (like he was) you will still receive some compensation. $30 million was his. But I can't stand when people like you say "he got all that money so he should just shut the **** up!!!".

Right.. because he NEVER could have amassed that amount of money in his career, or especially if he kept that job for the next couple decades. MAYBE you should look past that and realize its been his dream to be the host of the tonight show, something almost nobody in the world will do. He did his job at being funny for so many years on Late Night, then NBC decided he deserves the spot after Leno leaves and promises him the gig... then Leno retires, then regrets and pulls a move, and Conan gets shafted. But according to you.. Conan still got some of his pay, so forget all that.. right? Who cares.. he got money, something he already has a ton of and would/will get even more of.

----------
The sticky stuff on the stairs tastes bitter!

[–] txryguy 13 years ago

it's exactly what deltronff said, he had always dreamed of being the host of the tonight show; regarding it as "the holy grail of late night". then once he gets the job it seems like they take it away from him before he even gets a fair shot. it's just one of those classic cases where it hurts worse when you have something and lose it, rather than never having it at all. anyway, i can see you're point about him whining about it alot, however you also have to realize they started this tour very promptly after he quit working for nbc. so his feelings are alot stronger at that time than they probably are now. he also kinda seems like a dick alot of the time, but it's not like he's some rags to riches type guy who can be humble 24/7. he grew up pretty well-off and even though he says he doesn't feel entitled to things, you know deep down he does. anyway, i enjoyed the documentary. he's still my favorite host at the time. i look at him about the same, his condescending and sarcastic insults he throws around are just a part of him, and i think the people that know him best realize that his comments are meant in jest.

[–] escadamausgaby 13 years ago

Well, I respect your opinion, and it made my qualms I have with the Conan I got to know in this documentary even clearer to myself. What puts me off is that I lost trust in Conan's motives. He SAYS that his dream was to host the Tonight Show (whose legacy, btw, had been ruined by Leno way earlier anyway), but when you listen to Conan talk, you get the idea that the main motivation for him is simply money. At one point he half-jokingly even says he's in it for "money and owning property", but seeing through his sarcastic way to say it, you can tell that that's his main motivation.

Again, I don't have any problem with people who are driven by money, but they at least shouldn't act in this holier-than-thou way and pretend money is just a nice side effect they don't give much of a sh*t about. I am disappointed in Conan's apparent dishonesty in this regard.

[–] DeltronFF 13 years ago

Everybody wants money (not every.single.person obviously.. but most people in show business/sports/etc. want the money).. I just don't see the act of holier than thou.. I don't think he does this. oh well tho.. its your opinion. I find the guy hilarious and that's all that really matters to me personally.. I try not to get too involved in things outside of the main factor.

----------
The sticky stuff on the stairs tastes bitter!

[–] jimmiescoffee 13 years ago

can't disagree.

[–] LoganT 13 years ago

There's this notion that when you reach a certain success you cease being a human being. You can have all the success in the world, it doesn’t mean you are going to happy all the time. It doesn’t mean you are some super human who can do a two hour music show, and still have plenty of energy to do a meet and greet and take pictures with everyone, at the same time completely enjoying it.

It doesn’t matter if he was snarky and kind of a jerk backstage, as he still did meet with his fans.

[–] jef36 13 years ago

Everyone acting completely oblivious that Conan can be kind of a dick. Have you never watched any of his shows b4? He regularly ridicules guests (especially when they drone on about some dumb story)he mocks the audience on a nightly basis and lets not even get started on constant butchering of La Bamba. Conan O'Brien more or less makes a living on poking jokes at people, If you don't believe then just watch any of his monologues. I think he is hilarious and probably has over come many odds to get where he is at today. It's Conan's tour so I don't understand how wanting it to go perfect makes him conceited. When you have over 30 million dollars and a degree from Harvard their is much easier ways to make money than going on a nation-wide tour. Just because someone is a dick doesn't mean that they still don't truly enjoy performing or doing what they love for a living. In fact Ive learned that by being a dick sometimes is the only way to get things done. I am really just surprised that people are so shocked by his behavior in this movie. Ive been watching Conan for years and I think he is the best performers in the industry. He literally can't stop performing and I think he proved that in this movie.

[–] jimmiescoffee 13 years ago

"constant butchering of La Bamba"

thats funny. you realize its a bit,no?

[–] escadamausgaby 13 years ago

Dude, you just don´t get the joke. What I mean was a completely different thing.

[–] jef36 13 years ago

Then please explain it to me.

[–] cinephyler 13 years ago

what joke?