I have been a Conan O' Brien fan for many years. I remember watching his very first program, and being somewhat unimpressed. However, as the years went on, I started to see some of his absurd humor, and I couldn't help but start to become a fan.
In January of 2010, something happened which polarized many in the country. Thankfully, it was inconsequential, but it did inflame a lot of passion, especially in people my age and younger. Jay Leno (who represented the establishment for many) got his job back on the Tonight Show, and Conan O' Brien was fired from his dream job as the host of the Tonight Show. I thought he got a bad deal, but knew he would be back on television eventually. Between the time that he left the Tonight Show and began his new program on basic cable, he took a live show on tour across the country and sold out every venue. Along the way, he allowed himself to be filmed, and the product of that was this documentary.
It is a very entertaining film for two reasons. First, Conan is a natural comedian. He is a very funny man, and that translates here as he jokes around with his crew and his coworkers on the road. Also, the clips from the live show itself are hilarious. In the same vein, Conan appears to be very friendly. He gives a lot to his fans in the film. He knows that many of his most rabid fans have come to see his show, and he does his best to accommodate them. He even does this at times when he is not thrilled about the prospect. His bitterness at the obligation leaks out a couple of times in the film. One wonders what it would be like to see yourself on screen (if you happened to be caught by the filmmaker's lens) adoring Conan right after he is honest about the draining nature of showing love to his fans.
This segues into the second reason this film is so entertaining. It shows us a human being and his struggle with fame. We live in a harsh culture that sees celebrities as our servants. True, Conan chooses to travel far away from his wife and children. No one makes him. The settlement he reached with NBC was so lucrative that I would imagine that he didn't need the money the tour provided. Obviously, he did it because he loves entertaining people. But after a few months on the road, it is clear that some of the obligations of the job were taking its toll. He still puts on a smile and greets his fans, but the camera away from his fans captures his true feelings as well. It is interesting to me why Conan would want for this side of him to be given to his fans. But it is also refreshing. It shows us the very human side to this man, and that celebrity of this level is unnatural. That is why near the end of his tour, he longs for the simplicity of driving his kids to school. He knows that is a more realistic life, and he yearns for it. But, he also loves the interaction he has while performing, and so he will live with the tension.
This film is so important. We as a culture must learn that celebrities are doing a job, and we don't really know them. Ironically, Conan gives us a chance to know him a little better here, and we see ourselves in him. Who amongst us wouldn't yearn for simplicity when millions of people demand your attention. How would I do if young women who were strangers to me began throwing themselves at me? It is a tall order to carry that well, and the moments when we see the weight of it become too much for him, we remember that O' Brien is a human like the rest of us. And, even with his frustrations, he comes out even more lovable. I wonder if that's what he wanted.
