Do you like to laugh? I like to laugh. I think everyone likes to laugh. The problem is that the last few weeks I have not laughed much, and I suspect the whole world has not laughed much. The war in Iraq has made things more serious, more grave, more un-laugh-worthy. It does not help matters that I am addicted to war coverage.
I've been sharing all my evenings with CNN news anchors Paula Zahn, Larry King and Aaron Brown (and Anderson Cooper if I'm up that late). But the other day, I had a discovery of sorts. It was 12:45 a.m. and I flipped the channel to NBC. Within thirty seconds I had a smile on my face. Two minutes later, I was laughing louder than the voice of an auctioneer. Late Night with Conan O'Brien made me escape the inescapable because Conan was extremely funny -- funnier than Ex-Lax in a diarrhea ward. I suggest that you turn on Late Night (Channel 50 at Dartmouth) if you want to escape the seriousness of the world around you if only for a brief hour.
Conan's humor is relevant and on target. He jokes about the war in a way that is palatable and droll. The other day, for example, he brought a military analyst on his show. Conan asked a very serious question relating to the allied force strategy as they encircled Baghdad. The military analyst was an old man with untamed hair; he was dressed in a General's uniform. He uttered a nonsensical response, leaving the audience in a laughing riot. Here are some more of Conan's quips about the war: "Due to the war coverage, ratings at the cable news networks have shot through the roof. Executives at MSNBC are thrilled and said, 'It's been years since both of our viewers tuned in.'"
"To protest the war in Iraq, some restaurants in Germany have pulled American products like Coca Cola and Budweiser off their menu. Which begs the question: Who goes to Germany and orders Budweiser?" Conan strikes a beautiful balance between current events and comedy.
But why watch Conan? Why not Leno or Letterman or, heaven forbid, Kilborn? You should watch Conan because he is the resident wit of late night comedy. Sure, everyone has their preference of late night comedian, but Conan is far and away the wittiest of all.
Conan is distinct from other late night comics because of his uncanny ability to blurt witticisms at will, an ability to think on his feet. It's hard to offer any real examples of Conan's wit because much of a good comedian's performance skill is ineffable. But you can understand Conan by looking at who he is not. With Leno, you get the funny monologues but drawn out interviews. Letterman, you get the funny yet staid interviews. Kilborn? Let's just say his idea of funny is not in keeping with the rest of America as his Nielsen television ratings have slipped lower than the price of a Christmas tree on Dec. 26. Conan has beaten CBS's Late Late Show for 380 consecutive weeks, dating back to 1995.
Conan's wit goes hand in hand with his improvisational ability because you never know what he will do next. Will he make a funny face? Say a punchy come-back to his guest? Or will he start making fun of himself? Part of the reason people choose Conan is because he picks on himself, an endearing quality. Craig Kilborne, on the other hand, plays the role of quasi-intellectual pretty-boy, which gets old after the second show. And when you watch Conan, you notice his penchant for reading his audience. He knows when the audience digs his humor and when it is repulsed. He is an experienced performer and uses this to win over the audience.
Conan was not always a success. After Lettermen quit NBC, Conan, a writer and producer for The Simpsons, was called in to bat. At first, he was a disaster. One critic compared his show to "roadkill." But Father Time marched on, and Conan became more than a pinch hitter; he became a slugger of late night comedy. Now the king of late night comedy, Conan O'Brien can be found every day in his pearly palace, Rockefeller Center.
I suggest Conan if you want to liven up your Dartmouth days because he will make you smile one way or another. If you want to keep up to date with the war, then share your evenings with the endless war coverage. But if you want to chuckle, share your (late) nights with Conan.
