Conan Conducts A Staff Review With Oscars Writer Todd Levin | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Hey, welcome to a Thursday episode of. Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend. Usually. these are fan episodes, but we've been. mixing it up a little bit. recently. I'll tell you why. Getting ready for the Oscars, and uh I. have my A+ elite writing staff. downstairs in the building working hard. on concepts, riddles, quizzes, recipes. for the Oscars, and uh I am very. fortunate. I'll just come out and say. it. Uh I I work with the best writers in.

the world. Yeah. And one of them I I'm. I want to come up and hang with them. We. did this with Brian Kelley uh a couple. days ago. And now we're going to do it. with Mr. Todd Levin, about as sharp a. writer as you will find. You really are. That's really nice. >> You're you're crazily talented, and I'm. so glad that you're helping me with the. Oscars, and we've I think you joined me. Is it Did you say it was 2009 was when. you came on board? >> 2009, just as you were wrapping up Late.

Night in New York. I was wrapping up. Late Night, and I was headed to the to. take over the Tonight Show for a 30-year. run. And you. >> We knew we had jobs for life. >> You said I remember that. I hired you, and you said, you know, Tonight Show. hosts last forever. Yes. And you you said count me in. >> [laughter]. >> And you started spending money like. crazy. >> it was Most of it was spent before I. even got to California. >> Yeah. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, he showed up, and the first day he. got he said I'm buying a Bentley.

Yeah, and he got a license plate. that said Tonight Show for Life. >> [laughter]. >> And I said I looked it up. It was way. too many characters. >> It was. for a license plate. It wasn't. even legal. >> actually Tonight Show for Life 3, because two other people had gotten the. same vanity plate. [laughter]. Two other writers from my Tonight Show. Yeah, so you were with me for the end of. Late Night, Tonight Show, then the TBS. thing, and now uh Oscars, and yeah, so.

you will be my writer for life, whether. you want to be or not. So, I'm just. let's get into this a little bit because. there are different types of writers. There are the kinds that. they chatter constantly. I I'm sorry to. say I was one of those. >> What? Stop it, Conan. Oh my god. >> Doing bits in the room and. dancing around like a a champ a champ on. crack. And then um Todd, you are that I call. you you're like a ninja, an assassin.

You're you're quiet, you're taking. things in, and then you'll say something. that's really hilarious, and you'll. write something that's really great, but. there's not a lot of you know, babbling. and hey, look at me, which I really. admire. >> It's not demonstrative because I believe. in my work. Oh. Wow. >> [laughter]. >> It's. I am very much like a bad music. magician, and I'm also a bad musician, but I'm a bad magician trying to. distract you. >> [laughter]. >> I'm like, "Whoa, LOOK AT THIS. WEE! WOW!". And and then cuz I'm afraid someone will.

really look and see if there's not a lot. of protein here. >> [laughter]. >> No, but that I I was I think it's. awesome just because I'm I've never been. uncomfortable with that part of like. performing stuff. Even when I was doing stand-up, I was. the guy who just hugged the microphone. I just held it dear to me, and it I. wasn't like a big actor guy. >> try and leave with it. >> Yeah, exactly. I'd be Todd, you've got. to keep that there. Come back with the. mic. Uh well, tell me about your journey. a little bit because. um this happens so often. I work with. these really talented people, and I get.

to know them when we're in the trenches. together, and I think, "Hey, I don't. really know your origin story." But when. did you know, "Oh, comedy is for me?". Uh I mean, I think I always knew it as a. kid, but I didn't know I think you. probably hear this a lot, and I think a. lot of people who are in comedy say. this, but I didn't know it was a career. You know, I didn't grow up in that kind. of environment, you know, my parents. were both state workers in Albany, New. York and I So, I loved comedy as a kid. and my dad was really instrumental in. that because my dad had My parents had a.

terrible record collection. They had. very They had like [laughter] a couple. John Denver's, a couple Barbra. Streisand's. Right. But then my dad also. had. >> David saying, "What's wrong with that?". Yeah, yeah. He's like, [laughter]. "Sounds great to me.". Not much. >> [laughter]. >> I love your parents. When can I come over? David, settle. [laughter] down. But my dad had. uh Bob Newhart records as well. And so. he had he was my my introduction to. comedy. So, I would listen to his. records all the time. He had Cosby.

records, too. Uh I Like you could say that. Like but. those were also like huge a huge. influence on me. Yeah. And then my dad. also had this rule like we had this. really strict bedtime, but if we had HBO. when I was growing up and if there was a. funny movie on at like 9:00, he would. let me stay up to watch watch it with. him. So, I'd watch a lot of comedies. with my dad. >> Everything you're saying resonates. completely with me because my parents. had nothing to do with show business. I'm growing up just outside Boston.

I, you know, show business is this thing. that exists on Jupiter. It's done by. aliens. And [clears throat]. but my father was very interested in. comedy. You know, he was a, you know, infectious. disease scientist, doctor and he. But he loved comedy. He loved Newhart. We had those records. He They also had a. terrible record I mean, like no records. But he loved comedy and when a movie.

like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad. World would come on Oh, yeah. Once a year, it would. We we weren't allowed to watch TV at. night if it was a school night if we had. school the next day. But he would say. when this comedy came on, he would say. we could all watch it. And I mean this. was unheard of. But that was sacrosanct. If there was a. really good classic comedy, we could watch that. So, and I think. Newhart, I mean what a great person.

to learn from because the jokes and the. concept It's about jokes and concepts. And he's. he's like a matador. He didn't move that. much. It's, you know, it's all the power. of the joke and the stillness too. And. the Yes, for sure. And a musical ear. Yeah. Yeah. I love I loved him. Yeah. My. My My So, my dad turned me on to. Monty Python, to SNL, all those things. So, I was really into it as a kid. And. like like, you know, had no idea that it. could be a thing you could do for a. living. And then when I moved to New.

York, which was just a place I knew that. I wanted to be in New York eventually. I. didn't know what I wanted to do there. I. just knew I needed to be in New York. eventually. And then when I got there, I. just gravitated toward people who were. doing improv and doing stand-up. And I I. don't even know. how or why I befriended these people, but I started to kind of get in with. that world. And people My friends were. just encouraging me to get out on stage. and just do stuff. That's great. >> Yeah. So, in the beginning I wasn't even. My The beginning of my stand-up career.

was me reading bits. It was very much. like a Newhart thing where I was just I. would prepare a written bit that. depended on the page cuz I was so. scared. And I just was like, I need the. words to be perfect. And so, I would. structure it like, "Well, I got these. letters uh in the mail and I, you know, thought I'd share them with you." Or. these I found these old diary entries. So, something that was sort of It had to. be read. And then as I continued to do. it, I just got more comfortable being in. front of people and being spontaneous. And the pages started drifting away. But.

you have to find a special place to do. that because Yes. You can't go to a. club. There are comedy clubs where. it's very confrontational and you have. to. uh you have to. almost fight them to prove that you're. funny. Yes. Uh which is you know can. breed a certain kind of style and then. there are places you can go that are. more open to experimentation. >> 100%. Uh and so where were you finding. those places? So in New York that was.

there was a place called Rififi which. was in the back of a. I think it was like they they showed. movies there and there was also like. burlesque nights. It was a really weird. place. There was a bar in the front and. a little theater in the back and there. was a big kind of thriving alternative. scene there. So I would do shows there. UCB places like that. Um there's a place. called Luna Lounge Yeah. that had a very. famous like alternative show on Monday. nights. Maron kind of ruled the roost. there. Yeah. And he was he was in an. older general like kind of a generation.

of comics before me. Yeah. Um yeah so. there were all these little rooms you. could do that and then once you got. comfortable there still wasn't. expectation that you do clubs. I never. really wanted to do clubs but if you're. doing if you're trying to get into a. festival or get on TV then you kind of. have to be in clubs and you have and it. is it's different. It's like I have to. make you like me. Yeah. Whereas in the. alternative rooms you're kind of like. well this will make you like I this the. words I'm saying will hopefully make you. like me but like you have to be this.

person that's approachable and it it can. be combative but it's just a it's more. of like a a struggle like I have to make. these. idiots like me. >> [laughter]. >> You just. >> You ruined my brain. You morons. [laughter] How are you. morons tonight? >> You working class scum. Hey why did the crowd wasn't that good. tonight? Yeah they were they were really. good until you screamed at them. And you called them suits. >> [laughter]. >> You dropped your horn-rimmed glasses at.

one point. Um I waved a newspaper at them. >> [laughter]. >> Don't you idiots read? Uh. yeah, everyone has to find their own way. uh and. you do that and then. did you do TV jobs before you came to. me? This is my first TV job. So, I had. been doing pretty well as a stand-up and. I'd gotten like a TV gig just performing. and I got an agent through that. But as. soon as I got an agent, I said, I want. to write. Like that's what I want to do. Like, you know, I I like stand-up but I.

love writing. And this late night was my. first TV job. And I almost didn't take. it because I thought, well, shouldn't I. have a job on a worse show first? Like I. had that that that's my own like, you. know, insecurity and growing up in this. kind of like working middle-class. family. I was like, shouldn't I have. started on something smaller? Because I. was such a huge fan of the show when I. got hired. um that I almost didn't take it. And. then the week that that week I got.

>> You got the job and you were like, hey, this show isn't that good. >> [laughter]. >> I think I'll be just fine. Yeah, exactly. I don't know what all the fuss is all. about. >> [laughter]. >> I think Conan's on pills. But yeah, I so I that I'd gotten a job. on a another TV show, VH1 TV show, that. same week. And the and I was. I almost took that job and then I got a. call from Sweeney about this show. Yeah. And yeah. Yeah, it was crazy. I'd love. it if you had turned us down and worked. on Ridiculousness. I know. Oh my god.

>> I'd be rich. >> [laughter]. >> people in the TV show are falling down. I'd be rich beyond my wildest dreams. >> [laughter]. >> You'd refuse to come on this podcast. now. I'm not talking to. >> does this pay? Yeah. [laughter]. Uh. so, um talk to me about some of the bits. that you. like your experience working on the. show. What were some of the bits that. you got on early days or just in general. that you were really proud of? Well, the. first I would say the first thing that I. got on that Well, there are a couple of.

things. Like there are a couple things. early on that I got. I liked, but the first thing that I got. on that I was really proud of that. really kind of broke through was Minty. Yes. >> Candy Cane. Minty the Candy Cane. >> And that was like it just made people. happy. Oh, it was so. >> me happy. great. And now refresh us. Take us through the So, Minty is a candy. cane, but not any candy cane. >> And he's played by McCann. >> He's played by Brian McCann. I had. basically I had so much insurance for. that bit though because I had Brian. McCann who's incredible performer and so.

funny. Playing this candy cane that had. fallen off The idea is that he had. fallen on the ground briefly. Briefly. >> Briefly. He briefly [laughter] fell on. the ground. >> had a few things stuck to him, like a. cigarette butt and a penny and And then. the song was Can you do the song? I'm. trying to remember it. Uh Uh And then. come around. Minty the Candy Cane who. briefly fell on the ground. And it was. done in that kind of old-timey. Oh, Minty fell on the ground. >> [laughter]. >> It was. >> Now he's covered in goo. Now he's.

covered in goo. Oh my god. And. >> But like so so McCann played him Stack. sang Brian Stack also an amazing. performer sang the song and Jimmy Vivino. arranged it. I can't sing. I can't carry. a tune. >> And um of course near and dear to my. heart because my favorite era of singing. is about 1914. >> singing. >> Megaphone singing. Oh, and you know, uh. and it was great. He had just the. perfect thing stuck to him. And. immediately people loved him. I loved.

him. I would always dance along with. Minty. I think Minty threw things at. people. He threw He had a little basket. of candy canes that he passed out in the. audience and then he whipped them. >> whip them at me. Violently whip them at. you. [laughter] And quick shout out to. Brian McCann who I got to get in here at. some point because he played. He was such a that early early late. night show. he was on and. would just play these hilarious. characters that really helped us put our. stamp on the kind of humor we like. And. one of my favorites was the man with.

bulletproof legs. >> So good. And McCann would come out. wearing super short shorts and an. incredibly. um self-satisfied expression. And he. would sing a song about how you can't. hurt me cuz I've got bulletproof legs. Yes, I've got bulletproof legs. You. can't And then blam, he'd get shot in. the chest and collapse and die. And it. was one of my favorite things cuz he. would he'd make his legs elongate. Yeah, he would like like almost do this kind.

of beautiful swan walk. >> Yes, he'd do this long-legged swan walk. bragging about how. swan walk bragging about how his legs. were um bulletproof and then he'd get. shot in the chest. Uh and it just. delighted me. And that's one of maybe. 10,000 things McCann did for us. What you got there, Eduardo? A happy. holidays to everyone. The voice he chose. Yeah. You can hear the sound of Minty the cat.

cat who briefly fell on the ground. Minty [applause] fell on the ground, now. Minty's covered in goo. cuz Minty fell on the ground. for just a moment or two. That's it. For. just a moment or two, that's it. Now you. know, my favorite was Minty's covered in. goo. >> [laughter]. >> And it's just goo. Minty fell on the ground for just a. moment or two. Um yeah, and again, it's about just word. choice and ideas that if he fell on the. ground, okay, that's pretty good idea,

but the fact that he briefly fell on the. ground for just a moment or two and was. quickly retrieved and has some on. him but not a lot. Yeah. Uh that made me. so happy. He's just filthy. I also. remember I think it was you when the. iPhone, is this right when the iPhone. was first coming out? Didn't you do. something with the iPhone? I can't. remember. I don't know if I No, you're. thinking of Conan. Ah, that guy. Yeah, Conan did that great thing where. it was like the iPhone was good for. everything, but. it's not a it doesn't work as. >> Okay, that wasn't you. it, cut. that. I hate Conan. Conan's the.

worst. The uh oh, another early thing I'm not I don't want. to talk about this that much, but was. the. uh the Human Centipede Menorah. Yes. >> Which was That was like might have been. the same year. And that Human Centipede. had just come out, which was one of the. most horrifying and still remains one of. the most horrifying movies of all time. Uh Sona made me watch it on the tour. bus. >> [laughter]. >> Oh, really? Oh. I've never seen And um I. won't watch it. And it buffered a lot, so it took us 4 hours to watch it. >> Yeah. Yeah. It was really really not.

worth it. >> of love. [laughter] And so. uh yeah, so Human Centipede Menorah. So, um did this get you tossed out of any. religious uh affiliations? >> Well, the two things I remember about it were. that like Patton Oswalt had tweeted. something about how horrifying it was. And I was like, if that got him, that's. good. >> If this horrifies Patton [laughter]. Oswalt and got him not sleeping, uh then we know we're in the right. territory. And then the other thing was.

that we did it multiple years. And for. some reason, they always because I guess. because the costumes fit, they always. tried to hire back the same nine guys. Yeah. And except for like [laughter]. one of them, they all came back. It was. like a like they had Stockholm syndrome. Yeah. They [laughter] all Yeah, the one. that didn't come back, Timothy Chalamet. He just you know, and he won't. acknowledge it anymore. >> No, no, he doesn't talk about it. Doesn't talk about it. But it was crazy. cuz those guys would They all stayed in. touch with each other. It was like a. shared trauma.

And they all they all [laughter] kept in. touch. And I If you want to see the. Human Centipede Menorah, go on the Team Coco Don't [laughter] say. And then don't look at the clip, cuz it. was horrifying. >> horrifying. >> And it's everything you think it is. >> Yeah. Yes. Wow. So, But I like to do that was a. thing that I think. that I would go back to a lot which was. take something monstrous and make people. have to celebrate it. >> Yes. >> Or take something sweet and make it. monstrous. Which like Wiki Bear was like. a a sweet thing that Stack and I wrote.

that was like you love it when you see. it and his voice is cute, but he's a. monster. Yeah, what was it? Was it What. was Wiki Bear was when I would uh, take. the the bear that they were selling? Yeah, yeah. >> It was a real bear that they were. selling that you could ask it questions. and could. >> on a real thing. There was a bear that. could connect to the internet. >> connect to the internet. It was like. obsessed with murder. Wasn't it. constantly the Wiki Bear was always. giving. anecdotes or not anecdotes, but like. stories It would give you facts. You.

would ask it very innocent questions, it. would answer them and then pivot off the. question to something absolutely. horrifying. >> [laughter]. >> I'm trying to remember. I know like So. you would ask it like It was always I. wish I could I wish I could give an. example. That's right cuz it was a cute. kids toy. So I was saying, "Hey Wiki. Bear, how are you?" You know, and then. it would "Well, I'm fine, Conan." And. then it would pivot off that really. quickly. >> of blah blah blah. >> [laughter]. >> It'd be like something Ed Gein. Yeah. Ed Gein made uh, lampshades out of. human skin. And I'd be like, "Wiki Bear. Speaking of bright ideas. Yeah, it'd be.

like something like that. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah. He was a clever fellow. I think. one of the reasons you fit in so nicely. is that I think my whole life so many. bits were me. trying to be the innocent talk show host. who was doing something sweet. >> Yes. And then it's almost like we didn't. have rehearsal. If you follow that. logic. Like I'm going to try out this. Wiki Bear. Hey Wiki Bear and and then. I'd be trying to be like, "Okay, well. let's just move it along, Wiki Bear. Did. you know that the the second night of.

the Manson murders they, you know, and. I'm like, "Hey, hold on a second, Wiki. Bear.". But if you look through it, that's a. theme that runs through the entire show. for years and years and years any. version of it is. >> [laughter]. >> I'm trying to put. >> on a nice show for I'm trying to put on. a nice show. But that was a bit that you. helped a lot actually because the. original draft was like kind of it was I. don't think it was unfunny but it wasn't. focused. >> Mhm. And then when we were doing in. rehearsal because the bear would move. like they could control its mouth so it. always move and Stack was in.

the voiceover booth and you guys just. started talking about the Mantis family. It just became a funny thing at. rehearsal. [laughter]. And then Stack and I kind of locked into. that we're like that's what the bit is. It's You have to find it sometimes. It's. it is It changed the whole thing and it. was So what surprised you? You went from. watching the show to then working on it. What are some of the things that that. struck you as oh this is different or. I mean what were your impressions? >> Well, the the thing that I'll tell you a. thing that terrified me at first but. then became my favorite thing about the. show was.

that the writers have a lot of autonomy. and that you're kind of expected to not. just write your bits but to produce. them. >> Yeah. And in a sense direct them as well. and you're working with the editors and. you're working with all the departments. >> Yeah. And in the beginning when you if. you've never done that before. it's so scary. >> Yeah, it is. >> Cuz you're like there's a thousand ways. to mess this up and you know a couple. ways to get it right and then. >> is something I learned from Lorne. Michaels. When I went to work on. Saturday Night Live with Greg Daniels. um. it was I mean it stunned us. I mean I.

was I don't know 23 Oh my gosh. >> maybe or 24 and. suddenly yeah, I would have been 24 I. think but um. you know, we pitched a sketch they said. you know, I did well at read through and. the next thing you know, you're talking. to set designers wardrobe people you're. telling them you know, Lorne would say. to me what kind of restaurant is this? And I'd be like I don't know. I just get. pizza at the corner around the corner. I. get a slice. Are we at Orso? Are we at. Elaine's?

>> [laughter]. >> Oh my god. You know, we downtown at Le. Bon Au Somme and I'm like I don't know. >> [laughter]. >> Who did you go to three restaurants? >> I don't go to. >> restaurants. I've never been to a. restaurant. I have two pairs of jeans. and a 1973 Plymouth Valiant. >> [laughter]. >> Don't ever tell me that again. Um. but uh yeah, and so. they Lauren threw us into the deep end. of of the pool and at first it felt like. insanity and then I realized no one's. going to care more than the people who. thought of it. Yeah, it's a great idea.

And um. so. you should be the one that's. anal and like you know, exacting about. what it has to be because it's your. vision. Yes. >> And so uh. and then you you just I think it leads. to so many things. I mean, I think. you have a really good director's eye, so many of the writers do. You develop. that really quickly because you know. what you want. >> Yeah, that's very true. >> Sometimes even when you didn't think you. were that kind of person, you find out.

really quickly if you have to produce. the sketches. I totally agree. And the the downside of. it is that you also waste so many. resources. Like there's so many times. because you're in control of it, there's. no one to say, "Are you sure you need. all that?" And you're like, >> [laughter]. >> "Absolutely." Like Why is Minty made out. of silver? >> [laughter]. >> BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I THOUGHT OF IT. >> DO IT for me. >> Do it. $800,000. >> Yeah. >> No, it would be a lot of times like like. I there was a thing that Dan Cronin and.

I worked on that was so so needlessly. ambitious. It was just a parody of a. commercial like a. Del Taco. That's what it was. It was the. idea that it was a. Del Taco delivery system. So that. it was. it was it was so stupid on its face. It. was a a special device on your toilet. that when you flushed it it it could. recognize when your body had room for. another burrito. >> [laughter]. >> I knew the toilet was going to come in a.

play. >> it would. >> immediately provide you with that. burrito once you had cleared enough room. out of your body for a new burrito. >> Yes. And we And it's [laughter]. And it became. >> Trust me, this is something Del Taco's. thinking about. >> [laughter]. >> I think it was off some story about how. Nike or Reebok had developed these. sneakers that you could press a button. and it would get Domino's for you. It. was like connected to Domino's. So this was like Del Taco's version of. that. >> Synergy man. Yeah, yeah. And it was so. It so stupid on its face and it became. so ambitious where there's this.

It gets so in sync with your body's. needs that it it opens up like a third. eye and takes you to this like. place of nirvana where it's like. everything's perfectly in sync. It was. so expensive. >> what. you know, uh. Jim Downey was really good at this. He's. uh. He loved the comedy of take something. very simple and then make it needlessly. complicated. But that in itself is. funny. So a long commercial about change.

bank where Jim Downey's explaining to. you that if you give us $5, we'll give. you, you know, this is this this many. quarters, this many singles and or we'll. also give you this many nickels, this. many and over explaining it and I think. there's something to. an idea that stupid that then probably. uses animation, computer graphics to explain how it. works, green screens of like once the. This area has been voided, then this. area is created and this area of your.

brain and you're like, this is such a. stupid idea. I cannot believe. that you would go to this much trouble. and that's where the funny stuff comes. from, I think a lot of times. >> the show kind of. for me at least taught me some of that. too because so much of what. I felt like I was trying to do as a. writer was to break you. because I. I knew cuz you've seen so much you just. have seen so much and that there's. always that there's that kind of line. between okay, that'll work for the show.

and I want to see that on the show. You. know, and I think we're always trying. and I and I knew you're rooting against. us. I always and you know what? I'm. ready again I'm ready against you right. now. Yeah, this is what I'm I wanted to. say something. You're having such a. respectful conversation with Todd and. it's very confusing to me. [laughter] I. don't know he was being nice in the. beginning I thought it was an ambush. I. know. Oh, it is. Has he ever made fun of. you for like. a piece not working out? Yeah, that's. trust me. [laughter].

Trust me. He's delighting in Can you. Eduardo, can you kill her mic, please? No, no. That is I mean. I would. have this There was There was this. relationship with the writers where. if something was really tanking, you. could see me licking my lips. Like Oh, yes. [laughter] This is salivating. This. is going to be delicious. And I remember. I think we were doing I forget we were. doing shows at Comic-Con and one of the. writers had come up with it's R2-D2 but. he's gone Hollywood and he's like, "Hey,

make sure you get me a good table at. that you know." And he had like a cigar. and. you know, yeah, and where's my limo? Yeah, see see and it was just. wasn't working and felt like kind of an. old take and I. people said they saw me licking my lips. and rubbing my hands together. I was so. like, "Ooh, we we've got to have more. [laughter]. R2-D2. gone Hollywood.". >> [laughter]. >> And um Yes, you would sometimes interact.

with the thing more than needed. >> Yes. They'd tell us more R2-D2. [laughter] who's gone Hollywood and. whoever wrote it was like, "Okay, you, Connor." But. no one is more delighted by. by. left brain crazy ideas that tickle me. Like those things are that's a religious. experience. You've written much more than your share. of those, and um. you know, let's hope we can do it at the.

Oscars. I like It's going to be uh so. much fun. But, yes, I will ridicule you. in an hour when I come back down. I will. mock you. >> everything. >> [laughter]. >> There is no past. There's only the. present. >> Exactly. Time is a loop. Um but uh. cannot thank you enough. Uh honored to. work with you, and uh. get back to work. >> [laughter]. >> Thank you so much for having me.