Conan & His Mom Met Nathan Lane Backstage At “The Producers” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

I'm going to start by uh saying there's. a moment that I had with you that uh is. very important to me and you're not. going to be aware of this, but it meant. the world to me and you've done very. many nice things for me over the years, including doing this amazing thing uh on. our final uh late night show, which was. fantastic. Uh you are what the Irish. call a mench. Um, and just before we. started the podcast, you very sweetly.

came over and you offered your. condolences about uh my parents passing. away uh last month. And it reminded me. of this very special moment in my life. when my mother came to town. She didn't. come to New York often. She was, you. know, pretty much stayed in Boston. And. the biggest thing to do at that time in. New York, it was the biggest thing in. the world was go and see the producers. And I told my mother, I'm going to take. you to the producers. And my mother. couldn't believe it because even in.

Boston, they knew that this was a huge. deal. And one of my favorite memories of. that night is we saw the producers. And. my mother was not a, you know, she from. central Massachusetts. She mostly stayed. in Boston. She didn't go see Broadway. shows. She's now seeing the biggest. thing in the history of Broadway. And. it's you. It's the whole full original. cast. Matthew Brick. I will never forget. at the end of the show, she was doing. that clapping that's not down here, it's. up here.

My mother, who basically uh I looks so. much like me, imagine me in a wig, clapping like this. So then we get up. and someone very kindly came over and. said, "Would you like to say hello?" And. I said, "Well, I'm always shy about. those things, but I thought, well, if. it's possible." And I said, "Oh, hi, Nathan." And we went backstage. Hi. Nathan. And this was the I mean. literally kings, queens, presidents, everybody would come backstage with the. producers every night. And I came over.

and I said, "Um, Nathan, this is my. mom." And you said, "Mrs. O'Brien." You. gave her this big hug. You acted like it. was the biggest thing in the world. I My. mother was transported into another. realm and may have hastened her death. That was. saying 20 years passed, but I think she. could have lived another she could have. lived another five. Um, and. and so I'm I'm accusing you of murder.

No, it is I had I don't know why I. ruined things. It was the nicest and. I'll never forget it. It was a beautiful. moment. And you are I mean people know. Nathan Lane the famous person from. television, movies, Broadway, but you. are a extremely sensitive person. probably to your own detriment. I'm. think you know what I mean? You're not a. thick skinned soul. And in that moment I.

could just see what a lovely fantastic. person you are. Well, that's um aside. from the murder accusation, that was an. incredibly kind and moving thing to say. you know, as as someone who in the. public eye, you know, as you it you. know, especially, you know, when in. doing a Broadway show eight times a week. and people when people do come back, it. is awkward because um they don't unless. they're theater veterans and they.

understand the etiquette of no matter. what, even though it was a terrible. show, you hated it, you say that was the. greatest night of my life and thank you. for a wonderful performance and you. leave. as opposed to walking in and. saying, "I have some issues with the. play." Yes. You know, there are those people, right? But, um, you have to I think as you get. older, you learn to be gracious and also. you have to take the ball and and say, "I'm so glad you're here." And and you. fill you fill in. And then if they're.

able to say something, that's great. But. you make them feel good about what they. just experienced. I mean, very often. what you want to say is, "I wish you. were here last night. You know, the matinea didn't go so. well." Yeah. You know, you've got to. make it a positive for that. But what's interesting is that what. you're doing is you've just done a show. where you're giving it all you've got. I. mean, um, yes, Matthew was working hard, working hard in that show, but come on.

I mean, you're you're you're. using your instrument. in every single possible way. And then I. don't think people realize when they. come backstage, you're putting on another show for them. You're worried about them. Uh you're. making sure that they get what they. need, which is kind of insane, you know. Well, you know, you should be taken away by helicopter. to mean you're done with a performance. Yes. um you know it's that that's a part.

of the gig you know and you and then you. know yeah you go off and go to go to. immediately to bed but um yeah it's uh I. mean it's why I I don't want I wouldn't. want to do I don't want to I wouldn't. want to be in the middle of a musical. anymore eight times a week I I just it's. for it's a young man's game because it's. just it's like being the a quarterback. This is something I'm specifically. interested in in my career. I put a lot. of myself into things. I'm very. energetic. I'm not a uh I run hot. And.

when all those years of doing the late. night show, sometimes we would finish. the show. We used to do it from 5:30 to. 6:30. Then there's, you know, you get. you have the postmortem, you talk about. the show. I would do I would do a whole. other show in the show where we talked. about the show which many people said. was better than the show because I. would, you know, do long riffs and. stuff. Then I would go up and talk to. the, you know, get the makeup off. I'd. go talk to the writers. I'd do a show.

there. Then I would come home and I. always had a real problem with the. transition. to I'll just curl up with a good book. Yeah. No, you can't. Yeah. When you're. with with that kind of energy. Yeah. Yeah. And so what would what did you do? Did you have a trick for because I'm. just thinking I mean so many Broadway. references. I mean I I saw you before I. even started the late night show. I. think I saw you do Laughter on the 23rd. floor and I was like I don't know how he.

goes to sleep tonight. Like I don't know. how he. well there there was just many years of. just a lot of drinking that. let's point out there if you're out. there and you have trouble sleeping. drinking. that and you know. that's the message we have for you. that really helps um you know I think. it's just look you uh you know those. days when you I would you would go out. you would you would if it didn't go well. you would go out and have drinks y. or and if it did go well you went out. and had drinks and and you know you.

could get away with in your youth. Yes. But that that changes as you get older. It's it's Yeah. You just go to bed a. little later. It takes a while to come. down from all of that. I used to go to sleep at 1:30 2 in the. morning. And uh yeah, it was um. Well, when you you'd talk to your wife, wouldn't you? I wasn't married at the time, but I knew who she was going to be. So, I'd call her. She'd say, "Who is this?" And I'd say, "It's your future husband, Conan.

O'Brien." and she would say, "I'm not a. fan of that show.". Sure. He seems needy. Um, but uh, remember the one time I saw you, we were. at the Angelica Cinema. You know what? I know exactly what. you're talking about. And I was like, it was like seeing your. your teacher, you know, at the. supermarket. I was like, it's Conan and. I can see his legs and. and you and you were with this gorgeous. woman. That's my wife. And uh and it was so I I.

I was happy to see you, but I was like, "This is awkward because he doesn't have. cards. He's not going to ask me that. question where I have a great bed I. wrote.". I thought what was awkward is that I did. immediately produce cards. Nathan, now. tell me, uh I understand you have a. funny story about avocados. Um and then. I threw a commercial while you were. standing waiting to see a movie.