How David Hopping Was Chosen To Become Conan’s Successor | Inside Conan

well anyway David you're here because we. have a question that may be of interest. to you hi Mike and Jesse what's the. story behind the remote Conan trains his. successor how did David hopping get. picked for this segment and more. importantly which writer was responsible. for it anyway I love the podcast Lourdes. do you remember doing that remote okay. it's all gone you were the writer for. that right yeah yeah I'm happy ending. but I'm glad that you're here because I. don't remember a lot I don't remember.

how I got picked I remember you telling. me I was picked but I don't know how I. got picked well to be honest I think I. pitched it more broadly than that I. pitch it just as Conan training a. successor okay. um like he was going to leave the Empire. to somebody and needed to have a needed. to have somebody that so you picked. gonna take off your idea yeah there's no. idea that's great but I don't I didn't. say specifically who the person would be. and somehow in the writer's room we. talked in your you you became the guy.

wow yeah. um and I don't know if it was just like. we knew you were good already being on. camera and that you and Conan had kind. of a funny Rapport and you know what. this speaks very well of you David. because if the writers together in a. room are like zeroed in on you that. means. I think don't you agree like in. everyone's exposure to David they're. like oh you know what he's a cool guy. he'd be good on camera for sure yeah. because we knew that you weren't gonna. get too hammy that you were going to.

kind of right be able to be yourself oh. that's nice yeah and and I think we just. thought it was a funny. um I don't know that like because you're. so game for everything you just have to. like say yes uh-huh yeah and so we knew. Conan would enjoy telling you what to do. yeah and that you would probably say yes. the whole thing was just to repeat after. Conan yeah yeah we're gonna go in and. talk to the writers now they're meeting. okay the way I usually do it is I kick. open the door okay I make a lot of kind.

of silly over-the-top jokes about how. horrible the writing's been lately even. when it's been good okay okay. [Applause]. this High I was in a barnyard last time. I saw a piled up this side I was in. a barnyard. I always leave the room on a huge laugh. so take care of that. [Music]. so long on you pieces of.

[Applause]. and you're very All-American I mean. you're familiar right yeah the. Carbondale area Carlinville goddammit oh. isn't it near just tell me it's like. three hours away I think maybe. it's so close to each other well anyway. I know nothing about you well and. another writer worked on this too Levi. McDougall yes and I I just vaguely. remember us filming that day uh we had.

to put you in a Conan wig the wig so. that was kind of you had to go into like. extensive hair and makeup that's how. extensive. no I remember going down and they just. like yeah put like some glue and then. just. and can I ask you guys what was Conan. while you were shooting it was Conan. like. was part of him like oh someone to.

replace me eh or. I think I was so nervous the whole time. that there was no threat. you didn't seem nervous at all that's. nice of you to say no but seriously. that's I love hearing that well one. thing I didn't remember but when I was. going back through old emails there was. actually so the first segment went well. we basically got you dressed up and you. did some monologue jokes and learned the. string dance yes.

um did you learn the nipple touch no no. okay that's that's true yes too advanced. but we were supposed to do a second. installment of this oh yeah where you. were learning how to interview a. celebrity and we had reached out and I. know uh Paula Davis our Booker had. reached out to Mayim Bialik oh yeah and. so you and Conan were going to interview. her together I forgot about that I know. and then it never ended up happening one. of the travel shows came up oh maybe.

that's what it was like. oh that's a shame it's just one of those. things that never never got to just go. back on TBS real quick we'll just do it. again yeah well we'll we'll keep that in. a can if we ever come back that's the. first thing we have a surprise for you. here's my feelings. so one thing that I can't believe when I. look back on this is you weren't even. Conan's assistant at that time you were. you were a PA on the show yeah what what. was your title I was personal PA for.

Conan and Jeff so I reported a Sona okay. so you're sona's assistant yeah. um and so how much interaction had you. actually had with Conan I had had quite. a bit like from day one I remember Sona. brought me in and wanted me to get to. know Conan like right off the bat. because I mean I was immediately like. you know running his personal errands. and stuff like yeah cleaning his. underwear exactly that's a normal thing. so you go to college. [Laughter]. you already kind of had a stick with.

code is he already making fun of you for. things oh yeah right away yeah. what was his um I mean what was he. getting you for like what was this what. was his thing with you being from a. small town I think is the oh yeah the. Midwest was like the number one okay. that is still stuck around yeah oh well. one once it's locked it's never leaving. it's never leaving oh my gosh this is. just making me remember did was there. something in like your hometown paper. about this front page yeah oh my God.

yeah I still have it framed in my. apartment oh that's fantastic well after. this remote aired that that ran in your. paper yeah they reached out and like did. like an interview with me they reached. out you didn't call them guys do I have. a scoop for you. Hometown boy makes good. so they reached out they reached out. they did like an interview Conan and I. took a picture and sent it to him and. yeah wow so people back home you you you. won a sentence.

have you gone back for a high school. reunion no they did a five-year reunion. but I missed it because I was here yeah. it got canceled because of covid so all. right 15 will be my time okay well. you're gonna go back don't feel you need. to go to any High School reunions but if. you you know if you've been Conan. successor either way that you know. either way it's you're gonna be like no. one will give you the satisfaction.

okay well we disagree I want to hear. about what happened at your high school. I don't want to talk about okay. whatever you assume it oh it was fine. [Laughter]. I mean in a weird way though you do I. mean because now you are Conan's. assistant and you know what he does. almost better than anybody else in a way. you really are most equipped to become. his successor I guess so you know where.

all his wills are probably I know I mean. once I got the banking info I knew I. knew I was in oh my God. that's how did we get in we'll talk. later okay well I talk later so his. credit card number is yes. we also need the expiration and the. security of course the billing zip code. of yeah The Villages of code yes.