Conan O'Brien Needs a Doctor While Eating Spicy Wings

"Conan O'Brien Needs a Doctor While Eating Spicy Wings" is the twelfth and final episode of the twenty-third season of the American talk show Hot Ones. The episode premiered on YouTube on April 11, 2024. In the episode, host Sean Evans interviews television host and comedian Conan O'Brien.

"Conan O'Brien Needs a Doctor While Eating Spicy Wings"
Hot Ones episode
Episode no.Season 23
Episode 12
Original air dateApril 11, 2024 (2024-04-11)
Running time27 minutes
Guest appearances
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Episode

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Appearing to promote his Max travel series Conan O'Brien Must Go, O'Brien was interviewed by Evans while eating Buffalo wings of increasing pungency.[1] Writer and producer José Arroyo appeared as O'Brien's physician,[2] a "not very good, but very affordable" doctor who placed O'Brien into a chokehold to check his pulse and auscultated him from his tongue. During the interview, O'Brien explained that he would discuss interesting or provocative topics with guests during commercial breaks, recounting that he told Bea Arthur that she would live four years at most; Arthur died three years and eleven months later. He criticized guests who acknowledged vexatious interviews,[3] recounted a perilous encounter with a water buffalo, and writing for Saturday Night Live from David Letterman's desk.[4] O'Brien insulted the rebranding of HBO Max as Max.[5]

Despite claiming that his Irish Catholic household averted spices, presenting a challenge for eating the wings,[6] O'Brien—in boisterous exuberance[7]—consumed the ten wings, dousing the hottest sauce on his face and drinking it.[8] In an interview with Jake Tapper at the Paley Center for Media, O'Brien stated that hot sauce got underneath his wedding ring and burned through his skin.[9]

Reception

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O'Brien's appearance on Hot Ones is regarded as one of the series's greatest.[a] Actor Jamison Webb noted that O'Brien's comedy was effective for its antiquity, particularly O'Brien's discarded wings and Arroyo's performance.[11] NPR's Glen Weldon stated that the episode was Hot Ones's greatest for O'Brien's consistent composure and ridicule towards the show's premise.[2]

The episode renewed interest in O'Brien's work; users on Twitter began posting Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Conan segments, including Ginger the Homicidal Dog, Pierre Bernard's Recliner of Rage, and Festus McGee.[12] Comedians Josh Gondelman[1] and Robert Smigel praised O'Brien after the episode.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Attributed to multiple references: [1][2][3][4][10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Schribner, Herb (April 14, 2024). "Conan O'Brien heats up social media after 'Hot Ones' appearance". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Weldon, Glen (April 12, 2024). "Is Conan O'Brien the best 'Hot Ones' guest ever? Discuss". NPR. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Carr, Mary Kate (April 11, 2024). "Conan O'Brien does Hot Ones the best, of course". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Brathwaite, Lester (April 11, 2024). "Conan O'Brien's Hot Ones episode is a truly unhinged work of comedic brilliance". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Kanter, Jake (April 12, 2024). "Conan O'Brien Roasts HBO Max Rebrand During Spicy Wing-Fueled Rant: "They Used To Call It HBO But People Found That Too Popular"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Murphy, Chris (April 12, 2024). "Conan O'Brien Got Extra Spicy on Hot Ones". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Gomez, Dessi (April 12, 2024). "Conan O'Brien Loses His Mind on 'Hot Ones': 'My Intestines Have Turned Into Acid'". TheWrap. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  8. ^ Pilley, Mark (April 14, 2024). "Conan O'Brien said he had a "complete breakdown" on his viral 'Hot Ones'". NME. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Knolle, Sharon (April 12, 2024). "Conan O'Brien Breaks Down 'Hot Ones' Episode: 'Sauce Got Underneath My Wedding Ring and Was Burning Through My Skin'". TheWrap. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Haysom, Sam (April 12, 2024). "Conan O'Brien's 'Hot Ones' is the greatest episode of all time. It may never be topped". Mashable. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Squires, Bethy (April 14, 2024). "Have You Heard About This Conan Guy? He's Great!". Vulture. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Carr, Mary Kate (April 15, 2024). "Conan O'Brien's gonzo Hot Ones sends the Internet Coco-crazy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
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