Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Jake Tapper Returns

Mon Jul 10 2023

AnxietyTV ShowsDinner with Jake TapperEvil KnievelQuincy, M.E.BooksMedia Coverage'The Hand' MoviePersonal AnecdotesSexual Content

Description

Conan O'Brien and his guests discuss their anxiety about the summer and going back to school. They also talk about TV show scenes that take them out of the story, their dinner with Jake Tapper, Evil Knievel's career, Quincy, M.E. and other TV shows from that era, a book plot with historical references, media coverage of celebrity deaths, 'The Hand' movie and personal anecdotes, and various topics including sex, personal stories, and movie references.

Insights

Anxiety about Summer and Going Back to School

Conan O'Brien and his guests share their experiences and worries about the summer ending and the anticipation of returning to school.

TV Show Scenes and Realism

The hosts discuss how certain scenes in TV shows can break the immersion for viewers due to their unrealistic nature.

Dinner with Jake Tapper

The speaker recounts their dinner with Jake Tapper and discusses his novels and historical references.

Evil Knievel and His Career

The podcast delves into the career of Evil Knievel, highlighting his stunts, persona, and impact on popular culture.

Quincy, M.E. and Other TV Shows

The hosts reminisce about the TV show Quincy, M.E. and discuss other shows from that era.

Book Plot and Historical References

The book being discussed is explored, focusing on its plot involving demagogues and a tabloid, as well as its historical references.

Media Coverage of Celebrity Deaths

The hosts examine the role of timing in media coverage of celebrity deaths and discuss different scenarios for attention-grabbing deaths.

'The Hand' Movie and Personal Anecdotes

The hosts talk about the movie 'The Hand', share personal anecdotes, and engage in humorous banter.

Sexual Content, Personal Stories, and Movie References

Various topics are covered, including personal experiences during sex, famous duos involved in killings, and references to movies.

Chapters

Anxiety about Summer and Going Back to School
TV Show Scenes and Realism
Dinner with Jake Tapper
Evil Knievel and His Career
Quincy, M.E. and Other TV Shows
Book Plot and Historical References
Media Coverage of Celebrity Deaths
'The Hand' Movie and Personal Anecdotes
Sexual Content, Personal Stories, and Movie References

Summary

Transcript

Anxiety about Summer and Going Back to School

00:03 - 06:19

Conan O'Brien and his guests discuss their anxiety about the summer and the countdown to going back to school.
Conan recalls feeling anxious about the summer as a child and ruining it because of his worry.
His guests, Sonoma Cessian and Matt Gorley, also experienced anxiety about school vacations.
They talk about enjoying the day before a day off more than the actual day off.
Conan mentions not having Sunday blues as an adult since he doesn't have to go back to school in the fall.
The hosts joke about crying when being dropped off at school as children.

TV Show Scenes and Realism

05:54 - 12:01

Conan O'Brien and his guests discuss how certain TV show scenes, like elevator openings, can take them out of the story because they know they're not real.
Actors in TV shows and movies often step onto elevators to deliver dramatic lines, but the reality is that they are just standing in a box until the doors open.
This realization can take away the dramatic tension for viewers.
The same applies to scenes shot in airplanes, submarines, and cars.
It's embarrassing for actors to have to get into a box and then come out to face the people they just told off.
Some people enjoy everything they watch, while others criticize movies for not making sense or having unresolved plot points.

Dinner with Jake Tapper

11:44 - 18:04

The speaker visited Jake's home in DC and had dinner at their favorite restaurant called Blitzer's
The speaker got lost on the way to Jake's house and was pointed in the right direction by a father and son
Jake showed the speaker houses where Lyndon Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover lived
Jake writes novels with pop culture and political references from the 1950s and 60s
Jake fact-checked one of his books with the speaker regarding President Eisenhower's heart attack
The speaker enjoys reading novelizations of old Dynasty episodes
They discuss the idea of writing novelizations themselves
'All the Demons Are Here' is one of Jake's novels, featuring characters from his previous books and historical figures like evil Knievel

Evil Knievel and His Career

17:51 - 24:26

This podcast discusses the career of Evil Knievel, a famous motorcycle rider.
Evil Knievel was not a great motorcycle rider but was willing to try dangerous stunts.
Ike, one of the characters in the book being discussed, also works with Evil Knievel and complains about checking out machinery for jumps.
Harley motorcycles are not good for jumping.
Evil Knievel's career peaked in 1974 and declined after that.
There is a misconception that Evil Knievel jumped over the Grand Canyon, but it was actually Snake River and he didn't make it.
Evil Knievel had broken many bones throughout his career.
In January 1977, Evil Knievel performed a stunt where he jumped sharks in a pool in Chicago.
The special event was hosted by Telly Savalas and Jill St. John.
The sharks used in the stunt were treated poorly and some died during transportation from Florida to Chicago.
Evil Knievel's career was bizarre and he had a charismatic showman persona.
Johnny Knoxville made a documentary about Evil Knievel called Being Evil which explores his life as a charlatan showman.
Evil Knievel had a movie called 'Viva Conneval' which flopped.

Quincy, M.E. and Other TV Shows

23:58 - 30:01

The podcast hosts discuss the TV show Quincy, M.E.
Quincy was a popular show in the late '70s and early '80s about a medical examiner played by Jack Klugman.
The main character lived on a houseboat and was known for being a ladies man.
The hosts reminisce about their favorite episodes of Quincy, including one where Quincy goes to the horse track and another where he encounters punk music.
They also mention other shows from that era, such as Banachek and Manics, which inspired them.
The hosts reflect on how younger generations may not be familiar with these older shows.
They discuss how reality television has introduced them to unfamiliar celebrities.

Book Plot and Historical References

29:32 - 35:24

The book discussed in the podcast has two plots, one about demagogues and people who follow them, and the other about a tabloid being started by a British media magnate.
The book references Evil Can Evil running for president as a publicity stunt.
Graceland, where Elvis lived, is mentioned in the book and becomes a plot point.
The podcast hosts discuss their experiences visiting Graceland and how it is surprisingly small compared to modern homes.
Other topics mentioned include Studio 54 opening, the summer of Sam killings, Saturday Night Live hitting its stride in 1977, and Groucho Marx passing away shortly after Elvis's death.

Media Coverage of Celebrity Deaths

34:57 - 40:49

Timing plays a significant role in media coverage of celebrity deaths.
Tina Turner's death received extensive coverage due to the timing and her status as a legendary figure.
Conan O'Brien jokingly discusses reserving time for his own funeral in the media.
The idea of witnessing one's own funeral is reminiscent of Tom Sawyer seeing his own funeral in Mark Twain's novel.
Conan and his guest discuss different scenarios for a spectacular death that would garner attention, such as dying in a zeppelin accident or while rescuing someone heroically.
They also joke about Conan dying from an unusual cause like diarrhea and how it could be sensationalized in the media.
Elvis Presley's death is briefly mentioned, with some people blaming Rupert Murdoch for publishing a book that allegedly contributed to Elvis' depression and subsequent overdose.

'The Hand' Movie and Personal Anecdotes

45:53 - 51:54

The podcast hosts discuss a movie called 'The Hand' directed by Oliver Stone.
'The Hand' is about a cartoonist who loses his hand, which then goes on to kill people.
The hosts mention that the movie may be difficult to find on streaming platforms.
They talk about the host's dark web and her collection of squishy items.
The hosts joke about watching 'The Hand' multiple times.
The guest, Jake Tapper, is praised for being a New York Times best-selling author.
The hosts mention their listeners are smart and read books.
The conversation shifts to a funny anecdote about the host's father not caring about his food preferences.
They imitate a comedic dialogue between the host and his father using exaggerated voices.
The host shares his preference for two percent milk over half and half or one percent milk.
They continue with humorous banter involving old-timey bicycles and chasing each other around the room.
The host's brother Luke is mentioned as being highly intelligent and precocious at a young age.
An incident is recounted where Luke cleverly responds to bullies using Latin language knowledge, resulting in a beating for both brothers.

Sexual Content, Personal Stories, and Movie References

51:37 - 58:09

Discussion about personal experiences during sex
Mention of the host's babies and their weight
Conversation about naming the host's twins
Talk about famous duos involved in killings
Mention of a book with factual follow-ups at the end
Discussion about historical fiction and real events in books
Conversation about disaster movies and famous actors in them
Talk about the fear of killer bees in the past and its origins as a newspaper scare tactic
Description of a cheesy movie about killer bees taking over towns
Reference to a horror movie called The Hand, directed by Oliver Stone