This past year marked the end of an era in late-night television. In June, veteran TV host Conan O’Brien signed off for the final time on his eponymous talk show. While viewers likely miss seeing him on the air, they certainly got plenty of him at last night’s Primetime Emmys ceremony. O’Brien had a number of hilarious moments amid what many considered to be a slow ceremony. And based on the reactions floating around social media, it would seem that most thought he was the best thing about the event.
Conan O’Brien was pretty lively throughout the entirety of the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards, but there were two particular moments that stood out the most for viewers at home and the ceremony’s attendees. One of these memorable moments came when Television Academy President Frank Scherma stepped forward to give a speech, which is typical for award shows. But the moment Scherma stepped onto the stage, O’Brien loudly clapped and hilariously saluted him. Check out O’Brien’s passionate tribute to the Academy head down below:
The gesture generated plenty of laughs within the room, and a few in my own household. It’s a bit of a trollish move on Conan O’Brien’s part and is admittedly a smart way to heckle someone. However, there was still plenty of respect in the gesture, and the audience followed suit by applauding Frank Scherma. Ultimately, O’Brien’s initial salute and his reactions during Scherma’s speech only seem to be getting praise from the public:
But the host would really surprise audiences when it came time to present the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). Stephen Colbert and his team won the award for Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 and, as expected, he and his collaborators subsequently took to the stage. However, they were surprisingly joined by an enthusiastic Conan O’Brien:
The TV host remained on stage for the entirety of Stephen Colbert’s speech, and his smile was arguably wider than anyone else’s. Fans also loved this gesture, considering it to be a true stroke of comedic genius of Conan O’Brien’s part:
But as it turns out, Conan O’Brien’s presence on stage wasn’t actually a total surprise. Stephen Colbert, while speaking with IndieWire after the show, explained how O’Brien ended up joining his group as they accepted their award:
I said, ‘Why don’t you come on stage with us if we win.’ And he goes, ‘Really?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he says, ‘OK, if you change your mind, let me know.’ And he just came up. We love Conan, we’re honored to be super fans of Conan O’Brien.
Conan O'Brien certainly seemed ready to have a lively night at the Emmys, and a tweet from comedian Wanda Sykes pretty much sums up his mentality for the night. Check out Sykes' message down below:
Four-time Emmy winner Conan O’Brien has earned a lot of respect in the entertainment industry over the course of his decades-long career. While audiences have enjoyed his on-screen antics and A+ exchanges with major celebrities, both fans and those in Hollywood appreciate his jovial and warm personality. Those things, paired with his “performance” at this year’s Emmys surely have people eager to see what he has coming up.
