Conan O’Brien, a self-described straight edge who “keeps cutting things out” of his life, is being gently talked into edibles by his own assistant. Two weeks in, he has managed to nibble a quarter of one gummy. The High Times connection goes back 20 years, to a bong he accepted on live TV.
A few weeks ago, Conan O’Brien’s executive assistant, Sona Movsesian, brought several tins containing cannabis gummies to the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast.
“I don’t really do anything,” the redheaded host said about using marijuana, other substances or alcohol. “I used to enjoy some wine, but I don’t even do that anymore. I just keep cutting things out of my life.” Then, to Movsesian, he explained: “I’ve been a little intrigued lately because you’ve always preached the positive qualities of edibles. I never did it, never tried it. But you have said that more than anyone you know, you think I would benefit from these.”
She brought a bag full of her “favorite brand,” Camino gummies. “This one is for energy.”
“Do you think I need energy?” O’Brien asked.
“They taste good,” Movsesian said. “Some just make you feel good.”
“I’ve never felt good,” O’Brien joked. “What’s that like?”
“Things will be funny to you that have never been funny before.”
“Things are always funny to me that no one else thinks is funny.”
“You make comedy for potheads,” Movsesian maintained.
She passed him a “chill one that will mellow you out.” O’Brien did not sample them on air and took them home.
O’Brien Updates The Gummies Saga
In Conan Vs. Edibles, Part 2, O’Brien offered an update:
“I have turned taking gummies into a chore. I have nibbled on the corner of the sleep one. I want to say less than half. First of all, they’re delicious. They taste great and paired with the right wine, fantastic. What I’ve managed to do in two weeks is nibble a quarter of one. I’m a redhead, so I’m very tolerant, so of course I’ve felt nothing so far. But I haven’t gone whole hog. Chill is the one that interested me and I have not tried one yet.”
“You’re overthinking it,” Movsesian pointed out. “Are we peer-pressuring you?”
“That’s the dictionary definition of what you’re doing,” he retorted. “Yeah, I guess I’m feeling a little bit of pressure. But I’m going to do it.”
O’Brien Details His Lack Of Experience With Drugs
“My dad was a doctor, he was against us taking anything,” O’Brien said about his microbiologist father. “Aspirin was a big leap. My dad was an authority on antibiotic resistance. He was in favor of the right antibiotics. That’s the culture that I come from. We’ve got to go to Catholic Church, we have to stay on it and that has been my way. It’s forbidden fruit, so you don’t go there. Now, I think I made a big step by eating a quarter of a sleep gummy.”
Movsesian called him “straight-laced, straight edge,” noting: “It’s not a bad thing.”
When O’Brien suggested his size (6-foot-4) was partially why the gummy didn’t affect him, she replied: “That’s why I thought a half or maybe a full 5 milligram would work.”
“I’m not ready for that yet.”
“That’s OK. Baby steps.”
“I’m going to get to this,” O’Brien insisted, “I promise.” So, stay tuned for Part 3.
Conan O’Brien And High Times
O’Brien actually smoked a joint provided by Seth Rogen on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on TBS during the last week of the show in 2021.
Fifteen years earlier, when I worked at High Times and was producing the Stony Awards, we decided to give O’Brien the award for Best Late-Night Talk Show. Cast member and former Stonys host Brian McCann cleared the way for me to present the award in O’Brien’s 30 Rock office (he couldn’t attend the Stonys).
From my article at CelebStoner:
When I got there I met Conan, but it quickly became clear he wouldn’t be participating in the acceptance sketch on the set.
Brian dressed up as Preparation H Raymond and was joined by HempBot, Smokey the Bong, the Masturbating Bear and their “constantly wasted announcer Joel.”
“We have no idea why we were chosen, but we will treasure this fully functioning trophy for years to come,” Brian drawled. Then he instructed the bear to “go ahead, masturbate.”
Cute, but no Conan. The show took place at BB King’s in Times Square. Redman hosted. NORML’s Allen St. Pierre announced the Late Night award. All went well. But no Conan. Of course, we didn’t expect him to attend the show; that’s why they made the video.
A week went by and I was watching Late Night. During the first segment after the monologue, sitting at his desk, O’Brien deadpanned:
“Last Wednesday night, Late Night won a prestigious award. That’s right. There are a lot of awards out there that might be worth having, but this seemed rather special. The good people that publish High Times magazine [audience laughs] held their annual Stony Awards at BB King’s right here in New York. It was a big event. Apparently, we won for Best Comedy Program. High Times magazine thinks we’re the best comedy program. And they gave us this trophy.”
He took the glass Stony Awards bong from behind his desk and placed it on the desk to laughs and wild cheers. “We want to thank you, High Times,” he continued. “It’s nice of you to recognize us and we will put this award on display in our lobby.”
Then band drummer Max Weinberg broke in: “Hey Conan, the band and I were thinking maybe you shouldn’t leave that statue in the lobby. Maybe we should keep it in our dressing room.”
“Hey, if you want it, it’s yours,” Conan replied.
“Hey guys,” Max yelled, “we got a bong!”
Conan held it for a minute and stared at it. “So that’s a bong.”
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