Key Takeaways

• The podcast episode “Conan O’Brien Must Go - Austria” details the filming of the show under difficult personal circumstances for Conan.
• Conan experienced the loss of both his parents during the filming of the Austria episode, leading to a temporary halt and return to complete the show.
• The episode features several memorable segments, including a recreation of a scene from “The Sound of Music” and Conan’s interactions at Sigmund Freud’s home.
• The team’s support during Conan’s personal tragedy, particularly their attendance at his father’s wake, was deeply appreciated.
• Technical mishaps, like a hairdryer incident in Zurich and a tourist accidentally boarding the bus, added unexpected humor to the production.

Segments

Team’s Support During Grief (~00:05:00)

• Key Takeaway: Conan expresses profound gratitude for his team’s support, particularly their unexpected attendance at his father’s wake, which provided significant comfort during his grief.
• Summary: Conan recounts how his team, including Mike Sweeney and Jeff Ross, traveled to Boston to attend his father’s wake. This gesture meant a great deal to him during a chaotic and emotional period, highlighting the strong bond within the production crew.

Resuming Filming and Emotional State (~00:10:00)

• Key Takeaway: Returning to Austria to finish the show after his parents’ deaths led Conan to feel sillier and more detached, which he believes contributed to the unique and interesting nature of the final episode.
• Summary: After dealing with his personal losses and other events like the Oscars and the Mark Twain Awards, Conan and his team returned to Austria to complete the travel show. Conan describes being in a ‘fugue state’ and feeling unusually silly, which he feels added a distinct quality to the filmed segments.

The Sound of Music Recreation (~00:20:00)

• Key Takeaway: A significant segment involved recreating a scene from ‘The Sound of Music’ at the exact filming location, requiring extensive coordination and resulting in a creative musical piece by Jose Arroyo.
• Summary: The team discusses the effort involved in filming at the precise spot where Julie Andrews opened ‘The Sound of Music.’ This involved obtaining permissions and coordinating with the location, leading to a segment featuring a song written by Jose Arroyo about the difficulty of securing rights for the original music.

Behind-the-Scenes of The Sound of Music Filming (~00:25:00)

• Key Takeaway: The original filming of ‘The Sound of Music’ involved challenging conditions, including a real helicopter creating strong winds that repeatedly knocked Julie Andrews down, a detail recreated with a drone for the podcast’s show.
• Summary: The conversation touches on the technical challenges faced during the original filming of ‘The Sound of Music,’ specifically the use of a helicopter that buffeted Julie Andrews. They contrast this with their own use of a drone for a similar shot, noting the difficulties and potential for humor in such productions.

Zurich Hairdryer Incident (~00:35:00)

• Key Takeaway: Conan accidentally caused a power outage in his Zurich hotel by using a Japanese hairdryer without a proper voltage transformer, leading to a humorous and slightly disastrous start to the trip.
• Summary: Conan recounts an incident in Zurich where his new Japanese hairdryer malfunctioned, causing a significant power outage in his hotel. He explains that he failed to use a voltage transformer, leading to the appliance’s demise and a chaotic scene in the hotel.

The Accidental Tourist on the Bus (~00:40:00)

• Key Takeaway: A humorous mix-up occurred when a tourist mistakenly boarded the production bus in Switzerland, traveling with the crew for 40 minutes before realizing they were on the wrong trip.
• Summary: The team shares a funny story about a tourist who boarded their bus in Switzerland, believing it was a shuttle to the city center. The tourist ended up traveling with them for a significant distance before realizing their mistake, adding an unexpected element to the day’s travel.

Vienna Segments: Freud and Snow Globe Museum (~00:45:00)

• Key Takeaway: Conan felt particularly comfortable and in his element during segments filmed at Sigmund Freud’s home and a Snow Globe Museum in Vienna, embracing the unique settings.
• Summary: Conan highlights his enjoyment of filming at Sigmund Freud’s former home and office, as well as a Snow Globe Museum in Vienna. He felt these experiences allowed him to tap into his natural comedic style, even adopting a Viennese accent for one segment.

Vienna Boys Choir and Overall Enjoyment (~00:50:00)

• Key Takeaway: Despite the emotional challenges, Conan found the Austria season to be a personal favorite, particularly enjoying segments like singing with the Vienna Boys Choir and feeling a strong connection to the material.
• Summary: Conan expresses that the Austria season might be his favorite, despite the complicated emotions involved. He particularly enjoyed singing with the Vienna Boys Choir and felt that the experiences in Austria allowed him to be his most authentic, albeit silly, self.

Call to Action and Closing (~00:55:00)

• Key Takeaway: Listeners interested in appearing on the show can apply via teamcoco.com/apply, and the episode concludes with reflections on humanity and the planet.
• Summary: Conan thanks his team and reminds listeners that they can apply to be featured fans on the show by visiting teamcoco.com/apply. The episode ends with a philosophical reflection on Earth and humanity, followed by credits and a SiriusXM promotion.