Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Staff Review With Todd Levin

March 5, 2026

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  • The episode features staff writer Todd Levin discussing his career trajectory, which began with him joining Conan O'Brien's writing staff in 2009 just as Conan was moving to *The Tonight Show*. 
  • Todd Levin is characterized by Conan as a quiet, 'ninja, assassin' style writer, contrasting with Conan's own self-described 'chatter constantly' approach. 
  • Key early sketches discussed include 'Minty the Candy Cane' and the 'Human Centipede Menorah,' illustrating a shared comedic preference for taking something sweet and making it monstrous, or vice versa. 

Segments

Episode Introduction and Staff Review
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(00:01:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend is mixing up Thursday episodes to feature elite writing staff preparing for the Oscars.
  • Summary: The Thursday episode format is temporarily changed from fan interviews to feature staff writers like Todd Levin who are working on Oscar-related material. Conan praises his writing staff as the best in the world. Todd Levin joined Conan’s team in 2009 as Conan was wrapping up Late Night and heading to The Tonight Show.
Writer Styles and Personalities
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(00:03:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Writers fall into demonstrative ‘chatterers’ or quiet, impactful ’ninjas’ like Todd Levin.
  • Summary: Conan contrasts writers who ‘chatter constantly’ with Todd Levin, whom he calls a ’ninja’ or ‘assassin’ for his quiet observation leading to hilarious, sharp contributions. Todd admits to being like a ‘bad magician’ trying to distract people, stemming from discomfort with overt performance.
Todd Levin’s Comedy Origin
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(00:04:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Todd Levin’s early comedy influences included Bob Newhart and Bill Cosby records owned by his state-worker parents in Albany, NY.
  • Summary: Levin loved comedy as a kid but did not see it as a viable career path due to his middle-class background. His father introduced him to comedy via Bob Newhart and Cosby records, and allowed him to stay up late for funny movies on HBO. His initial stand-up involved reading prepared bits due to fear of spontaneity.
Early Stand-up and Club Experience
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(00:08:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Alternative comedy rooms like Rafifi and Luna Lounge fostered experimentation, contrasting with confrontational comedy clubs.
  • Summary: Levin found space for experimentation in New York alternative scenes like Rafifi and Luna Lounge, which were more open to new material. Club performances required a struggle to make the audience like him, whereas alternative rooms allowed for a focus on the joke concept itself.
Transition to TV Writing
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(00:10:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Levin’s first TV job was writing for the late-night show, almost being passed over due to insecurity about starting at such a high level.
  • Summary: After gaining an agent through a performing gig, Levin immediately stated his preference for writing over stand-up. He almost turned down the late-night writing job because he felt he should have started on a ‘worse show first’ due to his working-class background.
Memorable Early Sketches
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(00:12:25)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Minty the Candy Cane’ and ‘The Man with Bulletproof Legs’ defined early, successful sketch humor.
  • Summary: Minty the Candy Cane, played by Brian McCann, was a successful bit about a candy cane that briefly fell on the ground and got covered in goo. Another favorite was McCann as the Man with Bulletproof Legs, who would sing about his invulnerability before being shot in the chest and collapsing.
Monstrously Sweet/Sweetly Monstrous Comedy
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(00:20:51)
  • Key Takeaway: A recurring comedic theme is taking something monstrous and making people celebrate it, or taking something sweet and making it monstrous.
  • Summary: The ‘Human Centipede Menorah’ exemplified making people celebrate a monstrous concept, while ‘Wikibear’ took a cute toy and made it pivot to dark topics like Ed Gein. This theme of subverting expectations was central to Levin’s contributions and resonated with Conan’s style.
Writer Autonomy and Over-Ambitious Bits
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(00:23:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Writers on the show are expected to produce and direct their sketches, developing a director’s eye quickly.
  • Summary: The autonomy given to writers to manage production departments was initially terrifying but ultimately beneficial for realizing their vision. This autonomy can lead to needlessly complicated and expensive sketches, such as a parody commercial for a toilet-integrated burrito delivery system.
The Comedy of Needless Complication
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(00:27:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Jim Downey influenced the comedy style of taking a simple idea and making it needlessly complicated, often using extensive graphics.
  • Summary: The comedy of needless complication involves over-explaining a simple concept, like a bank changing denominations, using excessive detail or computer graphics. This elaborate effort applied to a stupid premise is often where the humor is generated.