New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Travis' Return, Mama Kelce Renovates & Conan O’Brien on Oscars Prep, Favorite Jokes & More | EP 182

March 11, 2026

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  • Travis Kelce confirmed his return for a 14th NFL season after taking time to let emotions settle and assess his physical and mental readiness, despite the Chiefs' disappointing end to the previous season. 
  • Donna Kelce's modest Florida home is undergoing a renovation involving new windows and doors, a story that gained massive viral attention after leaking via a TMZ report. 
  • Conan O'Brien is preparing for his second time hosting the Academy Awards by testing jokes in comedy clubs, a process he finds necessary but which he humorously fears might lead to him being escorted away by security if he brings the Kelce brothers backstage for hype. 
  • Conan O'Brien tests his Oscars hosting material in small, far-flung comedy clubs, even resorting to urinating in an alley, to ensure jokes consistently land, emphasizing the importance of rigorous preparation over innate talent. 
  • The core principle for success in any field, including comedy and athletics, is controlling what you can control through diligent preparation, which builds confidence and allows for improvisation when things go wrong. 
  • Conan O'Brien believes the fundamental nature of performance—whether hosting the Oscars or playing sports—remains the same regardless of the added layers of prestige or money, relying on muscle memory developed through repetition. 

Segments

Conan’s Joke Testing
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien refuses to test potential Oscars jokes on Jason and Travis Kelce due to distrust that they won’t leak the material.
  • Summary: Conan O’Brien declined the request to try out potential Oscars jokes on the podcast, expressing a lack of trust that the Kelce brothers would keep the material confidential. He humorously suggested they would leak the jokes and high-five each other afterward. This interaction occurred before the official show introduction.
Travis Confirms 14th Season
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(00:00:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Travis Kelce decided to return for his 14th NFL season midway through the previous season, prioritizing emotional clarity over immediate decisions.
  • Summary: Travis Kelce stated he knew about returning for his 14th season around the middle of the last season, following Jason’s advice to let emotions clear before deciding. He needed to process the frustrations of a down year and ensure his body and mental determination remained committed to competing for another Super Bowl. His decision was independent of personnel moves like Kenneth Walker’s addition or Patrick Mahomes’ expected recovery.
Mama Kelce Home Renovation
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(00:05:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Donna Kelce is remodeling her Florida home, replacing nine windows and six doors due to poor insulation causing condensation issues during cold weather.
  • Summary: The viral news regarding Donna Kelce’s home renovation was confirmed to involve replacing nine windows and six doors because the existing cheap windows caused severe condensation and water pooling during a recent cold snap. The brothers joked about her potentially upgrading to luxury fixtures like golden-plated toilets. Donna clarified that professionals are handling the installation, scheduled for the following Monday.
NFL Free Agency Moves
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(00:15:25)
  • Key Takeaway: The Chiefs’ defense is undergoing a significant overhaul with key departures like Trent McDuffie and Brian Cook, while the offense added running back Kenneth Walker.
  • Summary: The Chiefs lost defensive backs Trent McDuffie (to the Rams) and Brian Cook (to the Bengals), marking a large transformation in the secondary despite trusting Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to retool the unit. Simultaneously, the offense improved by adding Kenneth Walker, whose explosive ability remained consistent even with increased workload. Eagles’ Jordan Davis received an outstanding three-year, $78 million extension, while Jalen Phillips and Reed Blankenship also secured large contracts elsewhere.
NFL Salary Cap Projections
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(00:19:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Astronomical free agency contracts, highlighted by Tyler Lindenbaum’s $25 million/year center deal, indicate that NFL teams are banking on massive future salary cap increases driven by renegotiated media contracts.
  • Summary: The market for centers has drastically reset, with Tyler Lindenbaum earning over $25 million annually, a significant jump from Jason Kelce’s previous top-of-market rate of $14.5 million. This trend reflects the expectation that NFL media contracts, which dictate the salary cap, will continue to rise astronomically in the coming years. Jason predicted that within ten years, top quarterbacks could see contracts approaching a billion dollars.
Jason’s TGL Experience
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(00:23:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason Kelce was highly impressed by the advanced technology and scale of the TGL arena, finding the in-person experience vastly superior to watching on television.
  • Summary: Jason spent three days at TGL, observing the technological infrastructure, recovery rooms, and the massive moving screen, which he noted is far more impressive in person. He received chipping advice from Min Woo Lee and witnessed Tom Kim’s dramatic hole-in-one to make the playoffs. Jason expressed a strong desire to participate in a future live TGL event with Travis.
March Madness Bracket Challenge Launch
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(00:31:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The New Heights Reese’s March Madness Bracket Challenge is officially open for both men’s and women’s brackets, with winners receiving signed merchandise and a gold Reese’s Cup.
  • Summary: The annual bracket challenge opens on Selection Sunday, March 15th, allowing listeners to submit their picks for both tournaments. Jason admitted he has not watched much college basketball this season and might rely on external opinions for his selections. The winners will receive a swag bag including signed New Heights merchandise and the coveted gold Reese’s Cup.
Conan’s Oscars Prep & History
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(00:37:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien prepares for hosting the Oscars by testing jokes in remote comedy clubs, a process he finds essential despite the contrast with the high-profile event.
  • Summary: Conan’s Oscars preparation involves his core writing team, similar to his late-night show structure, and he tests material in far-flung comedy clubs, even urinating in an alley in Covina before a set. He reflected on his difficult start hosting Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 1993, noting it took years to gain traction with the audience. Conan expressed that he avoids serious acting roles because his comedic instincts would inevitably ruin dramatic scenes.
Oscars Prep and Alley Urination
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(00:53:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien tests Oscars jokes in obscure comedy clubs, including urinating in an alley in Covina, as part of his rigorous preparation process.
  • Summary: Testing jokes in far-flung clubs allows Conan O’Brien to gauge consistent audience reception over two months. He views this humbling process, like urinating in an alley before a set, as essential preparation for hosting the Oscars. This dedication to prep is contrasted with the mystical nature of uncontrollable talent.
Control, Prep, and Muscle Memory
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(00:55:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Controlling preparation and maintaining honesty about performance failures are crucial principles applicable across professions, enabling freedom to improvise when plans fail.
  • Summary: The ability to control preparation and hard work provides freedom to improvise when unexpected issues arise during a performance. This preparation builds muscle memory, allowing performers to operate on instinct without wasting brainpower on basics. This concept mirrors the necessary preparation in athletics, where thousands of reps lead to automatic execution.
Comedy Prep Energy and Scale
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(00:59:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Interacting with young, struggling comedians in small venues provides Conan O’Brien with energy and a vital reminder that the core of performance is unchanged by scale or prestige.
  • Summary: Hanging out with young comics who often hold second jobs reminds O’Brien that the scale of events like the Super Bowl or the Oscars is fundamentally connected to playing in the street as a child. He emphasizes that the added layers of money and prestige do not change the fundamental act of performing. This perspective keeps the experience joyous and grounded.
Interviewing Golden Nuggets
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(01:02:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Becoming a better interviewer requires actively finding an interesting angle on any guest and diligently listening for unexpected details that can become interview focal points.
  • Summary: Interviewers should use a ‘Jedi mind trick’ by researching guests to find one specific thing that genuinely interests them, as audiences can detect genuine engagement. The second crucial element is active listening, which prevents missing ‘golden things’ like a guest mentioning they once worked in a coal mine.
Chris Farley Story and Physicality
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(01:08:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien bonded with Chris Farley over a shared, constant physicality in comedy, exemplified by a bit where they shouted at crew members to do things they were already doing.
  • Summary: O’Brien shared a story about meeting Farley before his SNL hiring, where they spent 20 minutes doing a bit of shouting at crew members to perform actions they were already executing. O’Brien relates to Farley’s 24/7 commitment to comedy, stemming from his own upbringing in a large, physical Irish Catholic family. He admits to still loving physical comedy bits like jumping through fake glass, despite his age.
Toradol and Table Jumping Promise
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(01:13:55)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien enthusiastically promised to accept an injection of Toradol to jump through a flaming table in Buffalo, New York, if the opportunity arose.
  • Summary: Following a discussion about his love for physical stunts, O’Brien made a non-bit promise to receive a Toradol injection before jumping through a table, potentially with the Kelces in Buffalo. He expressed that this chaotic stunt would be more fun than hosting the Oscars. The segment ended with the hosts agreeing this event must be filmed.
Favorite Guests and Unrated Performers
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(01:15:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Norm Macdonald is cited as a true artist and fearless performer, while Tom Cruise was an underrated guest who defied expectations by being naturally hilarious.
  • Summary: Norm Macdonald is highlighted for his unique, fearless performance art, often telling elaborate, known-to-be-false stories with complete conviction. Tom Cruise surprised O’Brien by being exceptionally funny and idea-driven during a London segment, challenging O’Brien’s preconceived notion of him as solely an action star. Both hosts agreed that people often surprise you, defying initial biases.
Riffing Structure and Comedy Analysis
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(01:21:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Spontaneous riffing in comedy is learned through osmosis and repetition, not through a formal textbook structure, as analyzing comedy causes its essence to disappear.
  • Summary: Comedy structure is absorbed through observing funny people and constant trial-and-error from childhood onward, sinking into one’s bones. O’Brien is suspicious of any textbook that tries to codify jokes, as comedy relies on saying the unexpected and veering in unanticipated directions. Trying to analyze comedy is like trying to grab smoke; the structure is mysterious and best left unknown.
Harvard Commencement and Youth Energy
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(01:24:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien views giving the Harvard commencement speech as an opportunity to gain energy and optimism from young people, serving as an antidote to adult cynicism.
  • Summary: O’Brien finds inspiration by being around optimistic young people, which counters the tendency for adults to become cynical or feel they have ‘seen it all.’ He believes young people are smart and energetic, suggesting the world is in good hands. This interaction helps him maintain a youthful perspective.
Athletic Inability and Character Play
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(01:26:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien’s height did not translate to basketball skill because he lacked coordination and focus, preferring to create elaborate characters during casual games.
  • Summary: Despite being 6'4", O’Brien could not dunk and lacked the necessary coordination and focus for basketball, often doing bits instead of playing seriously. He recounted playing stickball as ‘Nikki Fiss,’ a character banned for throwing a bat into the stands, and playing basketball with a shirt over his face as ‘The Phantom.’ This illustrates his preference for performance over conventional competition.
Welcome to Hollywood Realization
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(01:31:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan O’Brien’s ‘Welcome to Hollywood’ moment was realizing Hollywood Boulevard at night was depressing and dangerous, not glamorous, upon arriving in 1985.
  • Summary: Arriving in LA in 1985 at age 22, O’Brien and his writing partner Greg Daniels rented a cheap hotel room, expecting Hollywood to be fancy. Walking Hollywood Boulevard at night revealed depressing clubs, trash, and being propositioned, which quickly educated the naive newcomer about the reality of the area.