Cinema Verdict Review: Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop

OPENING: 06/24/2011

STUDIO: Magnolia Pictures

RUN TIME: 89 min

ACCOMPLICES: Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
He’s either a genius or the biggest dick in the world.

Opening Statement
Some people learn to be good performers while others are surely born to be in front of an audience. Late night talk show host Conan O’Brien not only falls into the latter category, but when it comes to being an entertainer he is a force of nature. Keeping him from the spotlight may be impossible. Between the end of his run on The Tonight Show and the start of his new talk show on TBS, O’Brien toured the U.S. and Canada with his comedy and music stage show. The documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop observes the comedian exercising his creativity and working out his anger on the road.

Facts of the Case
When the dust settled in one of showbiz’s longest program reshufflings, Conan O’Brien was dismissed by NBC after hosting the network’s iconic The Tonight Show just short of eight months. O’Brien’s long-expected and highly publicized takeover of the premier late night talk show desk was cut short by the studio’s nervousness over disappointing ratings and former host Jay Leno’s own underperforming ratings on his new primetime talk show. As a condition of his $45 million severance package, O’Brien was barred from starting a new show on television for six months. Determined to be in front of an audience again, and to work out his anger over being fired by NBC, O’Brien launched the “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour.” Playing 32 cities in two months, the touring live show featured many of the comedic elements which O’Brien’s fans expected plus a healthy dose of rocking and soulful music featuring the host on guitar.

The Evidence
Conan O’Brien’s live stage show brought him closer to his fans in theaters all across North America. Rodman Flender’s documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop takes viewers behind the curtain to reveal another side of the comedian. The fast and entertaining film is fascinated with the relentless performer and does not look away even when the portrait is not so flattering. Even when it wears on his own health and the patience of those around him, Conan O’Brien can’t help himself. Also remarkable is the vast support O’Brien receives from his staff that allows him to be the kind of entertainer he is.

The film provides a look behind the scenes at the creation and execution of the road show. From development meetings to auditions for his back up singers and a dress rehearsal in front of former staff of the TV show, it’s clear that O’Brien is giving his all to this show. He’s constantly testing jokes and working on material that can be used in his act. At a creative meeting with his producer and writers, it’s clear that everyone must keep up with O’Brien. If it’s not clear when O’Brien is or isn’t in character, perhaps it’s more accurate to observe that he’s always on.

You will recognize some of the regular show staffers from their peripheral presence on O’Brien’s television show. Another essential person in O’Brien’s entourage is his personal assistant who endures his teasing threats of being fired after messing up a lunch order. It almost seems cruel when he continues to joke about it long after the humor is stale but then you realize she must put up with a lot of this from her boss. Viewers of his talk show will know the host can milk a joke for laughs well past its reasonable lifespan. The appearance of “mean Conan,” as some staffers call him, isn’t too far off from the persona of manic, impish, juvenile, educated geek that he presents in front of the cameras and on stage. The main difference, perhaps, is that his self-deprecating humor is turned outward instead.

If O’Brien demands a lot from his show staff, he demands the most from himself. Already committed to a grueling road schedule, the star also gets booked for special receptions before and after the shows. Agreeing to be the emcee at a music festival, he and his writers then must craft new material for the local audience. Even on a day off, he’s compelled to be performing whether that means doing a “secret show” at Jack White’s recording studio or playing for his Harvard class reunion’s talent night. He complains that too much is expected of him. Yet it’s telling when an exhausted O’Brien chooses to exit the theatre by the door with the biggest crowd gathered outside.

Some viewers will be surprised to witness O’Brien indulge in some politically incorrect humor when he’s off stage, but a comedian’s work is often to test the boundaries of acceptability. In one encounter, O’Brien chastises a young fan for using an anti-Semitic slur. Yet, behind the scenes, he’s making his own off-color jokes. When Jack McBrayer from 30 Rock pays a visit back stage, he’s subjected to a lengthy barrage of hillbilly jokes. If Jack wasn’t such a good sport about playing along, it could have been an awkward moment. In a nutshell, the expectation is that everyone around O’Brien must be on at all times. It’s necessary to keep up with this unstoppable entertainer and it’s also what pushes him to work even harder.

Closing Statement
If you’re not already a fan of Conan O’Brien’s brand of humor, this documentary won’t win you over. I admit that I’m on Team Coco and Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop is a fascinating look at the comedian’s process. The documentary shows enough of the stage show so that fans who missed it will get a good feel for what it was like. It also reveals that Conan isn’t a one-man show. He exists with the support of many talented and caring people and it’s the ferocious fan adulation that he thrives on most.

The Verdict
7/10

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