Conan O'Brien reflects on intense early career at SNL and regrets missing out on fun
variety.com — November 5, 2024, 05:01 PM UTC
Conan O’Brien expressed regret over his intense approach during his time as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" from 1988 to 1991. He believes this intensity led to burnout and limited his enjoyment of the job. O’Brien reflected that he could have had more fun and possibly extended his tenure at "SNL" if he hadn’t made it so stressful for himself. He left to work on "The Simpsons" before eventually hosting "Late Night" starting in 1993. He praised Lorne Michaels for providing opportunities that were rare for someone with his experience. O’Brien noted the unique chance to collaborate closely with established stars like Steve Martin during his early career.