This week, Conan O’Brien launched his new format with a shorter runtime and more intimate interviews. On Thursday night, the approach yielded gold with guest Bill Hader, and the pair reminisced about how they owe a great debt to SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels. They also disclosed how nearly everyone who’s worked with Michaels ends up carving out an impression of him, and this leads Hader to go down a very dark path. As it turns out, the impression is also a very specific one with Hader portraying how Michaels would go to dinner with serial killers.
Why serial killers? Hader pointed out that Fred Armison initially noted that Lorne’s name-dropping habit (which is obligatory, since he knows so many famous people) is generally prefaced with a face-covering gesture. And it stands to reason that maybe he truly would be embarrassed to know folks like the BTK Killer (“Dennis”) and Jeffrey Dahmer.
“I went to Kansas City with Nick and Marcy,” Hader paused for effect while shielding his face. “To see if we could get BTK Killer off death row.” He wasn’t done yet. “I was at Lattanzi with Mick and Jeffrey Dahmer,” he continued. “And we had this young man who was our waiter. He left and Jeffrey said ‘I have to go to the bathroom.'” Hader rolled his eyes, “Yeah, of course you do.”
Naturally, Conan didn’t attempt to suppress his laughter, nor did the audience. “This is a really f*cked up crowd,” Hader observed. What a killer response.
