In May, TBS announced that Conan O’Brien’s titular talk show Conan would soon be abandoning its traditional length of one hour in favor of a much shorter half-hour format. Some were worried the change would spell the end for the late night titan, who has spent more than 25 years on television making people laugh (or bend their heads at awkward angles). Then again, changes to Conan have been rumored for some time, so maybe it’s for the best. Either way, we’ll find out when the show returns on January 22nd.
A new press release from TBS declared that the half-hour version of Conan, which will air four nights a week, will premiere on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019. The cable outlet noted that “the revamped late-night show and expanded Team Coco fan experience will define a new era in multi-platform comedy.” O’Brien, meanwhile, quipped in a press release that his “three-month absence can only mean one thing — radical cosmetic surgery.” Obviously, that’s not the case, but the comedian encouraged viewers to “tune in… for a true freak show.”
TBS and Team Coco insist that Conan will display many of the same characteristics of a late night talk show, like scripted comedy bits and celebrity guests. The show length will be the biggest change, though as the above trailer hints, the revamped Conan will also feature a brand new set. Until then, audiences can listen to O’Brien’s new podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, which recently featured Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally.
