A DESK DRIVE THROUGH FIVE YEARS OF LATE NIGHT By Robin Banks
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN IN 1994
January 7, Show #79: Spin-off children's Saturday morning cartoon series "Conan Babies" makes it's Late Night debut. "Conan Babies" is only ever shown after Midnight on Friday shows. Talking Baby Max doll ("I did ca-ca") never goes into retail. Guests that day were Larry King, Chris Elliot, and Das Efx.
January 13, Show #83: This is the first time Andy misses an entire show. Why? Because he's a witness in the trial of Lorena Bobbitt. He testified, "I was standing in a field when I felt something hit me." Guests were Branford Marsalis, Lisa McRee, and music from James.
February 15, Show #105: Andy reports live from Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and is having such a conetastic time that he swears he will never return to 30 Rock. Guests on the show were actors Stefanie Powers, Robert Wagner, Stephen Baldwin, and music from Redd Kross.
February 16, Show #106: Andy returns to 30 Rock and is a little hung over. Conan's guests were Jennifer Tilly, Janeane Garofalo, and the Swinging Steaks.
February 17, Show 107: Ice-T uses the word "krunk". It's a swear word that's soooo new that the network censors don't know what to do with it. Other guests on that night were actress Amanda Pays, and comedian/actor David Cross.
February 28, show #114: David Letterman returned to Late Night as a guest for the first time since his departure from NBC. He asked Conan, "How did you get this job? Was it a theme writing contest?" Conan replies, "Yes it was a 'What Would I Do With A Talk Show' and I was fourth." Dweezil & Ahmet Zappa's band "Z" also played that night.
March 2, show #116: Andy goes to the Grammy Awards. He finds Sting, Salt-N-Pepa, Melissa Etheridge, and more and persuades them to sing "The Boys Are Back In Town" (a Thin Lizzie song from the 70's), Andy thinks the band should have been given a lifetime achievement award. Late Night guests were Olivia d'Abo, John Strausbaugh, Tony Toni Tone.
May 26, Show #171 - THE MEAT LOCKER EPISODE: While performing a skit about "Celebrity Meats" Conan and Andy accidentally lock themselves inside a meat locker and are forced to look back on moments from their first season.
May Sweeps: As David Letterman and Jay Leno travel around America to do battle in the sweeps period, Conan takes the show to Queens, N.Y.
July 26, show #202: Ending rumors that he had died, "Godfather" actor and mysterious enigma Abe Vigoda first appears on Late Night. Also appearing that night were Leeza Gibbons, and John Hiatt.
Sometime in August: There's a baseball strike on, and as a service to the baseball lovin' public, Conan decides to present the first in a series of baseball games between "The White Stockings" (80 year-old men) and the "Turbo Ninjas" (8-year-old boys). Each game ends by breaking out into a fight. "WHITE STOCKINGS!!! White stockings!! Ha haha hahahahaha!!"
August 15, Show #216: Andy files a report from the historic re-staging "Woodstock". He joins in the antics of the crowd by sliding in mud... later on he interviews singer Melissa Etheridge. Studio guests were Mary Matalin, Nathan Cavaleri, and comedian Ray Romano.
August 19, Show #220: The first-ever College Band Search winners perform--South Carolina's Blightobody. In 1995 winners were Skastafarians, of Dallas, 1996 Sleeping Giants from Pittsburgh, and 1997 Domo, from Minneapolis. Other guests appearing that night were Gail O'Grady and Ruben Blades.
August 25, show #224: Conan's childhood hero, Batman star Adam West guests on the show alongside, Paula Zahn and muso guest Weezer.
September 9, Show # 230: Andy crashes another music awards ceremony, this time it's MTV's annual Music Video Awards where he tries to get music industry bigwigs to take notice of his videos including "You Gotta Be" and "I'll Make Love To You." Studio guests were Judith Light, Al Roker and Warren G.
September 30, show #245: We get a new and touching insight into the life of Conan O'Brien with the premiere of the documentary "Ken Burns''Conan'". In letters written to his mom from summer camp, it's revealed that an older boy gave him a wedgie, and that he had crushes on the actress who played Marcia Brady and Star Trek's Sulu. Guests were Brian Dennehy, Veronica Webb, and Cracker.
October 3, Show #246: "Quiz Show"-scandal participant Herbert Stemple appears on the show, challenging Charles Van Doren to a rematch. When Van Doren does not respond, "Late Night" later stages a face-off with Stemple and actor John Turturro, who played Stemple in the critically acclaimed film. Guests were Michael McKean, Peter Guralnick, and Ann B. Davis
October 7, Show #250: Conan's former boss, creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening, is a guest on the show along with Roshumba, and Jimmie Vaughan.
October 11, Show #252: Conan cuts his first CD, "Late Night Cowboy," at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded a song about being a Late Night talk show host... "I go blah, she goes blah, we go blah, blah, blah, blah, yakkety yak..." Guests that night were Daniel Baldwin, Merrill Maroke, and Colin James.
October 21, Show #260 THE BLIMP EPISODE: Andy spends the entire show in a blimp circling New York City, opening the door in mid-air at the urging of guest Tom Snyder. Camille Paglia, and Sebadoh also appear.
November 18, Show #275: Roger Clinton, brother of Bill, appears on the show. He sang and spoke with his brother live via satellite. Actor John Turturro also appears.
November 30, show #283: Conan, Andy and Max record a song that marks the 10th Anniversary of the USA for Africa. Sting and Carl 'Oldy' Olson also feature in the song "Famous Helping People"… "You gotta help, help, help, help, if you can..." Studio guests were Jon Lovitz, Jeff Anderson, and Linda Smith.
December 2, show #285: Conan and Andy light the lights on the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Guests were Shelley Winters, Bob Berkowitz, and music from The Wedding Present.
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