Have you ever wondered the reaction Conan O’Brien had after NBC yanked him from the Tonight Show or what he really wanted to do about it? “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” delivers the goods! The exact moment the decision is made to get around the whole “legally prohibited from being funny on TV” is revealed in this excellent documentary.
Director Rodman Flender (yes, that is his real name) starts the tell-all with Conan explaining on the day of his last show that he was already planning a tour to keep himself fresh. Conan just can’t stop entertaining people – EVER! Capturing the initial reaction to NBC’s decision to replace Conan with Jay Leno and the upheaval that followed, Flender gives an earnest backstage view of the tedious machinations that go into producing a seamless delivery for Conan’s millions of fans. There are countless meetings with his writers to get everything set up: dates have to be realized; jokes have to be written; songs have to be prepared; and an order for everything has to be determined.
In an attempt to see if people will take to the dream, Conan decides to announce his tour dates and locations while the tour is still only a reality in his incredible imagination. Less than 30 minutes into the first day of ticket sales, venues in the East and Midwest already start selling out. (I admit I was at the first of two Chicago performances.)
Conan quickly learns how vast his nation spreads as their loyalty and dedication to him has, seemingly, no end. They are willing to pay any price to let him know how much they appreciate the consummate entertainer. They also make sure to let him know how much he would be missed on the Tonight Show.
We learn as the production is coming together, jokes are being written, and the first show is rapidly approaching; Conan has to tell his children that he is going on the road for a while, but he will do all he can to chat with them every day. Flender manages to capture a rare glimpse into the softer side of Conan, and the audience really feels how much this funny man loves his family. And, while he feels the need to tour, it doesn’t mean he won’t miss his wife and kids. It was something that I always assumed was the case, but seeing it first-hand had an amazing impact on me, and it only served to strengthen my admiration for him and seal my place as one of his followers.
While it is no secret that a lot of work goes into these tours, the film does a great job of showcasing that as we follow Conan and see how much he personally puts into each show every night. A person never goes without an autograph when asked, and he even has V.I.P. meet and greets at EVERY one of his shows. Conan gives back to his fans, and you can tell that it isn’t because there is a film crew present, it’s because he appreciates the support. Yet, as the tour continues on, Conan grows more and more frustrated and tired. He still does what he can to appease his flock, but it takes a toll on his body and it really comes across in this documentary.
The tour winds down, and Conan still does all he can to make his fans happy. His performance at the Bonaroo Music Festival in Tennessee becomes more than just putting on a show, as he is booked to start introducing performers, which leads to one of the more humorous goings on in the movie. The tour finally wraps up, and there is a lot of talk about how much fun it was regardless of the physical tolls paid.
Conan O’Brien truly can’t stop! This film brilliantly shows how much he loves to entertain and how it’s become the only thing he knows how to do anymore. The time he spends on the road and everything that is documented in the movie really shows that Conan cares about everyone around him. His audience is the real reason he continues to do what he has done for the past 26 years now, and I hope he has at least that many years ahead of him.
I was fortunate enough to see this at the Peoria Theater, and I openly support local independent theaters. Places like the Peoria Theater, easily found at www.peoriatheater.com, show independent and foreign films that most times get overlooked. If you want to see young directors and movies that you will hear about later; get out and support your local independent theater while you can. . . let’s keep the screens dreaming.
You can get to the official site and see if any theaters are lucky enough to be showing this right now in your area, just click on Conan’s mug above. I highly recommend you see this film; even Conan detractors will find it hard to dislike him after this backstage pass into the Conan O’Brien machine.
