Conan‘s final episode aired on TBS on Thursday, with host Conan O’Brien finally bidding farewell to his self-titled late night show after a lengthy 11-year run, and to the late-night format itself. O’Brien has been a staple of the after-dark screen since 1993, clocking 16 years as the host of NBC’s Late Night, then a brief run on The Tonight Show, before the move to TBS. So it was a momentous occasion — one which guest Jack Black wasn’t about to let pass without some sort of celebration.
“We wanted it to be extra special because, you know, he’s Cones and he’s the king,” explained Black. “And so we came up with this big musical number that was gonna involve a lot of, like, physicality.”
Unfortunately Black couldn’t perform the spectacle he had originally planned, which involved him fighting off paramedics after seemingly injuring himself, because he actually did injure himself during pre-taping.
“The funniest part is we had an ambulance there,” said Conan. “And so I’m yelling at these two guys, ‘We gotta help him, we gotta help him,’ and they were like, ‘No, we’re actors.'”
Still, Black wasn’t about to send Conan off without a song, sprained ankle or no. So in lieu of the planned production, he instead performed a parody of Frank Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way”, dedicated to Conan.
“I wrote this song today, that’s why the lyrics are so shit-tay,” sang Black, balancing on his moon boot. “But more, much more than this, he did it Cone’s way.”
Conan wrapped up the show by thanking a slew of people who helped him get to where he is.
“My advice to anyone watching right now, and it’s not easy to do, it is not easy to do, but try,” said Conan. “Try and do what you love with people you love. And if you can manage that it’s the definition of heaven on earth. I swear to god, it really is.”
O’Brien will now be moving on to a new variety show on HBO Max.
