How The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien Will (Hopefully) Make Me Be a Better Person

I’ll warn you up front, this will be an unusual post from me. Media Breach is by nature not a website where we try to tell you how to live your life and we rarely if ever get into our writers’ personal lives. ¬†After all, we’re five dudes and a chick who dig film, TV, video games, or music and happen to like writing/talking about it. Yes, we do recommend things but we try to not make you feel like asshole if you disagree with one of our opinions. ¬†I know you’re wondering where this is going so let’s get to it.

The wife and I just finished watching the last episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. ¬†I’m not here to review the show itself but I think it was a fitting conclusion to what will be remembered as one of the more tumultuous and public network television guffaws. But I’m not even going to lie- I shed a tear or two during O’Brien’s farewell speech.¬† Here is what the man said-

“Before we end this rodeo, a few things need to be said. There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can’t say about NBC. To set the record straight, tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this: between my time at Saturday Night Live, The Late Night Show, and my brief run here on The Tonight Show, I have worked with NBC for over twenty years. Yes, we have our differences right now and yes, we’re going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.

Walking away from The Tonight Show is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Making this choice has been enormously difficult. This is the best job in the world, I absolutely love doing it, and I have the best staff and crew in the history of the medium. But despite this sense of loss, I really feel this should be a happy moment. Every comedian dreams of hosting The Tonight Show and, for seven months, I got to. I did it my way, with people I love, and I do not regret a second. I’ve had more good fortune than anyone I know and if our next gig is doing a show in a 7-11 parking lot, we’ll find a way to make it fun.

And finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous creativity on the internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational.”

Really heartbreaking stuff here and just as we suspected, the man not only loves to entertain but is just oozing class. ¬†Sorry to interrupt the speech but I just wanted to take a moment to preface the following section. ¬†Even though I had read a portion of the speech before I watched it, I wasn’t expecting Conan to make a request to his viewing audience that will forever endear him to me.

“To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I’ll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere.”

Wow. ¬†The first reaction I had to this was just pondering all of the rather cynical things I’ve said or thought just regarding O’Brien’s rushed exit from The Tonight Show. ¬†It’s apparent he’s realized the response this whole debacle has generated and hopes to not leave anyone, no matter what “team” you’re on, in a state of hatred for the opposition. ¬†Wasting your life taking a side in something as frivolous as your favorite late night host is not only a waste of time but can turn you into one hell of an asshole.

Now to wipe out all cynicism would be something of a miracle. ¬†But moments after the words came out of his mouth, I couldn’t help but review my own life in relation to being a cynic. ¬†I’d like to think that I’m a pretty easy going guy but I know there are times where I just kind of lose it. ¬†Case in point, the wife and I were waiting in line at the SXSW volunteer call yesterday. Shortly after arriving, we overheard a gentleman talking about past SXSW Festivals and all activities therein, including the wonderful tasks he gets to do for the music conference. ¬†It was at this point that I leaned over to Jen and whispered, “I wish this douche bag would just shut up already.” ¬†Now mind you, the guy was being kind of loud but I myself feel like just the biggest dick even knowing that I said, let alone, felt that.

The truth is, the guy was talking to a total stranger and doing what he can to network and meet people, which is a pretty big part of SXSW. ¬†I’m the first to admit that I’d sooner run away from getting to know someone and fail to realize the opportunity that exists between chance encounters like this. ¬†Bottom line, I’m a pussy when it comes to putting myself out there. ¬†I’ve been less than open about this sort of thing for far too long and for whatever reason, Conan addressing this has caused me to realize this fault. ¬†I’m not here to say that I’m a completely changed man because of Conan’s words, but the dude is right. ¬†I can only hope that his words reached a portion of the world that needs to hear it as much as I did.

Again, I’m not trying to be preachy or turn this website into “Dustin’s Sappy House of Bullshit.” ¬†I hadn’t even planned to write anything about this story but I just thought it would be a missed opportunity to not highlight this part of O’Brien’s Tonight Show farewell. ¬†It certainly has made for a great conversation between the wife and I so I can only hope you take something from his recommendation.

“Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” – Conan O’Brien, former host of The Tonight Show.

Recent posts by Dustin

• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 5 and 6 - March 15th, 2012
• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 3 and 4 - March 13th, 2012
• SXSW 2012 Reviews: Days 1 and 2 - March 11th, 2012
• Monday Morning Dork Attack: Dublin Dr. Pepper - January 16th, 2012
• Monday Morning Dork Attack: Broken Wii - January 9th, 2012

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