Conan O’Brien faced the loss of both parents in December 2024. However, instead of falling silent, he turned to an old bit with friends Will Arnett and Jason Bateman. He traded dark jokes with them on a podcast. O’Brien revealed that he used humor as a way to cope in the days after both deaths.
Conan O’Brien uses comedy to grieve and blames Jason Bateman for his parents’ death
Jason Bateman and Will Arnett appeared on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast and discussed the host’s parents’ deaths. Arnett said he had texted Conan to offer condolences after Conan’s father died, and Conan replied, “Thank you, Will. To be honest, I blame [Jason] Bateman.” Arnett recalled answering, “It’s not a terrible theory,” and then Conan deadpanned, “He killed my dad.”
The running joke soon pulled Jason Bateman in. Arnett said Bateman messaged Conan the next day, and Conan texted back, “Bateman, do yourself a favor. Turn yourself in.” The banter continued even after Conan’s mother died a few days later.
Arnett described a follow-up exchange about a family address. He asked Conan if it was okay to share his sister’s address with Bateman. Conan replied with the address and added, “Tell Bateman to make it look like a robbery.” The comment came as part of the same joking thread the three men used to trade grief.
Conan explained why he kept joking. “I swear to God, this is how I grieve,” he told listeners. He said it felt comforting to “screw around” with friends at that time, and that the humor helped him keep going through a painful week.
Arnett agreed he understood Conan’s need to laugh, saying, “This is what he wants. This is what he wants right now. He wants to laugh and do bits. This is what he wants. And I know the vibe. And obviously our heart was with you, and we love you, and all that stuff.”
