Conan O'Brien is a host of late-night programs.
Conan O'Brien . He is best known for hosting several late-night talk shows ; since 2010 he has hosted Conan on the cable channel TBS . O'Brien was a writer and producer for The Simpsons for two seasons until he was commissioned by NBC to take over David Letterman 's position as host of Late Night in 1993 . A virtual unknown to the public , O'Brien 's initial Late Night tenure received unfavorable reviews and remained on a multiweek renewal cycle during its early years . Known for his spontaneous hosting style , which has been characterized as `` awkward , self-deprecating humor '' , O'Brien 's late-night programs combine the `` lewd and wacky with more elegant , narrative-driven short films ( remotes ) '' .