Conan O’Brien used his signature dark humour to get through one of the most heartbreaking periods of his life, losing both of his parents just days apart in December 2024.
The late-night icon revealed that he coped by jokingly blaming his longtime friend Jason Bateman for the losses.
During the December 8 episode of his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, O’Brien and fellow actors Will Arnett and Jason Bateman opened up about the running gag that helped the comedian stay afloat while grieving.
Arnett recalled reaching out right after O’Brien’s father passed away on December 9, 2024.
He sent a heartfelt message offering condolences. O’Brien’s response took an unexpected turn, “Thank you, Will, to be honest, I blame Bateman.”
Arnett couldn’t help but lean into the joke. He replied that the theory wasn’t completely impossible, sparking more playful banter.
O’Brien then sent a line that he says his dad would have absolutely loved: “He killed my dad.”
Bateman also jumped into the joke.
As Arnett remembered, the next day Bateman messaged O’Brien writing, “Arnett tells me you’re onto me.” O’Brien’s reply was perfectly in character: “Bateman, do yourself a favour, turn yourself in.”
The sadness-coped-with-laughter didn’t end there.
Only three days after his father’s death, O’Brien’s mother, Ruthe Reardon, also passed away at age 92. And somehow, the bit continued.
Arnett texted O’Brien again, teasing that Bateman was now searching for his sister’s address and asking if it was OK to share it. O’Brien sent one and added that Bateman should “make it look like a robbery.”
“I swear to God, this is how I grieve,” the comedian admitted on his show.
O’Brien explained that he genuinely didn’t know if comedy would ever feel right again after such sudden losses, but sharing jokes with friends helped him find comfort when everything felt overwhelming.
For him, holding onto humour wasn’t disrespectful, it was survival.
“It just was. And so if that makes me a madman, then so be it,” he said.
The conversation offered a rare glimpse into how the beloved host processed a personal tragedy while staying true to the comedic spirit that has defined his career.
