Conan's "Late Night" Infomercial
By Josh Grossberg
Get ready for Conan O'Brien: the infomercial.
No, the Late Night host's not hawking five-minute abs or spray-on hair, but he is planning on channeling his inner-Ron Popeil during this Thursday's show.
O'Brien is set to parody the infomercial format by converting his show into one long advertisement hyping th release of two Late Night-themed DVDs: Late Night's 10th Anniversary Special and The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
Okay, so it's not Veg-O-Matic or Tae-Bo instruction, but the big guy's going to shill his heart out.
"If this works out, watch for the Conan O'Brien Weight Loss System this fall," proclaimed O'Brien in a press release.
Late Night producers will make over the set, using the tacky lighting and low-end production values insomniacs have come to expect from the infomercial genre.
O'Brien will be joined by his pugnacious bow-tied pooch puppet pal Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. They'll screen some of their greatest hits and interview some Very Special Guest Stars--former Love Boat doc Bernie Kopell and former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner, both of whom know their way around an infomerical.
All the while, O'Brien says he will be working hard to close the deal, continuously directing viewers to
www.shopnbc.com to buy the DVDs at a special discounted price (for a limited time only!).
This isn't the first time Late Night has toyed with the show's format in its 11-year history. O'Brien once broadcast an entire episode in claymation, did another show from a Circle Line boat cruising around Manhattan and even did a 15-minute opening segment on back-up power during the 2003 blackout.
The 10th Anniversary Special is divided into four sections: "Comedy Shorts" features some of O'Brien's funniest bits; "Favorite Guest Moments" spotlights interviews with the likes of Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jack Black; "Conan on Location" finds O'Brien riffing outside the studio; and the "Behind the Scenes Gallery" chronicles the Late Night production team.
The Triumph disc collects the adventures of the cigar-chomping puppet famous for his trademark punch line: "For me to poop on!" Among the highlights: Triumph's scene-stealing tirade opposite Eminem at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards and his notorious appearances at the Star Wars premiere and the Westminster Dog Show. But wait, there's more. It will also feature "extra poop," that is, outtakes, music videos, etc.
The 10th Anniversary Special and The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog DVDs, which retail for $19.98 each, are now in stores. While supplies last.
