Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend
Lisa Kudrow & Conan Can’t Stand Improv Warm-Up Games | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Episode Summary
AI-generated · Apr 2026AI-generated summary — may contain inaccuracies. Not a substitute for the full episode or professional advice.
In this episode of "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend," acclaimed actress Lisa Kudrow joins Conan to reminisce about their shared origins in the improv comedy scene of the 1980s. Conan begins by reflecting on Kudrow's unique experience with "Friends," which he posits was arguably the last "giant communal mega-hit" in television, contrasting it with his own current career resurgence in the new media landscape. However, the conversation quickly veers into their personal, often humbling, experiences performing improv for sparse audiences and their mutual disdain for certain comedic practices.
Conan humorously recalls his early investment in "Lisa Kudrow stock" in 1986, long before her fame, during their days performing improv in obscure, possibly basement theaters. Kudrow paints a vivid picture of these early performances, sometimes for only one or two people – or even a rat with surprisingly consistent suggestions. Conan admits to visibly displaying his frustration with what he deemed "hacky" performances, describing how Lisa would candidly tell him, "They can see you. You're being a dick," to snap him out of his dramatic reactions.
A significant portion of their discussion revolves around their shared, profound dislike for improv warm-up games. Conan vividly describes exercises like "bloop" and "blop" performed in Hollywood alleys that smelled of urine, admitting he would offer to pay to avoid them. Kudrow echoes this sentiment, recalling a recent charity event where they were subjected to a game called "skittley daddy," which Conan attempted to escape by faking a siren or a gunshot.
Kudrow reveals that she almost quit improv entirely during her very first class because of an exercise that involved throwing a "spaceball" and being angry. Both comedians find the concept of being told to "find your clown" in improv classes to be equally exasperating. Listeners will gain an intimate, humorous look at the unglamorous beginnings of two comedic powerhouses, offering a relatable perspective on the trials and absurdities of early creative pursuits and the enduring bonds forged through shared, awkward experiences.
👤 Who Should Listen
- Aspiring comedians or improvisers curious about the unglamorous beginnings of successful performers.
- Fans of 'Friends' or Conan O'Brien seeking personal anecdotes and shared history between the stars.
- Anyone interested in the evolution of television's cultural impact from 'mega-hits' to modern media.
- Individuals who have experienced the sometimes absurd or frustrating aspects of creative training and warm-up exercises.
- People looking for a humorous and intimate conversation about friendship and early career struggles in entertainment.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 1.Lisa Kudrow was part of "Friends," which Conan O'Brien argues was potentially the last "giant communal mega-hit" in television, a different kind of success than current media experiences.
- 2.Both Conan O'Brien and Lisa Kudrow started their careers performing improv in the 1980s for extremely small audiences, sometimes just one person or even a rat.
- 3.Conan admits he visibly reacted negatively to "hacky" improv performances during his early career, with Lisa Kudrow candidly telling him, "They can see you. You're being a dick."
- 4.Conan and Lisa share a profound mutual dislike for improv warm-up exercises like "bloop," "blop," and "skittley daddy," often trying to avoid or escape them.
- 5.Lisa Kudrow almost quit improv during her very first class due to an exercise involving throwing a "spaceball" and expressing anger, finding it fundamentally unappealing.
- 6.The improv teaching directive to "find your clown" was a source of frustration and anger for both Conan O'Brien and Lisa Kudrow.
💡 Key Concepts Explained
Find Your Clown
This is an improv teaching concept or directive that instructs performers to discover and embody their unique comedic persona or character. Both Conan O'Brien and Lisa Kudrow expressed intense dislike and anger towards this particular expression and the idea behind it during their improv training.
⚡ Actionable Takeaways
- →Recognize that early creative endeavors may involve performing for very small, unenthusiastic audiences, as Lisa and Conan experienced in improv.
- →Practice self-awareness in collaborative creative environments to avoid visibly displaying negative reactions that might affect others, as Lisa advised Conan.
- →Don't hesitate to express discomfort or negotiate alternatives when asked to participate in creative exercises you find unproductive or irritating, following Conan and Lisa's example with improv warm-ups.
- →Trust your instincts if a specific artistic practice feels fundamentally wrong or unsuited to your creative style, as Lisa did when considering quitting improv.
- →Maintain honesty and direct communication with creative partners, as Lisa did with Conan, to foster a more authentic working relationship.
⏱ Timeline Breakdown
💬 Notable Quotes
“"I was there in the olden days when we were in a weird basement doing improv, for absolutely nobody."”
“"[Lisa] said, 'They can see you.' Yeah. You're being a dick. And I'm like, 'Oh, right. You're right. You're right. I forgot.'"”
“"The one thing I still can't do to this day is um improv warm-up exercises."”
“"I didn't like it either. I almost quit because I didn't like what I saw in the first improv class where it's like throw a spaceball and they're just and and be angry."”
More from this guest
Lisa Kudrow
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