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Three Months Into 'The Tonight Show,' Conan Goes Native In LA

Where: Los Angeles, CA
September 23, 2009 at 1:58 PM | by | Comments (0)

Conan O'Brien, who we love for his flaming red pompadour and self-deprecating humor, is just over three months into his tenure as host of The Tonight Show. Taking over the role vacated by his smug comic counterpart Jay Leno required a move to Los Angeles, a major change for the East Coast-born-and-bred O'Brien, though we should note that he has lived in LA before, when he was working as a writer on an HBO show.

New York's subway system is countered by LA's Beemer-packed freeways and a metro line with limited city stops. New York has blistering winters, while LA has seen temperatures in the '80s in January. Suffice it to say, the cities couldn't be more different, so we've been wondering how Conan has acclimated to the change, and just how Angeleno this New Yorker can get. Exactly how long will it be until he adopts Valley girl-speak? Let's find out, after the jump.

Luckily he hasn't been peppering his opening monologue with "like" and "you know," but many of his hijinks have explored facets of the city and its landscape. You might remember him taking in a Laker game from the nosebleed rafters or canoeing along the LA River with Andy Richter, so it's clear that Conan isn't shying away from immersing himself—literally—in Los Angeles life.

Some might argue that these bits are touristy, inaccurate reflections of Los Angeles. We respectfully argue otherwise. First of all, we guarantee that throngs of tourists aren't flocking to the cloudy waters of the LA River, and what's more, Conan is successfully exploiting clichés, turning them on their head, and making them his own.

Conan as poolboy? Check. Conan as the star of a Tonight Show telenovela? Check. What he's giving audiences is a unique, point-by-point guide to the city as no Starline Tour could ever offer. For that we say, "Thanks, Conando."

Make sure you check back in with us next week, too, when we give you a behind-the-scenes look at what you can expect if you attend a Tonight Show taping. Here's a preview: lots of Tonight Show band member Pender's stadium-worthy wailing.

Related Stories
·The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien [Official Site]
·How To Score Tickets To Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show[Jaunted]

[Photo: Hulu]

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