Conan O'Brien says viral ‘Hot Ones' appearance proved late-night was 'doomed'

Conan O’Brien said he realized the late-night format was in decline after his 2024 appearance on YouTube’s Hot Ones went viral.

The episode, where celebrities answer questions while eating increasingly spicy chicken wings, has been viewed more than 15 million times.

“That was the moment the scales fell from my eyes,” O’Brien told The Hollywood Reporter.

“If a guy can do World Series numbers with overhead that looked to be about $600, and you have every big star lining up to do his show … that’s when I profoundly understood that late night shows are in trouble.”

Stephen Colbert’s Late Show will end in May.

CBS said the decision is financial, denying any link to Paramount’s pending merger with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Colbert called O’Brien the “patron saint of ex-talk show hosts,” noting O’Brien had encouraged him for years to step away.

O’Brien himself hosted Late Night (1993–2009), The Tonight Show (2009–2010), and Conan (2010–2021).

In September, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was briefly pulled after Kimmel’s remarks about Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin drew FCC scrutiny and affiliate backlash.

Disney suspended the show after two major affiliates refused to air it, but Kimmel returned after a short hiatus.

Some observers believe Colbert’s sharp criticism of President Donald Trump contributed to his show’s end.

The FCC, led by Brendan Carr, had to approve Skydance’s purchase of Paramount, fueling speculation about political influence.

O’Brien acknowledged late-night’s decline but added, “I don’t like when other malign forces intervene, because they’re trying to curry favor. That pisses me off.”

O’Brien remains active with his podcast and HBO Max series.

He will also host the Oscars this Sunday for the second consecutive year,