Kumail Nanjiani Didn’t Discover That He Was Funny Until College | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

“At that age I could not imagine anybody liking me because I didn’t think there was anything to like.” - thank you, Kumail, for articulating something so many of us feel.

I went from hysterically laughing to slightly tearing up all within a 10 minute clip just because how relatable everything that was talked about is. Always a fan of Kumail. What a great episode.

The chemistry between these two so great, they both seem really similar personalities, both quick witted, comedically driven overachievers

I love how when Conan gets really personal he looks toward his Chums. They're his security blanket when he opens up.

Being a gen z conan fan is so rewarding. The stories and advice on growing up are really relatable and insightful

This was nice. I think a lot of people need to hear that finding yourself isn't something that happens easily.

i love how conan says he got into a really good school and its literally HARVARD

I'm in my 30's and recently went through something that Kumail touched on at the end of this video. I legit had that same conversation with people I've known since childhood that I didn't grasp the full scope of our friendship because of my own insecurities

Love you Kumail! You’re a genius and a gentleman. Go forth and share your gifts…

Love Kumail. Loved him in college humor sketches and Pete Holmes sketches

I'm 30 now and still have no clue where my life is going because I'm terrified of making the wrong decisions

I love how honest they are about their feelings and making the rest of us feel normal as well. Thanks team Conan and Kumail for a fun and funny episode. I hope they do another together again!

Wow, the last minute or so might be the most open and vulnerable story i ever heard on CONAF. Kudos Kumail!

Hearing Kumail at the end talk about how he thought he was unliked in school, only to find out later that he was liked really resonates with me. I went through high school as a nerdy introvert, and I only had 1 real friend in school. I had a couple more friends in my neighborhood, but really only 1 friend in school. Many years later, I've run into some of my classmates and they greeted me as though I was a long lost friend. In some cases I didn't even remember who they were, because I was in my own shell, not really paying close attention to others.
So, for any kids in school today who feel outcast and alone, be aware that some of this may be in your own head. You may well have more friends than you realize. You may not be as much of a misfit as you think.

This was so wholesome and relatable. He's now one of my favorite people ever.

Funny nerds rock! Being funny and talented is underrated. It gets others through the hard times. Thank you for sharing your gift!

This hit close to home! It's so nice to see that people you find really cool went through the same things you're currently going through. Like Kumail said, just gotta find a way to be comfortable with who you are, and it'll all be fine!❤️

Both Kumail and Conan talk about, what I would call, pressure to figure out who they were, what their role was, how to fit in at a young age (before 18). I never thought of that growing up. Am I the only one? Why at that age do you have to know who you are?
I wonder if because Conan's father had an admired profession as a doctor, plus the added competitiveness of having many siblings to compare yourself to, if that made him feel like he had to declare his profession, like lawyer or author. Maybe his household always talked about careers and that is why it was on his mind? I'm wondering what other people's experiences were?

This may be the first time ever that a Harvard graduate said something about their college years that didn’t start with “when I was at HARVARD…”

Love how genuine and open they are in this conversation. Great role models.

Wow, I love these 2 together 💗 It seems very authentic and vulnerable 🌟✨💓

What an honest conversation that so many need to hear. Hard to put it all out there and they have. Thanks

I'm massively impressed at how well-spoken and natural Kumail sounds in interviews. You can tell a lot of people interviewed are nervous, and sometimes you can tell that they're kind of following a script, but Kumail really does a great job of balancing humor and genuine thought in this interview. I could listen to him talk forever.

this was such a great conversation snippet. loved it.

This was insightful and personal and exactly why I love CONAF

Very wholesome, thank you.

Conan talking about how long it takes to figure out who you are what you're good at? My guy, you were an SNL writer at 25!

I love that at about 1:40, Conan repeat's Oogway's statement to Sifu: "One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it"

Thank you for this podcast it helped me a lot

*We need more Kumail!*

This was a very effective therapy session, loved it!!

thats a pretty inlightening interview..amazing

I loved this so much. I do wonder if I make a question to the Team Coco if they would respond? I'm just wondering if Conan chose the name of the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" himself? I find it so genius and funny because one of the things I've concluded/ thought about podcast creators is: Why would someone start a podcast? Well perhaps one good reason would be because they feel kind of lonely and would like to get in touch with a lot of people... So that's why I think the title is so genius and hilarious (and also very honest if that's true hehe). Great show. New fan of this podcast.

I think Conan just found his friend

I still haven't discovered that he is funny, but I can wait.

Love Kumail!

I blame my parents. Soon as I realised kids found my impressions of my parents accents funny (punjabi-arab and Jamaican), I settled into the role of class clown but I was also a nerd so used to pass exams without even bothering.

great episode

wow, therapeutic af, awesome stuff.

im literally watching this whilst ima at Uni, in my first year, only about 2 months in. i definitely haven't found who i am but i'm realising that i'm not some sort of alien for the first time, that everyone around me is human and that i'm doing pretty well on my own, i'm not struggling but i still haven't found myself.

The "Well, you are Irish" joke should get bigger laugh

unexpectedly deep and useful

This talk was amazing :o

Yeah, I’m turning 50 next month and still haven’t figured myself out yet. Good thoughts from interesting minds.

Looks like he's still on the fun. He looks like he's on all the top fun and even funnier than before. He's definitely at his absolute funniest now.

Here's my 33 year old ass working at a grocery store and having no idea what to do with my life. I think to relate to both of them though in the sense that I love comedy and people have been telling me I should pursue it, but also I have a lot of self doubt and just kind of don't see it being a reasonable thing to pursue. Also I'm like half Irish and ginger so that's something.

See I'm the opposite here, I have friends from high school who I thought really liked me but they never respond anymore and it's hard to think they care at all.

"Got into a good college"
It's okay Conan, you can say the H word

Kumail looks like Robin Williams brown version.

I wonder how often Kumail works out to maintain those Marvel muscles.

Cool!

Wow!!

Most of us can relate to this

I thought I knew myself pretty well, for ages, but it wasn't till my 40s that I understood some fundamental things that had informed everything else, all along. It was like draining a bathtub, if the bathtub were full of pain and confusion. I'm still miserable but at least now I know why. ;-)

Is Harvard Lampoon kinda like Cambridge Footlights in the way they inspire great comedians?

Listen kids...dont waste time lamenting over what you dont have...spend time appreciating for what you DO have and planning for what you want. If you are passionate or right about something that isnt gonna cause global ruin...go for it...dont even listen to those unmotivated naysayers.

Why are the comments here so negative ? Conan has had less funny guests on his show and Kumail is actually funny. I don’t know why people want to attach him for being funny. He is funny. Silicon Valley was funny, his stand up is funny, his guest appearances on talk shows are funny, he was the funniest character in Eternals, why are people surprised that people find him funny? Sounds like your hatred for other aspects of him seem to bias you against thinking he’s funny. You know who I found unfunny and just loud, Bill burr but i bet the same people here hating on Kumail somehow think that Bill is just a breath of fresh air.

Why?? I knew right away he was funny. I love all his movies ❤

4:26 He's just saying that because of the red hair.

😄

I'm 40 and well off and don't have to work. I have a loving spouse and I'm a talented chef and photographer. life is good.... I'm still trying to figure out who i am and what i want, and i still feel like I'm bobbing around aimlessly in the ocean, unaccomplished, drowning in sorrow and lost potential

I at that stage what they were in their younger years
Im 25 and don't know wtf am i doing in life

To be honest, Ronald McDonald has has more brand consistency than the Pope has.

Bollywood male!! 😮

Conspiracy theory: Ronald McDonald house was setup to avoid anyone ripping on McDonald’s mascots.

Wait, I've been listening to this podcast for awhile now and just learned that it's recorded? Why can't we watch the whole thing on KRplus? This is dumb.

I just discovered it now because of the title.

It’s never too late! I’m glad for him because I’m 37 years old and I still haven’t discovered that Kumail is funny, so this really gives me hope!!

Hey, it's Pakistani Denzel

College isn't that long, some people go their entire lives and never find you funny 😁
(I think you are but the joke was low hanging fruit)

never really liked this guy, never really thought he was funny. didn't have anything against him, just thought he wasn't that funny. but after this interview, he seems more likeable. not sure why. humour isn't bad, and seems like a nice, humble, respectable guy

Conan wasn't really bad looking when he was younger though, based on videos I've seen from when he was younger

Tomorrow’s World Relationships
A perfect match? A loving family? Happy children? The pressures of today’s world create a grim reality where successful and lasting relationships are something of a fantasy. We cannot rely on the experience of elders since they lived in a very different world, so we have to find how to create meaningful and sustainable partnerships today. The key word in this search is connectedness, or rather, interconnectedness.
Because the world is changing at an accelerating pace, it is pointless to compare today’s relationships to those of our parents, or even to relationships of people a decade or two older than us. Each year, the world becomes increasingly connected, and a crisis in one place quickly spreads to the rest of the world.
On the personal level, too, things today are very different from what they were a decade ago. We have moved from fast food to fast relationships, and brief has become our permanent state of being.
To cope with the growing uncertainty and find direction in the emerging chaos, we need to understand where we are going. We are headed toward total connectedness and interdependence. It is an irreversible process. The more connected we become, the more dependent on each other we become, as well. Soon, we will realize that anything that hurts others hurts me, too, and there is nothing I can do to break my ties with the world.
In order to cope successfully with our interconnected future, we must change the nature of our ties from abusive and oppressive to supportive and embracing. Since we already broadcast our thoughts, words, and actions to the entire world, we might as well broadcast positive thoughts, words, and actions, and help improve the world for ourselves and others.
In a world that is connected positively, the family is the basic unit of connection. A reality where humanity is a mass of isolated individuals is unsustainable because there will be no connections between people and society will disintegrate just as any organism disintegrates into the smallest elements when it dies.
Therefore, the family will be the basic unit where people cultivate positive connections. Since people are becoming increasingly individualistic, the family will be the place where people learn to embrace diversity rather than fight against people who hold different views. People will learn that just as our body exists thanks to different cells and organs working together for the sake of the body, different people who work together for the sake of the family enable the success of the family.
From the family unit, people will take their lessons to the community, from the community to the city, from the city to the state, to the country, and finally to the entire world. The key, therefore, to successful relationships in tomorrow’s world, lies not only in connections, but in connections between different people for a common goal, where the differences between them ensure their success and make their mutual dependence imperative, and even welcome.

🥲

Thar last part about being charity case is so relatable to every young person growing up. 🥲
I hope everyone understands what kumail said about finding yourself.

You forgot to mention on the audio version of the podcast, how hot he is.
Good god!

I have learned a lot here today......
I have wanted a DeLorean for 40 years.
no more.
Harrison Ford is no longer President?
Boy, are we screwed.
Ronald McDonald was not a funny enough looking clown?
So, he's the standard, and there are other clowns- with the capacity to look weirder?
I forgot there were Gremlins everywhere.
Thanks.

He’s definitely on Trt lol

Oh Kumail Showedupiani this time

First!

So Conan stopped doing a talk show so he could do a talk show?

I hope Kumail does the daily show. If he would be less woke, it would be on point. I get it, tho dude. My mom and a couple friends died in front of me, but I’m from the best country in the world. I feel guilty being called an empath. So, I’m blessed.

You are good looking!

PKMB

56s..quickest I have come

I Get That Team CoCo Wants Lots of Ad Clicks or However One Makes $$$$ From KRplus, But Doesn't Conan Have Enough Money By Now 2 Just Release These Conversations as Whole Pieces? Rather Than The Scraps We Get, Like We're Infotainment Dogs.

Kumail is so yoked

This comment section is a great example of why you should never refer to yourself as funny

Can I Patent Carbon ?

Who’s gonna tell him?

Does anyone notice that there are 4 religions in that table and everyone is laughing ? why we can be like that in the entire world ???

I have yet to discover him being funny.

Conebone69

What is actually the job of the other 2, except for laughing?

Oh funny, I have yet to discover that Kumail Nanjiani was funny

people who think and call themselves smart and funny publicly usually are neither exhibit a) Kumail Nanjiani

I still haven’t discovered that he is funny 😅😅

every comment so far calling him unfunny is from a white person XD hopefully that'll change

You still are you buster

There is truth behind that the macdonalds sign is seen more around the world that the jesus cross