4 reasons Conan O'Brien’s Mark Twain Prize Night is a must-watch comedy event

Conan O'Brien has had quite a career. Even though he has hosted a late-night show on one of the original three big networks, he always seemed like one of us. He was seemingly lucky to have what he got, and he knew it.

But he was also always more talented than he let on, and others knew it. Adam Sandler confessed at March's Mark Twain Prize ceremony (the 2025 prize went to O'Brien) that when O'Brien was writing for Saturday Night Live, he was always "quicker" and "funnier" than everyone else. The thread running from Conan's days working on The Simpsons to his current podcast is humor, and lots of it.

One of the best parts about the Mark Twain Prize this year is that Netflix viewers can now watch it on their favorite streamer. There are moments of oddness, but several of pure hilarious entertainment. Here are four of the best.

Four fantastically great moments from Conan O'Brien's Mark Twain Prize night

Stephen Colbert does Hot Ones

Colbert cussed, but that wasn't the highlight of his time on the show. He took on the challenge of doing Hot Ones live while answering questions about O'Brien. The bit was an homage to O'Brien's classic episode of the hot sauce series.

Colbert also gave a short monologue in which he said former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and Skeletor might be part of the current United States administration. Colbert did not disappoint.

Sarah Silverman goes blue

Silverman had one of the true stand-up performances of the vent. She talked Conan, of course, but her delivery wasn't simply a synopsis or introduction. She brought the goods as always, but her last bit was the most cringeworthy.

She referenced a moment on O'Brien's late-night show when she had a photo of his lips and turned that photo into a part of the female body. Silverman did not stop with the quip, however. Photos were placed under every seat in the auditorium so that every audience member could mimic Silverman's joke.

Reggie Watts' heart-felt delivery

Watts is an engaging performer, and the song he began his bit with was funny and impressive. (Or was it?) He was also one of the lesser-known names at the ceremony, but an important one. He is one of the many comedians who, when they were younger, O'Brien helped bring to a greater general public.

Watts gave thanks to O'Brien for doing so in a perfectly emotional moment. Even Netflix viewers might have a difficult time holding back a tear.

The closing monologue and outro

After David Letterman introduced O'Brien to begin the show's closing, Conan once again proved his intelligence. The Harvard education performer knows his stuff, majoring in history and literature. When he started to speak about Twain's relevance in today's world, he wasn't making it up.

During the ceremony, it was often implied that the Kennedy Center, where the Mark Twain Prize ceremony is held, is negatively affected by current political decisions. While O'Brien did not mention Donald Trump by name when he spoke about Twain not liking bullies or a false feeling of being self-important, his target was not unknown.

Will Forte stood in the audience playing the role of Mark Twain and was excellent. (This is especially true if, as Forte's Twain said, O'Brien wrote the words for their conversation.) He came onstage when Adam Sandler reappeared with a guitar, and O'Brien was handed his own. Their rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" was brilliant.

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