Conan O’Brien’s historic trip to Cuba (he’s now the first late night host to visit the country in 50 years) was captured for a hilarious, heartwarming, and humbling 75-minute special called Conan In Cuba, which aired on TBS on Wednesday night. O’Brien and his crew documented his four days spent in Havana last month, which took place after President Barack Obama lifted travel restrictions between the United States in Cuba.
As the two nations are the in early stages of mending their past for a better future, O’Brien saw it as an “amazing opportunity for [him] to come to Cuba…get to know them.”
The entire special was worth watching, and packed with just as many laughs as there were memorable experiences (this just may be his best remote segment ever). Here are our six favorite moments from Conan In Cuba.
Conan Gives Viewers a History, Social, and Political Lesson O’Brien made sure not to simply be a tourist, but to immerse himself in the rich culture and history of the land he was visiting. From learning the art of making cigars to explaining how they get vintage cars to run to dining on authentic cuisine and admiring the gorgeous architecture and murals, O’Brien soaked in everything that makes Cuba what it is. O’Brien even touched on the complicated relationship between Cuba and America, and how that will change now. O’Brien showed nothing but the utmost respect when it came to his time in Cuba, and shared everything he learned with his viewers. As far as TV travelogues go, this is certainly one of the richer ones.
Conan Joins a Salsa Band
The funny man improvised with his own Spanish lyrics, which included gems like “I am Nutella…Men have libraries…Happy Birthday…The cat and the dog…Go away, chair.” We can’t say we blame the group’s bongo player for not wanting the American star to join their operation.