Conan O'Brien received a piece of hilarious advice from ex-Lisa Kudrow before fame.

According to Decider, O'Brien's journey to late-night success was hilariously commented on by Kudrow at the time. During a Vanity Fair oral history, despite the advice, Lisa Kudrow remained supportive of him.

This is especially true during the challenging transition to replace David Letterman in 1993. Kudrow jokingly comforted O'Brien, emphasizing the impossibility of filling Letterman's shoes: “You're trying to replace David Letterman. No one replaces David Letterman. You're no one.”

Initially recruited as the head writer for Late Night, O'Brien began to see himself as the suitable replacement during the search for Letterman's successor. Kudrow remembered early discussions with O'Brien, noting his vision for a show that delved beyond celebrity interviews to engage with scientists and authors.

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She amusingly remarked. “So it sounds like you want you.” O'Brien, at the time, dismissed the idea. “That would never happen.”

Even with limited comfort from others, such as head writer Robert Smigel, who admitted both excitement and fear, O'Brien fondly reflected on the bravery of the young writers experimenting with various comedy bits in the show's early days. The oral history highlights the show's “loyal following” among college-aged viewers in its first year.

Despite a notable boost from David Letterman's guest appearance in the same year Conan O'Brien debuted on Late Night, the show didn't garner substantial support from the network. O'Brien recollected that Late Night faced “at least another year or so of real struggle.”

O'Brien's late-night debut on September 13, 1993, marked the beginning of a prosperous comedy career that continues to endure over decades.