Conan O’Brien Remembers Robin Williams’ Heartfelt Gesture After His Tonight Show Departure: ‘You’re Gonna Be Fine’

Conan O’Brien Remembers Robin Williams’ Heartfelt Gesture After His Tonight Show Departure: ‘You’re Gonna Be Fine’

On a recent episode of his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan O’Brien shared a story of kindness he received from Robin Williams during one of the hardest moments in his career. After O’Brien’s abrupt departure from The Tonight Show, Williams reached out to check in and offer support in a truly unforgettable way.

“I was lucky enough to have some great interactions with Robin Williams before he passed,” O’Brien told guest Eric Idle. “One of the most memorable was right after my Tonight Show debacle. The show had ended, and I wasn’t sure what would happen next. I was lying on my living room floor, just feeling lost, when my phone rang. It was Robin Williams.”

O’Brien admitted he didn’t know how Williams got his number, but he vividly recalled hearing, “How are you holding up, chief?” Williams went on to reassure him: “You’re gonna be fine; you’re gonna be great.” Then, in a gesture only Williams could pull off, he invited O’Brien to pick up a surprise gift he’d arranged at a bike shop in Santa Monica.

“I was completely stunned,” O’Brien said. “Robin told me to go down to the shop and pick up this bike he’d set up for me. It was a Colnago, a really nice bike, and he’d had it painted in the most outrageous Irish colors — greens, shamrocks, everything. He said, ‘You’re gonna like that bike, chief. Don’t worry about it.’”

O’Brien expressed his deep gratitude, marveling at Williams’ thoughtfulness. “I thanked him many, many times. I just couldn’t believe that he was thinking about me during that time.”

Idle, who was close to Williams, noted that this level of kindness was “typical” of him. “Robin had this unique blend of generosity and humor,” Idle said. “He put effort into making you feel better, and that combination of kindness with wit is something rare.”

Conan O’Brien Remembers Robin Williams’ Heartfelt Gesture After His Tonight Show Departure: ‘You’re Gonna Be Fine’

O’Brien’s brief stint on The Tonight Show, which lasted only seven months, came to an abrupt end in 2010 when NBC decided to bring back Jay Leno. Reflecting on the experience later, O’Brien likened it to “a marriage breaking up suddenly, violently, quickly.” He went on to host Conan on TBS for 11 seasons, a move that ultimately marked a new chapter in his career.

Idle, inspired by O’Brien’s story, shared his own lesson from Williams about kindness toward fans. “I used to brush people off with humor, and it would work, but then I watched Robin interact with fans. He treated every moment as important because he knew it was a big deal for them. If you’re dismissive, that moment becomes a painful memory for them.”

The latest episode of O’Brien’s podcast, featuring his touching memories of Williams, is available now.

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