Conan O'Brien Embraces Chaos and Comedy in New Season of His Travel Show
Conan O'Brien's travel series, "Conan O'Brien Must Go," is back for a third season, taking the comedian to Morocco, India, the Netherlands, and the Philippines. The show's tagline—"One man. Four countries. Zero shame."—captures its spirit, blending surreal improvisation with genuine cross-cultural encounters. O'Brien says his goal isn't to teach viewers about a place, but to give a sense of the people, adding, "I am basically there to be mocked."
In choosing destinations, O'Brien looks for both visual appeal and cultural contrast. He recalls a brief earlier trip to India for an ad shoot and always wanting to return, describing it as "the most different place I could go and still be on Earth." The Mumbai episode includes him jumping onto a commuter train without a plan, with the crew scrambling to follow—a moment he says wasn't discussed beforehand.
The show thrives on accidents. In Amsterdam, a planned bit where he dressed as Van Gogh at the Van Gogh Museum went sideways when they arrived at the wrong museum, then got turned away by security guards as it was closing. That unexpected failure became his favorite moment of the episode. O'Brien, who started in improvisational comedy, says he's happiest when things get "untethered." He notes that when jokes don't land with a stranger, the camera becomes another audience, and the comedy shifts to his own deflation.
O'Brien also reflects on travel's deeper impact. He remembers childhood trips with his father, a scientist, visiting hospitals across South America—wearing a Madras sports coat his mother made him pack, which made him feel like a clown. Now, he says, he chooses to dress up as Van Gogh on camera. Walking through dense cities like Mumbai and Manila made him question American life, wondering if people have "lost contact with something" by living behind high hedges. Travel, he says, doesn't grant great wisdom, but it "jostles your preconceived notions"—and taking risks is what life is about.