Overview of Fanhausen Revisited
This episode is a five-year anniversary revisiting of Conan O’Brien’s first “fan” interview featuring Dan Housen (better known as Danhausen), a minor‑league professional wrestler who built a quirky demonic character inspired in part by Conan. The host (Conan) introduces the significance—Danhausen’s long grind, creative character work, and recent WWE debut—and then plays the original conversation from five years earlier where Dan describes his persona, moves, influences, career arc, and Conan expresses eagerness to collaborate.
Key moments
- Conan opens with a celebratory note: five years since the first fan episode and an update that Dan Housen/Danhausen recently made a wildly successful WWE debut.
- Conan praises Dan’s work ethic (years of long drives and grinding to get ring time) and credits persistence + creativity for his rise.
- The episode includes the original interview where:
- Conan explains the idea of “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan” (talking to regular people, hoping they become stars).
- Dan (a.k.a. Donovan in the interview) explains his Danhausen persona: “very nice, very evil,” a demon‑inspired, Conan‑influenced character.
- Danhausen’s signature bits include theatrical horror references, pouring loose human teeth into opponents’ mouths, comedic “housing/Hausen” suffix jokes, and his finishing move (“Good Night Hausen”).
- Dan recounts switching from straightforward wrestling to character work, which accelerated his popularity and led to TV bookings.
- Conan enthusiastically pitches appearing in Danhausen’s world (a staged rescue/entrance idea), promising to follow up.
Topics discussed
- Origins of the Danhausen character and creative influences (Conan, Simpsons, 80s horror).
- The role of character and comedy in modern pro wrestling versus straight athleticism.
- Career trajectory: years of grind, character switch, TV deals, and the path to bigger platforms (including eventual WWE exposure, noted in Conan’s intro).
- Conan’s concept of reaching outside celebrity circles to celebrate “regular” people doing remarkable creative work.
- Lighthearted banter about collaboration ideas and promotional silliness (money sacks, human money, playing onstage).
Notable quotes & lines
- Danhausen describing his character: “Very nice, very evil.”
- On influences: “If Conan O’Brien was possessed by a demon, that’s what it gets described as.”
- Conan’s emphatic pitch: “Not tomorrow Hausen, but today Hausen. I’m not fucking around Hausen.”
- The anecdote about Dan driving 12 hours every weekend for years—used by Conan to highlight grind and persistence.
Main takeaways
- Persistence + distinctive creative identity can change a performer’s trajectory: Danhausen’s shift from pure wrestling to a memorable character created momentum and opportunities.
- Pro wrestling values theatricality and character work; humor and pop‑culture references can make a wrestler stand out.
- Conan’s fan‑first concept can uncover talented creators outside the typical celebrity bubble.
- The episode serves as both a nostalgic revisit and an inspirational story about long-term effort paying off.
Recommendations / next steps for listeners
- Check out Danhausen’s matches and highlights (search “Danhausen” for clips of his character work) to see the persona described in action.
- If you enjoyed the format, listen to more “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan” episodes for similar fan stories.
- Follow Team Coco and Danhausen on social media for updates, collaborations, and any announced Conan/Danhausen appearances.
Production notes & sponsors
- Original interview recorded for Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan (hosted by Conan with Sonam Ovcesian and Matt Gourley).
- Multiple sponsor reads/ads are present in the episode: Wells Fargo (Active Cash), Grainger, iTind (BPH treatment), JustWorks, Miller Lite, BetterHelp, SiriusXM, Viore (Arch Manning plug), and GoToBank.