Paul Scheer Returns

Summary of Paul Scheer Returns

by Team Coco & Earwolf

1h 2m•November 17, 2025
Listen to Episode

Overview of Paul Scheer Returns

This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend features comedian Paul Scheer (How Did This Get Made?, Unspooled) in a wide-ranging conversation about his early days on Conan’s late-night show, on-stage failures, making niche comedy today (podcasts, YouTube, Adult Swim), and anecdotes from film and TV culture. The show opens with a follow-up from Eduardo about speaking at a high‑school career day, then moves through Paul’s memories of sketch bits, bombing stories, creative philosophies, and lighter personal stories (trunk-or-treat, assistant conventions). The episode mixes nostalgia for late‑night production excesses with practical encouragement for independent creators.

Main topics discussed

  • Eduardo’s career‑day report: low recognition among high‑school students but one devoted fan (Kane) and a shout‑out to teachers.
  • Paul Scheer’s early comedy work and his time performing bits on Conan’s show: robot and ape sketches, “desk drive,” meatpacking district sketch, and meeting Kirk Douglas.
  • The emotional reality of “bombing” onstage/TV: why failures sting, how they bond cast members, and how some bombing is memorable/funny.
  • The evolution of comedy distribution: how podcasts, YouTube and late‑night 3 a.m. slots allowed weird, niche ideas to find audiences.
  • Paul’s projects and format freedom: How Did This Get Made?, Unspooled, Dark Web (YouTube/kids show conceit), and Adult Swim experiments.
  • Film-chat detours: brief analysis and affectionate mockery of movies like Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan and the Death Wish series.
  • Personal anecdotes: Paul’s over-the-top trunk-or-treat that frightened kids, and Sona’s experience speaking at an assistants’ convention.
  • Practical notes on monetization and gigs: speaking engagements as supplemental income (and a running joke about funding gummies).

Key anecdotes & memorable moments

  • Eduardo’s career‑day: showed a sizzle reel of guests; only ~7 of ~80 students recognized Conan; one student (Kane B.) asked for Conan’s autograph — Conan promises signed swag.
  • Paul on late-night production scale: extravagant, often illogical bits (Statue of Liberty made of sausages costing $2,500; driving a desk with rear projection became a Rockefeller Center ride).
  • The beach‑apes bit: 20 people in gorilla suits running up sand dunes; most of Paul’s early Conan bits hid his face.
  • The meatpacking district sketch: performers laid on bloody-smelling ground for an extended time, creating a lasting sensory memory.
  • Bombing at big events: kissing bit at the ESPYs with dead silence and Jay Leno’s dry “didn’t work” remark; Stella/Blue Man Group disaster when a projector failed and they walked out blue and bloody.
  • Paul’s Halloween “trunk-or-treat” gone wrong: gorilla costume and brother-in-law in underwear in a cage scared preschoolers—learned not to terrify small kids.
  • Creative freedom examples: a 3 a.m. hotel infomercial short for Adult Swim; Dark Web kids’ show premise for YouTube.

Notable quotes / insights

  • “Failing on stage with people who are all dressed in robot costumes is a lot easier than failing on stage as one person in a robot costume.” — on the value of collaborative risk.
  • “There’s no one baseline of funny.” — on subjectivity in comedy and why creators shouldn’t be universally discouraged.
  • “You just have to do it. The proof is in the pudding.” — on making experimental work and letting audience response determine value.
  • On late-night era: big budgets enabled wild ideas that would never pass today — sometimes glorious, sometimes inexplicable.

Actionable takeaways / advice

  • If you want to get into comedy, find a group of like‑minded collaborators — shared risk makes experimentation easier and more resilient.
  • Embrace failure as part of the process; some bombs later become fond stories or useful lessons.
  • Don’t wait for permission: create for the audience you believe will enjoy it (podcasts/YouTube/independent outlets make this possible).
  • When presenting radical or niche ideas, clear execution matters — the premise alone isn’t enough without follow-through.

Guest bio & credits (as mentioned)

  • Guest: Paul Scheer — co‑host of How Did This Get Made? and Unspooled; creator of the web series Dark Web; host of a travel/sketch show.
  • Host: Conan O’Brien, with Sona and Matt.
  • Engineering/production credits referenced: Eduardo Perez (audio), Matt Gourley (producer), plus standard sponsor reads and episode production team.

Sponsors & episode logistics

  • Episode contains multiple sponsor reads (Alexa Plus/Amazon, Apple Card, Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, T-Mobile travel benefits, FanDuel, Airbnb, SiriusXM, Coop Sleep Goods, Miller Lite).
  • Callouts at the end: how to rate/review the podcast, Team Coco hotline, SiriusXM offer, and the show’s production credits.

If you want a one‑line summary: this episode is a warm, anecdote‑rich conversation where Paul Scheer reflects on the messy, joyful, and sometimes humiliating realities of making comedy — and why you should keep making it anyway.