Staff Review With Todd Levin

Summary of Staff Review With Todd Levin

by Team Coco & Earwolf

27m•March 5, 2026
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Overview of Staff Review With Todd Levin

This episode of Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan features long-serving Conan writer Todd Levin. Recorded while the team ramps up for the Oscars, the conversation covers Todd’s career origins, his comedic influences and process, memorable bits he helped create for Conan’s late-night shows, the writer–host dynamic in a late-night writers’ room, and how writers on the show often act as producers/directors for their sketches.

Episode details

  • Show: Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan (Team Coco & Earwolf)
  • Guest: Todd Levin (Conan’s writer since 2009)
  • Hosts/Participants: Conan O’Brien, Sona Movsesian, Matt Gourley (producer), Eduardo Perez (engineer)
  • Context: Episode recorded during Oscars prep; framed as a staff/fan conversation
  • Production notes: Episode includes and is interspersed with sponsor reads for Apple Card, Alexa Plus, eBay, T-Mobile, etc.

Key topics & segments

  • Todd Levin’s origin story

    • Grew up outside Albany, New York; parents were state workers.
    • Dad introduced him to comedy records (Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby) and TV movies; early exposure to comedy shaped him.
    • Moved to New York, gravitated to the alternative comedy scene (venues like Rafifi, UCB, Luna Lounge).
    • Began standup by reading written bits; evolved into more spontaneous performance over time.

  • Joining Conan’s team

    • Hired in 2009 after Late Night/New York work; first TV staff job.
    • Almost took a VH1 job (joke about “Ridiculousness”); chose Conan instead.
    • Described as a “ninja” writer—quiet, observant, drops sharp lines.

  • Writing and producing for late night

    • Writers expected to produce and help execute their bits—autonomy includes working with sets, wardrobe, editors.
    • Autonomy fosters creativity and ownership but can lead to over-ambitious, costly sketches.
    • Lesson: the originator should shepherd the idea because no one else will care as much.

  • Finding the heart of a sketch

    • Rehearsals often reveal what makes a sketch funny; example: WikiBear’s pivot to dark topics emerged in rehearsal.
    • Emphasis on honing and focusing a concept (e.g., making innocent things monstrous or vice versa).

  • Memorable sketches and bits Todd worked on

    • Minty the Candy Cane (performed by Brian McCann / Brian Stack): a candy cane who “briefly fell on the ground,” covered in goo—became a fan favorite.
    • Brian McCann characters (e.g., “bulletproof legs” bit): performer-driven character work that landed repeatedly.
    • Human Centipede Menorah: intentionally horrifying comedy bit (shared-trauma joke about the performers).
    • WikiBear: a kid’s Internet-enabled bear that gives disturbing pivots.
    • Over-the-top parody commercials (e.g., Del Taco delivery-toilet burrito concept): examples of “needlessly ambitious” concepts that are funny for their absurd escalation.
    • “R2-D2 gone Hollywood”—an example of a joke that didn’t land and Conan’s relish in roasting failed bits.

Main takeaways and insights

  • Early influences matter: exposure to classic record comedians and family TV viewing shaped Todd’s comedic sensibilities (especially Newhart’s stillness and compositional craft).
  • Alternative comedy rooms are crucial for experimentation; clubs force you to earn the crowd’s favor, which shapes delivery and persona.
  • In late-night TV, writers often become de facto producers/directors of their sketches—this responsibility accelerates development of a director’s eye but can waste resources if unchecked.
  • Rehearsal and iteration reveal a sketch’s true comedic direction; a small pivot in rehearsal can transform a piece (WikiBear example).
  • Performer choice matters: a great performer (like Brian McCann or Brian Stack) can elevate a concept into a recurring, beloved bit.
  • The creative tension between writer and host can be playful and productive: hosts may publicly roast or root against ideas, but that friction informs better comedy.

Notable quotes

  • Todd on his stage style: “I was the guy who just hugged the microphone. I just held it dear to me.”
  • Conan on writer style: “You’re like a ninja, an assassin... you’re quiet, you’re taking things in, and then you’ll say something that’s really hilarious.”
  • On producing sketches: “No one’s going to care more than the people who thought of it.”
  • On comedy development: “You have to find a special place to do that… there are comedy clubs where it’s very confrontational… and then there are places… more open to experimentation.”

Practical lessons for comedy writers/performers

  • Test work in different rooms: use alternative open-mic/theater spaces to experiment, then bring the refined material into more competitive clubs or TV.
  • Be prepared to produce your idea: learn basic production skills (blocking, set needs, wardrobe, editing) so your sketch survives execution.
  • Embrace iterative discovery: allow rehearsals to reshape bits; pivot when something funnier reveals itself.
  • Cast for character: align the right performer to the bit—casting can be the difference between a sketch that lands and one that doesn’t.

Where to find the bits mentioned

  • Minty the Candy Cane, Human Centipede Menorah, WikiBear, and other sketches are available on the Team Coco/Team Coco YouTube channel (search Team Coco + sketch name).

Produced-by and closing credit details are read in the episode; the episode ends with sponsor plugs and a note to rate/subscribe.