Conan O’Brien found himself in the news following Rob and Michele Reiner’s deaths. This came after reports stated that the late couple spent their final hours at a holiday party hosted by him. The comedian and former late-night show host has now responded to his name being connected to their deaths.
Conan O’Brien discusses his name being linked to Rob and Michele Reiner’s deaths
Conan O’Brien reflected on Rob and Michele Reiner‘s deaths in a recent interview. He stressed that the tragedy was incomparable to the challenges he and his wife, Liza Powel, faced after their names were linked to it.
“Very simply, we had a party, we invited our really good friends and then, the next day, this terrible thing happened,” the Conan Without Borders host told The Hollywood Reporter. “Whatever difficulties my wife and I have experienced having our name attached to it are nothing compared to the scale of the tragedy for the family and the loss of Rob and Michele.”
He further stated that being famous sometimes leads to a person’s name being pulled into issues. He emphasized that this wasn’t a “hardship,” adding, “There is only sadness that they’re gone.”
O’Brien also revealed why he didn’t bring up the Reiners’ deaths on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. He reasoned that bringing it up “felt disrespectful” to him.
The comedian’s response comes weeks later. This was after he spoke about his relationship with the couple in an interview with The New Yorker. He revealed that he and his wife met them frequently and gradually became close, calling the pair “such lovely people.”
“And to have that experience of saying good night to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they’re gone. . . . I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward,” he added. “I mean, there’s no other word for it. It’s just very it’s so awful. It’s just so awful.” He also highlighted the late filmmaker‘s political activism and involvement in national issues, saying it was “hard for [him] to comprehend” his loss.
