Conan O'Brien Describes the 'Awful' Writers' Room While Working on 'The Simpsons'

Conan O’Brien is looking back at his days with The Simpsons.

On a recent episode of his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, the 60-year-old former late-night host was asked by guest Ed Sheeran about his time as a writer and producer on the animated series from 1992 to 1993.

“So many people think, ‘Oh my god, this epic television show [that's] known for its really good writers,’” he began.

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“These people I got to work with are insanely talented, and the room is just awful. The room is terrible. It looks like the worst — I mean, it did at the time, I think it’s much nicer now — there was just a bad shag carpet. Sofas that, if you’re in your first year at college or university, you just get them off the sidewalk.”

He added that the writers would often “sit there and eat fried food” while waiting for inspiration to strike. “There was a writer who smoked all the time who sat next to me, so when I die, it will be because of him.”

“It wasn’t sexy or fun or cool at all. I remember, we all chewed up some caramel and put it together into a big blob and mashed it up into the ceiling and then tried to get things to stick to it because you’ll do anything to pass the time,” he continued.

“I would go and say, ‘here’s what I think should happen,’ and I would have all these beats and ideas for an episode. And, if they liked it, there was a little gong in the room… if the executive producer was really laughing, someone would get up and bang the gong and say, ‘That’s going to be an episode.’ I remember the couple of times where they banged the gong when I said my episode and I was so excited.”

He also revealed his worst celebrity guest on his talk show.