Everyone finds their own method of grieving the loss of someone close to them. For famed comedian Conan O'Brien, not surprisingly, the way forward was through humor. He lost both of his parents a year ago. They passed just three days apart after 66 years of marriage, per cbsnews.com. Both were in their 90s and were highly distinguished Boston-area professionals. They were considered trailblazers in their respective fields.
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Dr. Thomas O'Brien "was the director of the division of infectious diseases at what is now Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston," per the outlet. O'Brien's mom, Ruth Reardon O'Brien, was a respected lawyer.
It's hard to grasp the magnitude of such a huge loss. But O'Brien, 62, has soldiered on by using the blessings of laughter and friendship to ease the way.
Will Arnett and Jason Bateman Were on O'Brien's Podcast
The three were all horsing around.in a darkly funny, sardonic sort of way. Bateman and Arnett were on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast, per Mandatory. Arnett shared that he texted O'Brien when his dad died to extend his sympathy. O'Brien came back with, "Thank you, Will. To be honest, I blame [Jason] Bateman." Arnett retorted, "It's not a terrible theory." O'Brien joked wryly, "He killed my dad."
Then Bateman jumped into the fray. He wrote to O'Brien, who in turn wrote back, "Bateman, do yourself a favor. Turn yourself in."
Why He Was Trading Witty Comments With His Buddies During That Sad Time
Maybe it seems odd that O'Brien was joking with his chums when his parents had just died. But he had a reason. A really good reason. He said, "I swear to God, this is how I grieve." Lightening the mood with humor was what he needed to do. That was his coping mechanism. Hopefully, it worked for him.
Arnett got it. He explained, "This is what he wants. This is what he wants right now. He wants to laugh and do bits. This is what he wants. And I know the vibe. And obviously our heart was with you, and we love you, and all that stuff."
