Late Night First: Conan O’Brien Films In Cuba

Conan O’Brien has now done what no other late-night show host has never done before — he has filmed his show in Cuba.

Deadline.com is reporting that O’Brien and a small crew headed to the island country this weekend to shoot some segments for an episode of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” to air on March 4th. This is the first time a late night show has been able to film in Cuba since the embargo was placed against Cuba in 1982.

Original host Jack Paar did interview then-Cuban president Fidel Castro in 1959. The interview caused some criticism in some circles against Paar.

This episode is intended to show the American viewer a glimpse into the daily life of an everyday Cuban citizen, a show representative revealed.

O’Brien’s show is famous for traveling and filming in different locations, including Ireland, Finland, and Toronto, as well as New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. His “live” remotes are a signature feature of his show, such as the live remote with O’Brien and Steven Yuen live at a Korean spa, as well as another segment where a Lyft ride took O’Brien, Ice Cube, and Kevin Hart through Hollywood last year. That segment soon went viral.

Cartermatt.com is reporting that O’Brien took the weekend between Lincoln’s Day and President’s Day weekend to allow as much time as possible to film. Many people will question his decision, seeing that he left the same weekend of the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary special. O’Brien wrote for SNL from 1988 to 1991. Many people will, however, feel that O’Brien felt that breaking ground in Cuba is far more important.

O’Brien also chose this weekend because he does not do a live show on President’s Day, giving him and the crew much more time to film and delve into what Cuba is like in the modern day.

No one has been able to film in Cuba until recently, when President Barack Obama announced he wanted to normalize relations with Cuba on December 17, 2014. On that day, Scott Pelley anchored the CBS Evening News from Cuba, revealing for viewers the lifted restrictions that were denied for over 50 years, but now available. Many conservative pundits claim Obama abused his executive powers and effected this policy change without the assistance of Congress.

Since then, Brian Williams of NBC and David Muir of ABC both have hosted their respective evening news shows from Cuba. O’Brien’s foray into this will most definitely bring more artists to the table to film from Cuba.

[Image courtesy the Daily Signal]