Conan O’Brien Explained The Story Behind His “Greasy” Hair Transformation
Conan O’Brien Explained The Story Behind His “Greasy” Hair Transformation
Ellen DurneyThu, July 23, 2026 at 8:26 AM UTC
0
Ron Galella / Getty Images, Steve Granitz / Getty ImagesIf you know Conan O'Brien, you'll know he's been very loyal to the same hairstyle for many, many years now.So, when he popped out on the July 20 episode of the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast looking like this, people were kinda freaked out.
Team Coco / Viayoutu.be
Related: "19 Times Famous Women Got Refreshingly Honest About Their Postpartum Bodies"
"Greaser Conan isn't real. He can't hurt you...," read one comment under the YouTube video. "Conan looking like your Irish Uncle who shows you how to steal gas from cars, and gifts you a flick-knife, and to keep it a secret from Mom," joked another user.
Team Coco / Viayoutu.beHe copped comparisons to everyone from a "strict drug lord" to a character from an "Irish spin off of The Sopranos." And the weirdest part of the whole thing was that the greased-up new look wasn't addressed at all throughout the hour-long episode — not by Conan or anyone else.
Team Coco / Viayoutu.beNaturally, fans were very confused, wondering if they'd been left out of some kind of big joke. "we ALL clicked for the hair and there's just NO explanation??? TEAM COCO PLEASE," read a comment under the video. Another fan wrote, "are we just ignoring his hair?"
Team Coco / Viayoutu.be
Related: "15 Celebs Who Low-Key Look Nothing Like They Did A Few Years Ago"
And now, we finally have some answers...Two days later, on July 22, Conan dropped an extra 10-minute video, shot on the same day as the July 20 episode, explaining that his slicked-back look was the result of a painful sunburn he had sustained while attending the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park on June 18.
Kamil Krzaczynski / Getty Images
Related: "An Ode To The Days When Celebrities Had Teeth That Actually Looked Like Teeth"
"We were very thrilled to be invited along, [but] what I hadn't realized was that our seats were outside," he explained, recalling that he applied some sunblock to his face at the very last minute. "It’s three hours-plus, and when it’s over, I’m so glad that I put the sunblock on, and I’m feeling really good about myself. Like, smart move."
Kamil Krzaczynski / Getty ImagesBut the story doesn't end there. "A day or two later, after the event, I feel like my skull is on fire, and then two days after that, my [scalp] is really itchy, and whenever I itch it, it looks like a snow globe. It looks like confetti — white freckled confetti is pouring off of my head. It’s disgusting."
Team Coco / Viayoutu.beIn the end, Conan was informed that he had scalp sunburn and would have to treat it by rubbing oil into his hair. "So this morning, I rubbed oil into it, not thinking about the podcast when we went on camera, and then I come in, and I look like I’m in Sha Na Na. I’m a grease ball. I’m so greasy. I’m Frankie [Valli]," he said.
Team Coco / Viayoutu.be
Related: "Kourtney Kardashian Reacted To Backlash Over Boat Safety Concerns Involving Her Son, Rocky"
Advertisement
"Anyway," he concluded, "I’m a grease ball now, and I’m just gonna keep rubbing oil into my head until this my skull heals."
Team Coco / Viayoutu.beWell, there you have it. Wishing Conan the best of luck in his scalp recovery. You can find the full video explanation here.
Your daily brain workout: I'm Sorry But If You Solve Today's Word Chains, You're Literally Smarter Than 99% Of The Population
Also in Celebrity: "Pics Of Celebs Before And After They Took Breaks From The Public Eye"
Also in Celebrity: "Funny Celebrity Scandals That Still Feel Like Fever Dreams"
Read it on BuzzFeed.com
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
