Conan O'Brien discovers L.A.

The City of Angels, its neighborhoods and things L.A. are getting new national attention thanks to Conan O’Brien’s arrival here.

In his debut as host of the "Tonight Show," O'Brien aired a segment in which he cruised through L.A. neighborhoods in his weather-beaten Ford Taurus. He hung out with low-riders, presumably in East L.A. He took in a Lakers game like the many celeb fans -- but from the penthouse of the arena, last seat of the nosebleed section.

On Tuesday, O'Brien said he even got NBC, with its diminishing budget, to pony up so he could do a Julia Roberts-style shopping excursion on Rodeo -- Road, that is, in the Crenshaw District (segment starts at about the 12-minute mark in above link). To the tune of "Pretty Woman," O'Brien went into Urban Underground Outfits for its grand opening and emerged from the dressing room in a variety of urban gear – he even unintentionally tried out the sag look, with his pants dropping to the floor at one point. Some of his outfits were met by a disapproving Richard Gere.

Later, the New York-“tanned” O'Brien entered Eden Beauty Supply and Salon to find “100% Human Hair and Wigs,” as a sign outside proclaimed. From flowing blond a la Abba to disco-fabulous Afro, he sported different ‘dos to the amusement of the sales assistants.

With a wig of cascading braids, he said he either looked like Rick James or the alien from “Predator” – the split screen showed how he actually favored the alien. Jane Lee, a manager at Eden Beauty, said she received several calls today from people who saw the episode.

“We don’t know if it means more business, but he made us laugh,” she said.

Since we natives want to help O'Brien assimilate more easily, we at L.A. Now want to offer him a few suggestion to continue to get a true flavor of Southern California:

1. See what’s brewing at the coffee shops in Little Saigon, where servers show more skin than Victoria's Secret models.
2. Lather up and get a glow at any tanning salon in the O.C., preferably Newport Beach.
3. Pump iron and maybe limbo at Muscle Beach in Venice.
4. Ride the rails to compare the subways of New York and L.A.
5. Hit the Coliseum dressed in ancient Trojan attire and ride USC’s mascot Traveler.

Tell us where you think O'Brien should go to get a true flavor of SoCal.

-- Davan Maharaj

Photo: Conan O'Brien in L.A. Credit: NBC.com

Comments

[BBow]

the thing that native Angelenos do that drive the newbies nuts, is to point out where things used to be... this used to be Holiday Bowl! This used to be the Brown Derby! This used to be where Pacific Ocean Park was.. Guaranteed to make your out-of-town friends want to go back home, because all you're doing is driving around showing them mini-malls.

[John]

I think he should move the show back to NY. I hate LA and everything about it.

[Mark from Torrance, CA]

the guy who wrote this article seems like an import too.
cant you come up with anything better than 2. Lather up and get a glow at any tanning salon in the O.C., preferably Newport Beach.3. Pump iron and maybe limbo at Muscle Beach in Venice.

[D]

he should go to a Dodger game and throw something at a Giants fan! that always makes me feel good.

Also, he should go to the Kogi Taco Truck and he should go to a karaoke bar in Ktown

[Steve S]

Good for you, John! Please stay away or, if you've been "forced" to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career, now might be a great time to pack up those sour grapes and head back to your oh-so wonderful home town.

[donut]

I don't think he is so funny anymore, I don't know why, I really liked his show before, now it seems forced. The audience goes nuts after every joke, that will get old real fast. It already is.
The sketch from Rodeo Rd., wasn't so funny. It is amazing how whatever NBC does, kind of sucks.

[Very simple]

"I think he should move the show back to NY. I hate LA and everything about it. "

Good. Be sure to tell all your fellow obnoxious East Coast and Midwestern transplants how horrible LA so they can stop moving here.

[milo]

Conan is afraid of nothing...and he sure is making Leno look old.

[Lawrence]

Its great to have Conan in Los Angeles. And to John - seems kinda sad that you feel the need to go to the L.A times website just to bash on the city. The Tonight Show has been in L.A for a long time and it's not going anywhere soon.

[kRZYtEE]

REDONDO Beach Najees & Tony's on the Pier..Santa Monica Pier...& the Promenade...THE VALLEY...City Walk..The Cowboy Palace..Northridge Mall... Jerry's Deli...Mama Wuanas Salsa..The Baked Potatoe.. Carneys HotDogs.L.A. Hollywood Blvd... SaddleRanch..High Voltage... The Dodgers..Griffith Park hello the Zoo, Trains & Carousel...Olivera Street.. San Antonio Winery.. Restaurant Row... Downtown Music Center....BURBANK even the open street mall on SF Road...All Along Ventura Blvd plenty good Tanning Salons and hello Beverly Hills...

OC IS NOT L.A!!! Give me a Break.....

[bc]

to John,
Relax Francis.

[Drew]

John, who hates everything about LA must have just had a relationship just end.... badly. So sad.

[Jason]

To John, if you hate L.A. so much, why are you still here?

[Dinhster]

That skit was low-class and without wit!

[rjhemedes]

My additions to the list:

1) $15 massage in the San Gabriel Valley - around Monterey Park
2) Watch an LA Roller Derby Dolls show
3) Hike up all the way to the Hollywood sign from Griffith Park
4) Have dinner at the Palms Thai to see the Korean Elvis
5) Visit a Korean BBQ restaurant in Koreatown where none of the signs (or menu) are in English.

[kookla]

How about lunch on the patio at The Ivy? Don't forget the bodyguards.

[SeanBoy]

Wind doesn't blow in L.A. It sucks.

[Scott H.]

Pinks, Tito's, In-N-Out, The Getty, Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, The Grove, Knott's, Six Flags, Disneyland, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Zuma...

[Mella]

He should go to Little Tokyo and submerge himself into the famous ramen soup bowls and get crazy with martial arts in Chinatown.

[Wow-excellent!?!?]

This article falls into the same trap as Conan did about Los Angeles. Get out on the street and actually do some reporting!

[Jake]

He should go to Koreatown and try to use his credit card, and then argue with the cashier for ten minutes about whether the cash register is really broken or if she just doesn't want to give him a receipt.

[Patt Cee]

There is no place to go but the freeway. He could just drive on the freeway and talk aimlessly to the camera like we're the passengers. Or sing tunelessly to the radio.

If he wants to walk around and interview people, the Santa Monica Promenade is good and also the Pier. Santa Monica is a town that looks normal and nice.

LA is just so dirty, up and down.

[LA Native]

Why is everybody acting like Conan is new to LA? He used to live and work here, for heaven's sake. So what's the big deal now?

[cathy]

the best way for Conan to get the TRUE flavor of LA is to hang with the Mayor~~~

[Ted Kaz]

If Conan fails its another case of the Richter curse.

[Marti B]

Oh c'mon guys - you need to lighten up! The guy who hates LA needs to go back to NY (or stay there if he's already there) and the other guy needs to stop being such a reverse snob. Anyone who lives here for more than 5 minutes knows this City is so diverse that you can never experience it all nor will you please everyone. Conan could do a segment about some part of LA every day and still be doing new segments two years from now. So mellow out guys...this is LA and this is Conan O'Brien and it's 2009.

[Marc]

Conan lowers the bar regarding entertainment. Oddball faces and everything being 'big' doesn't hide the fact that he isn't at all funny. How did he get this far? He's embarrassing but the only thing more embarrassing is an audience that just howl like hyenas whenever the laugh sign (obviously there must be one!) lights up.

[LA Native]

John, if you hate LA so much I truly hope you're not living here. If so, why not leave? I hated living in Dallas and couldn't wait to move back home. Sorry you hate LA, but--obviously--millions of people don't share your feelings.

[Susana]

He should go on a taco truck tour!

[pac-man]

JOHN! YOU SHOULD MOVE BACK TO WHERE EVER IT IS YOU'RE FROM! L.A. DOESN'T WANT YOU HERE!

[BobFoolery]

RE: John's comment: Aw Gee, we're so hurt.

Conan should go wild in Encino, there's a big clay pot store there!

[Eric in wSFV]

Something "adult" here in the "Adult" capitol of the world?? ;-)

[Todd Richter]

I think he should move the show back to NY -- or Chicago. I hate LA and everything about it.

[Louise in South Pas]

"We" natives? You're kiddding, right?

When's the last time you went to Muscle Beach except to entertain out-of-state visitors? And HOW many people do you know that ride the subways more than once a year?

Don't pass along that cliched dreck to Conan. It will just reinforce the offensively stupid stereotypes the East Coast has about us.

If Conan wants to "go native," he should eat at a taco truck at 1 a.m., attend the USC-UCLA homecoming game, attend a Hollywood Bowl show and sit in the Party Section (cheap seats) -- Grace Jones is my bet for the raucous show of the summer.

He should be at the Disney Hall when Dudamel finally takes over, cruise the Rose Bowl Flea Market at 8 a.m., ride the Beach Bike Path from beginning to end, get a firepit at Huntington on a Saturday night, go on a weeknight fitness hike through Griffith Park, take a salsa dancing class, ride with the Midnight Bike Riders, eat dim sum in Monterey Park at noon on a Sunday.

Go to a tanning salon??? Spare me. Our tans are REAL.

[Belinda]

He's lived here before. Don't you people read the trades?

[Louis]

one word: Phillipe's

[Lisa]

Go to Santa Anita Race Track and The 100 to 1 in Arcadia during the Breeders Cup this year.