NEWSConan O'Brien Weighs in on His Drastic Hair Transformation: 'I Never Knew Anyone Cared'
Conan O'Brien spoke out about why he changed his hair.
Sept. 25 2026, Published 8:48 a.m. ET
Conan O'Brien explained the unexpected reason behind his slicked-back hairstyle after the drastic departure from his signature look sparked widespread online attention.
"I never knew anyone cared," O'Brien said during his Tuesday, September 22, appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
A Sunburn Triggered the Events
Conan O'Brien said he was surprised that people cared about his hair.
Jimmy Fallon brought up the makeover during the interview, telling O'Brien that the reaction had turned his appearance into an unlikely news story.
"Something happened over the summer that I wanted to ask you about. You did an episode of your podcast. And it was great," Fallon said.
"People went up in arms about your new hairstyle. I mean, this is major news. This is everything," Fallon continued.
O'Brien traced the change back to an outdoor event at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, where he forgot one important accessory: a hat.
"I got a sunburn on my scalp and then I went to a dermatologist because it really hurt," he recalled.
A Prescribed Oil Led to the Slicked-Back Look
The comedian sported a new 'do over the summer.
The dermatologist recommended something for his scalp, which the comedian later applied before recording an episode of "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" with Molly Shannon.
"And she said, 'Here's an oil you can put on.' I put it on, and I'm like, 'Oh, this is great,'" said the late-night icon.
The comedian revealed he was running late when he arrived for the recording.
"I just jump into the room, I slick the oil. I put the oil in my hair. It immediately feels better. I jump into the chair. I start talking to Molly Shannon. My staff is watching, going, 'What's going on with him? He looks like a p-----------.'"
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His Publicist Had Some News
Conan O'Brien's new look generated massive interest online.
The 63-year-old soon learned that his temporary look had generated attention far beyond the podcast.
"Moments later, my publicist calls me and says, 'It's everywhere,'" O'Brien recalled.
The July episode prompted a wave of reactions online, including a joke comparing the former Simpsons writer to a New York cab driver.
One follower suggested that he looked like an AI-generated version of himself.
Another quipped, "Conan is dead. This is his doppelgänger."
Conan O'Brien's Hair Became His 'Hook'
Conan O'Brien's signature hairstyle is a deliberate invention he made in high school.
O'Brien's familiar hairstyle dates back decades, with O'Brien previously explaining that he developed the look while he was still in high school.
"I knew one day I wanted to be in show business. I needed a hook," the Harvard-educated humorist said during a 2010 interview with 60 Minutes.
O'Brien recalled that the hairstyle eventually became recognizable enough for strangers to identify him by it.
"Sometimes people don't know my name. They're like, 'You're the guy with the hair,'" he shared.
