After Conan O'Brien was suddenly dropped from the network after a 22-year career with NBC, he found himself banned from appearing on television, radio, and the internet for six months. How does a man so big face his fans after such a public rejection? He goes back to the roots of comedy and goes live in a "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television" tour.
Documentary filmmaker Rodman Flender follows Conan at home and on tour, planning, rehearsing, and performing in his musical, improvisational, and star-studded shows amidst emotional turmoil. His up-close look provides never-before-seen glimpses of Conan revealed: at home with his family and backstage on tour, rehearsing and feeling and taking control of his situation.
Conan is obviously a talented comedian, and watching clips of his show is entertaining, but the real gem here is watching his emotional and professional process develop. Conan and his writers and staff turn his anger and hurt into comedy, and Flender manages to cut the material perfectly to hold our attention. Watching Conan off stage and off television has made me a new Conan O'Brien fan. For any Conan or comedy fanatic, this is a must see.
