An American television host’s recent obsession with Thailand has reached its logical conclusion: Buriram.
Fans awaiting O’Brien’s new travel show recently teased from the streets of Bangkok, the improv comedian yesterday broadcast an interview with a fan living nowhere other than the gem of the northeast.
O’Brien interviewed a moto racing organizer named Gaew for a fan-oriented offshoot of his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast.
All that we learn about Gaew (mispronounced 100% of the time as “Gao”) is that he is a factory motoracing team coordinator, has an older car-racing brother Neung, and a mechanic father who used to race bikes as well. Gaew’s English fluency sounds like he comes from Buriram high society.
Throughout the episode, the neurotic comedian assaults Thai familial hierarchy by encouraging Gaew to move from under his older brother’s shadow and seek therapy.
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“It’s not yet a widespread thing here in Thailand,” Gaew explains of psychotherapy. “People are becoming much more aware of mental illness and mental conditions and things like that lately. but still it’s not a widespread practice in Thailand.”
In addition to mispronouncing Gaew’s name, the hosts are confused by the Thai laha-ing of motorcycle to “moto” and spend most of the episode believing he races cars instead.
O’Brien, who two years ago ended 28 years as a late-night television host, began teasing a new show in late April with scenes filmed and shot around Bangkok. The new show has since gotten a title – Conan O’Brien Must Go – and platform (HBO Max bought four episodes) but no premiere date.
Since then, O’Brien has spoken fondly of his time in Thailand on his podcast. He’s also aired episodes interviewing a rock-climbing Thai U.N. staffer, a Bangkok university lecturer, another Bangkok woman nicknamed Name, and even a Singaporean hair stylist.
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O’Brien started as a writer for television shows such as Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Conan Without Borders ran for 15 episodes and six years, ending when O’Brien retired from 28 years of late night television, most recently as host of Conan.
