Conan O’Brien took his late night talk show to Cuba in mid-February, making history at the same time. Conan is now known as the first U.S. late night talk show to film in the
It’s the first U.S. late-night show to film in the country since the United States embargo began in 1962.
O’Brien filmed a series of segments in the country over a span of four days, spotlighting the people and the culture of Havana.
“I made countless friends and had one of the best experiences of my life,” the late night talk show host tweeted. The show will air on March 4.
Talk shows have made a tradition out of taking their shows on the road. Besides Conan’s trip to Cuba, here are four more of our favorite traveling talk shows:
1. Oprah takes her audience to Australia
Perhaps the most amazing talk show to go on the road was The Oprah Winfrey Show. During its final season in 2010, Oprah announced to her studio audience that not only was she going to take her show to Australia for a eight days and seven nights, she was also going to take all 300 studio audience members on the trip as well. The trip was called Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure.
The crew and cast were officially welcomed with a formal party at Sydney’s Botanical Gardens overlooking Sydney Harbour. The party was hosted by New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, featured live music and a fireworks display over the water.
The trip was a boon for tourism in Australia. According to Tourism Australia, $5.4 million was invested in marketing the trip and just under $20 million of bookings were realized from the spotlight the show put on the country.
2. The Colbert Report in Iraq
While The Colbert Report was often viewed as liberal (true fans know Colbert takes a bite out of all comers), fans also know Colbert was an ardent supporter of American troops. In 2009, Colbert showed that support by shipping his entire program overseas to entertain the troops with support of the U.S.O.
Colbert made headlines for having his head shaved by General Ray Odierno, the quiet behind-the-scenes news was that The Colbert Report was the first full-length, non-news program to film, edit and broadcast from a combat zone in U.S.O. history.
3. Late Late Show in Paris
When talk show host Craig Ferguson lauded over the Late Late Show, he would famously take the show on the road. One of his most brilliant escapades was to Paris, France. What made this different?
Well, for starters, Ferguson didn’t film the show in a studio or theater. He chose, instead, to play to passers-by at the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. He even renamed the show Le Late Late Show avec Craig Ferguson for the occasion.
Viewers watched Ferguson interview celebrities while they sat at folding chairs and a card table in a field near the Eiffel Tower.
Of the things he learned while filming in France, as told to Vulture, Ferguson said, “That if anyone ever suggests it’s a great idea to tape a week of shows in the bustling capital of a non-English-speaking country where no one’s ever heard of you, they are wrong. Very, very wrong.”
4. The Tonight Show in Los Angeles
In a way, it’s an odd to think of The Tonight Show on location in Los Angeles as something to talk about. But after a year away from the Angel City in its new-all-over-again New York home, host Jimmy Fallon gave us something to talk about.
Namely, a near perfect rendition of the opening to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In Fallon’s version, he trades West Philadelphia for Studio 6B, where The Tonight Show tapes in its New York City home. You can see that parody here.