[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JskqCpI25wg]
When Andy Richter left the show in 2000, a nation of Late Night fans mourned. Who would challenge Conan to epic staring contests, like the one that resulted in Conan’s grandparents shedding their clothes in an effort to distract the host and seal Richter’s victory? Who would help Conan navigate the mean streets of Manhattan during one of his “desk drives”? Or star in cheesy TV commercials to jump-start the show’s ratings? Or help Conan pitch ridiculous ideas like Women Island to Aaron Spelling? And what about futuristic predictions, like “In the year 2000, Andy Richter will successfully cross over into gay porn with the smash hit 69 on the Richter Scale.”
America got a firsthand glimpse into the pair’s delightfully adolescent dynamic when Conan shoved a very nekkid Andy into NBC’s “Turkish bath” (i.e., the Today show studio). “Is Katie around?” Richter asks casually. Notice Matt Lauer’s quick thinking — and his abundant hair.