Kesha

Speaker 1 This message is brought to you by Apple Card. Get rewarded for your holiday shopping.

Speaker 1 Earn daily cash back on every purchase made with Apple Card, no matter where you shop and no matter who you're shopping for.

Speaker 1 Use your daily cash back on anything from stocking stuffers to a treat for yourself.

Speaker 1 Happy Christmas to me. The choice is yours.
Apply in the wallet app on your iPhone today, subject to credit approval.

Speaker 1 Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank, USA, Salt Lake City, branch terms, and more at applecard.com.

Speaker 1 Macy's has a new parade this year, a parade of deals.

Speaker 1 So, if you're standing on the street waiting for that parade to go by, because you took this literally, you're going to be wasting your time. Wake up, kids.
It's a parade. Where is it?

Speaker 1 A parade of deals. What?

Speaker 1 Kid crying. Every day from now through November 27th, Macy's is featuring a new must-have deal that will last only one day.

Speaker 1 We're talking about daily deals on things you'll love, like a super cozy UG fluff throw. Hey, try and say that.
Even if you say it slowly, you'll probably mess it up. Ugh fluff throw.

Speaker 1 An upgraded Dyson vacuum. That's nice.
And some of your favorite fragrances, hair products, jewelry, too. Oh, and don't forget, Black Friday deals start November 10th.

Speaker 1 So remember, this isn't a real parade. It's a parade of deals.
I was fooled. Don't bring a balloon and get all excited.
Your daily thrill starts now. Shop now at Macy's.com or in store.

Speaker 2 Hi, my name is Kesha.

Speaker 2 And I feel cunty about being Conan O'Brien's friend.

Speaker 1 That's exactly what Michelle Obama said.

Speaker 1 She did not.

Speaker 1 That was what Al Pacino said.

Speaker 1 Fall is here, hear the yell, back to school, ring the bell, brand new shoes, walk in blues, climb the fence, books and pens. I can tell that we are gonna be friends.

Speaker 1 Yes, I can tell that we are gonna be friends.

Speaker 1 Hey there, welcome to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, my eternal search for friendship, really meaningful friendship.

Speaker 1 So far, how many of these shows have we done? 300 and something. And not one person has agreed to be my friend.

Speaker 1 This is a journey. It's like Hercules and his labors.
I'm just out there trying, but I'll keep trying. I'm joined by my, I hope, friends, my pals.
We're friends. And employees.

Speaker 1 That's true. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Son of Ossessian.

Speaker 2 You said 300, and I was going to guess like 3,000.

Speaker 1 350, something like that, right? 350.

Speaker 2 I was way off. Okay.

Speaker 1 And Matt Gorley, how are you? I'm good. Haven't seen you guys in a while.

Speaker 1 We've spent a little time apart, and I did miss you guys. I say that with genuine feeling, which is rare for me.

Speaker 1 And I'm curious how everyone's doing. Sona, what you've been up to?

Speaker 2 I fell down the stairs a couple weeks ago.

Speaker 1 We're laughing already. Well, you're here, so you weren't killed.

Speaker 2 No, I wasn't killed.

Speaker 1 But where tell us what happened?

Speaker 2 It was at my new place, and I was coming down the stairs, and I slipped. And so I like slid down the stairs on my on my butt.

Speaker 1 So it was like a ton, ton, ton, ton, ton, all the way down.

Speaker 2 And nobody was around. Like, Tak was in the shower.
And so it was one of those things where you just kind of are like, Well, I just fell. Now I have to just get up and continue on with my day.

Speaker 1 Did, did, uh, did you get, did it hurt?

Speaker 2 It hurts so bad.

Speaker 1 On the coccyx, the tailbone?

Speaker 2 Yes, on my tailbone. And it still hurts.
Like, I'm having, like, I'm kind of like moving around a lot on the chair right now because it's like kind of uncomfortable for me.

Speaker 2 Tack came out of the shower and he was like, What was that?

Speaker 2 It sounded like something really heavy fell.

Speaker 1 Okay,

Speaker 1 who threw a piano down the stairs?

Speaker 1 Who threw an Armenian piano down the stairs?

Speaker 2 Oh, come on,

Speaker 2 but it was just like, you know, when you fall, it's like it could be funny if someone else is around or if you're chilling right now.

Speaker 2 If other people like come and check on you, then it's like, oh, okay, she fell. It's weird, you know, but she's okay.

Speaker 1 They make it kind of normal.

Speaker 2 Yes, but when you're by yourself and you just, you're at the the end of your fall and you're just kind of in a weird position and you're like, okay, I just have to get up and just keep going.

Speaker 1 Right. That's life.
I know, but that's all of life.

Speaker 2 And it's ironic because people falling is one of my favorite things.

Speaker 1 Oh my God. You have shown me

Speaker 1 over the years as my assistant, long before this podcast, you would say you've, I would hear explosive laughter. I'd be trying to get a show together.
I'd hear explosive laughter.

Speaker 1 I'd go out and you you would be watching a bride come out at her happiest moment and then fall into a big bowl of dog shit.

Speaker 1 And you would be crying. I would too.
And then, and you know what it is? It's best.

Speaker 1 It's best when it happens when someone's preening. You know,

Speaker 1 there is a difference. If a person just falls, it's not as funny as someone who's dressed up for their big moment moment and grinning and saying, Everybody, look at me.

Speaker 1 And then they trip. Do you know what I mean? And it's.

Speaker 2 There was a video I bookmarked and would watch over and over again.

Speaker 2 It was these two men dressed as mascots, so in big costumes, and they were on ice and they were doing a commercial for, I think, cars or a car dealership.

Speaker 1 Okay.

Speaker 1 We're going to have to throw to this. We're going to find this and throw to it.

Speaker 1 Wait, wait, hold on. Hold on.
One of the mascots, real quick. Listeners, go to the YouTube channel or one of the mascots.

Speaker 2 Could not stay standing.

Speaker 1 This is. This is.

Speaker 1 I'm so glad I brought this up.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 You got to find it.

Speaker 1 Throw to the tape. Go to the tape.

Speaker 2 He's like, you know, then he's like walking around and then he just

Speaker 1 goes down hard.

Speaker 1 Oh Mike, you've been defeated.

Speaker 1 Oh my God, you're in vapor lock.

Speaker 1 You've been defeated.

Speaker 2 I'm actually crying. I can't speak.

Speaker 2 I think about it. I think like on a regular basis, I think about it more than I think about my kids sometimes.

Speaker 2 Just this video of this guy, this, he's like, did you find, please tell me you found it of these people on a mascot? This is it.

Speaker 1 Yes.

Speaker 1 This is it. I've seen it.
Oh my God. I'm crying.
up.

Speaker 1 Put it up.

Speaker 1 I'm going to cry for it.

Speaker 1 You know what does that for me? Have you ever seen the drunk Ewok on the Today Show that Halloween

Speaker 1 that humps their legs and does Michael Jackson dancing?

Speaker 1 Oh my god, it's incredible.

Speaker 1 It's like a Halloween dispute. Oh, wait, here we go.
Here we go.

Speaker 2 Oh, my God. Is this it? Yes.
Yeah, it's the poopers.

Speaker 1 Oh.

Speaker 1 Don't make him keep doing it.

Speaker 1 Help him!

Speaker 1 Help him!

Speaker 1 Why do you want to be a proud sponsor of Golden Goat for Hockey?

Speaker 1 Oh my god!

Speaker 1 Are they playing Yaggity Sex? What? Oh my god!

Speaker 1 Okay, whatever that car is, I'm buying it.

Speaker 1 Why?

Speaker 1 Why do they keep me?

Speaker 1 Look at her. Look at her.
She's a puddle. That lived up, Sona.
I wasn't thinking that was going to live up. No, no, you.
Look at her.

Speaker 1 good. She's going to die.

Speaker 1 You're not getting enough air.

Speaker 2 Like, yeah, I am. Sometimes I get really scared.
I'm not breathing enough when I laugh.

Speaker 1 All right, we got to do this.

Speaker 2 Video does it all every single time.

Speaker 1 We got to do this.

Speaker 1 My guest today is a singer-songwriter whose first independently produced album, Period, is out now. Very happy she's here today.

Speaker 1 She's an old friend from back in the day.

Speaker 1 Kesha, welcome.

Speaker 1 I know it's a podcast. It's an audio medium, but you look, as always, fantastic.
And we do have cameras rolling. Anyone, you got to go online.
You've got to check out, right?

Speaker 1 How Kesha's dressed. You look fantastic.

Speaker 2 Thank you. Which camera do I like to do?

Speaker 1 Stand and look.

Speaker 1 I mean, we have all these cameras here.

Speaker 1 You look incredible, as you always do. You're wearing Conan merchandise.
And this is. Oh, my God.
I just want to do it. Oh, my Lord.
And this is what you will look like if you buy Conan merchandise.

Speaker 1 Oh, wow. Yeah.

Speaker 1 It's amazing. Kesha was a 77-year-old man before she put that shirt on and became.

Speaker 1 I am so glad you're here. You look gorgeous.
You look fantastic. You are all things Kesha.
And I want to start

Speaker 1 by reminiscing. Let's go.
You came on my show in 2010, I believe, when you were blowing up with TikTok and you kept coming back on my my show. I wouldn't leave.

Speaker 1 You would not leave, but you were such a loyal person. You always came back to the show.
You were always great. We had great interviews.

Speaker 1 We had great moments. You would perform.
You were just a trooper and so nice to me. And I wanted to first thank you for that.

Speaker 1 You're just a, you're just a, you're, you were great. And then I wanted to reminisce about.
We're not getting into specifics today about the various shit that you have gone through.

Speaker 1 We're going to stay clear clear of all that for all legal reasons and blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1 But I was walking along in Venice a bunch of years ago when you were in the midst of some real dark times and we bump into each other and I gave you a hug.

Speaker 1 I hugged you because I just knew that you were going through this bad time. And we had this like nice moment of me asking you, how you doing, you talking to me.
It was this nice human moment.

Speaker 1 Of course, you're Kesha. So there's Paparazzi.
I had never seen paparazzi before. They are not interested in Conan O'Brien.
So I was like, hey, so that's paparazzi.

Speaker 2 They avoid you.

Speaker 1 Yeah, no, paparazzi. No, no.
They call you a bad person. No, a photo of Conan O'Brien is worth less.
Even in the digital era, you lose money on a photo of Conan O'Brien. But they got this photo.

Speaker 1 And so I thought, and it circulated, and I thought, got to first call the wife about hugging.

Speaker 1 Kesha on the street.

Speaker 1 To confess. To confess.
Yes. That, yes, Kesha and I have been seeing each other secretly.

Speaker 1 But on a personal level, I'm very happy for you that you have gone through

Speaker 1 a really bad experience and come out the other side seemingly stronger than ever. Thank you.

Speaker 1 Looking beautiful and making great music. And so just, I just wanted to start with that, like this just big dose of positivity.
I love it. And as my old friend, I'm proud of you for hanging in there.

Speaker 2 Oh my God. This means so much coming from you.
You're iconic. And the reason I kept showing showing up is not because you're iconic, but because you're such a good man.
Like you're so kind.

Speaker 2 And you can just tell in Hollywood, there's everybody.

Speaker 2 And then there's like the especially bad ones, but then there's like sprinkled with especially good ones. And I just could always tell from the very beginning.

Speaker 2 And I was like, he's an especially, like, you're a magical, like, light worker. Like, you're just amazing.
So that's why I do this.

Speaker 1 And that's why I show up with you.

Speaker 2 Guitars Guitars in your face on mic.

Speaker 1 Listen to this.

Speaker 1 Look what you brought.

Speaker 1 You bring me this gorgeous Fender Strat, which is... I love a Fender Strat.

Speaker 1 Look at this. Yes, I know.
We're now at Game Show. You're like a price is right in my life.
And I've never seen that color with a black pick guard. And it is absolutely.

Speaker 1 How's the action on that, baby? The action is satisfaction. Okay.

Speaker 2 I shouldn't have asked him.

Speaker 1 I know. I regret it.

Speaker 1 That was so nice of you. You're just a lovely person.

Speaker 2 But literally, it's because you're such an amazing person. Oh, like that.

Speaker 1 We got to take this on the road. I think I should be part of your

Speaker 1 live show. Let's go.
I'm going on tour, baby. Let's go.
I know. And it's called the Tits Out Tour.

Speaker 2 Yeah, you'll have to get your tits out, though.

Speaker 1 Listen,

Speaker 1 when I let these babies out,

Speaker 1 you are going to see audience attendance plunge

Speaker 1 when these two Irish cutlets come out.

Speaker 1 Bring them out, baby.

Speaker 1 Looks like two. Two little dollops of spam.
That is both too poetic and too on the nose.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Irish cutlets.
They got to come out. They've never seen the sunlight, and it is time.

Speaker 2 Let's go. Come to MSG.
I'm headlining Madison Square Garden for the first time in my entire career.

Speaker 1 Wait, how could that be the first time?

Speaker 2 I've played there many times. It's the first time I'm headlining.
So, like, having gone through the shit I've gone through,

Speaker 2 not fun. Don't need to talk about it.
But I will say, I am proud of me too.

Speaker 1 You should be. I am proud of me.
And I'll say something.

Speaker 1 I want to go back and take people, just, this is not news to you, but your story, you've been working at this for a very long time.

Speaker 1 I like to highlight those parts of the story because there are a lot of people that can think attractive woman hits it big. It can just happen.

Speaker 1 They don't understand the years and years of the songwriting you were doing since you were a kid. Oh, yeah.

Speaker 1 Your mom,

Speaker 1 a songwriter, totally, wrote for Dolly Parton, wrote for a bunch of people. Johnny Cash, Marl Haggard.
But you guys had hard times,

Speaker 1 food stamps, not a lot of money, struggle. And from an early age, you were writing songs and working on becoming yourself.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 Well, I kind of like got the assignment when I was little. Like my mom was like, you're going to be a pop star.
And I was like, I am. She's like, yeah.
And I was like, all right.

Speaker 2 And so then I was going to go to Columbia. I didn't know that you went to Harvard.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 That's because you're smarty, a little genius.

Speaker 1 No, no, lots of evil, trust me, lots of evil, dumb people go there too.

Speaker 1 I believe you. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Every college encompasses all kinds of people. So, yeah, there are war criminals there right now that are training to be war criminals.
But that aside, and don't worry, I'll make a donation.

Speaker 1 You were working on, your mom told you you're going to be a pop star, and you took the assignment seriously.

Speaker 2 Well, I'm also secretly, people don't know this about me because I, you know, have my butt hanging out and I brush my teeth with a bottle of jack. These kind of things.

Speaker 2 So people think I'm like dupey, but actually I was really smart.

Speaker 1 You're dupey like a fox. You're dupey like a fox.

Speaker 2 I'm dupey like a fox. No, I got like almost perfect SAT scores.
My IQ, I forget what it was, but it was impressive. And I was going to go to the moment.

Speaker 1 Before all the Jack Daniels got to meet me, before all the Jack Daniels got to me.

Speaker 2 And I was going to go to Columbia and study comparative religion and psychology.

Speaker 2 And then instead, I signed a record deal. Yeah.
So what was my point?

Speaker 1 Well, I think the point is,

Speaker 1 and it does not surprise me. You're saying, oh, it might surprise some people that you're smart.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 There's all kinds of ways of being smart. And it does not surprise me at all that you're really smart.
And

Speaker 1 watching, first of all, the tenacity that you took to your career, I think for your first album, if I'm correct, you wrote like 200 songs.

Speaker 2 Oh, every album I write like 200 songs. I write many songs.
This week, I've probably written like nine songs. It's insane.
Most of them are bad.

Speaker 2 And some of that's like how some of the hits come out is because I'm like, okay, yesterday I wrote a good song. Today I'm going to write one or two songs.
So let me just write like the worst song.

Speaker 2 And then all of a sudden, the worst one I can write ends up being the fan favorite.

Speaker 1 Well, that does not surprise me. There's an old saying that every person who comes out with the great American novel

Speaker 1 has 15 terrible novels in their desk. Yeah.

Speaker 1 And the problem is once they write the hit novel, then the publishers quickly want another one. So they go, oh, I got them.
And it's like, no, there's a reason those didn't go.

Speaker 1 Yeah, you have to write. I mean, Lennon and McCartney wrote hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of songs before they get to writing the good stuff.
And I think a lot of art is good editing.

Speaker 1 It's what you take out. Now, this podcast, we don't seem to take much out.
It would be 10 seconds long.

Speaker 1 And we just can't make it anymore. Yeah, this isn't art.
So we know that.

Speaker 2 That's not true. Humor, to me, is the most impressive kind of art.
I'm going to challenge you on that.

Speaker 1 I think in moments. I think in moments we hit these really nice high notes, and then there's a lot of Matt going, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1 And Sona going, blah, blah, blah. Why do I sound like that? You have a beautiful high register.

Speaker 1 It's funny because you describe yourself as a kid as a seeker and that you tried out different churches.

Speaker 1 You were looking for something.

Speaker 2 Well, so since I was little, okay, let me back this up. It's my last lifetime.

Speaker 2 And I always knew that. But then I recently was at the Naked Hippie Commune and the medicine woman was like, you know, it's your last lifetime.
And I was like, I know, right?

Speaker 2 She's like, it definitely is. So ever since, because I'm Pisces.

Speaker 1 And Pisces means you've had other, you're saying you've had other lifetimes. How many do you think you've had? Oh, too many.
Okay. And this is the last one.
This is it, baby.

Speaker 2 This is the finale. That's why I got it all popping off like crazy.
Yeah. So it's the last one because I was like, give me all you got.
And God was like, are you sure? And I'm like, yeah, bitch.

Speaker 1 And then I'm like, you know, when I'm married, God, bitch, he tends to throw thunderbolts down at me. Or she.

Speaker 1 Or they. I'm just going to cover every base here.
But what I'm saying is, I don't like the way you talk to God. I think it's just

Speaker 1 my only problem.

Speaker 1 So this is your last lifetime. I would be okay with this being my last lifetime because I've loved this lifetime.
And if this is it, I am not greedy for more. I don't think it's going to get better.

Speaker 1 When's your birthday? April 18th.

Speaker 2 Oh, you're at the beginning, honey.

Speaker 1 I know. I can't do more.
This is like your first one.

Speaker 2 You have like 3,000 minimum left.

Speaker 1 I'm more worried for the world than I say.

Speaker 1 Well, it's gonna, it's gonna be end times.

Speaker 1 It's all post-apocalyptic me babbling as a new person.

Speaker 1 So, you were going to, you were, you know, this is your last. Oh, so it's my last one.
Who told you this? A shaman told you this?

Speaker 2 Well, this medicine woman. So, I go to this place called Esalen, and it's like, you can be naked.
And you started as an alternative to an insane asylum, but it's in the redwood forest.

Speaker 2 And you go and you soak in like these lithium-filled baths, and you're naked, and it's beautiful, and there's butterflies. We love it.

Speaker 2 So I go there and then I met this medicine woman and she's like, oh my God. And I was like, I know.
And she's like, I'm like, I know. And she's like, it's your last lifetime, you know? I'm like, yes.

Speaker 2 And so we've been doing all this work trying to get me like spiritually focused and ready to just like spread as much love in the most adorable package

Speaker 2 as much as I can.

Speaker 1 till the day I die. Let me ask you a question.
Would I do okay at Eslin? Be honest.

Speaker 2 You would love it.

Speaker 2 Have you ever been? Do you know about it?

Speaker 1 I've never been naked.

Speaker 1 So

Speaker 2 we'll come to the Torangature.

Speaker 1 So, so

Speaker 1 no, but what I'm saying is, what I'm saying is, I don't know. Be honest.

Speaker 1 We're friends. Be honest.
How would I do at Eslen?

Speaker 2 Well, how do you feel about spiders?

Speaker 1 I'm okay with spiders. Okay.

Speaker 2 How do you feel about like nakedness?

Speaker 1 I like other people being naked. Okay.

Speaker 1 Totally down with it.

Speaker 2 How do you feel about hippies?

Speaker 1 Hippies, I'm cool with hippies.

Speaker 2 You'd be great.

Speaker 1 Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2 You can go and like take different.

Speaker 2 I teach songwriting there.

Speaker 1 Oh, wow. Yeah.
Okay. So I'm down with all of it.
I'm down with everyone else being naked, me maybe in a three-piece suit. No, it's great.

Speaker 2 You can do whatever makes anybody.

Speaker 1 But like assless chaps.

Speaker 2 Wait, but you're watching everybody who's naked and you're fully clothed.

Speaker 1 And sketching them.

Speaker 1 Sounding kind of weird. I've done that there.

Speaker 1 And I found a little window I can peer out of. Oh, no.
Yeah, peering through a little window. And then I brought the little window.
I set it up between two trees. You were never invited there.

Speaker 1 And I was not invited there, and I'm escorted out, and I run away every time you go.

Speaker 2 Jeez, you were invited. Now you're not invited.

Speaker 1 I'm not invited. You just disinvited me.

Speaker 2 No, you would love it. We should go.
Honestly, if you ever want to go for a weekend, it's my favorite place in the world.

Speaker 1 Okay. And what was my point of all of this? You don't need a point.
That's the thing is it's

Speaker 1 a podcast word? You don't need a powerful one.

Speaker 1 That's how this one works.

Speaker 2 So I just don't have to have a point.

Speaker 1 I don't know. No responsibility.
Oh, my God. I'm going to give you your point.
Go ahead. And this is the ultimate form of mansplaining.
I'll tell you, Kesho, what you meant.

Speaker 2 Tell me my point.

Speaker 1 Well, I was asked, bringing up the fact that as a kid, you were a seeker. You went to like 10.
You should drive around to different churches or have your mom drive around to explore.

Speaker 1 And it sounds like this has been a theme in your life. You're going to Eslund.
You're just, you're out there to try and find out whatever you can find out. You're curious.

Speaker 1 Which takes a certain amount of bravery, I would say. Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 It's very psychedelic out here. You guys don't don't think it's so surreal.

Speaker 2 I have the trippiest experiences and I'm like, it's a fine line between like spiritual and just insane, but like I love writing that line.

Speaker 2 And I've just had so many interesting, like serendipitous experiences, like where my cat, I had a spiritual awakening and I like saw the universe and my cat brought me headphones and a guy.

Speaker 1 Was that real the part where your cat brings you headphones?

Speaker 2 I swear to God, Mr. Peeps.

Speaker 2 I swear to to God, Mr. Peeps.

Speaker 1 What brand headphones you can turn this into a plug?

Speaker 1 And then Mr. Peeps can make some money.
Come on, Peter.

Speaker 2 Let's go.

Speaker 1 What are we using here?

Speaker 2 It was this giant sure headphones.

Speaker 1 My cat brought me those. Sure.
Cat approved.

Speaker 1 That's Mr. Peeps.
They're really good.

Speaker 1 Peeps just made $40,000.

Speaker 1 He does that.

Speaker 1 I'm sure a lot of you out there are plain Coca-Cola people, and that's respectable. Trust me, I'm one.
Yes, I am. You've many times seen me just, I like to order just a regular Coca-Cola.

Speaker 1 You really do. I really do.
But if you haven't tried a Coca-Cola from Sonic, now is your chance, because right now it's completely free with any purchase.

Speaker 1 Now, if you're a regular Joe, you're thinking to yourself, I can get a Coca-Cola from anywhere, Conan. Why would I go to Sonic? Well, I'm going to tell you.

Speaker 1 Sonic has all the flavors and add-ins to make the perfect Coca-Cola for you. I'm talking strawberry cherries coconut sweet cream jalapenos

Speaker 1 second of all let me say this again it's free but i like an add-in i like to have uh a little flavor and you know what coconut in your coca-cola is delicious it really is so create a coke your way any size any flavor free with any purchase in the sonic app for a limited time live free eat sonic

Speaker 1 Uncrustables are the best part of the sandwich. I mean, we've been thinking that.
Why does hell say it, right, Sona?

Speaker 2 Yeah, like, who needs a crust?

Speaker 1 You've been saying that since the day I met you 15 years ago, Sona. You said, who needs the crust? And I said, first of all, my name's Conan.
You know,

Speaker 1 anyway, it's the perfect grab and go for all of life's moments with unbeatable soft bread and a variety of flavors like, well, peanut butter and grape jelly, peanut butter and strawberry jam. Hello.

Speaker 1 Peanut butter and raspberry spread and so much more. No mess, no prep, just thaw and eat.

Speaker 1 Yep, get them in the freezer aisle today.

Speaker 1 The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people. Man, this tears me up.
So, when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads.

Speaker 1 LinkedIn has grown to a network of over 1 billion professionals, including 130 million decision makers. Hmm, I wonder if I'm one of those.

Speaker 1 That's why LinkedIn has the biggest B2B ROAS of all online ad networks. Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a free $250 credit for the next one.
Pretty good deal.

Speaker 1 Just go to linkedin.com slash Conan. That's LinkedIn.com/slash Conan.
Terms and conditions apply.

Speaker 2 So, anyways, so like weird psychedelic things have been happening my whole life. So I started, because in school, I was like,

Speaker 2 I don't know if I belong with these people. Cause I'm in like outside of Nashville.
People are thrown around the N-word. I'm like, I think I'm gay.

Speaker 2 And then I was like, well, actually, I just don't like anybody.

Speaker 2 And so then I met punk rockers and I was like, wait, I fuck with punk rockers because they're like, don't give a fuck, but they stand in their integrity, but like in a very. offensive way.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 It's kind of fun. And so I was like, in your face.

Speaker 1 Yeah, that's the essence of punk rock is lean into it in your face. This is happening.

Speaker 2 Yeah, but like at the heart of it, there's a lot of integrity. Yeah.
That's just mixed with rage. And like, I don't give a fuck how this reads to you, but like, it is what it is.
And I loved that.

Speaker 2 Like, Iggy Pop was a guiding light for me. So I'm in like middle school.
I'm like, mom, will you drive me from one super church to the other one?

Speaker 2 And my first kiss outside of a super church, I was like, I have always been fascinated with what makes people do what they're doing, like survive. Like, what do you believe in?

Speaker 1 What are we doing?

Speaker 2 What are we doing here? And who are you going to listen to about how to do it?

Speaker 1 And like, why?

Speaker 2 So, that was always my fascination. Even with becoming a pop star, like, I always thought Mick Jagger was very similar to like the preachers I would see at the church.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 Like, there's a similarity there.

Speaker 1 He's a good front man. Yeah.
A good front man is serving the same purpose as a preacher. Yeah.
It's this tireless energy, and then they have to project hardcore belief in what they're doing. Totally.

Speaker 1 It's easier to be Bill Wyman, the bass player, and the Stones, formerly bass player, but like you can kind of hang back and have a bad day. But if you're Mick Jacket, you can never have a bad day.

Speaker 2 You can't doubt, you can't have a doubt in your damn body about what you're doing. And like that faith.
I'm like, shit, I want that faith in something. That's wild.

Speaker 2 So I always was like really fascinated to that energy.

Speaker 1 And like, did you know you could get up on a stage or that you belonged up on a stage even as a kid?

Speaker 2 No, I was like the person that everyone's like, you're too weird to even like sit near. Like you're just so weird.
And so, no, I didn't want to be on the stage.

Speaker 2 I was like, I'm just going to go make out with some dude. That has been my motto my whole life.

Speaker 1 Fuck you guys.

Speaker 2 I'm going to go make out with some hot dude.

Speaker 1 This was your religion, in a way. Honestly, deadass.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 I dabbled in that a little bit.

Speaker 1 Sona worked with me for quite a while. During the period of time when you were coming on the show and everything, Sona was making out with some dude up in my office.

Speaker 1 Goodness. You're supposed to be filing.

Speaker 1 Who's done the filing lately?

Speaker 2 This is my, it was my religion.

Speaker 1 Yeah, it was your religion.

Speaker 1 So I love that.

Speaker 2 I just saw there's a song in there. Go on.

Speaker 1 You got to cut her in.

Speaker 1 No, it's fine. You know, it's interesting to me that, and I didn't realize that you were doing backup vocals for a while before you hit it on your own.

Speaker 1 That's a very interesting role, I would think, and very educational because you're around Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, and you're watching them do it.

Speaker 1 And you're doing this, providing this very technical assistance to them as the, you know, and helping them out. But you're also, you're kind of watching from the side, but seeing how it's done.

Speaker 2 Totally. And like absorbing it all.
Like I've worked with. all different kinds of people in the business, but one of the greats is Rick Rubin.

Speaker 2 And like just seeing how he's done it alongside of how someone like Ariana does it, alongside of, I wrote a song for Brittany.

Speaker 2 Like, just kind of like taking these notes. And that's why I teach songwriting is because I'm like, I've been around some of the most incredible artists of our generation, not let alone myself.
Right.

Speaker 2 So

Speaker 1 it's very cutting tea.

Speaker 1 This is only going to be the podcast that's used that word the third most. That's right.

Speaker 1 You have two others that are still ahead of you.

Speaker 2 I like watching people in flow. That's why you wanted to know why I brought you a guitar is because I love watching people in flow.

Speaker 2 I love seeing people in their creative and like anything can be creative, right? Like the way I got dressed today.

Speaker 2 It's creative.

Speaker 1 Yes. You took a Conan t-shirt and you took it so to the next level that,

Speaker 1 yeah, I've never been attracted to myself.

Speaker 1 Now I am.

Speaker 1 Wait a minute, that's not true.

Speaker 1 Promoting self-love in here, too. We love that.

Speaker 2 You're not attracted to Kesha. You're attracted to yourself.
You can't.

Speaker 1 She's making the t-shirt with me on it attractive. Yeah, I'm certainly attracted to you as well.

Speaker 1 So let's talk about this because you put in the time, you work, you work, you work. Then I meet you when TikTok hits, and it's a phenomenon.

Speaker 1 And you have described the feeling that so many people wish and pray for this day.

Speaker 1 And when it happens, though, it's kind of mind-altering because you had been playing in front of, oh, I just played a show and there were a couple hundred people there. And then overnight.

Speaker 2 Dude, it was not a good idea.

Speaker 1 Don't you call me dude. I almost called you.
I'm an admiral in the Navy. You call me Admiral O'Brien.

Speaker 1 I'm an admiral in the Kesha Navy.

Speaker 2 I stopped myself from saying, bitch.

Speaker 1 No, okay. No, bitch is okay.
okay. Okay.

Speaker 2 But not Chakana.

Speaker 1 Okay.

Speaker 2 So the shows I was playing before that were like 10 people and the one guy at the bar was asleep. So does he count? I don't know.
And then I played Lollapalooza and I will look out and I was like,

Speaker 2 they must be here for the person after me.

Speaker 1 Right. Who's standing behind me? Do they want to see?

Speaker 2 And I was like, what? And then they knew the song and I was like, what the fuck is going on here?

Speaker 2 And then that night it was like hanging out with the black keys and they came to the show and I'm like, whoa, what the hell? It happened so fast, so fast. And my mind like was like, what?

Speaker 1 It was very weird. Well, I remember you came on for TikTok and then you kept coming back

Speaker 1 with other performances. And what I always remember is how you're so quick and funny and your whole spirit was, let's see where this goes, which was.
Great, which was really nice.

Speaker 1 And you had this sense of humor about,

Speaker 1 I'm sure I'd try to say this the right way. like you would use your sexuality in this way that was really fun.

Speaker 2 Silly and fun.

Speaker 1 Silly and fun and things firing out of your.

Speaker 2 Chicha?

Speaker 1 To use the sound sorry. Yes.
That's right. I didn't realize we were in Nicaragua.

Speaker 1 Please, someone translate for me. Two counties and a chicha.
You got them? Oh, I love

Speaker 1 one screen track.

Speaker 1 And one chicha. I'm not familiar with the chicha

Speaker 1 or the vagina for that matter. Both were writing it.

Speaker 1 Yeah, I'm just trying to get my terms right. You know, when Kesha comes on, it comes with a term sheet.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 It does. God is a bitch.

Speaker 1 There's

Speaker 1 hunties and chichas. Can we get a telestrator? Yeah,

Speaker 1 but no, like literally, and things were firing out of your nipples. And it was.

Speaker 1 There was. You didn't.
Oh, wait a minute. That's a dream I had.

Speaker 1 Yeah, you had, you would, you would, there was a burlesque, fun attitude about it all,

Speaker 1 which was, it had an almost cartoonish element to it. And it was, uh, it was fun.
It was, for lack of, I mean, that's the, that's the word.

Speaker 1 It was fun and experimental and artistic and silly and absurd and the whole thing mashed together.

Speaker 2 Totally. Cause I like, I grew up not knowing, I didn't have my God to pray to.

Speaker 2 Like, even in anywhere, I was like, and I, and I've started to realize, like, it's kind of cool that I do feel like a true original.

Speaker 2 In ways, I wished I had someone to be like, I want to be just like that person, but there's like nobody to really point to.

Speaker 2 Like, there are a lot of amazing people I want to be like in ways, but there's not just like one person.

Speaker 1 Well, I have this theory that I've had for a while, which is we all grow up looking at people and thinking, I really like what they're doing. I really like what they're doing.

Speaker 1 I really like what they're doing. And it's your failure to be the person.
And I use the word failure.

Speaker 1 It's not really a failure, but it's your attempt to be the person and your inability to be be them that makes you original.

Speaker 2 Totally. I like, I have many thoughts about this.
So I think authenticity is the highest vibration you can vibrate at.

Speaker 2 Like true authenticity, not trying to be somebody, like really just your authentic, weird self with your family dynamic passed down in your body and your DNA and where you come from and everything you've seen and done.

Speaker 2 Like your authenticity, you're the only one. Like everyone is a true original.
And so I've like started playing a fun game with myself, like, how authentic can I be? And it freaks people out.

Speaker 2 It kind of freaks me out sometimes. But then I'm like, well, it's authentic.
This is the game we're playing. It's your last lifetime.

Speaker 1 So that's A.

Speaker 2 Wait, there was a really good point.

Speaker 1 Hold on. Let me tell you what it was.

Speaker 1 What was it? B. Tariffs don't blow up.

Speaker 1 Okay, I remember now. Sorry.
Okay.

Speaker 1 I made a guess and I was strong.

Speaker 2 Not, was not. Okay.
Height of the pop stardom, like bejazzled bodysuits, not eating,

Speaker 2 like trying to be, trying to be this thing that I'm not. Yep.
And I just like hit a wall where I'm like doing the

Speaker 2 dancing. And I'm like, this is not me.
Everybody wants me to be this. And I'm trying to please them because I like people to be happy.
I want people to be happy. Timber, biggest song in the world.

Speaker 2 Took off the bejazzled bodysuit, stopped the arena tour, started a punk band called Yeast Infection, played dive bars, much to the dismay of everybody around me.

Speaker 1 From the machine.

Speaker 2 Oh my god, they were not happy. But like, that's one of my proudest moments.
Cause like, I did grow up on food stamps. I'm not scared of what it means to not have money.
Like, fuck that.

Speaker 2 I'm going to stand in my integrity of who I am and in my authenticity. And I'm not going to stand for, like, I'd become the thing that I like hated.

Speaker 2 Like, I don't want little girls looking up to someone who's not eating and me pretending like I'm eating, but I'm not. Like, no, I'm not going to do this.
That's not who I am.

Speaker 2 It's not what I stand for. Fuck that.
And that was like when everything changed, where I was like, I tried it your way, you guys, and it's bullshit. And now I'm doing it my way.

Speaker 2 And like, take whatever you want because my fucking genius is in my mind.

Speaker 2 So you can never have it. You can own my voice.
You can do the thing and blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1 Let's talk about that because the album you're coming out with now is the first time that you've owned the rights to your voice. Is that right?

Speaker 2 Yeah, it's the first time I've had the legal rights to my recorded voice since I was 18 years old.

Speaker 1 Jesus.

Speaker 2 Oh my God.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 And after a 10-year litigation, three states.

Speaker 2 But like, it was kind of this period.

Speaker 1 This is the, yeah. And it is, it's a strange thing to think about.
And I can kind of relate, not on the same scale, but I can kind of relate when you're young and super hungry, you just want in.

Speaker 1 When you're you're just happy to be there. You're happy to be there.

Speaker 1 And so, and this is the one of the oldest stories in show business is pop stars when they're 17, 18, signing everything away because someone's saying, we have the microphone.

Speaker 1 The microphone's in that room. If you want to sing into it, sign this piece of paper and you'll do it.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Well, and you also like your brain's not fully developed.
I grew up without a father, you know, came from very humble beginnings.

Speaker 2 And so like, also didn't really understand in perpetuity in the universe.

Speaker 2 Like that's what I signed. And in my mind, I'm like, I'm a punk rocker.
Like he's going to take, they're going to take a bunch of money. That's fine.
Like, I don't care about money.

Speaker 2 But actually, what I didn't realize is like in perpetuity in the universe, my voice, like, that's a,

Speaker 2 it's a big thing you're signing. Yeah.

Speaker 1 And then I just like,

Speaker 2 I like reached max capacity biggest song in the world moment. And then it was like,

Speaker 1 no. Yeah.

Speaker 2 So that's when I saw you in the street. So I needed that hug.

Speaker 1 So thank you. I was wandering around hoping I could hug Kesha

Speaker 1 and I manifested you.

Speaker 2 I love that.

Speaker 1 And I was like, I got to get her fast because it's her last life. You can do that.
It is.

Speaker 1 And I knew that I had 10,000 lives still to go.

Speaker 1 But I knew I couldn't get you the next time around. Oh, right.
Because you're not going to be around this time. No, or never.
It's going to be some other song. I don't want to hug that creep.

Speaker 1 This period of time that you went through this crazy litigation and all that stuff that everyone's read about.

Speaker 1 And I don't think people that have been through legal things on that scale can understand how it consumes your whole life.

Speaker 1 It's over. And like it takes over your whole life.
And when it has to do with your creativity and what you do to keep yourself sane, that's doubly.

Speaker 1 It's not like, oh, you're being sued over a parking lot that you own in Encino and you may not get to see it for a while or you may lose part of it. It's your essence of who you are.

Speaker 2 Well, it's the thing that you,

Speaker 2 yeah, it's, it's weird.

Speaker 2 It's like your soul is like on paper owned by someone else, but you're like, but it's in my body and I have rights to my body, but all of this is infiltrated, every ounce of my body and my brain.

Speaker 2 And it just is really toxic and it's really unfortunate because, you know, people use that as like a tool to torture.

Speaker 1 And it works.

Speaker 2 Like it was really, really hard. And I just remember getting more and more scared and paranoid because like the fuckery, but then also like how long it went on.
And that was by design.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 And, you know, I remember being told that by the time I got out of this situation, I would be old and I would be broke and I would be irrelevant.

Speaker 2 So every single time that I do anything that connects, it hits like on a level people will never understand. Right.

Speaker 1 And so like, it's like, it's a great, it's a sweet revenge. Oh, it's also just like, it's not true.
Like, I'm not old. God damn it.

Speaker 2 And I'm, well, the legal bills, but I'm not irrelevant. And so that it's like, it's nice to have people that believe in you.
And like, so I appreciate you.

Speaker 2 And I always have from the beginning, like our relationship from the beginning.

Speaker 1 It's so funny that you, because I feel like we're in tune in some crazy way, because you bring this guitar and you talk about flow state. That is the way I chill is

Speaker 1 before you showed up, I was upstairs with an Epiphone casino strapped on, just doing scales and noodling and doing little riffs because that in my office, because that's how I kind of turn off the noise is I've found that if my hands are busy, the noise goes away.

Speaker 1 And if I'm doing scales or if I'm doing, it's just everything calms down a little bit.

Speaker 2 Yes, this is what the real housewives at Beverly Hills does to me.

Speaker 2 I'm dead ass right now. I don't know why, but it scratches that part of my brain.

Speaker 1 But you know, I completely relate to that.

Speaker 1 I've said this before, but for my wife, it is below deck.

Speaker 1 She likes her some below deck. And there are times where she's so smart and she's so, you know, hyper-literate and hyper-competent.

Speaker 1 And then there are times where I'll just find her in a room and she's like got Cheeto dust on her face and she's just watched like 15

Speaker 1 down under below decks in a row. And you're like, are you all right? I'm like, are you all right? And she's like, who are you? Like, I'm your husband of 23 years.

Speaker 1 You've never seen me naked, but I really am.

Speaker 1 And so, I mean, but that is, I understand that. I understand that.
We all.

Speaker 2 We all need, well, I think because creativity has become like, it became my job. And then it became like, I have to fight for this this like so fucking hard.

Speaker 2 I need like 30 minutes one time a week to watch some ladies yell about their Birkins.

Speaker 1 Okay.

Speaker 1 The Birkin, such an innocent shoe.

Speaker 1 Or bag? The bag? This is a fake Birkin. That's a fake Birkin?

Speaker 2 Oh, yeah, but you can't tell, right?

Speaker 1 South Korea. You could not.

Speaker 1 The minute you walked in, I was like, fucking fake Birkin.

Speaker 1 And you know what? Matt gave me the signal to cancel. He did it.
He gave me the, let's cut this off. We got to make Birkin in the house.
And we can't talk to you.

Speaker 1 You might meet not the real Kesha.

Speaker 1 We actually switched that out with a real Birkin. We weren't looking.

Speaker 1 That's our prank show. Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 Giving people real Birkins?

Speaker 1 Okay.

Speaker 1 I'll play.

Speaker 1 You know, you had the moment. You talk about these little cultural moments.
You knew you had made it.

Speaker 1 You said when The Simpsons switched out the opening of their show, show, because they always do a different opening. They did an opening featuring TikTok

Speaker 1 and you're like, okay.

Speaker 2 It's like, fine.

Speaker 1 Got it.

Speaker 2 I guess this is on.

Speaker 1 And I missed

Speaker 2 like, and then it was like wild style. It was just like wild style.
My life's been wild style. Wild style.
That's just the only way I can describe it.

Speaker 1 So are you willing to have like a boring day that which I know you mentioned you want to watch your Beverly Hills Housewives?

Speaker 1 Yeah, that's, I have to say, but but but do you ever take a day and just, I don't know,

Speaker 1 you know, make a, make some pasta. A cake.
A cake, bake a cake,

Speaker 1 paint a wall,

Speaker 1 you know,

Speaker 1 do some electrical repair on a monumental customer.

Speaker 2 To be honest, no, this is like kind of a problem.

Speaker 2 I have no chill. I have a tattoo that says chill.
It's a lie. I'm not chilling.

Speaker 1 That's why you got the tattoo. I know I was.
I was just trying to chill.

Speaker 1 of it. Yeah.

Speaker 2 Just get more tattoos.

Speaker 1 Yeah. When you have a tattoo that says, stop talking.

Speaker 1 You do? You know, but I wish I had a tattoo.

Speaker 2 Well, it doesn't help.

Speaker 2 But no, I don't understand.

Speaker 1 But when you're at this retreat,

Speaker 2 okay, but then you're romping around naked, chasing the butterflies and like tromping up in the hills. And then you go in the art barn.
And then you go and you like dance your traumas away.

Speaker 1 And then the medicine woman is like, Are you still naked when this is all happening?

Speaker 2 You like can be, but I wasn't dancing naked.

Speaker 1 I agree with you. I'm making little noises again.
I'm the creep who's peering in at Esselin.

Speaker 1 You know what I'm? I'm in a faraway hill with crazy big, comically large binoculars going, oh, I think I see kisses. You're wearing like a sniper ghillie suit.
You know,

Speaker 1 no, I'm not wearing a, I'm wearing a birding outfit.

Speaker 2 So it's, you go and like, you don't usually dance naked.

Speaker 1 You're usually just naked

Speaker 1 at hot springs. Yeah.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 Don't be weird about it, Conan.

Speaker 1 Don't be weird about what?

Speaker 1 Dancing naked is problematic,

Speaker 1 I'm sure. You know, why? I don't know.
Things could get caught in the machinery. What? What machinery?

Speaker 1 There might be a thresher nearby.

Speaker 1 I don't know. I haven't thought this all the way through.
I assume they're out in the woods and there's a threshing machine. Your Irish cutlets are going to get caught in the combat.

Speaker 1 I won't have my Irish cutlets thrashed in some thresher.

Speaker 1 Kesha,

Speaker 1 you've ruined this podcast forever. He short-circuited after you said cheata.
I know.

Speaker 1 And you know what? Once that happened,

Speaker 1 let's not discount bajazzl either.

Speaker 1 Are we writing these down? What do we have? We've got two counties. Well, I guess two cheeches now for counting that one.

Speaker 1 One Irish cutlets and one but jazzle. Count it.
Yeah. Literally the dorkiest thing you could do is write this stuff down.
You're both writing. And guess what?

Speaker 1 I'm going to keep these on clipboards.

Speaker 1 Because I love having this. I love consulting a clipboard.
Hold on a second. That's one

Speaker 1 bejazzled, two Irish cutlets, a county.

Speaker 2 You compared your nipples to spam.

Speaker 2 I want to write that one down.

Speaker 1 Well, if you saw them, you'd notice what I'm talking about. Let's just say the freckle is not the most erotic symbol.

Speaker 1 You have have had, I'm telling you, you're a very spiritual person.

Speaker 1 What's this segue going to be?

Speaker 1 Let's go!

Speaker 1 Do it! Get it! Get it! There's no kind of part of it like a cashier, cause I catch a potter. I don't stop.
Okay.

Speaker 1 Listen, I want control of this. It's my job as the admiral of this podcast to get it under control.
And Kesha has ruined everything.

Speaker 1 You are always fun. Always fun, this hunter person.

Speaker 1 That's why, you know, what happened was we were doing something at South by Southwest.

Speaker 1 And someone came up to me and said, Kesha's here and was just to speak to you. And I hadn't run into you since I think I saw you on the street.
And I said, I would love to see Kesha.

Speaker 1 And then five minutes later, you walked in and we had this nice reunion. And I said, you've got to come on the podcast, please.
And here we are. And here we are.
And it's a mess.

Speaker 1 It's a mess.

Speaker 1 That is what I do.

Speaker 1 It should be. It is exactly what it should be.
You are a magical, you are a magical spirit from another land. Let's take a spiritual journey together.
Tell me.

Speaker 1 You're a very spiritual person. You say you've had spiritual encounters.
Do you believe in ghosts? I'm not a ghost person.

Speaker 2 Are you fucking kidding me right now?

Speaker 1 Well, I don't know about ghosts. Okay, well, I believe there are energies and spirits, but I don't know about a ghost.
Would you ever go ghost hunting? Yeah, I go ghost hunting.

Speaker 2 Okay, so I did a TV show on Disney Plus called Conjuring Keshawar. I went ghost hunting, looking for aliens, looking for Bigfoot.

Speaker 2 Some shit happened. Didn't do a season two.
So on my tour this summer, on the day is off, I'm doing it myself.

Speaker 1 See, this is how you relax. It's not making a cave.
That is your chill. That's your chill.

Speaker 1 Your chill is looking for Bigfoot.

Speaker 2 Fuck yeah.

Speaker 1 What about Loch Ness Monster?

Speaker 2 Fuck yeah.

Speaker 1 Chupacabra.

Speaker 2 I don't know what that is.

Speaker 1 Fuck you too.

Speaker 1 It's an Israeli appetizer.

Speaker 2 But like, yes, that is how I relax.

Speaker 1 Ghosts, though, specifically, ones who have passed on, you think, are still visiting us.

Speaker 2 100%. Okay, so I'm filming a show.
I am the exec producer, filming the cameraman. I forget what the camera's called, where it's like infrared, where you can see body heat.

Speaker 1 Eduardo, what is that called?

Speaker 1 I asked Eduardo. Oh, sorry.
I defer to Matt.

Speaker 1 I'll have you see my previous answer. A thermal? I think, isn't it a thermal camera like Predator?

Speaker 2 Just like that. Yeah.
Okay. So I'm filming him.

Speaker 2 He's filming me day two, Haunted insane asylum there with big frida chip coffee we're bored it's like four in the morning and they're like start like basically talking shit to the demons I'm like all right where are you at like you're not even here just like right condescend to the demons insult the demons which would bring a demon forth I would think and it did and so then on camera holding the camera watch this thing like crawl up jake and crawl into the ceiling and it happened so fast that I was like Jake there's a thing and then that's how fast right filming it exact same time, he like throws down a red camera, really expensive camera.

Speaker 2 He's like, oh my God, there's something crawling on me.

Speaker 1 Pulls his shirt up.

Speaker 2 And there's three scratch marks down his spine. And Chip Coffee comes over and throws holy water on it.
And then it heals. And I'm like, what the fuck is this?

Speaker 1 Who's Chip Coffee?

Speaker 1 That's the cruelest name I've ever heard. And why isn't he a private detective? He might be.
The name's Coffee. Chip Coffee.

Speaker 1 Well, okay, that's stunning. Do you have all that on camera? Yes.

Speaker 2 And nobody cares. That's the craziest part.
Nobody cares. And I'm like, nobody cares about these ghosts I found.
You're welcome. But I found so many.

Speaker 1 You found so many ghosts.

Speaker 1 Do you get creeped out in a graveyard? Are you kind of happy there?

Speaker 2 No, I'm so happy. Yeah.
Because I'm like almost there.

Speaker 1 Well, you know what?

Speaker 1 Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 Prescia, no, you're not. No, you're not.
Trust me, I'm getting to the boneyard long before you.

Speaker 1 I'll tell you, and I'll come back and I'll tell you you how it is.

Speaker 1 It's me, it's me, it's Conan.

Speaker 1 I'm in the afterlife, and I'm still not naked.

Speaker 1 All the other ghosts are letting things flop around.

Speaker 2 Wait, how would you haunt?

Speaker 1 How would I haunt? Irritating. I wouldn't scare people, but I'd be, I mean, I'm going to pass on and Gorley and Sona are youngsters.

Speaker 1 They're going to be happily living their lives and I'm going to just be like, ooh, hey, what's going on? I'm going to be doing bits. Doing bits.

Speaker 1 I'm going to be doing bits and coming back and saying, Wouldn't it be funny if, yeah, and you will get an exorcist, but nothing scary will happen. There'll be no cone vomiting or head spinning.

Speaker 2 I'll put my hair up in a bun and it'll just get knocked out.

Speaker 1 Whenever her hair is in a bun, I knock it loose.

Speaker 2 Oh, that's a good one. Yeah.
It's a lot of, like, yeah.

Speaker 1 Yeah, it'll, I'll do that. Or gorly, I'll scratch your favorite.
He loves to listen to old K-Kaiser tunes on his 45-player.

Speaker 1 I've got spurs that jingle when they jingle.

Speaker 1 Cut me.

Speaker 1 He just puts on old records and he wears a seersucker suit. Oh my God, so cute.
Yeah,

Speaker 1 I do do this. I do do this.
And I'll be scratching. All your records will be scratching.
You know what I'm saying? I'm going to do markets that I'm in a ukulele club. Yeah, same.

Speaker 1 Cute. I'm assigning him a personality over time and soon it will become his personality.

Speaker 1 It's just little things.

Speaker 2 Like he'll take things that you have like organized and he'll move them around just a little bit.

Speaker 1 So it'll infuriate you.

Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 Does that ever happen? The thing is, the first person I'm going to go to is Kesha. You better.
That's like, yeah, I'm going to go to you first. You fucking better.
Hey, man, Jesus.

Speaker 1 And I'd be like, I like when you wear my merchandise.

Speaker 1 It looks so sexy.

Speaker 1 And I can monetize it.

Speaker 1 What a weird ghost.

Speaker 1 You're going to, you know, I'll be the first. I'll be a ghost that has a restraining leg.

Speaker 1 Kesha,

Speaker 1 55 feet. Oh, fuck.

Speaker 1 Well, I got to talk about this.

Speaker 2 You're going out on tour.

Speaker 1 It's the tits out tour, and I have got to join you on stage, and I got to let these cutlets breathe. Yes.
Let them out, baby.

Speaker 1 Are you enjoying the live performing now? I bet, I have a prediction that you're enjoying it now, maybe more than ever, because you've been through everything.

Speaker 2 I am enjoying everything better now. It's weird when you like sign away the rights to the one thing you do and have dedicated your life to in perpetuity in the universe, and then you get it back.

Speaker 2 Fucking everything is different. I feel like I'm living in hypercolor.
I feel like I'm also like healing in front of the world at the same time, which is like messy.

Speaker 2 But I just had to make a conscious choice. Like, what do I believe? I believe in being authentic.
I believe it's my last lifetime. Like, I really do believe it.
And so, like, fuck it. Let's go.

Speaker 2 And like, now everything is so much more fun listening to, I couldn't even listen to music for a long time.

Speaker 2 i have not listened to some songs that were like particularly unpleasant for me yep and i like last week you would hate this but i was like dancing around my room naked no no no no i like it when you do it

Speaker 1 okay just not you okay

Speaker 1 again i just am there just as a sketch artist

Speaker 2 but just like crying being like These are my children.

Speaker 2 Like, I've turned my back on my children and like, I love them and I want to play them and the fans want to hear them and I can't wait to see my fans and I'm free.

Speaker 1 There was just a period of time when like I felt so forgotten by the world.

Speaker 2 Like 10 years is a long time. And I was also like signed to the people that were suing me.

Speaker 2 And so like by year like nine, I was like, I feel so fucking like nobody.

Speaker 1 cares. Yeah.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 And it was so isolating and so depressing. And then I get a phone call.
Everything looks the same. Ring, ring.
In three months' time, you will be free.

Speaker 2 And I'm like, well, everything just flipped in that minute. Like in that moment, I wrote 200 songs over the course of the next couple of months.

Speaker 2 Like, just there was like color brought back into my life. And now I can't wait to tour.
And I'm all the music that has negative connotation, everything's energy. So, yes, I believe in ghosts.

Speaker 2 We'll have to circle back on that.

Speaker 1 But, anyways,

Speaker 1 I mean, taking a

Speaker 1 show

Speaker 1 in. I didn't even die, but I'm a ghost hanging around your house

Speaker 1 doing sketches.

Speaker 1 I'm alive and well.

Speaker 1 I'm here to serve you with a ghost subpoena.

Speaker 1 Ghost subpoena.

Speaker 1 Yeah. So,

Speaker 1 I mean, I am.

Speaker 1 I am genuinely very happy for you. And it's funny, I have this, because I've been doing this for so long and I encounter people and then I see them at different phases in their life.

Speaker 1 and I'm I have this relationship sometimes and I've said this to many people and and you fit the bill as well where I'm rooting for you because you came and you know helped me out and gave of your talent on my show and you were always brought great energy and I thought I'm just so happy to reconnect with you and

Speaker 1 this has been really funny and fun and and filthy at times.

Speaker 2 I'm like a little psychotic.

Speaker 1 No, but also, no, and also, I'm learning some words here that I didn't know.

Speaker 2 Oh, we love that.

Speaker 1 It's good you wrote them down.

Speaker 1 It's good you wrote them down. What happens when this piece of paper is found later on?

Speaker 1 That's when the restraining motor gets good.

Speaker 1 This laundry got sent back, and the woman who works there wants to talk to you. This was rolled up in your.
Hi, I have a Mr. O'Brien's grocery list.

Speaker 1 I'm wondering if you could help me find some of these.

Speaker 1 I understand Irish cutlets, but where are the chichas?

Speaker 2 I need two counties.

Speaker 1 I need two counties and a chicha, please, to go.

Speaker 1 Well, I'm really happy for you. The tits out tour.
I'm going to be there, man. I'm going to be there dancing on stage.
Yeah, you must. Oh, no, that will hurt you.
That will hurt the fans.

Speaker 1 No, you must. No, no, no.
Your fans will get so mad when I dance out on tour and the tits out tour. So happy.
Sona, talk some sense into Kesha.

Speaker 2 They won't be happy.

Speaker 1 Your first independent album, period. This is under your own label.
Kesha Records, July 4th, 2025. This is your sixth studio album.
I'm really happy for you.

Speaker 1 And thank you so much for bringing me that gorgeous guitar. I'm going to be playing that today and tonight.
And thank you. Conan merch has never looked cooler.

Speaker 2 Oh, we'll have to take some hot pics and drop it on the Graham.

Speaker 1 Yes, yes. I wish I knew what the Graham was.
I got you. Seeing it being dropped

Speaker 1 on Graham Cracker. Kesha wants a photo on a Graham Cracker.
Idiot. I know what the Graham is, he said, lying.

Speaker 1 Kesha, thank you so much for being here and for bringing your cool spirit.

Speaker 2 Thanks for always being the fucking best.

Speaker 1 Geez. Deadass.
Gorley.

Speaker 2 Rick Rubin and Conan O'Brien.

Speaker 2 You are one of the best men. Oh my God.
That is the first and only time anyone will clump you together with Rick Rubin, I think.

Speaker 1 My two favorite men are. I'm going to try and get into a fender bender with him just so that we're named in court together.

Speaker 1 I'm going to wait for Rick Rubin to drive by and then just slam him into the back of his car.

Speaker 1 Conan O'Brien struck Rick Rubin T Sona twice.

Speaker 1 He was driving his Nissan Centra when he was hit from behind by Connor O'Brien.

Speaker 1 All right, bless you, Kesha. Go forward and do great works.

Speaker 2 Let's party.

Speaker 1 Say hello to the all-new Alexa Plus and see how Alexa can do so much more for you. Need last-minute concert tickets? Craving your favorite restaurant? Just sit back, relax, and talk naturally.

Speaker 1 Alexa's on it. It remembers what you love, anticipates what you need, and makes it all happen.

Speaker 1 Whether you're using Echo, Fire TV, or any compatible device, Alexa Plus brings thousands of possibilities to life. Everything.

Speaker 1 The fact that you can just order concert tickets through her, that's crazy. Yeah, exactly.
You didn't know that. Even I knew that.
Wow. Yeah.
And I fought in World War I, and I know that.

Speaker 1 Ready whenever, and yeah, and you were born in the second Obama administration. This is incredible.
Ready whenever inspiration strikes, Amazon.com slash new Alexa.

Speaker 1 The holidays are nothing, nothing without family, friends, and flannel. The flannel you can always count on? Well, for my money, that would have to be from LL Bean.

Speaker 1 It's the shirt you wear when you pick out the tree or you eat a candy cane. It's the shirt when you come down and you look at all those presents under the tree.

Speaker 1 You've got that shirt on from LL Bean, that flannel. All those those holiday traditions.
I'm going to get on a toboggan and roll down this hill. Yeah.
I've got to wear that shirt.

Speaker 1 I've got to wear that LLB and flannel. Oh, look, it's Santa Claus.
Hello, Santa. I hope I'm wearing that LLB flannel.
It's all things cozy. Ah, it's effortless.
It's made to last. LLB.

Speaker 1 They know what they're doing and they have for a very long time.

Speaker 1 Go check out LLB and Flannel. Invited to the holiday since 1912.

Speaker 1 Okay, we need to discuss something that just happened moments ago.

Speaker 1 And this has never happened before

Speaker 1 on the podcast in five years. We took a break.
We had just finished interviewing Kesha. Wonderful time.
Really fun. Wonderful.
She's so funny and fun.

Speaker 1 And it was revealing and cool and all kinds of stuff. Then we take a break.

Speaker 1 I remain remain here and start doodling on my sketchpad. I remain here too.

Speaker 1 But

Speaker 2 because I am

Speaker 1 telling us what happened, man.

Speaker 1 Just tell us. It's okay.

Speaker 1 No, it's really embarrassing. It's not okay at all.
I had to pee and I went to the bathroom and I opened the door. It wasn't locked and Kesha was peeing in the bathroom.

Speaker 1 So you walked in on Kesha while she was urinating. And she screamed.
She screamed. But she did the cutest little

Speaker 1 like this, like an Ewok or something.

Speaker 1 And I, she was very nice about it.

Speaker 2 And I truly didn't mean to.

Speaker 1 You said you truly didn't mean to.

Speaker 1 But I would like to point out that just as you got up from the table, you looked at me and you said, time to watch Kesha Ping

Speaker 1 and stormed out of the room. And I said, no!

Speaker 1 No, you did not say that. And this is for court records.
You did not say such a thing.

Speaker 2 Can I say something? The door was closed, and you didn't think about like knocking.

Speaker 1 Here's the thing: the door was not locked, and there are two doors in that restroom. There's the door, and immediately to the left, there's another door.

Speaker 1 So, I just, anytime I've ever used that restroom, it's always locked if it's being occupied. So, I just wasn't used to it.

Speaker 1 Are you suggesting that I did that on purpose? I didn't even know she was in there.

Speaker 2 I don't know. It's not proper bathroom etiquette.
If the door is closed, you knock.

Speaker 1 I'm totally with Sona on this. I'm a knocker.
I always, I always knock.

Speaker 1 I find out. I just certainly will from here on out.
I can tell you that much. Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 But I mean. Unless it's Kesha.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 It was, we heard shrieking. Yeah.

Speaker 1 You came running back in, face beat red.

Speaker 1 We have a whole bunch of people out there who are watching the podcast. They find out what happened.
They're screaming. I mean, it really did sound like a house of murder.

Speaker 2 It did. Well, and also, I have to admit, because I think it's a very awkward situation for everybody.
You came in here, you're like, I just walked in on Kesha.

Speaker 2 And then we could have just, you could have ignored it, but you went out there and you apologized.

Speaker 2 Well, I think that's a good thing.

Speaker 1 Which was nice.

Speaker 2 No, I think it's nice, but it also, I don't know, does that make somebody more?

Speaker 1 uncomfortable or more embarrassed

Speaker 1 can i also explain one other thing i was right on the heels of eduardo saying let me just go pee really quickly i didn't know which one he was in i thought because this one was unlocked he was not he was trying to come okay

Speaker 1 maybe yeah

Speaker 1 in his defense, he was trying to watch Eduardo urinate. That's right.
And accidentally walked in on Insexy Kesha.

Speaker 1 So I... Wait a minute.

Speaker 1 And just to let people know here, there are two bathrooms. There's one right next to our studio, and then there's one that is kind of further on down the hall.

Speaker 1 And so you didn't use the one right next to the studio when

Speaker 1 it was used.

Speaker 1 How did you know it was used? Because the door was shut? I thought. Yeah, why didn't you watch

Speaker 1 on that one? Because I thought Eduardo went into that one, and I thought no one else is in this other one because I knew he went into that one. I don't know.
There's a lot of assumptions here.

Speaker 1 There's a lot of assumptions here.

Speaker 1 There's also something on the first floor. The second bathroom is labeled Popstar.

Speaker 1 And the first bathroom is labeled peons that work here

Speaker 1 at the show. That's an unfortunate pun.
Yeah, it is.

Speaker 1 And no pun intended. And then my bathroom

Speaker 1 is called Comedic Icon, and that's on the top floor.

Speaker 1 I just want to refresh us to the interview prior to this where you spent a good five minutes talking about how you wanted to dress like a urinal and have women be on you.

Speaker 1 No, no, no. No, that's okay.

Speaker 1 I did not perving on Kesha while she was at the

Speaker 1 same time. No, no, no, no, no, no.
First of all, this whole thing about me dressing as a urinal wouldn't work on women. That's a flawed concept.
So I know you're lying. Oh, is that a drink?

Speaker 1 I know you're lying. Oh, I'll dress as a urinal and then trap women.

Speaker 1 Slight flaw with your plan there, Gorley, that you're trying to assign to me. Clearly, you've thought this out, and I've found your sketches, and I've seen what you've done.

Speaker 1 Anyway, I want to assure all of our guests that from now on, Matt Gorley is going to knock.

Speaker 1 Yes,

Speaker 1 and

Speaker 1 a good idea maybe to lock the bathroom door when Gorley's on the property.

Speaker 1 When the mad peeper's here,

Speaker 1 let's lock things up.

Speaker 1 You know, can I ask a question? So,

Speaker 1 you know, we are on the second floor. Conan, your office and your own personal bathroom is on the third floor.

Speaker 1 It's not my personal bathroom because I share it with Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross, and anyone else who wants to go up there.

Speaker 1 Well, that's my question: is should we, so this doesn't happen again, should we assign Gorley a bathroom? This is the only bathroom you're allowed to do. What are you doing? I'm not sure.

Speaker 1 You know what we should do? Well, first of all, we want to learn from our mistakes.

Speaker 1 We should learn from our mistakes. First of all, I think Gorley should wear an ankle bracelet for a year.

Speaker 1 And he has to go to every pop star in LA

Speaker 1 and knock on their door and tell them: if you're urinating in a bathroom near me, I may try and peek in on you.

Speaker 1 So that's rule number one. Rule number two is we should get one of those outdoor bathrooms and we should put it in our little yard, and that should be just for gorly.
Oh, like a port-a-potty?

Speaker 1 A little port-a-potty. Like an outhouse.
Little outhouse port-a-potty. Oh, you like old-timey things? We'll get you an old.
Oh, wait, no, I have a solution. I quit.

Speaker 1 Okay? Hey, a little win-win-win. A little gorilla potty.
A gorilla potty. We did it.

Speaker 1 Listen, you can write up rap all you want on a piece of paper.

Speaker 1 But you just wrote rap now.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Listen, it was an accident.
Accidents happen. And

Speaker 2 I will say, if you're going to walk in on someone, I feel like Kisha's a good person to walk in on.

Speaker 1 Because she's cool about it.

Speaker 2 She's very

Speaker 2 cool.

Speaker 1 Yeah, I walked in four times on Al Pacino. Yeah.
And it was like, get the horror.

Speaker 1 What are you doing? Going away.

Speaker 1 It's the fourth. Hey, he said, I understand one time.
It was the fourth time. And I said, it's taken you a long time to pee, Mr.
Patino. What are you on? I'm 94.

Speaker 1 I've also played Jim on Taxi.

Speaker 1 All right. Peace out.
Love you, Kesha. Bye.
Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 Oh, hold on before we go. Actually, this just in.
If you'd like to get the same retro Conan O'Brien t-shirt Kesha is wearing in this interview, just go to podswag.com/slash podswag.com/slash Conan.

Speaker 1 Got it.

Speaker 1 Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend with Conan O'Brien, Sonam of Session, and Matt Gorley. Produced by me, Matt Gorley.
Executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Frost, and Nick Liao.

Speaker 1 Theme song by The White Stripes. Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino.
Take it away, Jimmy.

Speaker 1 Our supervising producer is Aaron Blair, and our associate talent producer is Jennifer Samples. Engineering and Mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns.

Speaker 1 Additional production support by Mars Melnick. Talent Booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Britt Kahn.

Speaker 1 You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Cocoa Hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message.

Speaker 1 It too could be featured on a future episode. You can also get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign up at seriousxm.com slash Conan.

Speaker 1 And if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

Speaker 3 What does it mean to live a rich life? It means brave first leaps, tearful goodbyes, and everything in between.

Speaker 3 With over 100 years experience navigating the ups and downs of the market and of life, your Edward Jones financial advisor will be there to help you move ahead with confidence.

Speaker 3 Because with all you've done to find your rich, we'll do all we can to help you keep enjoying it. Edward Jones, member SIPC.

Speaker 1 Trading at Schwab is now powered by Ameritrade, giving you even more specialized support than ever before.

Speaker 1 Like access to the Trade Desk, our team of passionate traders ready to tackle anything from the most complex trading questions to a simple strategy gut check. Need assistance? No problem.

Speaker 1 Get 24-7 professional answers and live help, and access support by phone, email, and in-platform chat. That's how Schwab is here for you to help you trade brilliantly.

Speaker 1 Learn more at schwab.com/slash trading.