Thomas O’Brien and Ruth Reardon O’Brien, the parents of comedian Conan O’Brien who inspired many of his jokes, have died just three days apart.
The Bell O’Dea Funeral Home in Brookline, Mass., announced the former late-night star’s father, physician and epidemiologist Thomas, died “peacefully” Monday at age 95. The obituary did not reveal a cause of death for Thomas, who was also a longtime Brookline resident and former associate professor at Harvard Medical School.
Three days later, the funeral home announced that O’Brien’s mother Ruth died peacefully on Thursday. She was 92. The obituary did not detail a cause of death. Ruth, a Massachusetts native, was a former law clerk for the state Supreme Court and a real estate attorney.
Thomas and Ruth O’Brien were married for 66 years and had six children, including their Emmy-winning son. Conan O’Brien often played up his upbringing and his relationship to his white-collar professional parents for laughs. In a 2005 episode of “Late Night,” O’Brien included a sketch about following his conscience and checking up on his mother.
“Who calls his mother after midnight? You scared me half to death!” exclaims a voice on the other end of the line. “My son is an idiot!”
“I hope you’re happy, conscience!” Conan says after the bitter call.
In a 2018 episode of his TBS series “Conan,” the comedian rented a fake family during a visit to Japan. Joking about a lonely family life, O’Brien deadpans, “My father and I get along pretty well but I honestly think I can do better.”
He continues: “With like a new father that would apologize for some things that happened between us in the 1970s. Specifically when he lost his temper in the kitchen because I spilled a bowl of creamed corn and then he didn’t let me watch the ‘Love Boat’ that night.”
In other sketches throughout his career O’Brien joked about his “daddy issues,” poked fun at his dad’s tough love and likened his father’s physique to the video game monster “Slender Man.”
That playfulness wasn’t confined just to Conan’s comedic ventures. In a 2017 video interview with career reentry company IRelaunch, which honored Ruth O’Brien with its Pioneering Relauncher Award, Conan shared a memory from his childhood of joining his mother at law firm Ropes & Gray and the “lovely madness” of his home growing up. At the end of the clip, Conan jokes, “Am I getting paid for this?”
“’Cause very little of this has been true. I want money,” he says. “What’s your name? Ruth?”
Conan O’Brien has not yet addressed his parents’ death publicly and a representative for the comedian did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
In addition to Conan, Thomas O’Brien and Ruth O’Brien are survived by children Neal, Luke, Kate, Jane and Justin. They are also survived by nine grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A funeral service for the late spouses will be held Wednesday in Massachusetts, the funeral home announced.
