Conan O’Brien returns to late night with Canadian stars aplenty

For Conan O’Brien fans, NBC’s unceremonious dumping of the ginger-topped comedian was pure sacrilege. But if you thought Coco was gone for good, you were wrong. Along with sidekick Andy Richter, Conan returns to the airwaves tonight, and this time, he’s got a beard. He’s also brought a gaggle of Canucks along for the ride.

Airing on TBS (the Comedy Network and CTV in Canada), tonight’s debut episode features Vancouver funny man Seth Rogen as the featured guest, and Thursday’s show is an all-Canadian affair with Michael Cera and Jon Dore taking turns in the hot seat. And while we’ll tune in for the CanCon lineup, will anyone else?

In the past, O’Brien has enjoyed a devoted audience in those too hip to laugh at Leno, but a Hollywood Reporter survey found that only 35 per cent of viewers are even aware he’s on TBS. Despite a rough year, Conan still has a way of making us laugh, often with his hair (this time facial). And with a gang of our own to help him through his first week, he should do just fine, so long as TBS has just a tad more patience than NBC.

• Salem: A new Top Ten list for Conan [Toronto Star]
• It’s C-Day: Will Team Coco Come Home? Will the Beard Stay? [Time]

(Image: Conan by Ryan Olsen.)