Over 6 Million People Have Watched This Clip Of Conan O’Brien And Will Arnett’s “Dark” Yet Hilarious Conversation About Grief — Here’s Why It’s So Important

Everyone deals with grief differently, and Will Arnett’s recent story about Conan O’Brien is the perfect example of that. Person smiling and speaking into a microphone, wearing a casual long-sleeve sweater, in front of a black background

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On this week’s episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Conan and Will looked back on their personal text exchanges when Conan’s father died last year. Will starts off the story by saying that he sent Conan his condolences via text, and the reply was not quite what he was expecting. A person in a suit with a patterned tie poses on a red carpet, against a backdrop with circular design elements

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“I text you, ‘I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s passing, sending love from our family to yours,’” Will recalled. “And you wrote, ‘Thank you, Will. To be honest, I blame [Jason] Bateman.’” Person in a podcast studio, wearing a casual t-shirt, sitting thoughtfully with hand on chin. Microphone and "Team Coco Podcasts" logo visible

“For the death of my father,” Conan chipped in, before Will carried on with the story. “I wrote, ‘It’s not a terrible theory.’ And Conan texted me back, ‘He killed my dad.’” A person sits at a podcast mic, gesturing with one hand, wearing a plaid shirt. Team Coco Podcasts logo in the corner

Now, if you’re confused, Conan and Jason have an ongoing bit about hating each other. And it wasn’t long before Jason got involved in the dark joke himself. A man in a tuxedo with a bow tie smiling at an event

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“The next day, Bateman texts you, and he says, ‘Arnett tells me you’re onto me.’ And Conan texts Bateman, he says, ‘Bateman, do yourself a favor. Turn yourself in.’” Person in a casual suit and scarf smiling at a media event backdrop

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Now, if this is all getting a bit complicated, wait for the next development: Two days after Conan’s dad passed away, his mom unexpectedly died, too. But the tragedy didn’t slow down the jokes. Man speaking into a microphone during a podcast recording, seated at a table with equipment. The setting is dimly lit and casual

“I text you, ‘Bateman is asking for your sister’s street address. OK to give?’” Will recalled, laughing hard in the clip. “And a day and a half later, you texted back, ‘Just seeing this now. Fantastic. 625 Boyleston Street, Apartment 12C. Tell Bateman to make it look like a robbery.’”

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In the podcast studio, the two friends were practically rolling about laughing, which prompted Conan to make an important point. “You know what’s weird? I swear to God, this is how I grieve. Everyone has their way… I know I’m a sick person. But I do know my parents, who I’m very sentimental about— a big driving force in my life was making them laugh,” he said. “It was so comforting to me to screw about with you guys.” Man wearing a plaid shirt speaking into a microphone on a podcast. "Team Coco Podcasts" logo visible

The clip has gone super viral, racking up over 6.7 million views on X in the past day, and fans are grateful for the authentic — and hilarious — depiction of how different people grieve. Tweet by William Goodman about joking with a friend months after his father's passing, connecting a brain tumor to watching "Twilight" movies

Tweet reflecting on humorous and dark texts between Conan, Will Arnett, and Jason Bateman after Conan lost his parents Tweet by Scott Bell about the therapeutic value of friendship during grief, referencing the loss of his mom two years ago Tweet by Mike Golic Jr: "this is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my life."

Tweet by Sahil Rizwan about friends reacting to various events and a comedic take on Jason Bateman in a TV episode

Tweet about misreading a caption as "Batman killing them," finding it unexpectedly funny while watching Tweet by Matt Griswold: "This captures most of what I've learned losing two people in the last year..." followed by points on grieving and humor Tweet by Andy Compton: "Love this. Funny friends are crucial to the grieving process." @andycompton_ / Via x.com