Why Taskmaster Wants Conan O’Brien: Inside the Dream American Contestant
Taskmaster’s creators have started openly wishlist-ing Conan O’Brien as their dream American contestant, a move that highlights how the gloriously chaotic British panel show is slowly but surely courting U.S. comedy royalty and reshaping its global future.
In a recent AV Club chat, the “Taskmaster guys” floated Conan O’Brien as the white-whale American comic they’d love to see humiliated by a leaf blower and a badly worded task. It’s not just a fun hypothetical; it’s a signal of how far the show has travelled—from eccentric UK cult favorite to destination gig for U.S. comedy nerds. With Jason Mantzoukas already breaking the seal for established American comedians on the show, the Conan conversation feels less like fantasy and more like a question of timing, logistics, and Conan’s appetite for absurd public failure.
Taskmaster 101: How a Weird British Panel Show Became a Global Comedy Magnet
For anyone who’s only encountered Taskmaster via out-of-context TikToks of Greg Davies screaming at people holding watermelons, a quick primer: the show pits five comedians against each other in a series of bizarre, lateral-thinking challenges—“tasks”—over a season (or “series,” in British). Creator Alex Horne plays the put-upon architect of these challenges, while Greg Davies sits in judgment as the titular Taskmaster, handing out points with a mix of mock-authority and PE-teacher menace.
Since launching on Channel 4 (and previously Dave), Taskmaster has quietly turned into one of the defining British comedy formats of the 2010s and 2020s. It’s spawned international versions, a fanatically engaged online community, and a streaming afterlife that’s made it easier than ever for American audiences to binge the chaos. It’s a hangout show, a game show, and a slow-burn character study of how funny people behave when the rules stop making sense.
The American Invasion: From Jason Mantzoukas to Conan O’Brien
Historically, the mainline UK Taskmaster stuck to mostly British and a few Commonwealth comics, even as international fans begged for familiar U.S. faces. The franchise did experiment with a short-lived American version on Comedy Central, but that never quite captured the original’s oddball alchemy. Instead, the more organic—and frankly more fun—path has been to drop American comedians straight into the original UK format.
That’s where Jason Mantzoukas enters the story. Known to U.S. viewers for his chaotic energy in shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The League, and the podcast How Did This Get Made?, Mantzoukas became the first truly high-profile American to compete on the flagship UK series. His appearance wasn’t just stunt casting; it was a proof of concept that the show’s sensibility translates perfectly across the Atlantic, provided you bring in someone who delights in the same kind of unhinged silliness.
“Now that the seal has been broken when it comes to established American comedians appearing as contestants on long-running British chaos exposition Taskmaster—courtesy of first Jason Mantzoukas…”
With that “seal” broken, it makes sense that journalists are now pressing the creators on their dream American get. The answer—Conan O’Brien—says a lot about what kind of comedian actually thrives on Taskmaster: not just someone famous, but someone willing to be ridiculous, petty, inventive, and oddly sincere in the face of absurdity.
Why Conan O’Brien Is the Perfect Taskmaster Contestant (On Paper)
Conan isn’t just a famous late-night host; he’s a deeply physical, proudly awkward comedy performer who built his career on committing to bit after idiotic bit. In the Taskmaster universe, that’s basically a superpower.
- He’s game for humiliation. From the string dance to the Walker Texas Ranger Lever to decades of remote segments that hinge on him looking foolish, Conan has never been precious about his image.
- He loves structured silliness. Late Night with Conan O’Brien thrived on precise, weird premises—exactly the energy of a carefully worded Taskmaster instruction sheet.
- He has the improv chops. Conan’s Harvard Lampoon pedigree and writer background mean he’s always rewriting the moment as it happens, something Taskmaster rewards with both points and memes.
- He’s a good sport about losing. Late-night taught him that bombing in public can be as funny as killing, if you lean into it. That’s essentially the Taskmaster creed.
There’s also the simple image-based appeal: a very tall, very ginger American trying to interpret Alex Horne’s lab-coat instructions in a shed somewhere outside London has instant comedic charge. The collision of gravitas (Conan, Mark Twain Prize winner, elder statesman of American comedy) with intensely low-stakes British nonsense is exactly the kind of tonal dissonance Taskmaster excels at.
Imagining Conan on Taskmaster: Likely Strengths and Weak Spots
If you treat this like a scouting report, Conan’s hypothetical Taskmaster performance almost writes itself.
Strengths
- Talking himself into trouble. Conan is lethal in a studio setting, and the studio segments—where contestants defend their choices to Greg—are half the game. Expect long, tortured justifications and theatrical appeals to fairness.
- Visual comedy. He knows exactly how to use his lanky frame as a prop. Any task involving costumes, props, or awkward movement would likely become an instant GIF.
- Self-aware narrative. Conan loves meta-commentary. He’d probably start crafting a self-deprecating story arc across the series—“elder statesman being bullied by younger comics”—which the edit would eagerly support.
Weaknesses
- Overthinking tasks. Years of writing might make him search for “the clever solution” instead of the fastest or simplest one—classic way to hemorrhage points on this show.
- Competitive nerves. By his own admission, Conan is both self-critical and a bit anxious. Under the clock, that could translate into panicked, messy attempts that are comedy gold but Taskmaster bronze.
- Physical tasks. He’ll commit, but he’s not exactly in his stuntman era. Anything involving speed, balance, or heavy lifting probably sees him leaning on sheer comedic commitment rather than actual skill.
The Industry Angle: Why Taskmaster Courting Conan Actually Matters
On one level, this is just fun fan-casting from the show’s creators. On another, it’s a savvy bit of brand positioning. Inviting—publicly or privately—someone like Conan tells the industry that Taskmaster isn’t just a quirky British panel show; it’s a prestige gig for comedy talent.
In the streaming era, formats that travel well are gold. Taskmaster has three major assets:
- Low production risk. One house, a handful of tasks, minimal VFX.
- High meme potential. Every episode generates clip-sized moments tailor-made for social feeds.
- Evergreen watchability. Episodes age well because the stakes are intentionally trivial.
Luring someone like Conan would turbo-charge the show’s visibility in the U.S. market without needing to reboot the format or risk another iffy American remake. And for Conan—who’s already experimented with travel series, podcasts, and streaming specials—it would be another way to cement his “I’ll pop up anywhere the comedy is interesting” late-career phase.
Culture Clash or Comedy Harmony? Conan vs. British Panel-Show Chaos
One thing the Taskmaster creators seem to understand is that not every American comic is built for this environment. The show thrives on a very specific mix of competitiveness, emotional transparency, and willingness to look extremely stupid in a quiet British field.
Conan, despite (or because of) his late-night status, would likely integrate smoothly into that culture. He’s long been a student of British and Irish comedy, openly adoring figures like Monty Python, Armando Iannucci, and the more absurdist corners of sketch TV. There’s a shared language of silliness there, even if the accents clash.
The most successful Taskmaster contestants aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most agile; they’re the ones who treat the whole enterprise as a collaborative piece of long-form improv.
Conan fits that bill neatly. He’s used to bouncing off sidekicks (Andy Richter, producers, guests), and here he’d be bouncing off Alex Horne’s quiet mischief and Greg Davies’ theatrical scorn. The only real risk is that his star power might warp the show’s usual ensemble balance—but Taskmaster has survived plenty of big personalities before.
Any Downsides? The Risk of Going Too Big with American Names
There is a valid concern that chasing bigger American names could tilt Taskmaster away from what’s made it special: its willingness to cast comics who are beloved inside the UK scene but not necessarily algorithm-friendly abroad. Part of the joy for international viewers is discovering new British and international talent, not just ticking off famous Americans like a Comic-Con guest list.
Bringing in Conan occasionally feels smart; rebuilding the show around American bookings would feel like a concession to platform pressure. The key is balance: let one high-profile U.S. figure anchor the series for overseas marketing, but keep the rest of the line-up grounded in the local circuit that gave the show its voice.
So, Will We Actually See Conan on Taskmaster?
Realistically, this comes down to schedules, deals, and whether Conan himself is in the mood to spend a few days in a British field trying to launch potatoes in an “elegant” way. But the fact that the Taskmaster team is saying his name out loud to outlets like The A.V. Club suggests they’re not just idly daydreaming—they’re signaling. To fans, it’s a promise that the show is aiming high; to the industry, it’s an invitation: this is where top-tier comics come to play, not just promote.
Whether or not Conan ever steps into the Taskmaster house, the wishlist itself reveals a lot about where the show is headed—toward a future where the weird little British chaos exposition has become a global comedy rite of passage. And if that future includes a towering redhead arguing with Greg Davies about the ethics of moving a watermelon with his feet, so much the better.
Written by Staff Contributor ·
