Huomenta Suomi TV show (Good Morning Finland) – December 16, 2005
This interview is from a Finnish TV-show called "Huomenta Suomi" ("Good Morning Finland") which is airs every morning (Monday-Friday) from 6:25 am – 8:35 am on MTV3 in Finland.
Q: How does it feel to be a celebrity in Finland?
A: “Well, it’s a little strange to be a celebrity in some place that I have never actually been to. So I feel that need now, I must to go Finland and embrace this, and I must learn more about my people because I feel I’m becoming Finnish. I feel I’m becoming a part of Finland. And if I go to Finland, the transformation will be complete. I already have the complexion of someone from Finland. I think I have the sense of humor obviously of someone from Finland. I think I should adapt the diet of someone from Finland. I should listen to the music of someone from Finland, and I should start sleeping with some of the Finnish women.”
(Some general talk about how this all started.)
“Yes, that mania has been growing and growing and growing. Then we found out that I look just like Tarja, your president, and then -- if I may call her Tarja -- and then, once we found out that I look exactly like her, then the...you know, things grew from there, and now people from Finland are sending me cards, letters, presents, lots of warm hats… fish. It’s terrific, you know.”
Q: Why Finland instead of Italy or Spain or...?
A: “I am despised in those countries. I’m actually wanted for murder in Italy, and in Spain I’m wanted for embezzling. So, I avoid those countries. Any country I’ve committed in a major crime I avoid. In Finland I have no criminal record.”
[Editor's note: Liza (Conan’s wife) is not so excited about going to Finland, but Conan is trying his best in making her change her mind, according to commentary from the video clip.]
“I’d like to go to Finland -- possibly I could go this summer and live there. I’d like to live a simple life there. I’d like to fish for my own food, I’d like to make my own shoes out of wood and bark. And I’d like to live simply, make my own clothes. I don’t want to be treated like a huge international celebrity. I wanna be treated just as an ordinary man from Turku, who is very wealthy and American.”
(Then something about Conan taking over the Tonight Show in 2009.)
“If the Finland thing continues to grow, I just may move the Tonight Show to Finland and do it, maybe from Helsinki, and I think make it a global experience. Why should it just be.... I mean, television is coming global. So, why should it be just be from Los Angeles or New York, why can not it be from Finland? And then... everyone in the audience could be from different countries, and I could mention the word “euro” a lot. This is exciting. These are exciting times.”
“I look forward very much to coming to Finland. I’m going to come to Finland, and visit you, and you’ll greet me in person. I’m very attractive in person, I’m warning you now. I know on TV I look a little funny, but in person, you’ll be quite taken with my animal magnetism, my sexual charms. Try to restrain yourselves. I know it’s difficult, but do the best you can. God bless Finland, God bless president Halonen, God bless Conan O’Brien. Seems like a strange thing for me to say, but I’m very self-centered.” (*turns away from the camera* “You think it was good?”)