Q&A With Ski Patroller Who Appeared on Conan O'Brien's Popular Podcast

Comedian Conan O'Brien's podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, stars O'Brien as he hosts fellow celebrities in a search for deeper companionship.

Given O'Brien's penchant for silliness, irreverence, and banter, taking that description at face value is hard ( O’Brien himself admitted that the show's title is part joke ). He's one of the cheekier late-night hosts around, capable of verbally sparring with the quickest—and most cantankerous—guests.

Remember when Ross Rebagliati taught Conan how to snowboard at the 2002 Winter Olympics? Video below.

O'Brien brings that energy to a spinoff of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend—Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan—which pairs him with regular people like real estate agents and phlebotomists for quick conversations. Last month, the podcast saw the appearance of Tanner Griffith, a ski patroller in Idaho who's studying to become a paramedic.

Most of us don't get paid to shoot the crap professionally like O’Brien. His gift and vocation is making people laugh. But Griffith, despite some nerves, managed to meet the late-night show host's wit.

The episode is titled, 'Avalanche Terrain' and can be found on a variety of podcast platforms. It has yet to be uploaded to YouTube, but you can listen on Spotify using the embedded button below. Keep reading for my followup interview with Griffith.

At one point, the conversation addressed St. Bernards, avalanche dog prototypes that rescued travelers stuck in St. Bernard Pass.

In legend, these dogs carried liquor from their collars, presumably to provide victims with a booze blanket before their eventual extraction from the cold ( according to the Smithsonian Magazine , this legend is unverified).

O'Brien and his co-hosts—Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley—wanted to know if that practice existed today. Eventually, they suggested that Griffith himself take on the dogs’ fabled role and carry the liquor around his neck while patrolling.

"Or Conan, that's a good job for you because you have that big head that can hold it up," replied Griffith, referring to an earlier part of the segment that covered O'Brien's top-heavy build. He got some well-deserved laughs from Movsesian and Gourley with that one.

To learn more about the unique experience, we sent Griffith a few questions via email.

So, how did you initially end up on the podcast? Do you just send an application, and then they reply to tell you that you're in?

"I ended up on the podcast by emailing him. I'm a big fan of Conan and his work on TV and now the podcast. I listen to every episode. So I applied to be on, and they emailed me back. I will say I tried two times, one to be on for my other job on an ambulance and one as a ski patroller. I guess ski patrolling is interesting enough to stick."

Why did you decide to try to get on the podcast? Are you a big fan of Conan, or was it more of a "why the heck not" situation?

"Honestly, like I said before, I applied twice. Both times were just for fun and to get a laugh out of my patroller friends and with my partner on the ambulance. For me, it's kind of a comical idea to try to get interviewed by a celebrity. Next time, I'll try Oprah."

You had some pretty hilarious quips—I'm thinking of the comments about Conan's head—do you have any aspirations of working as an entertainer?

"Not really; I don't think I would like the pressure of trying to entertain all the time and be in the spotlight. I will say I do enjoy using my humor to make my patients feel better and calm the atmosphere in stressful situations. I think my sense of humor comes out when s**t is hitting the fan. The comment about Conan's head was meant to be funny, but also I thought it was a fun fact that Conan shares the same anatomy as a toddler."

What was it like talking to Conan? I imagine it'd be pretty surreal speaking with an A-lister.

"It was really cool. He is the only celebrity that I can say I'm a fan of. It was pretty easy once we started. I was definitely nervous, though. If you listen there are a few slip ups like when I mention a probe and start to talk about a beacon."

If you could be on a podcast with any other celebrity, who would it be?

"That's a good question, I'm not sure. I guess if I had to pick, I would have to do the Pod Watcher by Watcher Entertainment. That one is the only other random podcast I listen to."

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