Conan
My girlfriend was visiting my home in Michigan over Easter and we decided to take a day-trip to Chicago. We explored the Botanic Gardens, grabbed lunch in the Polish District’s Czerwone Jabluszko (Red Apple) Restaurant and then headed to the Sears Tower.
Guess who we found filming at on the 103rd floor?
Conan O’Brien and Mr. T. See more photos…
We had been shooting pictures from the top of the Sears Tower and then wandered over to where this lanky red-haired tall guy was standing… There was a small crowd of people and a camera man next to him. I wandered up, peered at him and then said in a loud voice, “Wow, that’s Conan O’Brien!”
Immediately more people gathered around and one of Conan’s agents came over to me and said “Photos are okay, but no flash.” I peered around the cameraman and saw Mr. T there as well! They even rehearsed a comedic skit where Mr. T (a Chicago native) was giving Conan a tour of the city. Upon Googling, this is probably a promotional tie-in to this upcoming movie: I Pity the Fool. Mr. T’s line was something along the lines of “There’re the trees, there’s the lake, there are some buildings,” and then, in a loud voice, “and this tour is OVER!” whereupon he walked away. Conan, in this short skit, said nothing but merely gave the camera a sad look and walked away.
It was amusing to see the top of the Sears Tower completely empty as a larger and larger crowd grew around Conan as he continued to get takes of the scene.
Eventually they finished and Conan and Mr. T parted ways, taking the elevator down. As Mr. T. walked by me, I told him “Nice job man” and he replied “Take care brother!”
As Conan got into the elevator, I yelled “Take care Conan!” and he said “Cya!”
We took the next elevator down ourselves and there saw the blue-screen’d photos that the Sears Tower takes to sell to visitors. Lo and behold Conan and Mr. T in the photos — I took a picture of their photo, as the staff there were kind enough to show them to us.
Finally, we wandered out and there, out in front of the Skydeck entrance, stood Conan himself, surrounded by a paltry crowd of onlookers. Unhestiantly, I grabbed my girlfriend by the hand and walked up to him saying, “We’re huge fans of your show, can we get a picture with you?” He kindly oblidged, and we snapped pictures. He asked where we were from, and when we replied “MIT and Wellesley,” his succint reply was “Brainy!” He proceeded to tell us how he had grown up in Brookline, MA and that he still misses it today. After that we said good bye and walked back to our overpriced parking lot, glad to have had the incredible chance of running into Conan O’Brien and Mr. T. on top of the tallest building on this side of the planet.
See more photos of Conan O’Brien below…
My girlfriend, Conan O’Brien and myself.
My girlfriend, Conan O’Brien and myself.
Conan O’Brien
Conan O’Brien and the side of Mr. T’s head
Conan O’Brien and more of the side of Mr. T’s head
The oddly deserted top of the Sears Tower
The oddly deserted top of the Sears Tower
Conan and Mr. T’s Sears Tower-taken photo