Stephen Koch

What a great experience it was to be on the Conan O’Brien Show before heading to Everest in summer 2003. I was burning the midnight oil by leaving a fundraiser at the Snake River Brewery in Jackson, WY at eleven or so, being driven to SLC for a 6 a.m. flight and arriving with not much time to spare before the show began. I didn’t get to meet Conan before the show, so it was a surprise to me how tall he is. Also, my heart beat went through the roof when the person said to me that “you are going on in 10 seconds” with his hand on the curtain. The two Heinekins helped take the edge off but I was still shocked to have all the lights, audience and Eric Bana (who was on pimping the Incredible Hulk).

I was so nervous that I literally jump out of my seat when he asks me “why” I want to snowboard Mount Everest! If I get 15 minutes of fame, that can certainly be 6 of them! And the six minutes went by in a flash…I thought it had been only a minute or two and was bummed he was “cutting me short.”

The reference to “Kim” is about Kim Katrall, who was on before me and had stroked his microphone as if it was a special male body part. Conan was silent for over 10 seconds…I wonder if that was a record for him?