Conan O’Brien on Attending Kennedy Center Event: I Will Be Here Specifically to Honor Mark Twain

O BRIEN Yeah it ░░░░░░░░ a personal decision what ░░░░░░░░ wants to do but ░░░░░░░░ decision was that there ░░░░░░░░ a lot of people ░░░░░░░░ work here at the ░░░░░░░░ Center who ve been ░░░░░░░░ for a very long ░░░░░░░░ they work hard to ░░░░░░░░ the arts and so ░░░░░░░░ want to be here ░░░░░░░░ that spirit And I ░░░░░░░░ a lot of my ░░░░░░░░ agree that this is ░░░░░░░░ Kennedy Center has been ░░░░░░░░ I know that it ░░░░░░░░ I believe conceived under ░░░░░░░░ Eisenhower Administration and then ░░░░░░░░ they start to build ░░░░░░░░ during John F Kennedy ░░░░░░░░ Administration Think about how ░░░░░░░░ presidents have been here ░░░░░░░░ country has been through ░░░░░░░░ different sea changes and ░░░░░░░░ thought is I will ░░░░░░░░ here specifically to honor ░░░░░░░░ Twain and the people ░░░░░░░░ this award stands for ░░░░░░░░ also all the young ░░░░░░░░ young old middle aged ░░░░░░░░ have worked here at ░░░░░░░░ Kennedy Center for a ░░░░░░░░ time This is their ░░░░░░░░ So that was my ░░░░░░░░ and it s an ░░░░░░░░ honor to be here ░░░░░░░░ as a Irish kid ░░░░░░░░ Brookline Massachusetts which is ░░░░░░░░ John F Kennedy was ░░░░░░░░ and a former member ░░░░░░░░ the Kennedy Library Board ░░░░░░░░ is a massive honor ░░░░░░░░ be here at this ░░░░░░░░ So Reporter What was ░░░░░░░░ reaction when you heard ░░░░░░░░ President Trump was taking ░░░░░░░░ chairmanship And do you ░░░░░░░░ it s overshadowed the ░░░░░░░░ for you O BRIEN ░░░░░░░░ think it s important ░░░░░░░░ sounds like it s ░░░░░░░░ big priority I think ░░░░░░░░ s his priority right ░░░░░░░░ is the Kennedy Center ░░░░░░░░ only he knows his ░░░░░░░░ best There s a ░░░░░░░░ going on in the ░░░░░░░░ but probably taking control ░░░░░░░░ the Kennedy Center should ░░░░░░░░ at the top of ░░░░░░░░ list.”