Conan O’Brien Regrets ‘Being So Intense’ at ‘SNL’ and Burning Out in Three Years: ‘I Robbed Myself of Fun’ and ‘Could’ve Written There Longer’

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Conan O’Brien welcomed Tom Hanks onto the latest episode of the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast and told the Oscar winner about one of his biggest career regrets: Being way too intense during his brief stint as a writer on “Saturday Night Live.” O’Brien worked at “SNL” for three years from 1988 to 1991 before he jumped ship to write and produce “The Simpsons.” “People always say no regrets,” O’Brien said. “I regret being so intense about that job.

Yeah. I was way too intense, and I think I robbed myself of some fun that I could have had. I did have a lot of fun, but I think I could have had more fun.

And I think I could have maybe written there a little longer if I didn’t make it such a grind for myself.” “I burnt out. I burnt out.

And [Lorne Michaels] could not have been nicer,” O’Brien added about his “SNL” experience. “This was a couple years before he contacted me about the late night show.