Conan O’Brien says leaving SNL in 1991 amid burnout led to his life-changing job as a writer and producer on The Simpsons, where he credits the show and its legendary writer room with saving his life and launching his later late-night career. He repeatedly highlights Matt Groening’s role in that pivotal transition and notes his Simpsons-era work helped shape his path to Late Night and The Tonight Show.

Entertainment· Sep 12, 2026

Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image by PhilipRomanoPhoto via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Matt Groening

American cartoonist (born 1954)

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Matt Groening· Entertainment · 5 sources · Sep 12, 2026Story

Conan O’Brien Credits Simpsons With Saving His Life

Entertainment· Sep 12, 2026

Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image by PhilipRomanoPhoto via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

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About Matt Groening

Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist. He is the creator of the television series The Simpsons (1989–present), Futurama, and Disenchantment (2018–2023), as well as the comic strip Life in Hell (1977–2012).

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Occupation: animator, author, film producer, screenwriter
Citizenship: United States
Born: February 15, 1954, 1954

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Matt Groening across IJR

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