Does Conan O'Brien want to get away from the Irish roots that have made him such a stand out Irish American?

Speaking on video to his fans this week announcing his new show, O'Brien said The name is…. Conan. The host said, "I'm just using Conan and dropping the O'Brien because I want to get away from the whole Irish thing."

Ok maybe he's just kidding, but Conan without the Irish last name is like Robert De Niro without the De Niro .

For years we in the Irish American community affectionately call him Conan the Hibernian and with his big mop of red hair and freckled face you could hardly mistake hm for anything else.

Conan thrived on it, showing up in Ireland looking for his roots and making us all laugh ourselves silly.

Let's hope he won't abandon that schtick for some 21st century deracinated American who doesn't want to be known as anyting other than Conan Hollywood.

I really don''t think so and don't disappoint us now Conan.


Conan OBRIEN"S new late-night series on TBS will premiere Monday, Nov. 8, at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on TBS,