Conan O'Brien reflects on his name being 'dragged into' Rob Reiner death stories

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYMon, March 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM UTC

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Conan O'Brien is sharing some further reflections on the killing of his friends Rob and Michele Reiner, who were found dead at their home in December, the day after attending the comedian's holiday party.

O'Brien spoke with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published March 9 about the couple's killing, and he was asked about the fact that his name appeared in many news stories about it because the Reiners were at his house in Los Angeles for a party hours before they died.

"Very simply, we had a party, we invited our really good friends and then, the next day, this terrible thing happened," he said.

"Whatever difficulties my wife and I have experienced having our name attached to it are nothing compared to the scale of the tragedy for the family and the loss of Rob and Michele. If you're a known person, your name is going to get dragged into things sometimes, but it is not a hardship. There is only sadness that they're gone."

Conan O'Brien attends the Spirit of Ireland Gala on Nov. 7, 2025, in New York City.

Rob and Michele Reiner's son, Nick Reiner, who attended O'Brien's holiday party with them, has been charged with the murder of his parents. He has pleaded not guilty.

Conan O'Brien breaks silence on Rob Reiner's killing after his holiday party

O'Brien also told the Reporter that he chose not to address the situation on his podcast because it felt disrespectful. The former late-night host discussed the killings for the first time in February, when he was asked about it in an interview on "The New Yorker Radio Hour."

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At the time, O'Brien remembered the Reiners as "such lovely people," noting he had grown "closer and closer" with them and was "seeing them a lot" before their deaths.

Conan O'Brien takes part in a conversation with Stephen Colbert on Dec. 7, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey.

"To have that experience of saying good night to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they're gone. … I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward. I mean, there's no other word for it," he told the New Yorker. "It's just very – it's so awful. It's just so awful."

Corey Feldman alleges he was snubbed from Oscars Rob Reiner tribute

O'Brien also lamented the loss of Reiner's voice in the national discourse. In addition to his acclaimed movies, Reiner was also known for his activism.

1 / 0Rob Reiner found dead at 78. See photos from his Hollywood career.

Rob Reiner speaks onstage at Collider's Directors On Directing Panel during 2025 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025.

"I think about how Rob felt about things that are happening in the country, how involved he was, how much he put himself out there," O'Brien said. "And to have that voice go quiet in an instant is still hard for me to comprehend."

O'Brien's interview with The Hollywood Reporter came as he gears up to host the Academy Awards for the second consecutive year on Sunday, March 15. The Academy has not confirmed how it plans to pay tribute to Reiner on the telecast.

Contributing: Bryan Alexander

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Conan O'Brien opens up about Rob Reiner killing after his party

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