Conan O’Brien Crosses the Border for Mexico Special

TBS’ Conan O’Brien has once again taken his show international. 

After his trips to Cuba, Berlin and Korea, his Wednesday episode recapped his visit to Mexico City, which also featured Rogue One star Diego Luna and former Mexican President Vicente Fox (an outspoken critic of President Trump). 

O’Brien introduced the episode, saying he wanted to “take things in a more positive direction” after Trump’s recent rhetoric, so he traveled to Mexico to shoot an episode of his TBS show with an all-Mexican crew and audience. 

Conan Without Borders: Made in Mexico started off the bat with its timely jokes about Trump and his border wall, including a bit with O’Brien trying to enter Mexico, but getting stopped because, as the border agents put it: “Clearly, they’re not sending us their best.” 

But after some “extreme vetting,” he and his suitcase full of sunscreen and Taco Bell food were able to get in. 

While there, he kicked off a monologue featuring jokes in Spanish and a few Trump jokes that got big laughs (and boos) from the crowd. 

“Conando” also asked Mexicans to make donations to pay for Trump’s planned border wall, with varying responses. For 500 pesos, they could get their name on a brick in the wall, O’Brien promised them. 

When O’Brien finally found out that Mexicans had no intention of paying for any wall, he was faux-shocked that Trump may have lied. “We’ve been had! That guy’s a dishonest businessman!”

Like many international specials before, the host also co-starred on the telenovela Mi Adorable Maldicion, playing a cheese merchant instead of the love interest he wanted to play. The episode he was featured in will air on the Televisa network in mid-April.

O’Brien also tried out a new Lucha Libre character, “The Crazy Rooster,” along with his tag-team partner, “The Bad Baby” (Andy Richter). 

Diego Luna joined him in the studio with mezcal in hand to chat about Rogue One and about locals’ response to the “bad hombres” rhetoric coming from Trump. O’Brien added that in speaking to Mexican people while he visited, they felt misunderstood by the Trump administration, and the host clarified that Trump’s view “is a misrepresentation of how people feel,” and doesn’t represent everyone. 

Fox also came with a gift: boots with the words “No f—ing wall.”

The political figure, known for his tweets about the wall, explained his stance that “walls don’t work,” saying that Mexico and the U.S. are “roommates,” with people “loyal” to both countries, but again aimed a firm assurance to Trump: “We’re not paying for your f—ing wall!”

The TBS host reiterated to his audience that he wanted to spread positivity by his visit and use comedy as diplomacy, to cheers from the crowd and his guests.