Conan O’Brien, Tom Scharpling, and Mel Brooks on the secrets of the straight man

Talking comedy, not sexual preferences.

Conan O’Brien deserves more credit for being one of the best straight men ever. There's a reason Burr, Norm, CK, and others got some of their biggest laughs playing off him.

Here’s Norm MacDonald’s old writing partner Jim Downey and Conan discussing Jeffrey Epstein:

Bud Abbott would be proud.

O'Brien once told Tom Scharpling being the straight man is the hardest thing in comedy.

Scharpling’s great at it too. How does he keep his poise during his hilarious on-air bits with Jon Wurster? He pinches his leg.

"Once in a while, the silliness of the whole thing hits us during a bit and we lose it," Mr. Scharpling wrote in an e-mail message after the show. "Sometimes Jon has to cover for me by talking while I'm gathering my bearings, and sometimes I have to do the same for him.

"One time that stands out is Jon deliberately thinking the band Husker Du was called Husker Dude. Hearing that line come out of Jon's mouth just killed the both of us. I had to hold it down, playing the outraged straight man while Jon kept laughing silently. Which makes me want to laugh. I usually end up pinching my leg to stay on track."