Conan O'Brien's up for a sitcom with his viral SubwayTakes scene partner

Conan O'Brien found himself unexpectedly becoming a part of a viral masterpiece when his SubwayTakes segment host, Kareem Rahma, was joined by an unfamiliar 68-year-old woman named Debbie Shields. The encounter occurred on a train, where O'Brien, known for his quick wit and comedic style, immediately struck up a conversation with Shields. As they chatted, it became clear that O'Brien and Shields had a shared past, with Shields stating, "We go way back. We were married a long time ago."

As the conversation continued, Shields played along with O'Brien's jokes, adding her own comedic flair by saying that one of their children was in medical school, while the other was in jail. Despite not being a present father, Shields revealed that the children still loved their father dearly. She continued the banter by mentioning that pictures of O'Brien were scattered throughout his home, leaving O'Brien in stitches.

Shields' brief appearance on the SubwayTakes video went viral, garnering attention on social media and turning her into a breakout star. O'Brien, humbled by her unexpected rise to fame, expressed his gratitude, telling New York Magazine, "She needs to get all the credit in the world. She's lovely. She's fantastic." The comedian even offered the possibility of teaming up for a sitcom, open a restaurant, or even embark on a two-person road show.

Since the interview went viral, Shields, who owns a bar in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, has been interviewed by several publications such as The New York Times and Vulture. She emphasized that she had no background in comedy, but she always had a knack for making people laugh, admiring O'Brien's humor. Shields dismissed speculation that their conversation seemed staged, stating, "I was simply transferring trains when my best friend pointed out Conan O'Brien."

She elaborated, "Why would I be following him around? I'm a young lady from Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy. Owning a bar, working my way through life and that’s it. I don’t know Conan O'Brien."