Conan O’Brien throws Comic-Con bingo party

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Conan O’Brien is offering up a free space for Comic-Con attendees.

The talk show host was on hand Wednesday night to kick off a raucous bingo tournament he’s sponsoring while in town to tape his TBS talk show during the four-day pop-culture extravaganza.

“It’s nice to see so many people refusing to enjoy something in the moment,” O’Brien teased the rowdy crowd as he was surrounded by smartphones when he arrived on stage to ceremonially draw the first bingo ball. “Have you actually ever looked at a real painting? You’re not even looking at me right now!”

O’Brien will host TBS’ “Conan” at the Spreckels Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday, featuring guests from such TV series as “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead.” His after-hours, invite-only bingo tournament is being held for super-fans at a top-secret gallery space in downtown San Diego.

“When I saw that Conan was hosting a bingo event, I had no idea that it actually meant bingo,” said “Conan” fan Andy Kopp, who resides in the building where the bingo balls are being drawn and attended Wednesday’s inaugural match. “He managed to turn something as lame as bingo into something that was fun and exciting.”

The raucous affair, which features free-flowing booze and back-up dancers called the Conads, is being hosted by Michael Stauffer, who has organized similar over-the-top bingo games at The Standard hotel in New York.

“I’ve been watching the introduction to this game backstage,” said O’Brien during Wednesday’s match, which featured a dance-off contest and expletive-filled karaoke intermissions. “I’ve never seen a more overblown introduction to bingo. It’s hilarious. “

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