In the wake of the shocking and heartbreaking deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, famed late-night veteran Conan O’Brien is speaking publicly about the strange and painful way his own name became linked to the case.
The beloved now-former television host addressed the awful situation in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter that was published on Monday.
As you’ll recall, Rob and Michele attended Conan’s holiday party back in December of last year alongside their son, Nick Reiner. Just hours later, the unimaginable occurred: Rob and Michele were found dead in their home. Nick, now 32, was arrested that same night and later charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, and the case against him continues to unfold in court.
Related: Nick Reiner Had Been In A Conservatorship 5 Years Before Rob & Michele’s Murders
Because the family had been at Conan’s party the night before the tragedy, the gathering has repeatedly been mentioned in reports about the case. According to sources from the time, there was allegedly a “very loud argument” between Rob and Nick during the event. Other attendees reportedly overheard the confrontation, and some witnesses later described Nick behaving in an unsettling way — including approaching guests and asking whether they were famous.
For Conan, the entire connection has been deeply uncomfortable. However his focus remains on the loss itself. In his very first comments about that, O’Brien told the outlet:
“Very simply, we had a party, we invited our really good friends and then, the next day, this terrible thing happened.”
It’s the kind of sentence that captures the surreal nature of tragedy: an ordinary evening with friends that suddenly becomes tied to something horrific.
Conan went on to acknowledge that having his name linked to the events has been strange, but he was quick to put it into perspective:
“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.”
He also reflected on the reality of being a public figure when tragedy touches people in your orbit:
“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.”
Ugh.
BTW, Conan also revealed in the interview that he made the conscious choice NOT to discuss the murders on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. Even though it’s a platform where he regularly speaks candidly, he said that he felt as though addressing the situation there might come across as inappropriate or disrespectful given the enormity of the loss.
Related: Nick Reiner’s Alleged Former Roommate Speaks Out, Describes Violent Urges & More
Meanwhile, the legal case continues to move forward. Nick’s siblings, Jake, 34, and Romy, 27, have been left to grapple with the devastating loss of their parents while the justice system works through the allegations against their brother.
Nick’s next court appearance is currently scheduled for April 29, FYI.
