Jack Black Explains Why He Stormed Off The Set Of “Tropic Thunder” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Summary

In this humorous and chaotic exchange, Conan O'Brien and his guest recount their shared experience of riding water buffaloes during film shoots. Conan recalls a painful mishap on the set of *Tropic Thunder*, where a water buffalo threw him off, leaving him with a hematoma. His guest shares a similar tale, describing a scary moment during a Hawaiian shoot when a water buffalo bucked him off, only for it to later be discovered that the buffalo was pregnant. Despite the chaos and danger, the stories highlight their resilience and unexpected moments of humor in the face of misfortune.

Takeaways

• 😀 Conan O'Brien recounts an accident on the set of *Tropic Thunder* involving a water buffalo that threw him off and left him with a painful injury.
• 😀 Conan humorously exaggerates his experience, claiming that he 'killed' the buffalo after it ran off, though he was more concerned about the animal's well-being.
• 😀 Despite his injury, Conan reflects on the lack of footage capturing the chaos of the moment, highlighting the missed opportunity for comedic gold.
• 😀 The camera operator, sensing trouble, turned off the camera just before Conan mounted the water buffalo, missing the wild event.
• 😀 Jack Black shares a similar experience, recounting his time riding a water buffalo in Hawaii during a movie shoot, where the buffalo bucked him off.
• 😀 Jack Black, who is afraid of animals, was assured the buffalo was safe, but the animal’s discomfort led to him being thrown off and landing between two boulders.
• 😀 Jack Black experienced a rush of adrenaline after the fall and immediately stormed off to his trailer, shaken by the incident.
• 😀 Jack's stunt double, Jimmy Waitman, stepped in to finish the scene after Jack's fall, and the shot continued with a stand-in.
• 😀 The water buffalo’s behavior was later explained when it was discovered that it was pregnant, which made the animal uncomfortable during the scene.
• 😀 At the premiere of *Tropic Thunder*, Jack learned that the baby buffalo was named 'Jack' in honor of his near-disastrous encounter with the animal, which he found to be a sweet gesture.

Q & A

What was the shared experience between the two individuals in the script?

Both individuals had a similar experience of getting on a water buffalo during their respective filming projects, which led to unexpected and somewhat dangerous outcomes.

What happened to Conan when he got on the water buffalo during the 'Tropic Thunder' shoot?

Conan got on the water buffalo during a rehearsal. The buffalo threw him off, causing him to land on a concrete floor and suffer a painful hematoma on his hip. He then had a comedic 'cartoon character' moment as he ran after the buffalo, which later caused him to feel bad for the animal.

What did Andy tell Conan before he got on the water buffalo, and did Conan listen?

Andy warned Conan not to get on the water buffalo, but Conan, not thinking it through, chose to go ahead with it, following the suggestion of an intern instead.

Was there any footage of Conan's mishap with the water buffalo?

Although there was a camera during the rehearsal, the footage was not clear. The cameraman didn’t capture the full incident, only showing Conan getting on the buffalo before the camera turned away, potentially out of instinct to avoid filming an impending disaster.

How did the cameraman react to the situation with the water buffalo?

The cameraman turned off the camera, likely sensing that things could go wrong and wanting to avoid filming an embarrassing or potentially dangerous moment.

How did the second individual in the script (the other actor) fare with their own water buffalo incident?

The second individual, during a shoot in Hawaii for a film, was also riding a water buffalo that began bucking and threw them off. They landed safely between two boulders, without injury, but had a panic-stricken reaction and later retreated to their trailer.

What was the actor’s reaction after being thrown off the buffalo in Hawaii?

The actor was overwhelmed by adrenaline, feeling like their life flashed before their eyes. They were so shaken up that they decided to storm off to their trailer, not wanting to continue with the film or any movie at all.

Who stepped in to replace the actor after the buffalo incident?

The actor's stunt double, Jimmy Waitman, suited up and took over the shots that were meant to be filmed with the actor after their traumatic experience.

What surprising revelation came about the water buffalo involved in the Hawaii shoot?

It was later discovered that the water buffalo was pregnant, which likely contributed to its discomfort and erratic behavior during the scene.

What was the connection between the water buffalo's baby and the actor?

The baby buffalo was named 'Jack,' which the actor later learned was a sweet gesture, as the buffalo had been involved in the actor's own harrowing experience. The naming of the baby buffalo made the whole experience feel worthwhile.