U.S.VIRAL STORY
Brooklyn bar owner goes viral after riffing with Conan O'Brien
Debbie Shields, who owns one person in Bed-Stuy, told Conan O'Brien she had thrown him out twice; her friend Tony was the fan.
Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger on this story, from Meet the Pressure at 10:22 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are TODAY.com's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by TODAY.com: “Woman Becomes Viral Sensation After Conan O’Brien Encounter”, with reporting from Boredpanda and Yahoo.
- Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 10:22 AM ET on Meet the Pressure, by Hank Ledger.
- Topics: Conan O'Brien.
- BBN covered this story before: Brooklyn bar owner goes viral after SubwayTakes with Conan O'Brien (October 24).
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- TODAY.comWoman Becomes Viral Sensation After Conan O’Brien Encounter
- Boredpanda68-Year-Old Bar Owner Accidentally Goes Viral After Outsmarting Conan O’Brien During Subway Interview October 25, 2026 · facts used on air
- YahooA random woman on the subway went toe-to-toe with Conan O’Brien. Her quick wit had him belly-laughing. October 25, 2026 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA sixty-eight-year-old Brooklyn bar owner named Debbie Shields walked up to Conan O'Brien on a subway car and out-riffed him on camera.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt happened on Subway Takes, and with us is Basil Ngata, a certified abundance coach, who says this was manifestation. Basil, was it?
Basil NgataYes.
Basil NgataDebbie called that moment in, and the universe confirmed it, much like a parking space outside a pharmacy. I have not spoken to her.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe report says her friend Tony was a big Conan fan, so she walked over and approached him herself. Where is the vision in that?
Basil NgataThe vision is Tony.
Basil NgataHe held the intention, and she carried it across the car. That is a service model, and it starts at nine hundred dollars a weekend.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo she did a favor for a friend. You've renamed it and put a price on it.
Basil NgataFavors are manifestation without the invoice, Hank. I strike the bowl when you get close to the truth.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorO'Brien told her, "You were my happiest marriage," and they kept inventing details about their fictional life. Did you plan that?
Basil NgataAbsolutely. The universe confirmed the marriage. It confirmed the bar too, I think. A very small bar.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorShe owns a bar in Bed-Stuy. When he asked if he'd been thrown out, she held up two fingers and said, "Twice."
Basil NgataTwo fingers. That is a gesture of abundance.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIt's a count.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorVerdict on your theory: not manifestation, a favor and a good bit.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorTony still hasn't met Conan, Basil, so whatever you taught her, she kept it from Tony.
More Shorts
All videos →The story so far
- Woman in viral Conan O'Brien subway bit speaks out · NBC News
- Brooklyn bar owner goes viral after SubwayTakes with Conan O'Brien · News12 | Brooklyn
- Brooklyn bar owner goes viral after riffing with Conan O'Brien (this story)
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Sunday, October 25, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months

Photo: Ruanxian Dai · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: David Gahr · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Patrick Feller · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Vengolis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
