True legends stay alive through the fond stories told about them, and it looks like the late comedy icon John Candy is no different. In a recent interview, Conan O'Brien himself revealed a tale of when he met Candy as an undergraduate at Harvard University, and it offers a heartwarming and belly-shaking look at one of the funniest actors who ever lived.
As context, many universities will feature celebrity alumni (or just celebrities in general) at various events. During these times, a student will usually receive the honor of escorting the guest of honor around campus. Well, in 1984, only a few years before he would charm audiences everywhere alongside Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Candy appeared for just such an event at Harvard. This just so happened to coincide with O'Brien's time at the university, and the young student was tasked with showing the beloved actor around. But he had to do more than just stick by Candy's side.
O'Brien recently appeared on The Howard Stern Show and told the story of that day with Candy. "We ended up hanging out, and what I remember most clearly is he was everything I wanted him to be," O'Brien mused. "He was John Candy. He was over the top, funny all the time, called me kid." Whether he's hosting another of his late-night shows or making a cameo in Death Stranding, as one does, O'Brien is a comedy legend in his own right nowadays. So it's interesting to hear about such humble beginnings, especially in contrast to Candy's shining star. But things got pretty down to earth in a rather hilarious way between the two.
"I had been given a list," O'Brien continued on his time with the Spaceballs star. "He was supposed to be on a diet: the Pritikin Diet. We drive and he says, 'Kid, let's take a walk.' I said, 'Okay, Mr. Candy.' He said, 'Don't call me Mr. Candy. I'm John.' Alright, alright John. I’m walking along next to him and we're roaming around Cambridge, and the first thing he does is he sees a pastry shop and he goes, 'Let's go, kid!' And we go into the pastry shop and he goes, 'I'll have one of those, one of those, one of those, one of those,' and he starts stacking eclairs, all of these different eclairs into a box…. He sees me looking at him and he nudges me and he goes, 'Don't worry, kid. They're Pritikin eclairs!'" O'Brien then punctuated the story with his impression of a huge laugh from Candy.
Aside from starring in one of the best movies to get folks into the Thanksgiving spirit, Candy had an effect on those around him as well. This story from O'Brien is proof of that, as even listening to it gives viewers a vivid window into what kind of person he was. For those unfamiliar with the Pritikin Diet, it's a precursor to many standard diets these days, with a focus on low-fat and high-fibre consumption while limiting things like red meat, alcohol, and processed food. So the idea of a Pritikin eclair in 1984 should give everyone an idea of Candy's sense of humor.
Even decades after his 1994 death, Candy's comedy legacy still endures through his movies like Planes, Trains & Automobiles and the honestly pretty deranged Home Alone, as well as stories like the one told by O'Brien. It's good to know that, even aside from his classic films, people still remember him as he was.
Source: The Howard Stern Show/YouTube