Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

The House Dick

December 4, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The guest, Tricia from Santo Tomas, Batangas in the Philippines, runs a 22-room hotel named Bravo Tanawan Hotel with her husband Patrick, but is struggling to market the associated restaurant, Victorina's Modern Restaurant and Bar. 
  • Conan and Tricia engaged in a lengthy, humorous role-playing sketch where Conan offered to work at the hotel as a 'house detective' (or 'hotel dick') to investigate guests and suggested renaming the restaurant to 'IHOP' (International House of Pancakes). 
  • The conversation touched upon Filipino cuisine, specifically mentioning Balut (fertilized duck embryo) and Dinuguan (pork blood stew), which Conan jokingly agreed to serve alongside pancakes if he were hired. 

Segments

Introduction and Guest Location
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(00:01:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Guest Tricia is located in Santo Tomas, Batangas, south of Manila in a mountainous region.
  • Summary: The guest, Tricia, is located in Santo Tomas, Batangas, which is an hour’s drive south of Manila. The area is described as mountainous and not near the coast. Tricia was kept awake due to her young daughter kicking her in the face.
Family and Hotel Ownership
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(00:03:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Tricia and her husband Patrick co-manage a 22-room hotel and an underperforming restaurant in Tanawan.
  • Summary: Tricia has a three-year-old daughter and is married to Patrick, who is present during the call. They jointly run a 22-room hotel that has been operating for five years. The hotel is performing well, but the associated restaurant, Victorina’s Modern Restaurant and Bar, needs more marketing and foot traffic.
Conan’s Proposed Hotel Role
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(00:05:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan humorously offered to work as a waiter or dishwasher to boost the restaurant’s visibility.
  • Summary: Tricia suggested Conan could help by serving people in the restaurant. Conan countered by offering to wait tables or wash dishes, noting his wife claims he is bad at dishwashing. The discussion quickly evolved into Conan role-playing as a 1930s ‘house dick’ at the hotel.
Hotel Detective Roleplay
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(00:09:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘house detective’ role involves grilling guests about their marital status and investigating potential illicit activities.
  • Summary: Conan embraced the role of a ‘house detective’ or ‘hotel dick,’ asking if his job would be to investigate couples checking in, especially those requesting a room for only 15 minutes. The roleplay involved demanding identification and insisting on being present in the room to prevent ‘hanky-panky,’ all while wearing a uniform with a scarf.
Hotel Business Background
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(00:18:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The hotel was developed on land owned by the husband’s grandparents near an industrial park catering to international companies.
  • Summary: The hotel business was started because the husband’s grandparents owned developable land near an industrial park. This location attracts foreign employees, such as engineers, who require lodging. Tricia pursued business studies instead of medicine, which was the family tradition, to maintain career flexibility.
Filipino Food Discussion
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(00:21:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Filipino delicacies discussed include Balut (pickled embryo) and Dinuguan (pig’s blood stew).
  • Summary: Conan inquired about Balut, which Tricia’s father enjoys but she does not, describing it as a pickled egg containing a tiny embryo with small bones. Tricia also mentioned Dinuguan, a dish made with pig’s blood, which she recommended Conan try with rice.
Conan’s Fame in Philippines
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(00:22:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan is known in the Philippines but would be viewed as a strange attraction rather than universally beloved.
  • Summary: Tricia confirmed that people in the Philippines know of Conan O’Brien. She predicted that while people would be happy to see him, they might also want to hit him, suggesting he would be viewed as a ‘sideshow’ attraction, particularly due to his red hair.