A 90-second exchange with Conan O’Brien on the New York City subway has transformed the life of a Brooklyn bar owner after the video went viral.
Debbie Shields, 68, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, had just switched from the A train to the F with her friend Tony when they spotted the comedian filming a segment for Kareem Rahma’s viral Subway Takes.
“[Tony’s] a big fan of Conan,” she told The New York Times. “I said: ‘Well, you hold the seat for me and I’m going to go sit next to him.’”
“So I walked up and walked past him. I said, ‘Hey, Conan.’ He said, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ And I sat down and went on from there.”
In the video, Rahma asked O’Brien whether he knew Shields. The comedian jokingly replied that the two had been married a long time ago.
“Right, a long time ago. We got two kids,” Shields said, immediately embracing the joke.
“How are they, by the way? I haven’t visited,” O’Brien shot back.
“They’re fine. One’s in medical school, the other one’s in jail,” Shields replied without missing a beat.
Debbie Shields, 68, of Brooklyn, saw her life change overnight after appearing in a 1.5-minute viral Subway Takes video
Her viral moment began when she boarded the F train and decided to greet Conan O’Brien, Kareem Rahma’s guest on Subway Takes. “One minute and 29 seconds changed my life,” the mother-of-three said
“I’m sorry I’ve never sent any money,” O’Brien said.
“It’s okay, they still love you,” replied Shields, the owner of Confessions Bar.
As the pair continued their improvised routine, O’Brien laughed while onlookers watched the spontaneous exchange unfold.
“You were my happiest marriage. That was the best year and a half of my life,” O’Brien said.
“I’ve heard that from my other three husbands too,” Shields quipped, sending the comedian into a fit of giggles.
The less-than-two-minute interaction quickly made Shields famous, with people now visiting her bar simply to catch a glimpse of New York’s hottest comedian.
“One minute and 29 seconds changed my life,” the mother-of-three told CBS News.
Shields is now considering a future in comedy, particularly at her own bar, where she hosts weekly comedy nights.
Rahma has since visited Shields’ Bed-Stuy business, Confessions Bar
Since the clip, Shields is now considering picking up stand-up comedy
‘I do go onstage and introduce the comedians, but that’s my limit,’ she told the Times. ‘I just might do [start doing stand-up], because it sounds interesting.
‘I love to make people laugh. I love to have fun. I love to enjoy life, because life is beautiful. It’s what you make it.’
The entrepreneur said she even laughs at funerals, causing her friends to say they can’t be seen together, she told CBS.
Since the clip was posted to social media, Rahma has visited the bar, where he took a photo of the two together.
As for O’Brien, Shields said he might stop by for karaoke on Saturday.
‘He says he can clear a room with his singing, so watch out,’ she told CBS. ‘It should be very interesting.’
And even if he doesn’t make his way to the Bed-Stuy bar, he’s already left his mark. On the menu, Shields now serves a drink called The Baby Daddy O’Brien.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Shields for comment.