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Groening vouched for Conan
The front-page quote
Groening told the paper that Conan was funny and that America would love him. The Times printed the quote on the front page, because Groening was the only person who knew who Conan was.
The harsh coverage
At that time much of the coverage was cutting. Every other quote was a version of Him? or that Conan looked like an idiot, and the knives were out because he was a writer. Conan remembers the Groening quote because he was desperate for anything that would keep people at bay.
The thank you
Afterward, Conan came back to the lot and thanked Groening in person. Groening found that really sweet.
Why did critics doubt Conan in 1993?
NBC picked O'Brien in 1993 to replace David Letterman, who had hosted Late Night for more than a decade. O'Brien was a comedy writer with almost no television performing experience, and many critics questioned the choice. His first season drew harsh reviews, and the press speculated about how long NBC would keep him. He hosted the show until 2009.
Why do reporters call coworkers for quotes?
Newspaper reporters on deadline usually look for someone who has worked closely with the subject, because an unfamiliar name needs context. O'Brien had written for The Simpsons since 1991, so Groening was among the few prominent people who knew his work firsthand. O'Brien's credits there include Marge vs. the Monorail, which aired in January 1993.