How many people can say they met their best friend online because of a TV show?

How many of those people can then say that they know all the friends they trust and love most in the world the exact same way?

Me!
I can say all that. I think that's a pretty cool thing to be able to say.
This all began roughly 4 years ago when I was flicking through TV stations and saw a familiar looking dog puppet. I stayed watching to figure out what exactly the deal was.

I was instantly in love. This show was hilarious. A mix of obvious intelligence, genius comedy and simple presentation. There was something very different about it and I liked that. Then the break came on and I changed the channel.
The next day as I was channel hopping yet again I saw it again. That distinctive red hair, pale skin and genius comedy. I watched and laughed. A lot.

This pattern of incidental discovery went on for a while until eventually I copped on enough to look up when it was airing. The rest they say is history. My obsession grew and grew from then on.

Finally I decided I needed to find like minded individuals, not enough Irish people knew the name Conan O'Brien for me to be able to count on someone to talk to about it all the time. So I joined NBC.com message boards.

I was home. I have always had problems fitting in and feeling wanted in a place, it's a weird thing I have based on my adoption and I've always had to deal with it. But here, for the first time in my life I felt like people actually wanted me around.

In - of 2006 I began talking to someone by the name of ILoveAndyBlitz, a lot. I got on really well with her and we made each other laugh. Well she made me laugh and I liked to imagine I made her laugh.
When she sent me a link to a Questions and Answers session with Brian Stack I decided this was the greatest person in the world, ever.
Abby, as I soon found out was her name, and I started PM-ing and emailing each other about all things Late Night, though it was mostly in the vein of "OMG! Brian Stack replied to us!!!!!", soon after that we added each other on MSN and I stayed up very late countless nights having conversations with her. My mother can attest to this as she was the one coming down and yelling at me.

A few months after Abby and I got talking I decided to go on a J1 visa to New York. Abby said she had always wanted to go there and I suggested she should come visit. I did owe her at least that since Late Night's channel in Ireland had been pulled not long before and she volunteered to tape every episode and send them all over to me. What's more, she actually did it!

The two months in New York with Abby were the greatest two months of my life. To get to spend time with someone who not only knew the things I talked about, got excited at the same names as me (could recognize Kevin Dorff on the street and could actually approach him - I was a little too scared) and just got me was a rare and fantastic treat for me.

I had a lot of really crappy stuff go on leading up to New York and even more when I got back and thanks to this Late Night I had someone there to listen.

And it's not just Abby.

When I joined NBC.com I found people who were caring and understanding and just amazing, amazing people. They appreciated the comedy I loved and were passionate about the people I was passionate about and the listened and gave advice even if I had a something to say that was completely unrelated to the show they listened and cared. Really, truly cared.

It's for all these reasons that I not only love Late Night but probably owe it my life.
It's not just the comedy. The comedy I love that made me smile and brought me joy when I was pretty sure I was never going to stop crying.
I love Late Night because it brought me into contact with the greatest people in the world. People who helped me get through more than they could ever even know I was going through.

So when people ask me why I got a tattoo of the icon for Late Night with Conan O'Brien I say it's because I love the show.
I just don't give them the lecture on why.
Why I think Late Night is the greatest symbol of my one true passion: comedy.
Why it reminds me that there are people who care about me.
And why it reminds me that there is always something that will make me smile.

So this is my attempt to thank these people, who don't even know I exist, who will never know how much they impacted my life.
Word cannot describe how much I love them for all they joy they have brought into my life.

So to the people who will never read this blog.

Thank you.
More than you can ever know, Thank you.

Also to all the girls on the boards, thank you. I love you guys. You really do mean so much to me and I carrot you all a lot.

And most of all to Abby. You have kept me somewhat resembling sane and gone to 8 showings of Strangers of Candy with me.
You gave me 3 months worth of Conan tapes, Stephen Colbert, Strangers with Candy and Buster Keaton.
I can never say thank you enough.
You rock you dirty, dirty Jew diary.
You really are the greatest person I know and I'm so happy to call you my friend.

Also if you actually stuck it out and read this far, thank you.
It's not very funny. I know I failed you.
I promise next time I think about doing a heartfelt blog I'll just take my medication instead.