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Former late-night host Conan O’Brien explained how dark humor and Jason Bateman helped him grieve the death of his parents.

In a recent interview on his podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend,” Will Arnett recalled his text message exchange with O’Brien after the death of his father, Dr. Thomas O’Brien, last December.

“I said, ‘Hey, listen. I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s passing, sending love from our family to yours,'” Arnett began. “And you wrote, ‘Thanks, Will. To be honest, I blame Bateman.'”

“For the death of my father,” added Conan O’Brien.

Arnett recalled texting the former late-night host back.

“I wrote, ‘Not a terrible theory.’ And Conan said, ‘He killed my dad,’” Arnett continued.

“I can say, to be fair, my dad would have loved this,” O’Brien responded.

Arnett revealed that Bateman sent another text message to O’Brien.

“He says, ‘Arnett tells me you found me out,’” Arnett said. “And Conan texts Bateman and says, ‘Bateman, do yourself a favor. Turn yourself in.'”

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Conan O’Brien’s father, a Harvard Medical School professor known for his work on antimicrobial drug resistance, died at age 95 on Dec. 9, 2024, after his health failed him, The Boston Globe noted in an obituary.

O’Brien’s mother, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, died “peacefully” three days later, at age 92, according to her obituary. She was only the second woman to be a partner at the Boston-based law firm Ropes & Gray.

After Arnett heard the news, he reached out to O’Brien again.

“I told him, ‘Bateman is asking for his sister’s address,’” Arnett recalled as Conan and his co-hosts laughed.

“A day and a half later, you texted back: ‘I just saw this. Great. 625 Boyleston Street, Apartment 12C. Tell Bateman to make it look like a robbery.'”

O’Brien intervened.

“You know what’s weird? I swear to God, that’s how I grieve. To each their own,” said O’Brien, who noted that a “big driving force” in his life was making his parents laugh.

“It was very comforting for me to play with you in that moment. It just was and if that drives me crazy, so be it.”

O’Brien, in an article published by The Boston Globe last year, said his parents “complemented each other very well” and both recognized that they “were kindred spirits.”