By Mashable | Created at 2026-08-24 15:54:12 | Updated at 2026-09-18 15:33:20
3 weeks ago
The comedy and WWE legends have a lot in common.
By
Shannon Connellan
Senior Editor
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's Senior Editor, General Assignments, based in London. She has been Mashable's UK Editor (and still manages the illustrious UK team) and Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives searching for Exit 8. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror, and loves to nerd out with movie stars, filmmakers, and TV creators.
on August 24, 2026
Conan O'Brien's interview with John Cena is one of the most wholesome, real chats you'll see on the internet this week, with the two stars finding more in common than they might have thought.
On the latest episode of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, the comedy legend and podcast host checks in with the WWE icon and Hollywood star. The pair chat through starting out in Los Angeles after growing up in Massachusetts, how wrestling storylines and comedy writing overlap, and how they dealt with bullying in school.
"When you were 13 years old, you were bullied, and your response was to go and build up your body by lifting weights," says Conan in the video above. "When I was 13, I was bullied. My response was to comb my hair up into a pompadour."
"Essentially, we kind of did the same thing though," responds Cena. "We both appeared larger to stave off harassment."
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Shannon Connellan is Mashable's Senior Editor, General Assignments, based in London. She has been Mashable's UK Editor (and still manages the illustrious UK team) and Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives searching for Exit 8. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror, and loves to nerd out with movie stars, filmmakers, and TV creators.
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