Martin Short appeared on Conan O’Brien’s podcast on Oct. 19 and did what Martin Short does: he roasted his friend without blinking. Among the comparisons thrown Conan’s way, including Lurch and Kathy Griffin, one line stood out and immediately started circulating online. Short said Conan looks like“Ed Sheeran in a fun-house mirror.”
The joke works because it’s earned. Conan and Ed Sheeran share that bright ginger hair, but the height difference is dramatic. Conan stands at 6’4″while Sheeran is reportedly around 5’8″. So imagine a lanky, stretched-out Ed with a lot more torso. Once the picture is in your head, it stays there forever. What makes it even better is the backstory: Sheeran guested on Conan’s podcast in 2023 and the two bonded over being teased as redheads in school.
Sheeran is in the middle of a huge stadium tour with U.S. dates through mid-December, so the comparison arrives while he’s everywhere. Nobody in this story is upset. Conan took the roast, Ed caught the stray, and the internet got a new favorite joke. Which is funnier: the fun-house mirror line or the Q-tip with ketchup? Drop your pick in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.