Top 10 Funniest Animal Moments on Talk Shows

Conan O’Brien is one of the few hosts who isn’t afraid of his animal guests, which can lead to some interesting moments. Case in point: THIS episode, when a turkey flew into the audience! The moment the turkey took flight there was chaos, with people screaming as if the turkey was about to take revenge for Thanksgivings past. In their defence turkeys are huge, but we think the turkey just wanted to join the audience, get a better view of the show and get a pet or two. Conan loved the moment, even pumping his fist, and animal expert Jarod Miller decided to carry over the second turkey to join in on the action.

If you ever come across a water buffalo out in the wild, or on the set of Jimmy Fallon, the one thing you shouldn’t do is look them in the eye! For some reason Jimmy just couldn’t get the message, even after being told that it could impale or trample him. Every time he made eye contact the buffalo would start to walk after him, and Jeff Musial would hilariously and loudly repeat his warning. Jimmy and Jeff would be funny enough just the two of them, but add a circling water buffalo to the mix and you have comedic gold.

It’s a known fact that chickens are funny animals. They have an entire joke dedicated to finding out why they cross the road after all! Out of all the talk show hosts, Jimmy Kimmel seems to have the least grace when it comes to animals, and that’s saying something. Just look what happens when he’s handed a fluffy chicken! The bird manages to slap Jimmy into next week while frantically flapping its wings, and we loved every second of it. This happens at the very beginning of the segment and the silkie chicken was supposed to be the easy animal!

We mentioned that Conan isn`t someone who’s afraid of his animal guests. Unfortunately for Steve Harvey, he hasn't found that level of zen. Even the cute animals, like a baby capuchin monkey, had him on the literal edge of his seat. He definitely didn't stand a chance against a tarantula, or Tonka, an alligator snapping turtle who bites through a carrot like it was a piece of cheese. Steve was pretty interested in the animal facts though, he just didn’t seem to love the idea coming face-to-face with the creatures themselves.

In case you didn’t know, fennec foxes are very energetic little creatures, and quick. So when you let one loose on a television set you get entertainment perfection. Conan tries to contain the fox on the desk but Jarod Miller just tells him to let him go, and boy does he go. He darts around, only being lured in with food, which is relatable, but eventually they give up on him and let him do his own foxy thing. Luckily some unknown force seems to remove the fox from the stage when the snake is taken out, be it instinct or a wise assistant backstage.

Have you ever wondered how to ride a camel without a saddle? Well wonder no longer, because Jack Hanna is here to show you how. Basically it involves clinging on to the massive animal for dear life. It does seem a bit precarious, and probably not comfortable for long distances, but it’ll do in a pinch if you ever find yourself in the middle of the desert with a saddless camel… hey, it could happen! On a serious note how did they get an animal that big onto David Letterman’s set? It’s comically massive and seeing a grown man clinging to its back is interesting to say the least.

Get ready to see the wildest, most dangerous and terrifying animals this planet has to offer, courtesy of animal expert Will Ferrell. While the first animal may have looked like an adorable kitten, it was actually a dangerous short-spined Peruvian mongoose. Then there was the Mongolian bush tiger who’ll rip your face off! Of course, the only real killer thing on that stage was Will Ferrell’s improv skills. He showed them off again with James Corden when he met animals as the one and only Ron Burgundy! Luckily the news anchor is very familiar with cougars.

Ellen has always had a passion for animals -she even has a fund for gorillas. But this anaconda was too much to handle! When she helped hold the snake, it wrapped its tail around her . . . ending up in a very uncomfortable position. Ellen was helpless to stop it from happening and had to throw the snake at the handler while laughing hysterically. This must be the anaconda that Sir Mix-a-Lot has been singing about! Ellen went back to help carry the snake only for it to lunge at her which sent her screaming.

You’ll learn even more about Kevin Hart than about animals in this particular segment with Robert Irwin. For one Hart really isn’t comfortable with animals big or small, feathered or scaled. The very first animal, a baby ostrich no less, had him running across the stage and he had some choice words for the animals. Hart was on his feet the entire segment, darting around like crazy and he was convinced that every animal wanted to eat him. Hart did manage to summon his courage and let a falcon land on his arm though, with a few expletives of course.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few hairy mentions.

Iguana Pee Tape
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (2015-)

Tiger Fight
“The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” (1962-92)

Cookie’s Cookie
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (2014-)

Stick-y Situation
“The Late Late Show with James Corden” (2015-)

Hair Competition
“Conan” (2010-)

For some people, comic timing can take a lifetime to achieve, for others it never comes at all, and then there’s Howard. Howard is a bird, and despite his species he definitely has his comedic instincts down. His favorite punchline is a laugh - a slow and sarcastic sounding laugh that makes it seem like he’s making fun of you. He mocks Johnny Carson with it the entire segment, mixed in with a few other feats, such as meowing like a cat and announcing that his name is Howard. He really is an impressive bird and we could watch his back and forth with Carson all day.