Conan O’Brien’s Warning to Danny Masterson About Getting Caught Aged Poorly

Conan O’Brien and Danny Masterson Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

After Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for sexual assault, a clip of Conan O’Brien seemingly warning him about his allegedly predatory actions has resurfaced.

Masterson, 47, appeared on O’Brien’s eponymous talk show in 2004, where he was asked if Masterson had a Long Island, New York, accent in honor of his hometown.

“Not really [because] I’ve been in L.A. for about 10 years,” the That 70’s Show alum replied at the time. “It goes away naturally, but there’s also certain words that there’s nothing you can do about. Like, my friend Bodhi Elfman always teases me and he says ‘Hi, my name is Danny Masterson, would you like to touch my balls?’ [in an] imitation of me.”

Masterson, who placed a heavy emphasis on the word “balls,” shocked O’Brien, now 60. The talk show host replied, “So why are you asking people to do that? That’s the more important question.”

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Masterson responded: “I mean, you got ’em, you know what I mean? Everybody should grab.”

O’Brien then laughed off the attempted joke, before noting that he’s “heard about [him].” O’Brien added: “And you’ll be caught soon, I know you will.”

Masterson succinctly replied, “I will.”

The clip has recirculated on social media in the hours following Masterson’s prison sentence. A judge ruled on Wednesday, September 7, that Masterson will spend 30 years to life in prison following his sexual assault trial. In May, the Ranch alum was found guilty of two counts of rape.

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Masterson was arrested and charged in 2020 with three counts of rape after multiple women accused him of assault back in the early 2000s. Masterson fervently denied the accusations.

“From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,” the actor previously told Us Weekly in a December 2017 statement amid the initial claims. “I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused.”

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Masterson was written off Netflix’s The Ranch amid the misconduct scandal, nearly two years before he first stood trial. The criminal proceedings began in August 2022 and ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The retrial started in April and a verdict was rendered one month later.

Masterson’s attorney is currently planning to appeal the conviction. “The errors which occurred in this case are substantial and unfortunately, led to verdicts which are not supported by the evidence,” lawyer Shawn Holley claimed while speaking with reporters on Wednesday. “And though we have great respect for the jury in this case and for our system of justice overall, sometimes they get it wrong. And that’s what happened here.”

Masterson shares 9-year-old daughter Fianna with wife Bijou Phillips. His spouse was in attendance at Thursday’s hearing.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you have experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.