A clip of talk show host Conan O'Brien interviewing actor Danny Masterson in 2004 has gone viral hours after the actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rape on Thursday. The 47-year-old actor and Scientologist reportedly showed no visible reaction during the sentencing as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo delivered her decision.
The sentencing included 15 years for each felony rape charge, with the sentences to be served consecutively. The viral video clip, believed to be from an episode of O'Brien's NBC show 'Late Night,' shows the talk-show host discussing with Masterson why he no longer has the accent of his Long Island upbringing.
Did O'Brien Know Anything?
The clip begins with O'Brien asking Masterson about his changed accent, which the actor attributes to his living in Los Angeles for a decade. Masterson then said that his accent "just goes away naturally, and then there's also certain words that there's nothing you can do about."
Masterson then mentioned that his friend, actor Bodhi Elfman, used to tease him about his accent, and apparently imitated him saying, "Hi, my name's Danny Masterson, would you like to touch my balls?"
"Why are you asking people to do that?" asks a laughing O'Brien, with Masterson replying: "You got 'em. Everybody should grab them."
A deadpan O'Brien then cracks: "I've heard about you and you'll be caught soon, I know that."
"I will," responds Masterson.
The clip has now gone viral, garnering over 2.3 million views on the social media platform (formerly Twitter), and has led some people to make jokes suggesting that "Conan knew" about Masterson's actions or predilections in advance.
One person even pointed out that O'Brien wrote for The Simpsons, a show that is often humorously credited with predicting future events.
"He used to write for The Simpsons so of course he would predict it," one Xuser said.
No Reaction from Masterson
Masterson, reportedly maintained a stern expression during the proceedings as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo delivered the sentence. He was sentenced to 15 years for each of the counts, and these sentences are to be served consecutively, which is the maximum sentence allowed by law for his crimes.
"When you raped me, you stole from me," one of the victims testified in court, looking directly at the actor. "That's what rape is, a theft of the spirit."
"You are pathetic, disturbed, and completely violent," she added. "The world is better off with you in prison."
Speaking in court, the victims testified that Masterson had given them drinks that caused them to lose consciousness before he sexually assaulted them.
The disturbing incidents took place in 2003 at his Hollywood home, a time when he was at the peak of his fame. The victims described being drugged and violently raped by the actor during these traumatic events.
Jane Doe #1, one of the victims, referred to Masterson as a "true coward and heartless monster." She revealed that she continues to experience extreme fear of the dark and frequently wakes up in tears. At times, she mentioned that she resorts to hiding in a closet or shouting out the window, expressing, "I'm not okay."
"I think life is an appropriate sentence," she concluded.
The victim went on to explain that she was born into a family of Scientologists. When she reported the rape to the Church of Scientology, she claimed that a high-ranking official within the church "made it clear that Danny was untouchable."
"I did not choose to be born into Scientology - and I did not choose to be raped by Danny Masterson,' said the mother of three daughters, fighting back tears. 'Scientology attempted to silence us ... to intimidate us."
"I wish I had reported him sooner to the police," she said, adding that at no point did Masterson 'show an ounce of remorse for the pain I was suffering."
"The first couple of years after the rape were pretty dark. I lost everything pretty much. I had to start my life over at the age of 29," she said.
Throughout the trial, Masterson, who is also a member of the Church of Scientology, consistently maintained his innocence.
