When Chuck Norris passed away at the age of 86 in March 2026, the internet was flooded with all kinds of tributes and celebrations of the late actor and martial artist’s life and career. But for some of us, we celebrated Norris’ legacy by watching one of Conan O’Brien’s best recurring bits from his Late Night days: the Walker, Texas Ranger Lever.
Back in the early 2000s, the late-night talk show host with a history of utterly ridiculous bits and gags, gave audiences one of the most insane and niche jokes in the format’s history. However, a year after it started, the Walker, Texas Ranger Lever was no more. So, what happened, and how did it all get started anyway? Funny you should ask, because we’re about to break down the story behind Conan O’Brien introducing one of the most popular ‘90s shows to a whole new audience.
