Kumail Nanjiani goes on Conan O'Brien's podcast after missing TV appearance

July 15 (UPI) -- Kumail Nanjiani appeared on Conan O'Brien's podcast to explain why he didn't show up for a planned appearance on O'Brien's TV show at the last minute.

O'Brien had to scramble for a replacement guest -- and ended up interviewing his assistant.

"It was completely out of my control," Nanjiani said Monday on the Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend podcast. "I was shooting Silicon Valley and they said they would have me out at a certain time."

But he was filming a complicated scene and had to stay longer.

Nanjiani said he tried to find a replacement for Conan.

"I actually texted friends to get as a replacement and Martin Starr agreed to do it because he was not in that scene," Nanjiani said, but O'Brien had decided to go without a guest.

O'Brien spent the show poking fun at Nanjiani and played a clip from Disney's Lion King remake instead of the planned footage of Nanjiani's new film, Stuber. He also spoke with audience members.

In the end, the show turned out well and fans liked it, O'Brien said.

Nanjiani, on the other hand, got some backlash.

"All these people on Twitter were like 'I'm unfollowing, how dare you do that to Conan,'" he said.