Debbie Shields, local celebrity.
Photo: Credit: YouTube.
It seems almost inconceivable that Debbie Shields, the New York City commuter who went viral for crashing Conan O’Brien’s October 20 episode of SubwayTakes, has been in our lives for less than two weeks now. Since improvising her way into the spotlight by holding her own alongside the legendary comedian, Shields has given multiple interviews, been featured on television, and received praise from O’Brien himself, and now, in a full-circle moment, she is the latest guest of honor on SubwayTakes.
In the November 2 episode, Shields proves herself every bit as quick-witted and charming as we all assumed by bantering with host Kareem Rahma about her take that “last call means last call” — a subject near and dear to her heart as the owner of the bar Confessions in Brooklyn — and the scourge of people who do not let others off subways or elevators before boarding. When Rahma breaks out into a spontaneous rendition of Semisonic’s “Closing Time,” for example, she looks at him sideways and tells him, “Please don’t switch careers, honey.” (Seemingly unbeknownst to Shields, Rahma is the lead singer of the band Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun). A minute later, as if to add insult to injury, Shields shows off her own musical prowess by freestyling a catchy hook to a Migos-style rap song.
Elsewhere in the episode, Rahma has Shields weigh in on past guests’ takes and gives her an opportunity to plug what she’s going to do next. Shields reveals that, since going viral, she’s been “invited to read for a movie” and she is about to launch a new podcast called Confession Sessions. At Confessions, she explains, patrons anonymously write down confessions, and she, alongside a guest comedian, will read and discuss them every episode. She’s the rare viral star who deserves an indefinite extension on their allotted 15 minutes of fame.
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