Conan O’Brien had his first stint internet hosting the Oscars this yr and primarily based on the overall reception of his efficiency, it received’t be his final. O’Brien bought stable critiques as host, however one now has to marvel simply what the present would have been like if O’Brien’s unique plans for the opening had gone via.
Showing alongside author Mike Sweeney on his personal Conan O’Zbrien Wants A Buddy podcast, O’Brien mentioned his expertise as host of the 2025 Academy Awards. He additionally shared a whole lot of particulars in regards to the issues that didn’t occur. Earlier than it was determined that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande would really open the present, there was going to be an extended video phase with Conan showing in a number of nominated movies, just like one thing earlier Oscar host Billy Crystal used to do
Evidently opening was killed when it was determined to make modifications following the Southern California wildfires. Different concepts had been killed as an alternative by the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences who did not like a few of their concepts. O’Brien stated…
At one level, I assumed this might be actually nice if The Oscar is simply on the sofa? Let’s lay it on a extremely huge sofa and I’ll be vacuuming and say, ‘Might you no less than elevate your ft? Or might you no less than stand up and assist? Load the dishwasher?’ We wished to do it and so they simply stated, ‘No, no no, that may’t occur.’
The concept, in line with Conan, was {that a} big Oscar statue would stay fully immobile, however could be handled as if it was an individual. This concept didn’t work for the Academy, not due to any of O’Brien’s specific jokes, however as a result of having the Oscar mendacity down is seemingly simply one thing that isn’t allowed. O’Brien continued…
One of many individuals from the Academy got here ahead and stated, ‘Oscar can by no means be horizontal.’ And that blew my thoughts. Like, wow, that is just like the thigh bone of St. Peter. It is a non secular icon.
I’ve by no means thought of it, however I suppose it’s true that I’ve by no means seen an Oscar mendacity on its facet, no less than not in any official picture from the Academy. It’s actually not unusual for organizations to have strict guidelines for the way their trademarked characters or pictures may be portrayed, however I had no thought this was one in all them.
One other Oscar rule, in case you’re curious, is that Oscar can’t put on garments. Mike Sweeney says one other a part of the identical sketch would have put Oscar in an apron and serving leftovers to Conan, however that was killed as a result of Oscar should at all times be nude. In response to Sweeney, any individual instructed him…
‘No clothes on Oscar.’ Oscar is at all times bare.
Whereas there might have been issues that Conan couldn’t do, he stresses that everyone he labored with on the Oscars and with ABC was “nice’ so there aren’t any laborious emotions over the issues that couldn’t be executed. It appears like the entire expertise was pretty exhausting, but it surely additionally appears like Conan O’Brien had a good time. Perhaps he might be keen to do all of it once more subsequent yr.