When we heard Conan O’Brien was joining the cast of Toy Story 5 about a year ago, I perked up at the reveal. I think the former late night host is one of the most amusing people alive right now, and I’ve been so curious about what he would bring to Pixar’s OG franchise. He’s playing a potty training toy called Smarty Pants, and I had to ask the movie’s creative team about how such an outlandish character came to be.

When CinemaBlend sat down with Toy Story 5 production designer Bob Pauley about Smarty Pants ahead of the upcoming Disney movie release, he talked to us about the evolution of the character before it became a toilet paper roll voiced by Conan O’Brien. In Pauley’s words:

Smarty Pants comes into the picture when Jessie goes off on her own adventure to another household outside of Bonnie’s. He’s one of those toys that’s been lying around in some drawer for years since his kid has all the toilet training skills she could ever need. As Pauley shared, the animators knocked around a lot of ideas for the character’s visual design, and it took a few tries to get right.

As it turned out, one of Pixar’s interns ended up being the person to crack the design for Smarty Pants. Here he is in all his glory:

It’s a pretty fun design, isn't it? Now wait until you hear Conan O’Brien’s voice come out of him in Toy Story 5. Pauley also said this about the process:

I always find it interesting how character designs change over the years when a Pixar movie is coming together, because these movies take a long time. Pauley also told me this fun tidbit about a Toy Story regular who nearly had the role instead of O'Brien.

I absolutely cannot wait to see Smarty Pants in action. As Pauley also told us, Toy Story 5 is very much Jessie’s movie since it explores her backstory. The Pixar sequel hits theaters on June 19. You can check out what critics are saying about it following its world premiere earlier this week. Until then, may you remember that even a roll of toilet paper can serve as inspiration on a big movie!

May 21 marked the end of an era. After hosting The Late Show for 11 years, Stephen Colbert officially signed off as his program came to an end on the 2026 TV schedule. CBS canceled the late-night talk show last year, and it caused quite a stir in Hollywood and around the world, with many celebrities and fellow late-night talk show hosts showing their support for Colbert. That support has continued over the months, and following the finale, Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, and many more sent some sweet shoutouts.

Colbert went above and beyond for the final episodes of The Late Show, bringing on special guests and doing special segments. Thursday’s finale, which drew The Late Show’s biggest audience in 10 years, according to The New York Times, had appearances from some famous friends such as Jon Stewart and Bryan Cranston, and the host's fitting final guest was Paul McCartney. It was emotional and very sweet. And those feelings didn’t stop when the lights got turned off, as many celebrities took to social media to send messages to the beloved host:

• Samuel L Jackson: Your Comedic Salve will never be replaced for our wounded souls! Thanks for ALWAYS being our Dr FEELGOOD 🫵🏾‼️ @colbertlateshow @colbert
• Ryan Reynolds: Late night tv will never be the same. I’ll miss your tender embrace @colbertlateshow
• Jamie Lee Curtis: THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS @colbertlateshow @colbert
• Conan O’Brien: Here's to Stephen Colbert, a man of great integrity and wit. Onward, friend, to bigger and better things.
• Seth Meyers: For as great as he is on screen, Stephen is an even better person when the cameras stop rolling. A truly generous, kind and thoughtful man who elevates those around him. Can’t wait for his next chapter and grateful to know him.
• Marlee Matlin: One of my favorite interviews was with @StephenAtHome He GOT my humor. Wishing you only the best in your journey beyond your talk show. We need your voice more than ever! @colbertlateshow
• Barack Obama: For more than a decade, Stephen @Colbert has been one of the top voices of late night — making us laugh and, even more importantly, reminding us who we are and what America stands for. Michelle and I enjoyed being Stephen’s guests — even when the games were rigged — and we’re grateful to call him a friend.

All of these messages, plus many others, and the outpouring of love and support that Colbert has received in these last several months, show how much he and The Late Show matter. It’s clear that everyone has had a great time on the late-night talk show, and while many are still debating what truly led to the show’s cancellation, it’s obvious that a ton of people did not want it to happen.

In addition to the sweet messages, some late-night shows, such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, aired reruns for part of the week out of respect.

That being said, not everyone has been respectful, as President Trump’s post about the final show is as mean-spirited as you’d think. However, overall, the support for Colbert and his program has been overwhelmingly positive.

Earlier this month, Colbert revealed what he’s doing the day afterThe Late Show ends, sharing that his brother was actually getting married in D.C., and it’s much more important than what’s going on with the show. Colbert’s been busy with the final episodes of The Late Show, but he still has his priorities straight when it comes to his family.

With The Late Show’s cancellation, the future of late-night television is in question. Following Jimmy Kimmel Live’s brief suspension last year and the cancellation of The Late Show, it's unclear what could happen next. However, thankfully, Colbert was able to go out with a bang and surrounded by a whole bunch of folks who adore him and his work. Those who missed the finale of The Late Show can stream it now with a Paramount+ subscription.

I was recently thinking about how, out of all the celebrities to host Monday Night Raw, Conan O'Brien never had the opportunity. However, while he's interviewed several notable WWE superstars over the years, he also had another significant contribution to the Attitude Era, having been responsible for one of The Rock's insults.

The talk show host recalled the story during an episode of Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, where he and guest Zach Galifianakis discussed one of his former writers, Tommy Blacha. This led to O'Brien mentioning this bit he used to do back when he was hearing pitches, and how Blacha worked it into one of The Rock's promos:

Well, that's pretty cool, and the fun didn't stop there either, as Conan recalled:

What's funny is that Blacha admitted in an interview with Tales From The Attitude Era that he contacted Conan O'Brien because he felt like he stole the bit, and wanted to give him a heads-up before it aired. Fortunately, he confirmed that Conan was flattered, and now it's a story he's told a couple of times over the years whenever Tommy Blacha or wrestling gets brought up. Now all we need is a clip of Conan saying it like The Rock did in his promo, and my day would be made.

The whole thing has me wondering if the WWE needs to work with Conan O'Brien and have him freshen up some of its storytelling. Granted, I'm not sure either party is interested in that, but it would be great to see a character like Danhausen flourish even further, having a funny man like that back in the writers' room guiding his promos. Hell, with someone like O'Brien writing for him, it wouldn't be wild to believe he'd one day hold the Universal title.

Conan O'Brien has long been credited for his work on other shows, and while his work on The Simpsons may not be as big as what others hype it up to be, those three episodes he wrote were dynamite. Still, his years in television and ability to make the world laugh prove that WWE would be grateful to have his creative input, if they were willing to pay the money for him.

It's probably not something we'll see happen on the 2026 TV schedule, considering the number of cuts the WWE has made as of late. It seems TKO is trying to make various cuts for one reason or another.

Plus, Conan O'Brien is plenty busy with his podcast and other projects. However, based on his enthusiasm about his joke being used by The Rock, I'd assume he'd at least entertain the idea of working with the WWE.

Catch WWE Backlash with an ESPN Unlimited subscription on Saturday, May 9th. I'm excited to see what comes of this big PLE, as we look for some positivity out of the past couple of weeks of bad news when it comes to everything happening with the company.

Toy Story 5 is set to expand the mythos of Disney and Pixar's beloved franchise and, with that, we have some new characters voiced by some A+ talent. One of those newcomers is Conan O’Brien, whose toy role in the sequel is that of a potty-training tech toy named Smarty Pants. The notion of O'Brien voicing such a character is funny on it's own. However, I have to say, what really has me laughing is the way in which the beloved comedian and host was offered the role.

One of the best things to look forward to in each Toy Story movie (streaming with are Disney+ subscription) is meeting fresh, new toys that shake up the story. In the case of Conan O’Brien, director Andrew Stanton told EW that the former Late Night headliner “said yes right away” when offered the “roll” of a potty-training toy. The message Stanton sent O'Brien to pitch him the character was also shared with the news outlet, and I can totally see why O'Brien signed on so quickly:

No, “roll” is not a typo there. Instead, it's just a hilariously clever nod to the toilet-training tech tool with a heart “beneath all that crap.” Honestly, shout out to Stanton for filling that letter with so much potty humor and being able to convince the Emmy winner to join his latest Pixar flick.

While O’Brien jokingly spoke about being “self-taught” in toilet-training, he also recalled being a toy aficionado, thanks to his childhood love of G.I. Joe and Smokey the Bear. I'd say O'Brien is the perfect person to voice a glorified toilet-training toy. But don't think that this character is only around to be the butt of toilet jokes (no pun intended).

Based on what we know about Toy Story 5, our favorite toys are facing the threat of being replaced by A.I. technology. Per EW, Smarty Pants’ introduction will serve as an emotional story for Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl, who meets the forgotten toy in the house she used to live in with her first little girl, Emily, who previously abandoned her. Considering Conan O'Brien's strong acting chops (which he expertly displays in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You), he'll generate some laughs and maybe some tears as part of this subplot.

I'm hoping Toy Story 5, as a whole, will make for an entertaining experience. The details and footage that have surfaced at this point suggests we're in for a darker installment in the franchise. Additionally, the trailer teases sweet nods to the OG films in the franchise. Smarty Pants won't be the only source of comedy either, as fans are already talking about Woody's viral bald spot.

Still, after reading Andrew Stanton's offer letter, I'm definitely going to be keeping a close eye on Conan O'Brien's Smarty Pants when I see the movie. I'm confident that O'Brien will crush it and, if all goes well, this could end up becoming a signature "roll" for him. (Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.)

Make sure to check outToy Story 5, which hits theaters on June 19th as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, read up on other upcoming Disney movies headed to theaters this year.

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.

How A Corporate Merger Led To One Of Conan O’Brien’s Best Recurring Gags

On the May 12, 2004 episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the former SNL and Simpsons writer introduced what would become one of his signature bits upon informing his audience that NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment had merged to become NBC Universal, which allowed him (or so he thought) to use clips from any USA Network show without having to pay fees.

In honor of the merger, as well as the fact that USA was showing Walker, Texas Ranger multiple times a day every day of the week, O’Brien and his team came up with the idea of a lever that pulled “random” and oftentimes insane clips from the long-running drama series. Why this show in particular? Well, as Late Night writer Michael Koman later told Polygon in an oral history of the bit:

The whole lever situation became increasingly popular with audiences in the weeks and months that followed, and at one point, Chuck Norris himself showed up to have some fun with the situation. However, it would be the runaway success of the joke that would ultimately lead to its downfall.

Why Late Night Had To Retire The Walker, Texas Ranger Lever

Unlike Paul Rudd pranking Conan O’Brien with the same Mac and Me clips for decades now, the Walker, Texas Ranger Lever was short-lived. But, why did the Late Night crew stop what quickly became one of the show’s staples? Well, it turns out that the whole situation where the merger gave them free use of clips owned by NBC Universal wasn’t actually a thing. As Conan revealed in a 2021 conversation with Patton Oswalt:

O’Brien also joked about a scenario where he would have taken the show to court to prove that it wasn’t “acting,” but that plan never went anywhere.

So, that’s how Conan O’Brien got to use old Walker, Texas Ranger clips to create some of the funniest moments of early 2000s TV, and why it all came crashing down.

The Oscars were, as usual, a big night for Hollywood's elite this past weekend. We saw some big winners and huge Oscar moments. Of course, for every winner there are several losers, and prior to the show, Conan O’Brien had some fun at the expense of the losers, claiming that consoling distraught nominees was actually his primary job as host.

Speaking to THR ahead of the Oscars, O’Brien pointed out that, as the night goes on, the vast majority of the people in the theater are people who have failed to win an Oscar. It’s an obvious fact, though I admit it’s one I hadn’t really considered until now. O’Brien then joked about a part of his job as host that we (apparently) never see, which involves him trying to make the Oscar losers feel better about losing. He said:

Right now, I’m imagining Conan O’Brien going down into the audience during every commercial break to find the people who didn’t win and tell them everything is going to be ok. In my imagination, everybody is sobbing uncontrollably at the fact that they lost. I also imagine the winners are laughing manically.

This isn’t how it actually looks, of course. While I’m sure nominees are disappointed they didn’t win, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of a nominee needing consolation for not winning. Usually its fans who are the most upset when somebody is snubbed. Even if they really wanted to win, or believed they would, it would be a bad look if they made it that obvious.

While I’m sure winning an Oscar is wonderful, and everybody nominated really wants to have their name called, there is something to be said for the whole “It’s an honor to be nominated” concept. Some stars have said that the nomination is the thing that really matters, far more than the win, so to that degree, I’m not even sure anybody minds not winning.

Still, Conan jokes that in the end, his job as host is really to console people. The whole being funny stage thing is just a small part of his responsibilities. He added:

Whatever made Conan O’Brien a great Oscar host, he was good enough at it last year that the Academy wasted no time in signing him to return this year. While Oscar ratings were down compared to last year, most who saw the show seemed to be complimentary of it, and of O’Brien as well, so it will be interesting to see if O’Brien goes back for a third consecutive time.

It would put Conan O’Brien in elite company alongside some of the best Oscars hosts of all time.. Only three people have ever hosted three consecutive Oscar ceremonies: Billy Crystal, Johnny Carson, and Bob Hope, and it hasn’t happened since Crystal did it in the early ‘90s. I’m sure they were all really good at consoling the losers, too.

It was a few weeks before the 2026 Oscars that Marty Supreme star Timothée Chalamet threw some random shrapnel at ballet and opera as he was trying to explain his thoughts on the movie theater experience, and he hasn’t heard the last of it yet. Not only have major companies and individuals from each area (like acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland) supplied rebuttals to his comments, but the controversy has led to him being the butt of some jokes, including at the recent ceremony hosted by Conan O’Brien. Now, a body language expert has weighed in and noted that he actually took those jokes pretty well, while his partner Kylie Jenner was another story.

What’s Been Said About How Timothée Chalamet And Kylie Jenner Took Conan’s Oscars Jokes

The 2026 TV schedule has wrapped up awards season, as the winners of the 98th Academy Awards have now been chosen. Though Timothée Chalamet and his aforementioned popular sports dramedy ended up losing out in all nine of its nominated categories, that doesn’t mean that the Best Actor nominee wasn’t a focus of the chock-full awards evening, as host Conan O’Brien went full Aunt Gladys and then poked fun at the actor’s ballet controversy with an A+ joke.

Chalamet was in attendance with his long-time partner, Kylie Jenner, and body language expert Darren Stanton spoke to The U.S. Sun on behalf of Covers about what they noticed from the couple while the Dune actor was being joked about. Apparently, the Bob Dylan portrayer wasn’t too pressed about being the butt of some jokes, as Stanton said:

Overall, Chalamet has shown that he has a pretty good sense of humor in general, so it’s nice to hear that he seemingly took the opening monologue in stride. However, Jenner (who a lip reader said Chalamet had words about with his sister during the event) is said to have not taken the moment quite so well. Stanton continued:

It does make sense that Jenner would be less likely to outright guffaw at what happened, and would need to check her boyfriend’s reaction first to see how to respond. Of course, even with him taking it like a champ, that doesn’t mean that she would be as game for it as he appeared to be. I’m no body language expert, but neither of them looked to be that thrown off by O’Brien’s words (though I did notice Jenner “playing with her fingers”). You can see what you think by checking out their responses in the video below:

All in all, O’Brien’s joke (which he likely tried out at a comedy club beforehand) was taken without too much agitation by the duo, with Stanton adding:

And, really, who can be mad at her for being a bit “protective over him” right now? People tend to have relatively short memories, so all of the controversy will likely be long gone from everyone’s minds by the time Dune: Part Three comes to the 2026 movie schedule in December.

Being one of the funniest people on the planet, Conan O'Brien was always expected to crush it hosting the 98th Oscars – his second time doing so in two years – and the beloved comedian did well to not disappoint straight out of the gate. While the tradition of the pre-recorded opener has what could be called a mixed record in Academy Award history, as it can be challenging to reference all of the big nominated titles, O'Brien and his crew got big laughs immediately with a great montage featuring the emcee in full Aunt Gladys makeup.

Unknowingly mere minutes before Amy Madigan won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her incredible work in writer/director Zach Cregger's Weapons, the Academy Awards opened with a scene featuring O'Brien getting last looks in the makeup chair before the start of the ceremony. Unfortunately, the artist made him look like the #1 new horror icon from 2025, and in an effort to get him to rush to the stage, she cast a spell that caused him to flee from a group of murderous children (a parody of Weapons' big finale, for those unaware).

The chase opened the opportunity for the host to sprint through a number of films up for Best Picture, and it turned into a great bit: I loved seeing him successfully take a point off Marty Supreme's Timothée Chalamet in a game of ping pong, and try out a jig to impress the cast of Sinners to get into the juke joint – but the best part was definitely him being chewed out by Sentimental Value's Stellan Skarsgård while sitting on the couch and being quietly observed by the pursuing children.

The opening sketch ended with the pre-recorded material blending into reality, as Conan O'Brien got chased on to the stage still in his makeup and wig... and then he quickly managed to crush his opening monologue. He didn't waste any time roasting the A-listers sitting in the crowd in front of him – specifically crafting an A+ joke aimed at the recent controversy stirred up by Timothée Chalamet and his comments about the fine arts:

The only downside of Conan O'Brien doing so well opening the ceremony is recognizing that he will have no bigger spotlight moment during the show – though I imagine there will be plenty of funny bits throughout the show.

The CinemaBlend team will be on all night covering the events, so as you watch, be sure to keep checking back here on the site as we highlight all of the biggest moments.

After a year of celebrating the biggest and best movies from Hollywood and beyond, the time has come to officially decide which films deserve the gold during the 98th annual Academy Awards. This year's Oscars ceremony has arrived at last, and movie fanatics all around the world will be able to tune in or stream it. (While also reading along with our 2026 Oscars live-blog.)

Talk show vet and podcaster extraordinaire Conan O'Brien is back for his second year in a row hosting the big event, and the telecast will boast the always magnificent Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows) as announcer throughout the evening. (Here's hoping he shouts "Bats!" after at least one of Sinners' wins.)

Outside of all the major awards being given out, this year's Oscars ceremony will also boast a live musical performance of "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters' Huntrix, as well as a star-studded performance of "I Lied to You" from Ryan Coogler's Sinners. The latter film also leads the night in total nominations, with other prestigious fare like One Battle After Another and Hamnet also in the running after taking home trophies at the Golden Globes and other recent award shows.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars In The U.S.

Anyone aiming to watch the Oscars in the U.S. can get ready for red carpet coverage to start at least an hour before the official 7:00 p.m. ET start time. The actual telecast will air on ABC for those watching linearly or streaming with DirecTV, SlingTV, YouTube TV or other platforms.

For those without any of the aforementioned services, Hulu (+30-day free trial) is the best bet for potential Oscar viewers to utilize. This year, the site will be streaming the entire ceremony as a standalone option even for costumers who haven't yet locked in live-TV deals. After the month-long free trial, Hulu's plans start at $11.99 a month, though the Disney+ bundle deal is also a great option.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars In The UK

On the other side of the pond, this year's Oscars coverage will be kicking off at 10:15 p.m. GMT on Sunday, March 15, with the telecast officially starting up at 11:00 p.m.

The program can be viewed via ITV in the UK, and those wishing to stream can find it on the network's ITVX service.

Both ITV and ITVX are free to use, but anyone from the UK who's currently outside the country may need to utilize a VPN service to watch from anywhere.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars In Canada

In Canada, this year's Oscars will be broadcast live via CTV. For those more interested in streaming the telecast, Crave is where you'll need to head.

For any local Canadians who aren't in the country on Oscar night, using a VPN will allow you to watch the awards from anywhere.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars In Australia

Australians who are diehard Oscar viewers will be tuning in during the morning hours, as the early coverage will kick off at 9:15 a.m. AEDT on Monday, March 16, with the main show starting at 10:00 a.m.

The ceremony will be airing on Channel 7 locally, and will be streaming on the network's free streaming service 7Plus. For those Australians who aren't settled up at home in time for the show, signing on for a VPN service will allow you to stream the event from anywhere.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars For Free From Anywhere

No matter where you're from, or where you currently are in the world, you'll be able to watch this year's Oscars using a VPN. While streaming services generally block users from accessing programs while outside their home countries, VPNs hide users' locations, allowing for easier access to streaming entertainment when traveling.

Step-by-step to using a VPN:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to choice for unblocking is NordVPN.

2. Connect to a server – for streaming U.S. telecasts like the Oscars, you'll want to connect to a server based in the U.S.

3. Sign into your streaming platform account start watching - for the 2026 Oscars, head to Hulu.

The 2026 Oscars' Major Categories And Nominations

• Best Picture
  • Bugonia 
  • F1 
  • Frankenstein
  • Hamnet 
  • Marty Supreme 
  • One Battle After Another 
  • The Secret Agent 
  • Sentimental Value 
  • Sinners
  • Train Dreams 
• Best Director
  • Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
  • Ryan Coogler – Sinners
  • Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
  • Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
  • Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
• Best Actress in a Leading Role
  • Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
  • Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
  • Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
  • Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
  • Emma Stone – Bugonia
• Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
  • Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
  • Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
  • Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role
  • Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
  • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
  • Amy Madigan – Weapons
  • Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
  • Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
  • Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
  • Delroy Lindo – Sinners
  • Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
  • Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

I don’t know about you, but I’m pumped to watch Conan O’Brien return to the Oscars tomorrow. He had one of the funniest Oscars openers last year when he poked fun at nominees like The Substance, The Brutalist, Conclave, and more. While you better believe he will be joking about the 98th Academy Award nominees, he did reveal the one nominated film that won’t be roasted (because all the jokes stink).

It’s clear that Conan O’Brien doesn’t want any of his jokes to bomb while hosting the Oscars. In fact, the comedian has tried out his Academy Awards jokes at comedy clubs to be on the safe side. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, O’Brien also got real about one Oscar-nominated flick where the jokes didn’t fly for audiences. I can understand why this would be a movie that sits out of the ceremony's jokes, as the host said:

In the case of Train Dreams, I completely understand. The Netflix flick was overwhelmingly sad at times as we see a quiet railroad worker suffer loss, loneliness, and regret in the early 1900s. It would be incredibly hard to try to land a joke about these tragic yet relatable themes that didn't feel out of place or insensitive. As there are no over-the-top characters or any meme-worthy scenes, it’s probably best that humor isn’t forced on such a beautiful, meditative movie like Train Dreams.

Conan O’Brien was able to make fun of serious dramas at last year’s Oscars, like The Brutalist’s long runtime or Dune: Part Two’s rather confusing plot. As for Train Dreams, the late-night host admitted there’s… really nothing to mock about it. He humorously explained that his writers’ jokes for that movie weren’t hitting the mark, and where the real blame falls:

While it's certainly possible for great jokes to be written about very serious and sincere topics, sometimes it's simply not possible. That seems to be the case for Train Drams, which makes sense, seeing as the entire movie is simply about a quiet man's life of painstaking hardship. In cases like this, it’s best not to force a punchline.

Of course, O'Brien will still have plenty of material for other jokes, as the films in the mix for Best Picture alone serve as the basis for solid jokes. I wouldn't be surprise if he even throws in a quip about Best Supporting Actor frontrunner Sean Penn or some of the other stars in his category.

Well, after all of the jokes Conan O’Brien tried for Train Dreams stunk, don’t expect the Oscar-nominated flick to be roasted at the ceremony. Although maybe a joke that could be made about this Joel Edgerton-led flick is that…no jokes could be made about it, no matter how hard they tried.

If you’re curious what makes the film un-roastable, you can watch Train Dreams with a Netflix subscription. Then, don’t forget to watch O’Brien host the 98th Academy Awards on ABC or with a Hulu subscription at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Awards Season is coming to its grand finale this weekend, as the 2026 Academy Awards are airing this Sunday. While folks are looking forward to seeing which movies take home Oscars, the ceremony is also expected to honor some of the celebrities who have passed away since last year. And host Conan O'Brien recently confirmed that something special is being planned for the In Memoriam segment, specifically honoring Rob Reiner.

The death of Rob Reiner shocked both his fans and the public in December, especially since the prime suspect for the apparent homicide is his son. Rob and Nick Reiner argued at a party at O'Brien's the day before his death, and in a recent interview with Extra, the host was asked what was being planned for his late friend. Conan struggled to find the words, but offered:

Conan was careful with his words in order to not sound glib or make light of a truly tragic circumstance. Given his personal connection to both Reiner and his death, you can't blame him. And I assume that emotions are going to be high during the ceremony's In Memoriam, especially where Rob and Michele Reiner are concerned.

While the Reiners' death happened back in December, the Hollywood community is still reeling from the tragedy. Tributes to Rob and Michele came rolling in immediately, and the public has been following as the legal situation plays out with their son Nick, who is currently incarcerated as he awaits trial.

Either this month, Rob Reiner would have turned 79, which no doubt brought up a ton of emotions for those who knew the late filmmaker/actor. The Academy Awards' In Memoriam segment seems like a great way for the community to honor him and to be with each other in their feelings of mourning. We'll just have to see what Conan O'Brien and company have planned, and how emotional things get in the room.

The Oscars' In Memoriam usually makes headlines after it airs, often because fans are bummed that certain actors weren't included. It's more than possible that this will happen again on Sunday, but there are a number of recent celebrity deaths that will raise the stakes this year. In addition to Rob Reiner, folks are expecting other names like late actress Catherine O'Hara to get their moment as well.

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15th, on ABC or streaming with a Hulu subscription as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Given Conan O'Brien's comments, I assume it's going to be an emotional evening.

This weekend, Conan O’Brien will host the Oscars for a second time. His first time hosting last year was a massive hit with viewers, so much so that he was signed to return almost immediately. By the time he arrives on the Oscars stage on Sunday, we can be sure his monologue jokes have been fine-tuned, as he's been practicing them, though he’s not the only one.

A new profile in THR mentions that Conan O’Brien has been doing a number of surprise appearances at comedy clubs in Southern California in recent weeks, where he’s been performing his Oscars monologue in order to see how it works in front of a crowd. This isn’t a new endeavor, as he mentioned last year on his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast that he’d done the same thing last year. He explained…

While getting your work posted online before the big show would have been bad, it’s not the only problem that Conan had to navigate while working comedy clubs ahead of the Oscars. The bigger issue is that he’s not the only comic doing this. Because there are so many award shows going on in the early part of the year (like the Golden Globes, which Nikki Glaser hosted in 2025 and 2026), there are actually multiple comics trying out material. Head writer Mike Sweeney described it, saying…

I can only imagine what it’s like to find yourself in an LA comedy club and have an absolute all-star roster of comedians working their way through the night, each one with what is, hopefully, A+ material about the entertainment industry. It has to be an incredible night of comedy.

Still, the complexities of it all aren’t done yet, because as Conan then explained, you have a pair of somewhat contradictory influences directing your own monologue. On the one hand, you don’t want to hear the monologues of the other hosts, because you don’t want to be unduly influenced by them. On the other hand, you need to know what jokes they’re using, because if they’re going to use a particular joke on stage before you, you can’t use a similar bit yourself. Conan said…

The whole thing sounds like an incredible amount of work. It's no wonder some of Conan's friends were shocked he took the Oscars hosting job in the first place. Still, he must have enjoyed the entire process enough if he was willing to do it all again.

The finalized and polished monologue will open the Oscars this Sunday, which will begin at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu. If it’s as good as it was last year, the show will be off to a great start.

Hosting the Oscars is a tough gig. A number of great comedians have tried to host the show, and they are frequently met with mediocre or worse reviews once the show is over. Numerous comedians have turned down the gig in recognition of it as a no-win situation – and that’s just what Conan O’Brien’s friend and executive producer, Jeff Ross thought the comic would do last year.

Ross was the producer of all the iterations of Conan O’Brien’s talk show, so the two probably know each other as well as anybody. On the run up to O’Brien’s second stint hosting the Oscars in as many years, Ross told THR that he actually advised Conan against hosting in 2025. He said,

In recent years, there certainly has been a feeling that the Oscars hosting job isn’t exactly a coveted job. Jimmy Kimmel, who works for ABC (the network that broadcasts the ceremony), had been doing the job, but I certainly got the impression, especially during his last time around, that he was really done with it. A few years back, the Oscars actually went on without an official host, seemingly because the Academy could not find somebody to fill the position.

It is somewhat hard to imagine Conan O’Brien taking the job. The guy hasn’t exactly had the easiest career, and he has continually had to prove himself, as Ross references. In recent years, however, between podcasts and hosting other shows, he’s certainly found success. One could imagine a bad Oscar performance only causing problems for him.

For this reason, it's hard to believe that Conan decided this was a thing he wanted to do. But we should all be very happy that he decided it was.

Not only was Conan O’Brien a great host, but he was so popular that the Academy wasted no time in signing him to return for 2026 – announcing the completed deal quickly so fans would look forward to the show.

Of course, now Conan O’Brien needs to top his previous performance, which means once again he’ll need to prove himself and demonstrate that the first show wasn't simply a fluke. It’s hard to imagine that the host will be the thing at the Oscars that most people are critical of. For the first time in a long time, it seems people are excited to see the Oscars host as much as they are the rest of the show, and everyone in the world will be able to watch the action this Sunday, March 15.

The Academy Awards are upon us, and many in Hollywood are waiting with bated breath to see how things shake out for the 2026 Oscar nominees. There is all the glitz and glamour of the evening, from the gowns to the parties; it’s truly a big night for the industry. While I’m obviously excited to see what wins best picture and the other awards during the evening, I’m most excited to see Conan O’Brien make his return as the host of the Oscars, and according to leaders of The Academy, there is a lot to be excited about.

In a recent interview with Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and CEO Bill Kramer for THR, the head honchos teased what we can expect from the 98th Oscars celebration. One thing that they were both excited to share is that O’Brien would once again be hosting the Oscars after doing so for the first time last year. Even though he is hosting a second time, the executives promised there would be a ton of new material for the comedian to work with. Taylor said:

Last year, O’Brien’s monologue was full of timely jokes about last year's nominees. He made jokes about the controversial tweets of Karla Sofía Gascón, who was nominated for Emilia Pérez, the length of The Brutalist, and the lack of nominations for Baby Girl.

The material will be different this year, with beloved movies like One Battle After Another and Sinners being the talk of the town right now. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with, and where he’s able to find humor in the most serious titles like Hamnet and Train Dreams. Taylor was also confident in the different movies giving O’Brien a lot to talk about, saying:

O’Brien brings an incredible balance to the ceremony. Even though he is making fun of the actors in the room and the movies they are a part of, there is still a real reverence there for all the great work they were able to put out. You can tell he did his homework and saw the movies that he could, and respects the artistry at the center. The jokes are all made out of love, and nothing seems out of malice, which is a tough line to walk.

This, combined with O’Brien’s enduring showmanship, is why he is the perfect host for the Oscars, and I’m so glad he’s back. Jimmy Kimmel did an incredible job for a number of years before him, and the fellow talk show host felt like a natural successor. It’s no surprise that a professional host would be a great host for the Oscars ceremony, but O’Brien’s unique brand of silly and smart humor is why people were so hyped to see him take on the challenging role again.

You can see Conan O’Brien host the Oscars on Sunday, March 15th at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

Stephen Colbert has been back in the headlines again in recent days. It’s not just because his show is set to end on CBS in the coming weeks, a fact he’s allegedly “pissed” about. There’s also been an entirely separate brouhaha brewing on The Late Show after President Trump’s administration decided the FCC’s equal time rule applied to late night talk shows, a standard that had not been challenged particularly in the past.

While all this is going on, Stephen Colbert has gone from sentimentally reminiscing about not getting air time with the likes of Emma Stone ahead of future movie projects, to using air time to call out CBS and the FCC. There’s been notable, loud discourse on the Internet, and former fellow late night host Conan O’Briend knows his feelings are big. O’Brien recently broke his silence about what’s going on, and there’s one note he really wants Colbert to heed: A lot of what’s going on has nothing “to do” with him.

Colbert himself hasn’t gone so far as to say he’s “pissed” over the chain of events that led to CBS ultimately axing The Late Show; those are Conan’s words. However, he has been candid that he is “not thrilled” about his show ending in 2026, and there have been some questions about whether or not CBS’ “financial” explanation for the cancellation holds water.

O’Brien got real about feeling like what has been happening on late night recently, particularly in regards to the separate disaster that was Kimmel getting suspended from Live!, was “outrageous.” However, he’s a pretty reasonable guy in general, and he did tell The New Yorker we should all be looking at “the larger picture.”

O’Brien actually appeared on The Late Show a few months ago and lauded Colbert for the way he’s handled this portion of his career. He said at the time, that he and the other late night hosts have a "very special" "connection" with the audience they get to keep forever, even when the show is not longer on the air.

Colbert is getting the chance to wrap his series (mostly) the way he wants to wrap it, outside of the recent FCC intervention. Plus, O’Brien wants to put it on record that the end of one’s late night career is not the end of one's life.

He hosts a successful podcast filled with topical content. David Letterman has a well-liked Netflix series that pays him incredibly well and allows him to work when he feels like it. Jay Leno is out there still riding motorcycles (perhaps ill-advised) at 75. He might no longer be a part of the 2026 TV schedule in just a few short months, but change often means newer, more unique opportunities.

I, for one, can't wait to see what's next.

Tuesday is the famous all-night writing marathon ahead of every new SNL episode, but the week actually begins with a pitch meeting on Monday morning. It’s the first chance for the writers and cast members to vibe with the host and start getting positive feedback on ideas. Some, like Tina Fey, bring legitimate ideas. Others, like Conan O’Brien, do not.

I was listening to an old episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend earlier this week, and in it, Tina and Conan discussed the process of writing for SNL. I’d heard Fey’s quote about how the system was designed by people on cocaine and is now executed by people not on cocaine before, but I’d never heard their entire conversation. It is fascinating, and mostly because they talk about that Monday pitch meeting and how some people are really into it and some are not.

Not surprisingly, Tina was into it. She would write out ideas ahead of the meeting every week for the host and mark each as being with type or against type. Also not surprisingly, Conan was not into this meeting. He would just make up an idea on the spot, and they would always involve the same location. Here’s how he described it…

The theme of the larger conversation was basically about how no one, even those who are more responsible, work ahead of time. No one is writing sketches on their weeks off. They’re all scrambling at the last minute, and that scrambling either starts before the Monday morning pitch meeting or it starts after your fake pitch comes to nothing and you need to write a new sketch on Tuesday. It must be wild for the upcoming hosts and musical guests coming into the chaos, but it also sounds like no one is called to the dreaded 17 (aka Lorne Michaels' office) because of lack of enthusiasm.

It’s no surprise that people often burn out working at Saturday Night Live. It’s a really common reason writers and Not Ready For Primetime Players cite when they finally leave the show, but there’s something about that chaos that does bring the best out of people. Many famous people who worked at the show have talked about how intensely creative they were during those weeks when everyone is scrambling to come up with ideas on really tight deadlines.

It’s also a great place to meet other incredibly funny people since the show is constantly hiring really talented people. Both Fey and O’Brien have worked throughout their career on projects with people that also came up through the SNL pipeline, either while they were there or during another era entirely.

Fortunately for Conan, his blimp ideas may have been repeatedly rejected by the hosts, but he ultimately got to feature a real life blimp when TBS launched one to advertise his show after he left NBC. It’s the type of success story we all dream of.

There’s no question that President Donald Trump has taken aim at late night television, while many of the hosts on late night television have thrown jabs at everything from the current administration to even those White House Ballroom changes. Surprisingly, former late night host Conan O’Brien recently explained why he feels “getting so angry” over politics while onstage can take over one’s personality and can be a dangerous game to play. This in turn, prompted Megyn Kelly to weigh in on Conan’s thoughts, but also late night TV in general.

What Did Conan O’Brien Say About ‘F–k Donald Trump’

You may have seen the headlines already. A few days ago, Conan O’Brien spoke at an event for Oxford Union where the TV and Internet personality declared it’s a bit dangerous to devote one’s entire personality to “f–k Donald Trump.”

He said it’s the job of a comedian to channel that anger into something that’s a little more thought-provoking and edgy or you are in danger of simply not being funny anymore.

Conan doesn’t feel it’s the job of a comedian to be so serious, but lots of people on the Internet are now taking his comments and weighing in, tying them to late night hosts like Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel in particular. Megyn Kelly's the latest example, and she recently spoke out on her own platform The Megyn Kelly Show.

How Megyn Kelly Feels About Late Night (And Conan O’Brien’s Opinions)

Megyn Kelly told podcaster Link Lauren that when she was watching Conan’s comments, she felt it was clear he was taking aim at the three late night hosts: Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.

Jimmy Fallon largely escapes Ms. Kelly’s wrath unscathed. While he occasionally does make a Trump joke, tonally Fallon isn’t interested in getting political on his late night show outside of the occasional monologue dig. He’s better known for playing silly games with celebrities than making pointed statements, and he's been open about why The Tonight Show doesn't get political in the past.

However, Kelly went hard on her critique of some of the other late night hosts. Yet back in 2011, she actually appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and told a gracious story about being invited to the White House to meet with then President Obama and his wife Michelle.

More than a decade later, she's less civil about the late night host after he compared his viral suspension from ABC to a "near death experience." She spent another chunk of her show calling Jimmy Kimmel “this multimillionaire privileged asshole” who was “off the air” for all of “five days,” but was complaining nonetheless. This comes after she commented on his return to late night in September, saying at that time she felt that because of Kimmel's politics, he got reinstated rather than "cancelled."

This isn't the only time the host has been on a tear against Tinseltown, recently complaining about Bruce Willis and other Hollywood celebs she had negative interactions with. She said here it's become a "Trump bashing session" with the entertainment crowd, and this seems to be her way of responding.

Meanwhile, while Kelly seemed to identify Conan O'Brien as talking about late night hosts, O'Brien is a former late night host himself, and even recently gave Stephen Colbert advice about what's next after ending his show.

It was reported at the tail end of this past weekend that prolific actor and director Rob Reiner died at the age of 78 and that his body had been found next to that of his wife, Michele Singer (70) in their home. Since then, new information on the situation has been released by law enforcement and, on Monday, it was confirmed that the couple’s son, Nick (32) had been arrested on murder charges related to his parents’ deaths. Now, a new report alleges that Rob and Nick got into a heated discussion a day prior at Conan O’Brien’s house.

The Reiners were allegedly present at Conan O’Brien’s house in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 13 for a Christmas party. Sources told TMZ that, at some point, during the get-together, Nick and Rob began to engage in what became a “very loud argument” that was supposedly loud enough for others to hear. It’s said that following that confrontation, Rob and Michele left the party, though it’s unclear if Nick left around that same time. Representatives for the Reiner family have not verified these claims, as of this writing.

Sources for the outlet also alleged that this situation came after months of Rob Reiner and his wife purportedly contending with their son’s personal issues. Nick has reportedly dealt with addiction as well as mental health-related challenges. It was also alleged that Michele, in particular, was unsure of how to handle her son’s supposed situation.

According to reports, the Los Angeles Fire Department was called to the Reiners’ residence in Brentwood around 3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, December 14. It was reported around that time that two bodies were found on the premises, though authorities didn’t confirm the identities of the two people at that time. Per the police, the deceased had wounds that were caused by a knife.

Nick Reiner was arrested on Sunday around 9:15 p.m., and he was initially being held at $4 million bail. However, per CBS News, authorities have now stated that Reiner is being held without bail. The Being Charlie writer is currently facing murder charges.

The son of famed writer, actor and comedian Carl Reiner, Rob began working as an actor in the ‘60s, landing bit roles in TV shows before breaking through in the acclaimed Norman Lear-produced sitcom All in the Family in 1971. As a cast member of what’s considered one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, Rob won two Emmys. Of course, in time, he’d also jump to directing and, throughout his illustrious career, he helmed iconic movies like This is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, Misery, When Harry Met Sally… and A Few Good Men.

Since news of Rob Reiner’s death broke, he’s been widely mourned in Hollywood, with many celebrities paying tribute who directed some of the best rom-coms and drama films of all time. Among those to offer their condolences were Cary Elwes, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kathy Bates, Jerry O’Connell, Corey Feldman and Ron Howard. Remembrances have also poured in for Michele Singer, who apparently impacted her husband’s work on a few occasions.

As it stands, information regarding the Reiners’ deaths and Nick’s current status is still gradually trickling down. While that happens, we at CinemaBlend continue to extend our condolences to the Reiner family and their loved ones at this time.

There is still a lot of incredible displeasure among fans and those in the entertainment industry over the shocking cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that was announced during the summer (the show will continue through the end of its current season, and end sometime in May on the 2026 TV schedule). Rachel Maddow recently blasted the decision, and Colbert himself noted that he wished at least a new host was taking over instead of the program as a whole ending. Now, the host has gotten some sage advice from someone who knows what it’s like to leave a long career in late night: Conan O’Brien.

What Life Advice Did Conan O’Brien Give Stephen Colbert As The Late Show Prepares To End?

Though the final days of the 2025 TV schedule won’t bring the end of The Late Show just yet, and Stephen Colbert’s talk show is still basically killing the competition, it’s probably a good bet that the host is filled with a lot of emotions as he attempts to knock it out of the park and “land this plane.”

Even though Colbert has spent 20 years, overall, as a popular talk show host, he’s not really thinking about what will come next for his career, and went so far as comparing the end of The Late Show to a fuzzy image where he can’t tell if a man is holding out a knife or an ice cream cone for him. When speaking with Conan O’Brien at the yearly fundraiser for Montclair Film (via The Hollywood Reporter) recently, The Daily Show talent was given a great piece of advice when the former Conan host opened up about leaving his long tenure in late night behind in 2021. O’Brien said:

Colbert might not quite know what the future beyond his current show holds for him right now, but O’Brien assured him that being a late night talk show host simply isn’t the only way for him to do what he loves. As he said this has just been "a way for Stephen Colbert to relate to people, they are not the way."

O’Brien, who was in late night for almost 30 years and hosted three different shows, has since gone on to start a popular podcast, and even has a travel series, Conan O’Brien Must Go, which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription.

He continued, and revealed a fun aspect of being in post-talk show host life, which Colbert will, obviously, get to one day:

Colbert seems like a smart dude who thinks things through, so I doubt that he has zero non-Late Show inklings in his head, despite his very clear focus on ending the show in the most satisfying way possible. So, hopefully, he takes O’Brien’s words to heart and knows that when the time is right he’ll find a way to entertain and inform audiences all over again.

In late 2024, Conan O'Brien experienced a tremendous loss. Within the span of just three days, the beloved comedian lost both of his parents. Most can only imagine the pain and heartache that one must go through when experiencing something like that – but fortunately for O'Brien, he has some really wonderful friends in his life who knew how to help him deal with his grief: by keeping a bit going suggesting that Jason Bateman was a serial killer hunting down members of his family.

This dark but absolutely hilarious story has been shared by Will Arnett, who was a guest this week on the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend. Arnett, who now co-hosts the SmartLess podcast with Bateman, began by explaining that he texted O'Brien a day or so after learning that his father had passed, and he expressed his condolences. Never able to totally turn off his comedic instincts, the legendary former late night host had a special response, which Arnett read verbatim:

Recognizing the start of a bit when he saw one, Arnett offered a "yes, and..." by replying, "It's not a terrible theory." And then Conan O'Brien got a little bit more blunt with his accusation. The Arrested Development star recalls his next response: "He killed my dad."

It was at this point that Jason Bateman actually got looped into the conversation. After learning about what Arnett said, he texted O'Brien the next day, writing, "Arnett tells me that you're on to me"... and it didn't slow O'Brien down in the slightest. He responded (per Arnett),

At this point, Conan O'Brien had only lost his father, and it's rather amazing how his sense of humor helped him get through what was surely a dark time. And as you've surely guessed, that didn't stop when things got even darker with the death of his mother – and Will Arnett gave him some great help in that department.

When he learned that his friend's mother had died, Arnett sent O'Brien another message, and along with the response, it's certainly among the best text message exchanges in history:

What can be said? Leave it to some of the funniest people on the planet to generate guffaw-worthy jokes at a time of incredible sadness. We should all be so lucky as to have friendships like these in our lives at our darkest moments.

If there’s any one thing that most fans of Conan O’Brien agree on, it’s the fact that the man is a comedic force. He knows how to bring intense energy, whether he’s sitting behind a desk as a talk show host or even as a guest on Hot Ones. O’Brien pushes his hilariously chaotic persona aside, though, for his performance in a recent 2025 movie schedule entry, A24’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. O’Brien plays a dry and somewhat more serious role in the movie, and it has me convinced he should pursue more dramatic work.

Who Does Conan O’Brien Play In This A24 Movie, And Why Does The Performance Work

The latest feature film from writer/director Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You centers on Linda (played beautifully by Rose Byrne), as she cares for her ill daughter amid the absence of her husband (Christian Slater). All the while, she must keep up with her work as a therapist, while seeing her own shrink, who’s played by O’Brien. Interestingly enough, O’Brien’s character is also Linda’s colleague, as they work in the same office.

Conan O’Brien’s character remains somewhat cold during his sessions with Linda and, with that wry demeanor, he (unintentionally) generates moments of humor. However, this is mostly a serious role for O’Brien and he doesn’t waste a moment of his screen time. What’s particularly impressive is how O’Brien keeps his performance as such an incredibly pragmatic character so understated. That vibe is in stark contrast to the occasionally over-the-top (and justified) reactions Linda has to the hurdles she’s facing in her life.

In other words, the John Candy-influenced comedian more than succeeds in serving as the “straight man” to Byrne, and that’s a quality he could theoretically carry over to another dramatic film. What’s also remarkable about O’Brien’s work is his ability to memorize and deliver such specific dialogue. Most notably, O’Brien delivers a masterful monologue (the details of which I won’t spoil here). And, wildly enough, when I spoke to Mary Bronstein, she told me she wrote that monologue thinking it would be “unperformable” and was pleasantly surprised when O’Brien performed it perfectly.

All in all, Conan O’Brien brings a grounding presence to Bronstein’s harrowing, yet thoughtful, examination of parenthood. Such an accomplishment is great for any actor but especially one who’s known for having an odd on-screen presence.

How Should Conan O’Brien Expand Upon His Work In If I Had Legs I’d Kick You?

I don’t mind the prospect of the former Conan host starring in commercial films, and he even has a sweet role in Toy Story 5. However, given his performance in If I Had Legs, I’d love to see him travel the indie film circuit a bit more. I’m sure he could pop up in some upcoming A24 movies, considering how the studio’s portfolio only seems to be growing. The thought of O’Brien playing a protagonist in a small, dramatic movie is too exciting. Honestly, it may even be more interesting to see him play an antagonist.

Whatever the role, I just hope Bronstein’s film marks the beginning of a new chapter in Conan O’Brien’s acting career. Sure, O’Brien has entertained with his wild, late-night TV antics over the years, but I think it’s now time for him to take more creative risks as a dramatic actor like he does as a comedian.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is playing in select theaters now, and the film opens nationwide on October 24.

Conan O’Brien is known for bringing comedic and chaotic energy as a talk show host. However, he was called upon to flex some other creative muscles for the A24 film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Mary Bronsten’s latest feature is a cerebral (and harrowing) look at parenthood (specifically from the perspective of a struggling mother). On paper, this dramatic piece of work may not seem like the kind of project fans would imagine for O’Brien. Yet he’s phenomenal in it, and Bronstein told CinemaBlend how O’Brien surprised her.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You – one of the most intriguing titles on the 2025 movie schedule – stars Rose Byrne as Linda, a therapist who’s contending with her ill daughter as well as other domestic duties. Conan O’Brien plays Linda’s therapist (who also just happens to be her colleague). When I spoke to Byrne and Mary Bronstein, I asked what it was like working with O’Brien, and Bronstein had nothing but praise for the iconic talk show host’s on-set preparedness:

When it comes to this film, O’Brien gives a restrained performance, and he essentially serves as a straight man to Byrne. O’Brien’s casting is honestly a stroke of genius on Bronstein’s part, as the funnyman imbues his character with the necessary level of dry wit and serves as a grounding presence amid Linda’s tribulation. While O’Brien’s role may not be incredibly large, he makes the most of his screen time, and there was one particular scene he performed that left Bronstein impressed:

Having witnessed the soliloquy for myself, I can further confirm that Conan O’Brien delivers it effortlessly. If anything, O’Brien’s latest role further solidifies the fact that he’s a performer of many talents and great range. He can perform comedic and dramatic roles in live-action films and lend his voice-acting skills to animated films (which is likely why he was cast in Toy Story 5). And, of course, O’Brien is one of the all-time great hosts, as he was stellar at the Oscars earlier this year and has been tapped by the Academy to host again in 2026.

Speaking of the Oscars, it would be lovely to see O’Brien receive a bit of love during awards season this year. He’s certainly deserving of praise and, even if he doesn’t receive any major accolades, I’m still excited by the prospect of him continuing to spread his wings as a dramatic actor. O’Brien is responsible for some unforgettable late-night TV moments and, now, I’d love to see him expand his footprint within the history of cinema.

Check out Conan O’Brien’s work in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, which is now playing in select theaters ahead of its nationwide release on October 24. Also, be sure to read up on upcoming A24 movies.

As readers with Amazon Prime subscriptions prepare for the release of John Candy: I Like Me, stories about the iconic comedic actor continue to hit the internet. One of which was with someone who had a chance encounter with the actor in his youth, Conan O'Brien. The late-night talk show legend discussed meeting Candy at Harvard College when he visited there decades ago.

Candy received a tour of the school from then Harvard Lampoon President, Conan O'Brien, who was debating whether or not he was serious about pursuing comedy after school was over. In the documentary, the late-night host recalled what the actor told him, noting that he had a big decision ahead of him (via The Boston Globe):

Conan took that advice to heart, moving out to Los Angeles to work on the HBO comedy series Not Necessarily The News, and spinning that into writing gigs on Saturday Night Live and later The Simpsons. Of course, he'd then go on to be a late-night television host and be considered a legend worthy of commenting on the current state of the industry.

Would Conan have had as successful a career if it weren't for the wise words of John Candy back in college? Obviously, we'll never know for sure, but as O'Brien mentioned, it resonated with him, and he went on to become a major face in Hollywood, much like the late actor.

John Candy: I Like Me is a documentary about the Canadian actor told through personal home videos, never-before-seen on-set footage, and interviews with some of the most beloved names in Hollywood comedy from his era. Expect to see interviews from Steve Martin recalling stories from Planes, Trains, And Automobiles, Macaulay Culkin talking about Uncle Buck, and so many other celebrities he worked with over the years.

As someone who had the opportunity to see the movie in advance, I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated that the Colin Hanks-directed feature didn't shy away from some of the struggles John Candy had in his life. I certainly resonated with the anxiety that came from his fame and some of the issues that arose from coping with that anxiety. I think the movie does a great job of showing the reality of fame and how there is a trade-off for people to live the dream of being a celebrity.

John Candy: I Like Me premieres on Prime Video on October 10th. Watch that, and also treat yourself to a collection of the actor's movies, many of which also happen to be on the platform as well.

The late night TV space has seen some major shakeups over the last few months. First, CBS announced in July it was cancelling The Late Show. It was a decision that, while attributed to financial reasons, came shortly after host Stephen Colbert criticized Paramount for settling its $16 million lawsuit with President Donald Trump, all as the company was trying to close its merger with Skydance. Then earlier this week, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the 2025 TV schedule after the title host made controversial comments in reference to Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter of Charlie Kirk. Now Conan O’Brien has opened up about his the silencing of his former late night cohorts.

Conan O’Brien was a late night talk show host for nearly 30 years, first on Late Night, then with his short-lived stint on The Tonight Show, and finally with Conan on TBS for over a decade. These days O’Brien is keeping busy with projects like his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and his HBO Max subscription-exclusive travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go, but today he went on Instagram to comment on what’s been happening with late night TV recently, writing:

His talk show hosting days are long behind them, but the above statement shows that Conan O’Brien is all too willing to offer his support to those still working in the field and express concern about the larger implications of these decisions. In Jimmy Kimmel’s case in particular, he’s the latest celebrity to react publicly to his show going on “indefinite” hiatus, with others including Ben Stiller, Wanda Sykes and Tatiana Maslany (who’s calling for people to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions, as ABC is owned by Disney). In addition to what’s happened with Kimmel and Colbert, President Trump has also taken aim at The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and Late Night host Seth Meyers, describing them in a TruthSocial post as “two total losers” with “horrible” ratings on NBC.

The shocking development with Jimmy Kimmel came just one day after Stephen Colbert thanked Kimmel for doing him a solid favor ahead of him winning the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series. Colbert has since commented on The Late Show about Kimmel’s suspension, as did Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart in their monologues. Per the latest reporting, some Disney senior executives allegedly surprised when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was taken off the air because they’d recommended that CEO Bob Iger not take that course of action.

Talks are reportedly underway to determine what to do with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but this complicated turn of events clearly isn’t going to be resolved easily. Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert will continue hosting The Late Show until May 2026, and Conan O’Brien Must Go was renewed for a third season in March.

Not long after Adam Sandler was fired from SNL, he got a strange call from his manager. NBC wanted him to appear on Conan’s talk show during sweeps week. He was, not surprisingly, taken aback, given they’d, you know, just fired him, but instead of saying no, he impulsively decided it was his chance to get even.

During the mid-90s, Sandler was arguably the most famous and popular cast member on Saturday Night Live. Ratings, however, weren’t particularly great for the show, and some NBC executives felt it may have been because the sketch comedy staple had gotten too silly. So, in a decision that still feels shocking thirty years later, NBC ordered Lorne Michaels to let go of Sandler and his castmate Chris Farley.

Not long after is when NBC, hilariously, reached out to Sandler and asked him to appear on former SNL writer Conan O’Brien’s talk show. The comedian, who had just made Billy Madison and was about to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, impulsively told his manager he’d only show up if NBC bought him a fax machine. They did, and he reminisced about the hilarious story and why he was so hellbent on getting a fax machine during a subsequent appearance on Conan decades later…

I really wish someone from NBC was around to explain what happened when they were told of Sandler’s request. Someone was probably like he’s making a demand in order to appear, and when they found out it was a fax machine, they were probably so confused. I’m sure they just said yes quickly, given it was a lot less expensive than ridiculous requests I’m sure other stars have made over the years.

To me, this story is a good representation of why everyone likes Adam Sandler so much. He’s very human in a likeable and relatable way. If he had demanded an outrageous amount of money, I don’t think anyone would have blamed him, but it wouldn’t make him seem so good-hearted and funny. If he had simply been mad and quietly gone back without any demands, it would have made him seem like a selfless person but also a little weak and spineless.

There’s something about demanding a fax machine that just balances those two extremes perfectly. He comes off like a schemer with a decent heart, which is basically the embodiment of most of the characters he’s played.

You can watch Sandler crack himself up while telling the story below..

It’s unclear if he got anything for the cameos and hosting spots he’s done on Saturday Night Live in the decades since he was let go, but fingers crossed he came away with something else that was emotionally satisfying and goofy.

The TV medium, as we know it, is going through a transition at this time, to say the least. Network execs are in a position in which they’re evaluating programming and making changes in order for their respective corporations to be profitable. A prime example of that would be the recent cancellation of The Late Show at CBS, which was attributed to “financial” variables. A number of media personalities have been speaking about the future of TV and, now, Conan O’Brien is sharing some optimistic thoughts of his own.

Conan O’Brien has certainly been around the block, especially when it comes to late-night TV. He’s hosted Late Night, The Tonight Show and his own eponymous series and, of course, he also served as a writer on the late-night institution that is Saturday Night Live. For his contributions to the medium, O’Brien was enshrined into the Television Academy Hall of Fame this weekend. While addressing the audience (via Variety), he addressed the change that’s currently impacting the business:

Late-night talk shows and variety series aren’t the only productions that have been affected by these changes. Scripted series have arguably been hit hard as well, with networks like Fox and NBC cutting back on such programming for the fall season amid the 2025 TV schedule. The presence of streaming has also factored into the changes in which people engage with TV shows. Despite the uncertainty that seemingly lies ahead, Conan O’Brien explained why he’s choosing to remain upbeat about what’s to come:

When it specifically comes to late-night TV, several hosts weighed in on its future, even before Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show was canceled. Earlier this summer, Jimmy Kimmel opined that the format wouldn’t last another ten years. Late Night’s Seth Meyers also expressed concern, especially given that his path forward in the talk show space is now essentially out of his control. After Colbert’s program received the axe, Jon Stewart didn’t mince words when sharing his belief about the importance of late-night programming to him.

Another person to weigh in on the state of the business was John Oliver, who currently headlines HBO’s Last Week Tonight. Oliver specifically expressed disappointment in The Late Show’s axing, as Stephen Colbert’s prior comments about wanting to hand the show over to another host one day really affected him. Oliver believes that, ideally, young viewers might watch a talk show like Colbert’s and decide that one day, they would also like to become hosts or comedy writers.

It’s very hard to say exactly what the TV industry as a whole will look like in a decade or so. While it does indeed feel like we’re venturing into uncharted territory, maybe the general public would be wise to take a cue from Conan O’Brien and try to stay positive. As O’Brien believes, the medium can indeed change, but talented people with ideas can still remain and find ways to reach the masses.

It’s no secret that working at Saturday Night Live is really hard. From the pressure of performing live and delivering a new show every week to waiting and waiting to see if you get on to the next season, there are tons of reasons why it causes anxiety. Now, Conan O’Brien has opened up about that, how it was worse years ago, and how Adam Sandler helped change the vibe to make work more fun.

This conversation came up when Conan O’Brien was talking to Andy Samberg about how stressful SNL 50 was and the digital short he made for it about anxiety (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription). It’s a topic that cast members aren’t afraid to talk about, and many have gotten candid about just how stressful and grueling the gig is.

During this discussion on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the podcast's host got real about the anxiety he experienced while working on one of the best sketch comedy shows of all time, explaining:

Later in the episode, Samberg and O’Brien came back around to the stress of working at SNL. This time, however, they focused on the former writer's tenure there. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine star asked if that generation was the last to face the really “intense and gritty” energy, and he confirmed that it was, which is how Adam Sandler comes into all this. O’Brien said:

During their chat, O’Brien also confirmed Samberg’s assumption about the NBC show being more “competitive and grimy” during that time. However, things started to change when the Happy Gilmore star showed up, as he joked:

There’s no question, Adam Sandler is an SNL legend who made a huge impact in the five seasons he was there. That’s evident in his sketches; however, this story from Conan also illustrates how his positive attitude played into it too. Ultimately, it at least helped the former writer realize that working at this show could be a good time. And while talking about how his colleague had fun on the NBC series and his own movies, he explained:

Overall, I think two things can be true at the same time. You can love the work, and it can be extremely hard. That’s a mentality that’s seemingly been maintained on SNL since day one. Samberg noted that too in this episode, as he explained that while he adored working on the show, the intensity of it didn’t make it sustainable long-term.

Saturday Night Live truly is a beast of a production, and working on it is no easy feat. However, it can also be a grand ol’ time, thanks to Adam Sandler, whose latest film, Happy Gilmore 2, is available with a Netflix subscription. It also seems like he helped change things for the better for the folks who followed in his footsteps.

While the podcasting market continues to expand, with everyone and their mom seeming to have one, there truly are some gems on the airwaves. Regardless of your familiarity and regularity in dabbling, where does one start? As someone who dabbles in a few series and loves a good pop culture injection of any form, a celebrity-hosted show can offer a lot! These stars’ pods cover plenty of ground from BTS on favorite sets to politics to emotionally forward conversations. If you’re lost, in a rut or just looking for another stellar title to add to your audio arsenal, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in!

Oprah’s Super Soul - Oprah Winfrey

We know her, we love her, and the dynamic Oprah Winfrey continues to evolve and push interviewing bounds. Super Soul is more or less an adaptation of her inspiration and often a spiritual talk show that ran through the early 2020s. Be prepared to hear some deep conversations if you aren’t already, though we all know it tends to come with the unmistakable Hollywood giant.

Literally! With Rob Lowe - Rob Lowe

The 61-year-old Hollywood vet has wide-ranging conversations with plenty of well-known professionals. Whether it's well-established or rising stars in movies and TV, music or sports, Lowe jumps right in with them. And as a member of The Brat Pack, the pull he has with landing guests is pretty impressive and diverse.

Renegades: Born In The USA - Barak Obama, Bruce Springsteen

Though it only ran for one season and has 8 episodes to its name, the former president and The Boss’ collab rocked. Their conversations consisted of the changing dynamics of the USA through the lens of music, personal happenings, fatherhood and future revitalization. They also share their backstory on how the friendship and pod came to be.

Goop - Gwyneth Paltrow

Paltrow and Goop’s virality continues to regularly break the internet (especially those body-forward scented candles). But the Hollywood A-lister and her empire went to new heights with the addition of their own podcast, which she hosts. Naturally, it dives in holistically to grander topics with today’s ‘brightest thinkers and culture changers’ to dissect the conversation at hand.

Wiser Than Me - Julia Louis-Dreyfus

As always, when Louis-Dreyfus commits to a project, she knocks a role out of the park. One of her most recent titles as host of Wiser Than Me is no different; her interviewing women who are expert veterans in their given career is a true delight. She’s had everyone from Jane Goodall to Jane Fonda, and she’s just getting going.

Good Hang - Amy Poehler

Don’t overlook the Parks & Rec star’s Good Hang, even though it may be one of the newest entries on the list. Poehler’s sunshine bright vibes radiate through the show while she chats with A-list Hollywood names. But the most signature part shines through when she has a mini cameo from a friend of the guest who praises them ahead of the main convo. (If you haven’t seen or know where the viral clip of Rachel Dratch fumbling with headphones on a Zoom, now you do.)

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Conan O’Brien

In the comedian’s corner of the interview world, you can certainly expect his signature smart silliness he has brought to the masses over the decades. But why did he jump into the world? As the title implies, and per his summary, O’Brien realized after years of interviewing celebs, ‘the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him,’ and wanted to change that.

Fly On The Wall - David Spade, Dana Carvey

While not an outright Saturday Night Live podcast, two huge alums, Spade and Carvey, lead this industry-leaning show. The pair has their fair share of guests and covers plenty of Studio 8H lore depending on who’s with them that week. Beyond the sketch show conversations, they often jump into current pop culture, current events and even fan-submitted fare.

Bill Gates And Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions - Bill Gates, Rashida Jones

Gates and Jones came together at the beginning of the pandemic in search of musing about some big questions. Though there are only five episodes, nothing seems off the table, from climate change to the psychology behind lying. But the unexpected co-hosts tackle these larger sociological and worldly topics with intentionality and ease.

The Big Podcast With Shaq - Shaquille O'Neal

The dynamic retired basketball player continues to surprise us with his plays (he just confirmed he was a Swiftie on the Kelces’ pod), and did just that when he kicked off his new podcast network by way of his own. Aptly named, Shaq and co-host Adam Lefkoe, of course, talk sports among themselves and alongside guests, but also hit a range of topics.

Minnie Questions - Minnie Driver

The Good Will Hunting actress’ offering sets up each interview through seven thoughtful questions. Though each question is relatively simple, it’s proven time and again that it unearths quite a conversation. Her therapy session meets fireside chat structure stands apart from other celebrity podcasts since its intention dives into a soulful exploration of life’s questions.

All There Is With Anderson Cooper - Anderson Cooper

While plenty of entries on the list cover an array of subjects from casual conversations, behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic and love and relationships, Cooper dives into loss (which he’s experienced multiple times over since childhood). What started as the beloved CNN news anchor processing the passing of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and the ins and outs that go along with it, has blossomed into something much more. He’s built a safe ground for guests and listeners alike to reflect and process the big topic.

Red Table Talk - Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris

The multi-generational, familial women-hosted show has gone viral a few times over since its inception on Facebook. Nothing, as we’ve seen, is off limits in this conversational style show and doesn’t shy away when things get nitty gritty. Though the OG got the axe in 2023, it got going again with no ties to Facebook, and its episode catalog continues to rank with some of the best Hollywood fodder out there today.

The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart - Jon Stewart

The beloved TV host has a podcast that pairs with his regularly scheduled show. The Weekly Show offers a more expansive look into our ever-developing world with notable minds in essential roles across the professional field. If you’re looking for even more Stewart material, he had a short-lived but excellent 2 season show called The Problem with Jon Stewart that dove into topics that were ‘too big for TV.’ With either, you can count on a laugh paired with some big, thought-provoking discussions.

SmartLess - Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes

SmartLess is like an improv dinner party you weren’t invited to, but somehow snuck into. Each episode brings a surprise guest to the table, and with it comes comedy, curiosity, and the kind of bromantic chaos that three A-listers with zero filters can deliver. It’s part talk show, part therapy session, and all charm—who would’ve guessed the vibe would be achieved by the Michael and Gob Bluth actors with a dash of the Jack McFarland actor.

Armchair Expert - Dax Shepard

Maybe one of the most recognizable and longstanding on the list, Shepard started his series in 2018. Though the premise is relatively simple in terms of chatting with well-known faces, things can go deep quickly. The CHiPs alum has had ex-costars like Lauren Graham, incidentally spill about Parenthood peer, Mae Whitman’s baby daddy, and Oscar-nominated stars like Michelle Williams reflect about her late ex-partner, Heath Ledger. Needless to say, there’s a lot to work with here (and a 300+ episode backlog to sift through).

Office Ladies - Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Of course, there was bound to be at least one rewatch pod in the bunch, and with The Office ranking as one of the best sitcoms ever, it’s a natural pick to include. Kinsey (who played Angela Martin/Lipton/Schrute) and Fischer (who played Pam Beesly Halpert) recount excellent tidbits and memories as they rewatch the NBC classic while hosting Dunder Mifflin cast and crew members.

Life Is Short - Justin Long

First and foremost, I’ve got to give the Jeepers Creepers actor’s name for his show is A+ play on words (specifically short and long). But, behind the small chuckle the title of the pod offers is a surprisingly poignant base for Long and his brother, who co-hosts the show. The siblings jump in the deep end with their guests and discuss all there is about life, which includes everything from emojis to their perspective on life.

LeVar Burton Reads - LeVar Burton

Fiction lovers and previous PBS Kids unite! The beloved Reading Rainbow star’s pod is a modern-day take on the classic 26-year run show, but now catered toward adults. Short form stories are the main genre he dives into each week, and the whole thing feels just like a little bit of a time machine, for those who tuned in regularly to RR.

New Heights - Jason, Travis Kelce

No, I’m not talking about their mom, Donna Kelce, landing a spot on S4 of The Traitors US, but it’s worth mentioning. The NFL family show is full of BTS looks into being brothers while also playing football professionally. They also often go out of bounds of the shared ground and discuss everything from pop culture to UFOs.

The High Life - Ricki Lake

The former television host is getting back to her roots with The High Life. And while she still has plenty of Tinseltown names as guests, the focus with her offering is health and wellness. Nothing is off the table within the larger landscape; she hits everything from menopause to energy healing.

Las Culturistas - Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers

In case you’d like to know, this is my ride or die pick of the list. The college besties-turned-Hollywood-darling co-hosts have amassed a cult turned mainstream following thanks to culture catch-ups, regular bits they have A-list guests participate in (what sparked their interest in culture and their wry ‘I Don’t Think So Honey!’ critique of something) and their own award show. Clearly, I could go on about it, but if you need more proof, Tina Fey’s iconic advice to Yang speaks to why we, ‘readers, kayteighs, publicists, finalists and kyles,’ love it all.

WTF With Marc Maron - Marc Maron

The rough around the edges comedian and actor’s podcast is one of the most well-known celebrity series. As a blueprint of public figures' iterations to come, Maron got started in 2009 after his radio show got canned. In the decade-plus he’s been at it, he hosted writers, directors, comedians, actors and many more in the typical style that is commonplace today. But, heads up, he just announced his show will end this fall, so don’t miss out!

Podcrushed - Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari

The Gossip Girl alum’s shared show isn’t a far cry from the hit teen series fodder. They’ve just spun the clock a little further back to schoolyard drama and middle school crushes. Badgley, alongside Kavelin and Ansari, takes on listeners' stories, reads them and explores all the ins and outs of starting to grow up (and all the turmoil that tags along).

Broad Ideas - Rachel Bilson, Olivia Allen

While you may know of Bilson’s other pod, Beyond The O.C., involving ex-castmate Melinda Clarke, Broad Ideas includes her longtime bestie, Olivia Allen. The new duo essentially cover any ground two girlfriends would in any given conversation (mental health to ghosts are promised). But hosting a new guest to join in on the fun each week brings it to the next level.

The Mess Around With Hannah And Lamorne - Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone

If you know anything about where these two co-hosts met, you can probably guess this is a New Girl rewatch series. And if you know that, you probably know they played CeCe and Winston (Bishop), respectively, and the title comes from a bit that the characters shared. Also, plenty of past cast and crew come through to reminisce about all the shenanigans that went down in 4D.

Films To Be Buried With With Brett Goldstein - Brett Goldstein

Though he’s still relatively new to the scene, the Ted Lasso star is hitting it big (and is now on Shrinking). With that success, his unique corner of the recording studio has only found more success. And while the title of Goldstein’s show is pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, it has me hooked. I think it’s safe to say he’s just getting started.

At Your Service - Dua Lipa

While I haven’t actually listened to the singer and actress’ show, it may be the hidden gem on the list. Heading into her third season, she continues to host a slew of knockout guests, and her collection of candid conversations runs the gamut of interesting fare. Everything from psychedelics to running Apple.

Getting Better With Jonathan Van Ness - Jonathan Van Ness

Ever since being introduced as the current generation’s hair & grooming lead on Queer Eye, JVN has been stealing the show as they help build up others. By natural curiosity and the drive to learn, the Getting Better podcast helps them grow and build spaces to learn even more. The weekly episodic content comes in all shapes and sizes–from finance lessons to discourse on culture, they’ve got it covered.

Why Won’t You Date Me? - Nicole Byer

The Nailed It! host is also a pro-podcaster. If you go looking for Byer’s love and relationship pod, you may find quite a slew aside from the aforementioned one (Best Friends!, 90 Day Bae and Newcomers). But this humorously titled one is the most well-known and long-standing one, where she has everyone from friends and experts to an occasional ex or two dish all about dating and love.

Lovett Or Leave It - Jon Lovett

While Jon Lovett’s beginnings aren’t traditional Hollywood standards material, the comedian was a former speech writer for Barack Obama. From there, he and fellow Obama peers (Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau–not to be confused with the A-lister) then co-hosted Pod Save America. His newest show is a hybrid of political news mixed with fun, well-known guests, and a bit of shenanigans all tied into one, always providing a laugh.

The Bald And The Beautiful - Trixie Mattel And Katya Zamolodchikova

One of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s biggest winners, Trixie and ride or die fellow queen, Katya, have taken the world by storm together. After meeting on season 7, they quickly went on their way to make creative projects together, starting with their viral cult followed series, UNHhhh, to their aptly titled pod. It’s a lot of the same banter, just funneled into discussing pop culture and Tinseltown-leaning topics.

The history of Saturday Night Live is rife with anecdotes from some of the funniest people in the entertainment industry, and it seems like nearly every famed cast member has stories about how stressful it can be trying to get material into weekly episodes. One might not think that issue would plague Mike Myers, one of the most bankable SNL vets to date, but the Shrek star said he used to sink into a depressed state over cut sketches, and he credits Conan O’Brien turning that feeling around.

Myers, who returned to SNL as Elon Musk for the 50th season's run throughout the 2025 TV schedule, took part in a Variety roundtable conversation with Colin Jost, Marcello Hernandez and Sarah Sherman. When the latter two cast members opined that dress rehearsals are likely easier on regulars than guest hosts, the Wayne’s World star voiced a differing viewpoint, saying:

Technically, not every dress rehearsal sent Mike Myers into the emotional pits, since it wasn't every week where his sketch(es) got cut. But there were apparently enough instances that those less-than-savory feelings have remained with him all these years later.

Thankfully, Myers didn't have to feel that way for the entirety of his six-year run (1989-1995) on Saturday Night Live. The year prior, Lorne MIchaels brought Conan O'Brien into the writing staff, and though he only stuck around the show for three years, it was quite the historic and inspirational stint.

Not just because he met comedians that he'd continue working with for his entire career, but also for inspiring those around him to be more jovial, off the cuff, and willing to accept failure. Nobody in the late night world pulls off self-deprecation as successfully as Conan.

That is indeed what helped bring Mike Myers out of his regular funk regarding SNL pitches. Here's how he put it:

It's not clear if Mike Myers is referring to the celeb widely dubbed the worst SNL guest host of all time and one of the least funny sketch performers — Mr. Steven Seagal — or one of the other infamously bad hosts that have been talked about over the years. Whatever the case may be, that horrible experience did have at least one positive ramification, in that O'Brien brushing it off his back inspired Myers to take a similar approach to temporarily failings.

Interestingly enough, Conan O'Brien left SNL in 1991 citing burnout from both working on the show and dealing with an engagement-gone-wrong in his personal life. But he's been a TV mainstay ever since, thanks to late nigth talk shows and streaming travel shows, so there's definitely value in being able to laugh through one's struggles.

For now, it's unclear who will be filling out the ranks of upcoming guest hosts and musical acts for Season 51, but stay tuned for more updates while also anticipating a certain ogre's return when the star-studded Shrek 5 hits theaters in December 2026.

It’s a great time to be a Conan O’Brien fan, between his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend still going strong, his travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go being available to stream with a Max subscription, and March seeing him both host the 97th Academy Awards and receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (the latter of which can be watched with a Netflix subscription). However, many still remember him best from his late night talk show days, starting with his 16-year stint hosting Late Night after being a writer on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.

While there were plenty of popular sketches from his Late Night tenure (where Sarah Silverman bounced back after being fired from SNL), O’Brien recently spent some time going over the more obscure offerings he and his writers created. Additionally, he recalled the time he wanted to change the name of the show to something wild, yet I’m not surprised at all it came out of that mind of his.

What Conan O’Brien’s Favorite Obscure Late Night Sketches Are

If you watched Conan O’Brien host Late Night back in the day, some of the sketches that come to mind probably include Masturbating Bear, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, The Interrupter, Pimpbot 5000 and, my personal favorite, the Walker, Texas Ranger lever. But when O’Brien stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers, his first time revisiting the show since he left in 2009, he dedicated some time to the lesser-known sketches, starting with:

Yep, that’s exactly how it sounds: a guy in a horse costume riding atop an actual horse; simple, yet effective. But wait, it gets even more random, as then Conan O’Brien said:

Don’t mind me, I’ll just be over thinking about a version of the streaming hit Conclave involving the The Always Disappointing FedEx Pope. Conan O’Brien then mentioned a take on one of the most famous X-Men characters who’s way less useful than the real deal:

Yeah, I’ll take adamantium claws over shoes for hands every time, although at least Shoe-verine’s punches would pack a little extra oomph. These characters exemplify O’Brien’s sense of humor when it comes to the visual medium, which he described thusly:

Wacky fits Conan O’Brien to a tee, but those kind of antics are a key reason why he remains popular. Even in Conan O’Brien Must Go, he finds hilarious ways to visually amuse, oftentimes just by donning a costume or silly outfit. So while the aforementioned Late Night characters are obscure, it’s understandable why he still thinks fondly of them.

What Conan O’Brien Wanted To Call His Show Instead Of Late Night

Conan O’Brien succeeded David Letterman on Late Night, who’d been hosting the series for 11 years before moving over to CBS to start The Late Show after being passed over for The Tonight Show. Between Letterman’s lengthy run and O’Brien basically being an unknown, there was a lot riding on him to stand out as the new Late Night host. Later on in his conversation with Seth Meyers, O’Brien recalled how he and original writer Robert Smigel felt a good way to do this was to change the title of the show.

Nighty Night With Conan O’Brien does have a nice ring to it, but it would have been a huge mistake to go through with retitling. Fortunately, this got the kibosh after O’Brien and Smigel with NBC executive Rick Ludwin, with O’Brien joking that he saw “four blood vessels burst” in the man’s head. Ludwin informed the men that Late Night was a “proven franchise” that would “long outlive” them, so they just dropped the idea and “ran away.”

Conan O’Brien’s late night TV days might be behind him, but it’s still easy to find him interviewing people and entertaining the masses on the small screen in multiple ways. Looking ahead, Conan O’Brien Must Go was renewed for Season 3 in March, he’ll be back to host the Oscars in 2026, and he’s voicing Smartypants in Toy Story 5.

Conan O’Brien’s been on quite the professional run in 2025, including hosting the Academy Awards, receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and his Max subscription-exclusive series Conan O’Brien Must Go returning for Season 2. Now he can add a new entry onto his growing list of accomplishments: voicing a Pixar character. O’Brien has revealed that he’ll be voicing a character in next year’s Toy Story 5, and not content to just share who he’s playing, he also dropped some fantastic jokes about Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in the process.

The former talk show host shared the big news on Instagram and was clearly excited about this, calling Toy Story a “legendary franchise” and describing the movies as “amazing.” But in classic Conan fashion, he couldn’t resist joking about the roles he wish he’d snagged instead for the upcoming Pixar movie:

As someone who’s watched Conan O’Brien on TV for years and frequently listens to his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, I always get a kick out of when he puts on an air of foolish superiority for laughs. Acting as though there was a chance he’d replace either Tom Hanks as Woody or Tim Allen and Buzz Lightyear definitely fits that mold. I mean, sure, I’d listen to O’Brien spout off Woody or Buzz dialogue, but when it comes to the Toy Story movies, Hanks and Allen are always going to be captaining this cast.

After getting the jokes out of the way, Conan O’Brien then shared how he’ll actually be part of Toy Story 5’s cast, saying:

Yes, this is a perfect role for Conan O’Brien when combining that superiority act with his own impressive intelligence. I can’t wait to hear Smartypants correct Woody, Buzz and everyone else as often as possible and annoy everyone acting as a know-it-all. O’Brien previously voiced The Riddler in The LEGO Batman Movie, and his A24 movie If I Had Legs I’d Kick You premiered at Sundance in January, though there’s no word when it will be released to the public.

Conan O’Brien is the third new actor to come aboard Toy Story 5, following Anna Paris in an undisclosed role and Ernie Hudson taking over as Combat Carl from the late Carl Weathers. The movie, which will see Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang grappling with technology's increasing hold on children’s playtime, hits theaters on June 19, 2026.

I knew there was a reason I admire Conan O'Brien so much. Not only is the former late night TV host and this year’s Mark Twain Prize recipient one of the sharpest minds in comedy, but he has also proven to me on many occasions that he has great taste in cinema.

Furthermore, the star of Max’s travel docuseries, Conan O'Brien Must Go, demonstrated on a recent episode of his podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, that he has a certain distaste for a particular movie cliché that I also agree has overstayed its welcome. Allow me to explain…

Conan Can't Stand Movies With Portals

Roughly 50 minutes into his episode of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, guest Ryan Reynolds dishes on a topic he has discussed at length multiple times: what went wrong with Green Lantern. His answer is that the studio would “throw money at problem after problem… instead of creating constraint,” which he calls “the greatest creative tool in the world.”

Further talk of how audiences tend to be more invested in well-rounded characters over large-scale, CGI-heavy action spectacles prompts O'Brien to say the following about one of his biggest pet peeves in the world of cinema today which, I must say, was music to my ears:

He goes on to elaborate on this nuisance, explaining how there are so many blockbuster films that, usually in the final act, involve a portal suddenly opening up in the sky. To him, this is a sign that the creators had no idea how to end the story and resorted to having the antagonist conjure some gargantuan obstacle from another planet or an alternate dimension for the hero to fight .

I cannot tell you how great it is to hear someone, especially a public figure I admire, call out this tired, lazy, uninspired, and overused trope. I recall seeing far too many movies in just the last decade or so that use portals as a crutch, particularly critically reviled superhero movies like 2015’s Fantastic Four (which has its redeeming qualities for some people) or Suicide Squad from the following year, which shocked many by winning an Oscar for its makeup. I am thankful, however, that we have seen fewer portals on the big screen in more recent years or, at least, seen them used more tastefully.

There Are A Few Worthy Exceptions For Portals

Reynolds responds to O'Brien’s criticism of portals by pointing out that they were used as a plot device in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, to which the host admits that it was handled in a more deliberate and, especially, humorous way. I would actually agree that the Multiverse-hopping, cameo-heavy Marvel flick has one of the best uses of a portal (referred to as “the Marvel Sparkle Circle”) as of late.

In fact, I think some of the all-time best uses of a portal come from some of the best Marvel movies, such as in 2012’s The Avengers, when Tony “Iron Man” Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) carries a missile up through a sky portal to destroy the Chitauri's mothership and falls back down to Earth just as it closes. Also, who could forget when the Avengers assembled with countless allies who emerged through portals to battle Thanos’ army at the end of Avengers: Endgame?

Just about any Hollywood trope has its strengths and weaknesses, and I suppose that does include portals. However, I do hope that one does not appear in the final act of O'Brien’s new A24 movie, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Of course, he might not have agreed to star in the upcoming 2025 movie if it did, so that’s a relief.

We know Sarah Silverman now as a hilarious stand-up comedian with her own specials and the voice of Vanellope von Schweetz in the Wreck-It-Ralph movies (which are streaming on your Disney+ subscription). But before that, the American actress/writer had a one-season stint on Saturday Night Live before she got fired. Fortunately, Silverman talks about Conan O’Brien being “the best thing for me” after her short SNL run.

Sarah Silverman was hired on SNL at a really young age of 22, appearing in sketches like “Weekend Update” alongside Kevin Nealon and “Homegirls,” where she played a prep-school girl. But her screentime was very limited as a performer.

On The Howard Stern Show, Sarah Silverman got real that she was “thrown for a loop” when she found out from her agent that she got fired, thinking that would never happen to her. On the other hand, the School of Rock actress found a silver lining through O’Brien after he would invite her onto his talk show as a frequent guest that same year:

Based on Sarah Silverman’s story, it proves that everything happens for a reason. While SNL let the comedian go after not knowing how to use her, that sketch comedy series was her stepping stone into appearing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. This was a great way for the upcoming comedian to showcase her talents and elevate the career she’s successfully built for herself over the decades.

Conan O’Brien also got his start on SNL as a staff writer from 1988-1991, which helped him show off his comedic writing chops and be around the TV industry. So I’d like to believe that he and Sarah Silverman's shared background on the NBC sketch comedy series created a mutual bond and respect between the two. Plus, since Silverman was a guest on O’Brien’s first major hosting gig the year it debuted, the two were part of each other’s first starts, which is a beautiful thing.

Saturday Night Live may have said goodbye to Sarah Silverman in 1993. But she made her return to the Emmy Award-winning series over two decades later, kicking off SNL40 with Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, Cameron Diaz, and more. The Screen Actors Guild Award nominee starred in sketches like a parody sequel of The Fault in Our Stars, “Supportive Women” spoofing female soap opera characters getting along, and more. Given the outstanding comedy career Silverman made for herself, getting to come back to SNL must have felt like a full-circle moment for her.

Sarah Silverman’s time on Saturday Night Live was short after being fired, but Conan O’Brien’s invite to his talk show, she said, ended up being “the best thing” for her career to help further make her mark. It’s always a breath of fresh air to see comedians helping to open doors for others in a tough industry. Feel free to watch Silverman’s season 19 run on SNL streaming on your Peacock subscription.

After the first season of Conan O’Brien Must Go had me rooting for more of the former late night host’s new travel show, I was pleasantly surprised to see Season 2 on the 2025 TV schedule. While the past season allowed audiences such as myself to binge watch it all in one viewing, this time around, the show is opting for weekly drops. While I only have one episode to talk about so far, wow, did it start with a bang – especially regarding all the shots O’Brien decided to fire at Vin Diesel for some reason.

During the premiere episode, Conan O’Brien goes to Spain to meet up with some fans who called into his podcast and Javier Bardem. He also decides to visit a dubbing studio to try his hand at the profession with some of Spain’s big voiceover artists. At first he provides some hilarious noises to a commercial, but then he moves on to dubbing scenes from American movie scenes.

He starts with doing Liam Neeson’s famous scene from Taken before deciding to do his take on Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto from the Fast & Furious movies. While talking about embodying the famed action character, I can’t believe the comedian said the following about the actor. And yes, this is a real quote:

I mean, it’s all in good fun, of course, but I do wonder how Vin Diesel would react if he saw these comments. Either Conan O’Brien cleared it with Diesel or he simply doesn’t care about insulting the actor. I thought it was Diesel and Dwayne Johnson who had the beef (until they recently had an awkward, but friendly reunion at the Golden Globes). O'Brien also said this during the episode:

Following Conan O’Brien’s Oscars hosting gig where he went viral for mocking Drake, I guess I shouldn’t be as shocked as I am, but my goodness! He certainly did not hold back when discussing the movie star and the Fast & Furious franchise, which has pumped out ten movies and the spinoff Hobbs & Shaw across over a decade, and is set to continue in 2026 with Fast X, Part 2. Of course, O’Brien wouldn’t be the first or last person to poke fun at the actor and his famed franchise, and it gives the actor a chance to be humbled by his global fame.

I do wonder if there will be any commentary in response from the Fast & Furious star after these comments. Anyway, this Conan O'Brien Must Go episode is hilarious overall, and you can check it out now on Max.

I don’t think there has ever been a more exciting time to be a fan of Conan O’Brien than now, from his recent acclaimed Oscars hosting gig to the return of his Emmy-winning travel docuseries, Conan O’Brien Must Go (now streaming with a Max subscription), to when he received this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. That star-studded event (which you can watch with a Netflix subscription) brought back some of the best bits from O’Brien’s days hosting Late Night and beyond, including one that comes courtesy of Paul Rudd.

Longtime followers of O’Brien’s career know that anytime Rudd appears publicly in the comedian’s presence, they are likely going to see a clip from a movie called Mac and Me, which the star of the new A24 movie, Friendship, has indulged in pranking the comedian with for more than two decades. If you ask me, the clip’s emergence at the Mark Twain Prize ceremony is the most brilliantly funny instance of it yet. Before I explain why, allow me to dive into the history of this iconic recurring bit.

The History Of Paul Rudd's Mac And Me Prank On Conan O'Brien

It all started in 2004 when Rudd appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien to promote the series finale of Friends and claimed he got his hands on a clip from the highly anticipated episode. Instead, he introduces a scene from 1988’s Mac and Me, in which the wheelchair-using human protagonist, Eric (Jade Calegory), accidentally rolls down a hill and falls into a river quarry where he is spotted by the titular alien he later befriends.

Relive the history-making moment (or witness it for the first time) below:

It would soon become tradition for Rudd to surprise O’Brien with the clip from the critically reviled E.T. ripoff, forcing him to get more creative with how he would fool the host over time, such as when the actor spent minutes on O’Brien’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, describing a completely fake scripted podcast he had been working on as a set-up to play an audio-only version of the clip. Sometimes, he would even re-edit the clip to reference the project he came to promote, such as one time when the MCU’s Ant-Man appeared at the end.

During the final week of episodes for O’Brien’s TBS talk show, Conan, Rudd made a surprise appearance, seeming like he wanted to introduce a clip from his and Bill Hader’s failed Saturday Night Live sketch, only to show the Mac and Me bit. He would then double down by revealing he had previously considered showing an also bizarre scene from 1999’s Baby Geniuses and proceeded to introduce that clip instead… before playing the same clip once more. I used to think that was the funniest iteration of the prank… until now.

How Rudd Managed To Surprise Conan With The Clip At The Mark Twain Prize Ceremony

When O’Brien’s former sidekick, Andy Richter, took the Kennedy Center stage at the 2025 Mark Twain Prize ceremony, he introduced a new edition of a classic Late Night bit in which O’Brien would interview still images of celebrities with their mouths replaced by an actor speaking live, who was usually Robert Smigel. This time, the mouth behind images of Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and James Mason was Rudd, who revealed himself after saying, as Mason, that he was introducing an AI-generated clip of the deceased actor being interviewed by O’Brien.

Of course, what we end up seeing instead is the now-famous clip from Mac and Me before cutting back to Rudd in a pre-recorded message in which he tells him it is becoming more of a challenge to surprise him with “that dumb clip.” He then delivers a genuine congratulatory speech before showing the scene a second time from what appears to be his own home theater.

I am not sure how Rudd is going to top that one. Perhaps, since some of us hoped the Mac and Me clip might appear at the 2025 Oscars, he can attempt to surprise O’Brien when he returns to host the ceremony in 2026.

May is now in full swing, and that means it’s time for the annual summer movie season. This may draw a lot of viewers back to theaters, but considering all the same studios that are releasing movies also run streaming services, you can bet they don’t want to take all your attention away from the TV.

If the new movies in theaters aren’t quite your cup of tea, this week’s streaming highlights include a couple of theatrical releases you may have missed, as well as new seasons of several different popular streaming series.

Poker Face, Season 2 - May 8 (Peacock)

The worst part of the new streaming television landscape is the seemingly endless wait between seasons of shows that are actually able to get more than just a single season. I basically got my Peacock subscription so I could watch Poker Face, and now I finally have the Season 2 I’ve been waiting so long to see. Natasha Lyonne returns with a who’s who of guest stars as she solves new mysteries, all while trying to keep herself alive.

Criminal Minds: Evolution, Season 3 - May 8 (Paramount+)

It was an interesting decision when CBS made the call to cancel the popular procedural Criminal Minds, only to revive the show on CBS. The series clearly never lost a step, as this week, your Paramount+ subscription will bring you the beginning of the third season of Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Conan O’Brien Must Go, Season 2 - May 8 (Max)

Conan O’Brien is one of our greatest comedy treasures, and he must be protected at all costs. The man was able to host the Oscars, a thankless and largely futile task, and did it so well he’s already been asked back. He’s also, as it turns out, the perfect host for a travel show. If you have a Max subscription, you can use it to watch the new season of Conan O’Brien Must Go and see the hilarious man visit beautiful and exotic places, and make a fool of himself while there.

Heart Eyes - May 8 (Netflix)

The romantic horror movie Heart Eyes was a rare theatrical achievement as a film that actually made more money on its second weekend at the box office than it did during its first. Clearly word of mouth for this one told fans it was a slasher worth seeing. Still, it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster, so if you’re one of the many that didn’t see it, and you have a Netflix subscription, now you can fix that.

Love Hurts - May 9 (Peacock)

Based on the box office, or lack thereof, of Love Hurts starring Ke Huy Quan, you probably didn’t see the romantic action/comedy in theaters. However, the movie is a lot of fun, and proof that Hollywood screwed up by not making Quan a leading man decades ago. Take the opportunity when it arrives on Peacock to check this one out.

Summer of ‘69 - May 9 (Hulu)

Co-written and directed by Jillian Bell, Summer of ‘69 tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a teenager and the exotic dancer she hires to help her seduce her high school crush. The R-rated teenage sex comedy isn’t a genre that’s gotten a lot of attention of late, but perhaps telling the story from a female perspective is what has been missing.

The rest of May still has plenty to bring fans, including the final three episodes of Andor on Disney+ next week.

One of the key streaming highlights hitting the 2025 TV schedule during the second week of May is no doubt the Season 2 return of former late night fave Conan O’Brien’s Max travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go. But even before that anticipated arrival, the ginger-haired comedian’s fans can join in on celebrating his TV efforts by watching the new special Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor, available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

The special is undeniably hilarious from beginning to end thanks to a plethora of lighthearted roasts from some of the Oscar host’s funniest friends, longtime colleagues and mainstay late night guests. From John Mulaney and Andy Richter to Adam Sandler and David Letterman, everyone was on their A-game, and that was especially true for Kumail Nanjiani, whose “TWAINTalk” addressed the vital question of whether O’Brien actually deserves the award, with The Simpsons as a key component.

While talking about influence as a benchmark for a comedian’s impact on the world at large, Nanjiani addressed Conan O’Brien’s career highlight of working on The Simpsons, saying:

It's not immediately clear whether that "93%" stat was based on any kind of data, or if it was crafted out of thin air, but there's no questioning the credited nature of O'Brien's work on The Simpsons. While he was indeed part of the writing staff early on, and certainly contributed jokes and story ideas for other episodes, the rather limiting nature of TV writing credits means that only three episodes from that iconic era can serve as irrefutable proof of his time there.

To break that number down further is just asking for chuckle-worthy trouble, but Kumail Nanjiani showcased the surprisingly teensy percentage that sums up Conan's Simpsons efforts, and made a bonkers comparison in the process. As he put it:

Both out of context and within the context of this special, that's one of the wildest sentences ever uttered for others to hear and react to. I'm trying to think of how many other ways Conan O'Brien and Charles Manson would be comparable, and all I can think of is that O'Brien and Bob Odenkirk wrote together on SNL and acted together, with Odenkirk having portrayed Manson on The Ben Stiller Show. But that's not even a proper 1:1 comparison.

In reminding the crowd which episodes Conan wrote, Kumail Nanjiani provoked quite the audible laugh from the honoree, saying:

The rest of Nanjiani's segment was obivously also amusing as it poked fun at the longtime late-night staple, and the Silicon Valley vet talked about Masturbating Bear being his very first taste of not just Late Night but of American television altogether. And somehow he stuck around and didn't run screaming back to his Pakistani stomping grounds.

Conan O’Brien Must Go will arrive anew with Season 2 on Thursday, May 8, for fans with Max subscriptions. But his whopping three episodes of The Simpsons can be streamed in full with a Disney+ subscription.

I usually try to do my best to avoid watching trailers, but I could not resist checking out a sneak peek at the second season of Conan O’Brien Must Go. I have been a fan of the former late-night TV host since his days at NBC’s Late Night, and I believe that his Emmy-winning travel docuseries, which is available with a Max subscription, is one of his most wonderful creations yet.

There is a moment from the Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 2 teaser that has me especially excited for its return, in which O’Brien, while visiting New Zealand, urges Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to cast him in one of his movies. While the comedian likely said this in jest, I genuinely think their collaboration could be a match made in heaven for a couple of reasons.

Conan's Improvisational Skill Works Perfectly For Waititi's Comedy Style

Any fan of Taika Waititi’s movies knows that he often encourages his actors to ad-lib. While some believe he may have overdone it with the improv comedy in Thor: Love and Thunder (even star Chris Hemsworth), many also agree he struck gold with the first of his Marvel movies, 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, and three years earlier with his acclaimed horror-comedy movie, the documentary-style What We Do In The Shadows.

I believe that, if Waititi wants to catch lightning in a bottle with more hilarious ad-libs in a future project, it would be a mistake not to cast Conan O’Brien. With a legendary background that includes writing for The Harvard Lampoon and shows like Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons, the comedian has developed a knack for coming up with whip-smart jokes on the fly, as demonstrated on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and his guest appearance on the partially improvised series Murderville on Netflix, to name just a few. I imagine he would not even need a script, but just a simple prompt, and the result would be magical.

Conan Seems To Have Caught The Acting Bug

Now, imagine if Waititi was interested in casting O’Brien in a comparatively more serious role that would not be improv-heavy, a la his Oscar-winning World War II-era satire Jojo Rabbit from 2019 or his 2023 underdog sports biopic, Next Goal Wins. If you ask me, I think he would also be a great choice in that regard.

Since retiring from late-night TV, O’Brien has indulged in taking more acting roles lately, and not counting his many fun cameos over the years. For instance, he starred in the SNL-adjacent comedy film Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain and has even took on a more dramatic role in the upcoming A24 movie, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, for which he earned rave reviews when the drama premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In that regard, I think he would be able to handle any type of role that Waititi throws at him.

Taika Waititi has multiple projects in the works right now, including his long-awaited Star Wars movie. I don’t see why that mysterious cosmic adventure could not be Conan O’Brien’s chance to become a part of the galaxy far, far away.

This week, April comes to an end, and May gets started. While this likely means temperatures are going up and people are looking to spend a little less time in front of the television, your favorite streaming services are certainly going their best to keep us on the couch.

From brand new films to classic franchises, the movie content coming in May is solid. We will, of course, get three new episodes of Andor this week, but that’s not the end of the Star Wars goodness, as there’s also some excellent new Star Wars content for May the Fourth. Here’s a look at what’s hitting streaming this week.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - May 1 (Disney+)

Spider-Man is the one Marvel character the studio still doesn’t completely own the movie rights to, but thanks to a deal with Sony, most of the live-action Spidey movies can now be found on Disney+. Starting May 1, the Spider-Verse grows even larger with the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse makes the jump from Netflix to Disney+.

Another Simple Favor - May 1 (Prime Video)

A Simple Favor was one of those simple, character-driven dramas that occasionally surprises with its level of success. Despite a solid box office return, the sequel, which will see both Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick return, will only be available with a Prime Video subscription.

The Four Seasons - May 1 (Netflix)

In The Four Seasons, three couples who vacation together go through major life changes over the course of one year. Based on the hit 1981 film written, directed, and starring Alan Alda, this adaptation reimagined for Netflix the story as a limited series and boasts an incredible cast including Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte.

Ocean's Franchise - May 1 (Netflix)

With reports that George Clooney and Brad Pitt may be looking to get the team back together for another Oceans 11 sequel, now may be a great time to revisit the original series. All three previous Oceans movies hit Netflix this week.

Black Bag - May 2 (Peacock)

Based on Black Bag's meager box office take, you probably didn't see it. But based on Black Bag's reviews, this spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett from the incomparable Steven Soderbergh is a movie you absolutely should see. If you've got a Peacock subscription, you can do exactly that this week.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge & Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disneyland® Resort - May 4 (Disney+)

May the Fourth is celebrated as Star Wars Day, and Disney+ usually adds something from the franchise as a way to celebrate. This year, we’ll get the animated Star Wars: Tales From the Underworld, but far more interestingly, this week, a Disney+ subscription will get you a virtual walk-through video of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, as well as a full ride-through of the incredible Rise of the Resistance attraction. One can only hope this will be the first of a new breed of Disney Parks content on Disney+ that will let us experience rides when we're not in the parks.

Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor - May 4 (Netflix)

Conan O’Brien stole the show at the Oscars this year, and his performance as host was so popular he’s already set to return next year. It’s as good a time as any for Conan O’Brien to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center. You’ll be able to watch the whole show with your Netflix subscription.

Next week, two popular series return. Fans of Conan O'Brien will get even more of him when his travel show Conan O'Brien Must Go returns, and the long wait for Season 2 of Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face finally comes to an end.

Given all of Harrison Ford’s plane crashes and other aviation mishaps, on top of his long history of on-set injuries, fans can probably be forgiven for buying into each and every story about the actor having one kind of accident or another. For instance, the Star Wars veteran’s 2015 appearance on Conan, in which he rather ham-fistedly destroyed a stellar Millennium Falcon model, could easily be taken at face value as being a soul-crushing foible. Not that it was a genuine accident.

That viral talk show clip promoting J.J. Abrams’ 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens (which arguably remains more watchable than that film itself) sparked a lot of gasps at the time, and went mostly undiscussed for years. But the Indiana Jones legend finally reflected on that silly bit of destruction with Conan O’Brien himself in the latter’s podcast, so let’s dig into how it all came together.

What Originally Happened: Harrison Ford Dropped A Huge LEGO Millennium Falcon

As a longtime self-proclaimed nerd, Conan O’Brien was as fantastic a choice as any to devote a full talk-show episode to the then-impending release of The Force Awakens, with cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o and Daisy Ridley appearing along with director J.J. Abrams. (Jimmy Kimmel Live! had its own Episode VII night two months earlier, but only had 5 of the aforementioned 9 guests.)

During the segment with Abrams and Ford, O’Brien’s longtime late night producer Jordan Schlansky initially appeared with a hilariously long-winded question about whether Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber shown in the trailer for The Force Awakens has six grips (as seen in A New Hope) or seven grips (as seen in The Empire Strikes Back). Which is really the tip-off point that none of this is an authentic experience. But then Ford is asked to sign Schlansky’s Falcon model, and mistakes are made, as seen below.

It’s such an unnatural way to drop something — flinging it back over one’s head — that it somehow makes it seem all the more realistic that it’s how Harrison Ford would instinctively handle it. Throw in him playing as if he was losing balance in his chair, and the sheen of realism is complete. Plus, nobody should ever innately want to believe that someone would purposefully smash in seconds what it took someone else many hours to build.

Harrison Ford Shares Hilarious Explanation For How It All Went Down

A little over eight years after that initial segment destroyed the Millennium Falcon, and five years after the ship suffered a similar amount of damage in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ford guested on Team Coco’s podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend for a spot that was somehow just as funny as any of the actor’s appearances on Conan or Late Night. The way the Han Solo actor extends a simple drink of water into some Conan-interrupting gargling is just aces.

In any case, when Conan brings up that one of his favorite shared moments remains the segment where Ford dropped the LEGO model, which Schlansky had set up by explaining it took him 60 hours total to craft, and that it was one of the in-home displays he was most proud of. And then kablooey, LEGO blocks everywhere! Though to be fair, Ford did sign one of the pieces for the megafan producer.

After the past and future Oscars host O'Brien thanked the esteemed thespian for taking part, Ford opened up with an amusing take on the scripted nature of the scene, and how he was asked to do it, saying:

Ford deadpanned that entire story to the point where Conan O'Brien sounded like he might offer up an excuse for even asking the Star Wars star to break the model, before Ford agreed it was funny and made the whole room crack up.

Conan O'Brien then shared this equally funny assumption about the actor's potential in the world of magic.

Find Harrison Ford surviving harsh winters as Jacob Dutton a little more than a decade before LEGO became an official company in 1923, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription.

The 97th Academy Awards seemingly went off without a hitch this year, as the ceremony honored the 2025 Oscars winners. While the show was filled with memorable moments, there was one particular person viewers seemed to be buzzing about throughout the evening. That person was none other than host Conan O’Brien, who certainly made an impression. Now, it’s been confirmed that O’Brien will officially retain his hosting duties for next year’s telecast, and the comedian marked the occasion with a funny response.

Early on Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences formally announced Conan O’Brien’s return for the 98th Academy Awards, which will air on March 15, 2026. He’ll also be joined by a host of returning producers. Given the big news, it was probably expected that the former talk show host would release a statement of sorts. O’Brien did just that in a brief way and, unsurprisingly, he did so by playfully mentioning one of the award recipients from this year’s ceremony:

During this year’s Oscars, Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his performance in the critically acclaimed historical drama The Brutalist. Brody, who’d notably given longer acceptance speeches throughout awards season, took to the stage and shared a speech that clocked in at five minutes and thirty-six seconds. With that, he now holds the record for the longest address in the show’s history. It also seemed as though Brody, who waved off the exit music, wanted to say more – hence the Conan host’s joke.

It honestly makes plenty of sense that Conan O’Brien would be tapped to host the Oscars again. Even when O’Brien was just cracking jokes about being hired for this year’s show, it was evident that he was ready to shake up the proceedings. O’Brien’s opening monologue, which featured a slew of great jokes and a scene-stealing Adam Sandler, was excellent. The host even threw in a zinger about Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

The renowned ex-Late Night host also notably found ways to make the night a bit easier for attendees. He did so by providing guests with a snack box that included a pretzel and water. Included in each pack was also a humorous letter, with which the host explained that he asked Disney (who oversees the broadcast) if he could also include a gummy as a treat. However, that was apparently a “hard pass” from the House of Mouse.

Now, fans can begin to speculate as to what Mr. O’Brien will plan for next year. It may be easier to devise theories as the 2025 movie schedule continues to unfold. That’s because many of O’Brien’s quips and bits will likely center around the biggest motion pictures of this year. I could easily imagine a barb relating to the drama surrounding Disney’s live-action Snow White remake. There’s also the chance that O’Brien could parody Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, in which the actor will perform immense stunts.

I’m personally pleased to know that Conan O’Brien will officially be hosting the Oscars a second time. His first stint as host was absolutely phenomenal, and I’ve found myself rewatching O’Brien’s bits from time to time since the show aired live. Here's hoping his second outing goes as well if not better -- and that Adrien Brody can eventually fill him in on whatever else he may have wanted to talk about.

If you’re eager to see what the host does during next year’s broadcast, be sure to watch the 98th Academy Awards on ABC or stream it with a Hulu subscription in March 2026.

Conan O’Brien had his first stint hosting the Oscars this year and based on the general reception of his performance, it won’t be his last. O’Brien got solid reviews as host, but one now has to wonder just what the show would have been like if O’Brien’s original plans for the opening had gone through.

Appearing alongside writer Mike Sweeney on his own Conan O'Zbrien Needs A Friend podcast, O'Brien discussed his experience as host of the 2025 Academy Awards. He also shared a lot of details about the things that didn’t happen. Before it was decided that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande would actually open the show, there was going to be a long video segment with Conan appearing in several nominated films, similar to something previous Oscar host Billy Crystal used to do

It seems that opening was killed when it was decided to make changes following the Southern California wildfires. Other ideas were killed instead by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who didn't like some of their ideas. O'Brien said…

The idea, according to Conan, was that a giant Oscar statue would remain completely motionless, but would be treated as if it was a person. This idea didn’t work for the Academy, not because of any of O’Brien’s particular jokes, but because having the Oscar lying down is apparently just something that is not allowed. O’Brien continued…

I’ve never thought about it, but I suppose it’s true that I’ve never seen an Oscar lying on its side, at least not in any official image from the Academy. It’s certainly not uncommon for organizations to have strict rules for how their trademarked characters or images can be portrayed, but I had no idea this was one of them.

Another Oscar rule, in case you’re curious, is that Oscar can’t wear clothes. Mike Sweeney says another part of the same sketch would have put Oscar in an apron and serving leftovers to Conan, but that was killed because Oscar must always be nude. According to Sweeney, somebody told him…

While there may have been things that Conan couldn’t do, he stresses that everybody he worked with at the Oscars and with ABC was “great’ so there are no hard feelings over the things that couldn’t be done. It sounds like the whole experience was fairly exhausting, but it also sounds like Conan O’Brien had a great time. Maybe he will be willing to do it all again next year.

The 2025 Oscars made history in its usual fashion, as the coronation of this year’s winners has added another chapter to the history books. It also saw the show being hosted by first time emcee and late night comedy legend Conan O’Brien, which was a pretty brilliant hire.

"How good was he?" you may be asking. Well, this golden comedy idol actually got me to decide to accidentally let the rest of the 97th Annual Academy Awards play while I was working. After rewatching the show, which is something I rarely ever do with The Oscars, I think that Mr. O’Brien should be allowed to host the show for as long as humanly possible.

No, this isn't Stockholm Syndrome. Also, for the sake of readability and the man of the hour’s sanity, I’ll scale that back to asking that Conan O’Brien host the 2026 Oscars. To make my case, I have a bunch of perfect moments as proof of why it’s the best choice.

The Oscars 2025 Monologue Was A Golden Start

I promise I won’t waste too much time on this point, but opening the Oscars is always key to setting the tone of the evening ahead. With a simple pre-taped joke involving The Substance, and a monologue that felt like classic Conan O’Brien magic, the night got off to an amazing start. Bonus points are also awarded for John Lithgow and Adam Sandler’s scene-stealing participation in gags that only got funnier upon revisiting them.

The Sandworm From Dune’s Special Guest Appearances

Who knew that Dune: Part Two’s sandworm was such a musical genius? Not only can the massive beast from Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster adaptation play the piano, it can also play the harp. If Hans Zimmer doesn’t tap the sandworm to help out with Dune: Messiah’s score, it’s a wasted opportunity.

Conan’s Multilinqual Greetings

The Academy Awards are a live TV staple that bring the world together for a moment. For Conan O’Brien, that meant the perfect opportunity to bust out some fun language skills, which resulted in him begging for film work in China. It’s another example of the former NBC/TBS host deploying a joke that felt like it came from the early days of his career, which I mean as only the highest form of compliment.

Nick Offerman’s Narrator Shenanigans

Being a good host is knowing when to shine and when to let others outshine you. John Lithgow helped prove that point twice during the 2025 Oscars, but Nick Offerman’s show-stopping shenanigans were just as golden of an opportunity to learn this valuable lesson. Questioning whether or not he was pressured by the night’s responsibilities, the physical voice of America gave us all a moment of laughter that only made its oaken tenor all the sweeter.

A Very Timely Kendrick Lamar/Drake Joke

Former Conan writer Skyler Higley’s Kendrick/Drake joke was the subject of a bet as to whether or not it would make it to air. Thankfully for him, and the rest of the world, that short and sweet punchline stayed - especially since Disney’s exec VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment Rob Mills told Variety he knew the joke “was going to kill” during rehearsal.

CinemaStreams: A Joke So Good, Martin Scorsese Was Part Of It

Showing off not only his late night background but also a love of cinema, another pre-taped Conan O’Brien sketch involved a very targeted skewering of streaming services. As you can watch in the clip provided below, the idea ‘of “CinemaStreams” is something that might sound so familiar you’ll bust a gut yourself:

Rob MIlls from Walt Disney TV also commented on this joke, stating that the Killers of the Flower Moon director was more than happy to be a part of this satirical joke. One only needs two guesses why Martin Scorsese would participate in a joke about going back to the cinema, and one of them doesn’t count.

The Oscar Tributes To The LA Wildfires Were Just Right

Addressing the very real tragedy of the L.A. wildfires was always going to be a sensitive subject. Too much reverence would have looked maudlin, and too little would have seemed callous - especially with repeated calls to cancel the 2025 Oscars. Between a somber, but respectful acknowledgement at the top of the show, and a segment where Los Angeles firefighters got to deliver jokes on stage, the heart of this year’s ceremony was absolutely in the right place.

A Quick Signature Conan Exit

Another reason I found myself revisiting the show was the fact that Hulu’s accidental disconnection of The Oscars led to a lot of us missing out on Best Actress and Best Picture’s announcements. In going back to see the moment myself, I was amazed how simply Conan O’Brien ended the evening.

In totality, here’s what he had to say once Anora won the night:

Throwing in his trademark salute and jump on stage to close out the night, it was a prime example of knowing your exit.

Honorary Mention: Those Adorable Snack Boxes

In my opinion, there’s two final honorary mentions that really seal the deal for Conan O’Brien’s return for the 2026 Oscars. Since they’re not TV moments, we’ll have to turn to other reports about things such as Conan’s sweet Oscar snack boxes. Complete with a note that joked about trying to include an edible, the man’s talents weren’t limited to merely a television broadcast.

Honorary Mention 2: Conan’s Backstage Medical Checkup

Now those of you who know Conan O’Brien absolutely understand that he loves to rope his writers into gags. Case in point: there is no Amazon-MGM executive named Steve Belsky, that was a role played by friend/writer Dan Cronin, as confirmed on his Instagram. However, that’s not the gag I’m highlighting as the grand finale.

Rather, it’s the return of Conan’s fake physician Dr. Arroyo that I feel really kept the fun going in a place where our Oscars 2025 live blog didn’t touch: social media. You know him from Mr. O’Brien’s memorable appearance on Hot Ones (played by actual comedian José Arroyo), but here’s the good doctor attending to our host at his moment of need:

It’s rare that a host’s energy is felt as extensively as Conan O’Brien’s was during the 2025 Oscars. Delivering a show that only he and his collaborators could, Variety’s report of a small ratings boost is part of the proof that Jeff Mills’ unofficial offer to welcome him back should absolutely be cashed in.

Of course, I’m a bit biased as a long-time fan that spans back to the Late Night with Conan O’Brien era. But can 19.7 million viewers really be that wrong? In this case, no, they cannot.

The 97th Academy Awards brough plenty of laughs to the 2025 TV schedule, largely thanks to first-time host Conan O’Brien and his hilarious opening monologue. The former late night mainstay returned to live TV in spectacular fashion, with one joke in particular — a sharp jab at Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s ongoing feud — became an instant viral moment. But as it turns out, one of the award show’s writers was so confident in the joke’s success that they made a bet on it.

Roughly halfway through the broadcast (which we live-blogged with reckless abandon), during a break between Oscars being handed out, O’Brien delivered a perfectly timed quip referencing Kendrick Lamar’s now-infamous Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance.

Conan O'Brien's Drake Joke

After the joke went viral, Oscars writer Skyler Higley took to X to share a behind-the-scenes bet he made. And honestly, it’s hard not to respect the confidence.

The Drake Joke Wager

Before the joke had even made it onto the teleprompter, Higley was so sure it would land that he decided to put money on it.

The joke landed immediately, sparking a mix of laughter and shocked reactions inside the Dolby Theatre. And within minutes, fans and viewers quoting and sharing it all over social media platforms. But for one person behind the scenes, the joke’s success wasn’t just about delivering a great punchline—it also came with a small cash prize.

A bold move—and one that paid off. That has to be one of the most satisfying ways to make a quick fifty bucks. The writer seems to think so, writing:

For comedy writers, predicting what will land with an audience is part of the job, but it rarely comes with an actual wager. Higley, a seasoned writer with credits on CONAN and @midnight, clearly knew he had a winner. The bet adds an extra layer of humor to the moment—after all, it’s one thing to write a joke for millions to hear, but it’s another to be so confident in its impact that you’re willing to gamble on it.

Since Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show, he's been the center of attention—especially after taking such a public shot at Drake. In “Not Like Us,” Lamar didn’t hold back, firing off direct shots at Drake, including calling him a "colonizer" and dropping a line that had the internet buzzing: "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor." But one of the most brutal moments came when he altered a particularly scathing lyric. Instead of fully delivering the line, "Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles"—a reference to Drake’s 2021 album Certified Lover Boy—deliberately leaving off the last word.

When Conan O’Brien delivered that joke at the Oscars, it was not just a witty remark but a brilliant nod to one of the year’s most significant moments in music. The genius behind the joke belongs to Skyler Higley, who is now fifty dollars richer for it.

The 2025 Academy Awards had its share of surprises, but certainly nothing on par with the 2022 ceremony, which included one of the most famous unscripted moments in Oscars history when Will Smith came on stage to slap Chris Rock in the face.

Rock wasn’t hosting the Oscars that night, but he has hosted in the past. Certainly any decision to host again would involve revisiting the scene of the moment, which would have people talking about it again... something Rock might not want. But when speaking with E! After last night’s ceremony, the comedian didn’t shut the door on the possibility of returning to host, saying…

It certainly sounds like Chris Rock is willing to move on from the Oscar slap moment, and if that’s the case, then seeing him return to the Oscars stage, as either a presenter or as a host, is at least possible. It's a bit of a change from him. Back in 2019 Rock said he had no interest in hosting again.

That being said, for the next few years if Rock did return it wouldn’t require him to interact with Will Smith in any way. Smith was banned for a decade from attending the ceremony, and so there are still several years left on that punishment.

Still, it doesn’t sound like Chris Rock is necessarily considering a future gig as Oscars host, at least not after last night. When asked what he thought of Conan O’Brien’s performance, Rock could not have been more complimentary, saying it was so good they hope he’s asked back every year. Rock said…

Rock’s comments seem to be on par with many who thought O’Brien’s first outing as Oscar host was solid if not fantastic. Considering there have been years when it has been seemingly difficult for the Oscars to find a host if O’Brien wants to do it again, it seems a strong possibility it could happen.

There have been some great hosts over the years who have done such a good job that they were asked to host multiple times. Johnny Carson hosted five times, Billy Crystal hosted nine times and the iconic Bob Hope did it 19 times. Perhaps, if O’Brien does become a frequent host going forward, he could find his own name on that list. He’ll only need to host a couple more times to have done it more than Chris Rock.

The 2025 Oscars finally arrived as part of the 2025 TV schedule last night, with Conan O’Brien hosting the ceremony. O'Brien's opening monologue and subsequent jokes were mostly well received, as he got in some great zingers. Regardless of any thoughts on his work, though, he deserves a lot of credit for providing snacks during the event. Although, funny enough, Disney had an objection when it came to one of the treats he wanted to give audience members.

Overall, the 97th Academy Awards were full of surprises. Among them were Mikey Madison's Best Actress win and I'm Still Here taking Best International Feature. What I really wasn't expecting, though, was for the 2025 Oscar winners, and the rest of the audience, to receive goodie boxes left by Mr. O’Brien. A pretzel and water bottle were among the offerings. There was also a note, which revealed the item Disney said was a “hard pass”:

As funny as the inclusion of a gummy would've been, I can understand why the House of Mouse would've been hesitant to offer that. Regardless, that brief letter was a nice touch and is very much in line with the former TV talk show host's comedic style. The treats that were offered represented a sweet gesture, as the evening does get long, and talent can get hungry during it. (Still, I wonder how many stars in the room would’ve appreciated a gummy.)

All the same, many in the comments of the X post were praising the Simpsons alum’s hosting efforts and the care package he left for celebrities and seat fillers. Take a look:

• Wait this is so cute of him, i’m sure they appreciated this! - @ArianaG2007Love
• Truly the GOAT - @DrLondonSmith
• Wait, how can i be a seat filler? - @J13_13F
• [Conan O'Brien,] You’re kicking butt tonight! Thanks for the memories. - @maureen14733
• Host of the decade. - @hannahowo_usa

Conan O'Brien -- an experienced comedian and host -- dished out plenty of great comedy bits. (You can see some of his highlights with CinemaBlend's live blog of the Academy Awards.) All in all, I'd say he made a serious splash at the show in the best possible way.

Of course, now that the 2024 awards season is over, fans can really turn their attention to the 2025 movie schedule as it continues to unfold. And, interestingly enough, the aforementioned Oscars host has a film on the docket. O'Brien's role in the new A24 movie, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, has already garnered positive buzz, and one has to wonder if he'll find himself at the Oscars as a nominee around this time next year.

Regardless, I'm never going to forget Conan O’Brien's snack box gifts, and that kind of gesture is just one reason why he should be tapped to host again. I would hope that he would distribute more snacks if he returns. Just don't expect a gummy to be involved, should Disney continue to hold the rights to the broadcast. If you’d like to rewatch this year's Academy Awards, you can stream it with a Hulu subscription.

“Not Like Us” and the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake have now been highlighted for a third time in a seriously major way on the 2025 TV schedule. First, Kendrick Lamar won multiple Grammys for his track "Not Like Us," sending the internet into a spiral about his ongoing feud with Drake. Then, he made waves again when he performed the song at the Super Bowl. Now, Drake is catching strays as Conan O'Brien made a joke about his feud with Lamar while hosting the 2025 Oscars, and the internet can't get over it.

About halfway through the 97th Academy Awards, during a break from the 2025 Oscars being handed out, Conan O'Brien came out to say:

Of course, considering all the talk about Kendrick Lamar and Drake over the last two months, this joke is painstakingly relevant at the moment.

Ever since Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, folks can't stop talking about him namedropping Drake during his performance. And "Not Like Us" has become an uber viral song on social media. So, O'Brien's joke made sense and was a funny callback to the "All the Stars" rapper's halftime show.

Obviously, the people of the internet couldn't get over this, and they were quick to post memes about it. One featured a callback to a hilarious John Lithgow bit from the monologue, as @jemelehill posted a photo of the disappointed actor on their feed while poking fun at the joke O’Brien made:

Meanwhile, many other memes were in play as people reacted to this bit. @__chloeconnor had a funny post about it all, uploading:

When Lamar performed “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl it seemed like many reacted in a “Damn, he really just did that" sort of way. That’s the reaction @dutchesspirm had to the Oscar host’s joke, as they posted:

Others were shocked that Drake caught shade at the Grammys, Super Bowl AND Oscars. @SheaSerrano was one of those folks, as they posted:

Others were posting memes about how Drake can't seem to escape the "Not Like Us" discourse. @ditzkoff used this meme from The Simpsons to make that point:

The Grammys, the Super Bowl and the Oscars aren’t just three of the biggest televised events of the first few months of the year, they are three different industries' biggest events, period. So, I’m not surprised that fans are reacting to this Oscars joke in such a big way.

Overall, this discourse reiterates just how massive this beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is. "Not Like Us" was a big deal before all this, but it's become a major pop culture moment due to these massive public performances and references over the last few months – heck, even the CBS sitcom Ghosts used the track to poke fun at a feud on its show.

So, in a lot of ways, both Conan O'Brien's joke and the internet's reaction to it, make sense.

Last year was great for movies, and there were a great number released worthy of awards and recognition... and yet, my most anticipated aspect of the 2025 Oscars has been excitement for Conan O'Brien. I have been a fan of his work for decades, and being the host of the Academy Awards is a terrific gig for him. That in mind, it was not a surprise at all that I very much enjoyed his monologue to open the event... but I definitely was surprised that Adam Sandler managed to upstage him and steal the show.

After a terrific recorded intro parodying The Substance (CinemaBlend's favorite film of 2024), Conan O'Brien began the Oscars with some sharp material poking fun an nominees and nominated titles – joking that nobody knows what Dune: Part Two is about and that a record for most F-bombs would have been set by Anora if not for those screamed by Karla Sofía Gascón's publicist. But the set really piqued when the host made a point about the Academy Awards being a classy affair with a very strict dress code. He then pointed directly ay Adam Sandler in the audience, who was dressed in a blue sweatshirt and basketball shorts:

O'Brien and Sandler then proceeded to get in a fake fight – with the latter claiming that nobody cared about his outfit prior to him getting the spotlight shined on him. This "conflict" then reached it's conclusion with Sandler storming out of the auditorium and telling everyone that they can meet up with him later for a midnight pickup basketball game.

I doubt he will, but I am keeping fingers crossed that Adam Sandler lives up to his promise and shows up for a game of hoops in the middle of the night in Los Angeles once all of the Oscars parties are done.

It's always great to see Adam Sandler get stirred into a lather (it has been comedy gold since the 1990s), but there were a number of wonderful highlights from the Oscars opener with energy that any fans of classic Conan bits should recognize. For example, it was amazing to see him get John Lithgow in on a joke: if award recipients go long in their acceptance speeches, they won't get played off the stage by music, but instead will earn the extreme disappointment of the Conclave star:

Also very enjoyable was Conan's threat of exposing early headshots that stars in the audience might not want to be publicized. He made a point of backing up his threat by making a Guns n' Roses joke at Guy Pearce's expense:

That being said, his shot at Zoe Sandaña did not quite work. While the host's goal was to try and make the Emilia Perez star feel silly, he instead just proved that she hasn't aged in decades:

Hopefully the rest of the Academy Awards broadcast will be just as fun as how it began, and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend throughout the night for all of our coverage of the event. As I write this, the show is still airing, and you can watch the Oscars on ABC and stream it through various online services.

One of the most prestigious entertainment events in 2025 TV, the 97th Academy Awards have finally arrived with all of the luxurious glitz and glamour that’s expected from Hollywood’s biggest night. The majority of this year’s Oscar nominees have walked the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, with plenty of fashion highs, lows and in-betweens to go along with the awards themselves culminating in seeing which Best Picture nominee will win the final trophy.

We’re live-blogging the night’s highs, lows and in-betweens when it comes to those fashion choices, the big winners and their speeches, the snubs and reactions, and of course, the Conan O’Brien of it all.

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CINEMABLEND'S 2025 OSCARS LIVE BLOG

Welcome, welcome! ABC’s official Oscars Red Carpet special is now underway, but before we get into all that, here are a few highlights that were witnessed during E!’s build-up to tonight’s ceremony.

• Both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande look amazing in their Wicked-honoring dresses — Erivo in Louis Vuitton and Grande in Schiaparelli Couture — and Erivo deserves to win the EGOT for her dress alone. But as our sister site Marie Claire points out, Grande’s dress (crafted in part with stylist Mimi Cuttrell) features a bubble-inspired sheer skirt that boasts around 190,000 crystals.
• Whoopi Goldberg's dress from Christian Siriano is shimmery Old Hollywood glam in all the ways, similar to Selena Gomez's classic and classy look (from Ralph Loren) is paying homage to Sophia Loren, with 16,000 glass droplets and Rosemont crystals affixed to it.

• Speaking of old(er) Hollywood, Whoopi Goldberg also brought up her favorite Oscars memory being when her former co-host Billy Crystal was wheeled out onto the stage dressed as Hannibal Lecter.
• Timothée Chalamet looks kind of like he's cosplaying as the "yellow hat" worn by Curious George's The Man in the Yellow hat, but I say that in the most respectful and positive way possible. His monochromatic look is somehow both stylish and comfortable-looking, and just makes me want to slow down in traffic for some reason.
• Loving the women-in-suits looks from such talents as Lena Waithe and The White Lotus breakout Lisa, though the latter is technically still wearing a dress.
• Doja Cat's cheetah dress from Balmain — inspired by 1950 looks, with millions of sequins on it — apparently took dozens of artists thousands of hours to hand-apply everything on the dress. And the look is a stunner that she'll apparently be changing out of later on in the night. Put it in a museum.

Amy Poehler’s advice to her friend and Oscars host Conan O’Brien:

Time will tell whether or not he successfully alters his height for the evening and/or makes any foot-related outfit decisions.

Severance EP and frequent director Ben Stiller paying tribute to Gene Hackman on the red carpet:

For those wondering, Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums was the movie they co-starred in together.

Zoe Saldaña looks great in her dark-red custom Saint Laurent dress, but something she noted during her red carpet interview might make Emilia Pérez's Golden Globes wins seem suspish:

Shots not really fired.

Sing Sing Colman Domingo is one of several celebs making the red trend work spendidly at this year's Oscars, having worked with stylist Alessandro Michele for a custom Valentino suit that makes the already stylish celeb that much more vibrant amidst his colleagues and competitors.

Jeremy Strong talking to Jesse Palmer felt like both sides of the entertainment spectrum awkwardly trying to get past each other down a narrow grocery store aisle.

But we survived, and just in time for the show to start!

OPENING PERFORMANCE: Instead of having host Conan O'Brien kick off this year's Oscars with the usual batch of laughs, viewers got to witness a show-stopping pair of standalone performances from Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande ("Somewhere Over the Rainbow") and Cynthia Erivo (The Wiz's "Home") before they paired up on "Defying Gravity" and got everyone in the building on their feet. How can they go anywhere but downhill from here?

This X post sums things up accordingly:

Yessss to the visual of Conan O'Brien crawling out of Demi Moore's body (and then returning to look for his shoe) in a ridiculous nod to The Substance. I have to hope this will be the case for every film nominated this year.

CONAN'S OPENING MONOLOGUE: Rating - A+

Starting off with some energetic cries for the still-sat audience to sit down, Conan O'Brien brought out his signature self-deprecation and off-the-cuff demeanor. A sample joke about one of the year's big nominees:

His comment about Timothée Chalamet's yellow suit:

Love that suit. You will not get hit on your bike tonight.

About the Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas drama that wasn't nominated, Babygirl:

O'Brien also joked about cutting to John Lithgow looking not angry, but slightly disappointed, if winners' speeches take too long. And anyone who keeps talking will get their early acting headshots shown to audiences. (Chalamet's first headshot was an ultrasound pic. Classic.)

Adam Sandler totally made the opening monologue a winner by popping up in his sweats for a high-decibel appearance that had him also showering Chalamet with praise before he left the auditorium, having been insulted by Conan.

Another musical moment featured Dancing Deadpool, the Sandworm from Dune 2 playing the piano and more. And it ended with him noting that the show was already running four minutes overtime.

I hope this doesn't mean he'll only appear once in the back half of the show.

AWARD #1: ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)

Kieran Culkin got the first bleeped speech of the night with this one after calling out former Succession co-star Jeremy Strong's performance in The Apprentice, and then cursing again when noting he couldn't curse.

Culkin then dipped into a wild story that called back to referencing a baby-related wager with his wife that came up during his 2024 Emmys speech, and said that bet went a step further at that point, and she said she would have his desired fourth child if he won an Oscar.

And now....

Kieran Culkin's performances literally bring new people into the world. There's no award for that, and also not one for best speech, no matter how much we'd like to campaign for it.

AWARD #2: Animated Feature Film - Flow

To preface this, presenters Andrew Garfield and Goldie Hawn were pretty adorable together before announcing the noms and winner. There are ways that Garfield's praise could have come across as weirdly scripted or sleazy, but it was very sweet.

Director and co-writer Gints Zilbalodis took the stage with co-writer Matīss Kaža and producers Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman, noting that the adult-skewing animated film was the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award. As Zilbalodis put it:

AWARD #3: Animated Short Film - In the Shadow of the Cypress

Iranian co-directors Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi took the stage for a slightly chaotic speech due to both language barriers and what seems like it might have been a stressful afternoon. According to Molayemi:

Sounds like the kind of thing that would happen to me. Although "directing an Oscar-winning short film" does not sound like me at all.

AWARD #4: Costume Design - Paul Tazewell (Wicked)

With this historic win, Paul Tazewell is now the first Black man to win an Oscar for Costume Design, and I think many watching at home probably saw this one coming. His looks even semi-inspired some of the best red carpet looks of the awards season, so three cheers for Tazewell.

The costumer designer definitely shouted out Wicked's dynamic duo in his speech, saying:

Less importantly, and more comedically: Lily Rose-Depp, John Lithgow, Connie Nielsen, Elle Fanning, and Bowen Yang took the stage, with Yang humorously missing the memo that they weren’t meant to be dressing up as the characters from their nominated films, and he came decked out as Wicked’s Pfannee. Leading to him declaring Lithgow as the eventual winner for Least Supportive Best Friend.

Lukewarm take: Nick Offerman should be the voiceover guy for most things in the future.

AWARD #5: Original Screenplay - Sean Baker (Anora)

Gotta love an award that gets preceded by Nick Offerman poking fun at his former Parks and Rec co-star Amy Poehler.

And props to Sean Baker, who gave thanks to the sex worker community for their influence and impact on crafting the acclaimed film's screenplay.

AWARD #6: Adapted Screenplay - Peter Straughan (Conclave)

Peter Straughan's speech was a nice one, and without any satirical jokes that Conan likely would have written for it. But he did call out his daughter in a pretty funny way, saying:

Conan O'Brien slayed me for announcing Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb to the stage as "My hall passes," and then dubbed them Scar-Jo and Ju-Squoo.

AWARD #7: Makeup and Hairstyling - Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli (The Substance)

Gotta love seeing Demi Moore looking not just stunning, but also loving and appreciative as Pierre-Olivier Persin gave his thank-you speech.

Die Another Day star Halle Berry took the stage to pay tribute to Barbara and Michael Broccoli family for their many years of spearheading the James Bond franchise, though that relationship came to an end when the family transferred the rights over to Amazon MGM.

Fans weren't only treated to a series of clips from past Bond films, though those were obviously also shown. No stranger to dancing, The Substance co-star Margaret Qualley took the stage with a number of tuxedo-wearing Bond-abees for a choreographed number.

Then Thai superstar Lisa came out in a different outfit from her tux-dress for a lively performance of "Live and Let Die."

But holy shit, Doja Cat's "Diamonds Are Forever" dress...

And it turns out if you can't get Adele on the stage to sing her Oscar-winning theme for "Skyfall," then bringing in UK singer/songwriter Raye is a more-than-suitable substitute. She killed it, right down to that final high note.

Someone who was clearly moved was the latest M portrayer to hit the big screen, Ralph Fiennes, who apepared to be choked up a bit.

I'm not even much of a Bond fanatic, and I'll probably give each of these performances a re-listen in the coming days.

AWARD #8: Film Editing - Sean Baker (Anora)

Sean Baker landed his second Oscar win after previously winning for Original Screenplay. He joked about the importance of editing by jabbing his own directorial efforts, saying:

Baker is also the second winner of the night to thank their dog, by my count. Shout out to Bunsen/Bunson.

Another lukewarm take: Da'Vine Joy Randolph should get All-Time Nominations Announcer, and other celebs can just stand around her on the stage.

AWARD #9: Actress in a Supporting Role - Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

Unsurprisingly, Zoe Saldaña capped off her highly successful awards season by winning the Oscar and delivering what has been the most emotional speech of the night so far. And was the only one to date where someone screamed "Mommy!" several times.

Saldaña's win for portraying Emilia Pérez's Rita Mora Castro was another groundbreaking victory, as the actress herself addressed in her speech after pointing out her hubby's gorgeous hair. As she put it:

Here's to Ben Stiller still reminding everyone how funny he is while presenting the award for Production Design from a constantly raising and falling set.

AWARD #10: Production Design - Wicked (Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales)

AWARD #11: Original Song - "El Mal" from Emilia Pérez (Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard)

As Mick Jagger came out to present, he noted that the Academy wanted Bob Dylan to present, but that all of the nominees this year were Complete Unknowns. Dad jokes for grandfather-aged musicians. Gotta love it.

The trio of Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacque Audiard also took home the win for best song at the Golden Globes, but that speech didn't end on the highly awkward moment of orchestra music playing as Camille and Ducol were in the middle of their own a capella performance.

Conan O'Brien's wildest joke of the night so far:

Understandably, that joke got some attention on social media.

AWARD #12: Documentary Short Film - The Only Girl in the Orchestra

Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington took the stage for a sweet speech that was unfortunately interrupted by the music, which is NOT a good sign for the rest of tonight's speeches. That's two in a row.

AWARD #13: Documentary Feature Film - No Other Land

The directing quartet of Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham took the stage, with Adra speaking to being a new father, and hoping that she's able to live the kind of life that he couldn't, in a more understanding and welcoming world. Abraham then took the mic and made one of the first outwardly political statements of the telecast when speaking about equality for Palestinians, saying:

A welcome and deserved standing ovation and tribute to the Los Angeles Fire Department for their ceaseless efforts to combat the destructive wildfire season. Even Conan O'Brien nodded and said thank you, as if he had anything to do with all the heroism.

But he did get some of them to share some cornball jokes that even he didn't want to say, such as the following:

Yowzahhh!

AWARD #14: Sound - Dune: Part Two (Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill)

Whoever paired Miley Cyrus and Miles Teller together to present the award for Sound...better luck next time.

This win marked the third time someone was cut off by music, and I'm kind of shocked Conan didn't bring out the instrument-playing Sandworm again. We've seen it play a piano and harp so far, but what about a kazoo?

AWARD #15: Visual Effects - Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer)

Gal Gadot's height advantage over Rachel Zegler could almost be a feat of visual effects if it wasn't just plain reality.

While in the background, Zegler looked just as overjoyed for the quartet's win as they did.

And somehow, still nothing from the Sandworm?

I know Ana de Armas was already in a James Bond movie, but gaw-damn, they look right in line to join the next franchise entry.

AWARD #16: Live-Action Short Film - I'm Not a Robot

Writer-director Victoria Warmerdam's speech was sadly cut short by the music, but the award is more important anyway.

Morgan Freeman paying tribute to Gene Hackman following his shocking death was a poignant way to kick off the In Memoriam segment, which featured a slew of talented Hollywood vets like M. Emmet Walsh, Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Teri Garr, Cheng Pei-Pei, Robert Towne, Donald Sutherland, David Lynch and many more, all to the emotional harmonies of an on-stage choir. Fitting that the lineup of tributes would end with Hackman himself.

AWARD #17: Cinematography - The Brutalist (Lol Crawley)

Joe Alwyn, Dave Bautista, Alba Rohrwacher, Zeo Saldaña, and Willem Dafoe took the stage for the presentation, and I do enjoy having stars from respective films speaking to why the category's nominees are deserving of recognition and the potential win. And Alwyn went to bat for Lol Crawley, who did indeed get the win.

AWARD #18: International Feature Film - I’m Still Here (Brazil)

The awards are coming fast and furious now, and Penelope Cruz was a solid choice to present the award for International Feature Film. The highly acclaimed political biographical drama's director Walter Salles shared a solid speech that was the latest to face orchestral send-offs.

Mark Hamill being played out to the Star Wars theme is great, and the timing is not suspect at all, coming after Conan O'Brien made a politically charged joke about Anora.

AWARD #19: Original Score - The Brutalist (Daniel Blumberg)

The soft-spoken Daniel Blumberg shared a sweet speech that initially showered praise on The Brutalist's director Brady Corben, saying:

To pay tribute to the late, great music producer and career-blower-upper Quincy Jones (who passed away in November 2024), the Oscars really held to his "Q" nickname with a trio of queens. The Color Purple co-stars Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg took the stage to share some memories and praise for the Grammy-amassing talent.

The duo then introduced Queen Latifah for the night's second The Wiz-inspired performance for "Ease on Down the Road."

The performance was a banger, and even Queen called out front-row stars who were up on their feet and dancing, such as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. I wonder why they were dancing. Hmmm. If only I had some wicked good clues to go by. And now I've offered up a dad joke worse than what Mick Jagger delivered.

This is a better thought to end that performance on.

AWARD #20: Actor in a Lead Role - Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)

Lightning has struck once again for Adrien Brody, who was once the youngest Best Actor winner for The Pianist, and the appreciation within him was on full display in his long speech. He spoke to the length of his career between that first win and now, saying:

The actor shared a list of thank-yous after the above, and the music tried to stop Adrien Brody's extended speech, but he shushed them right up. At least until they started playing again a minute or so later, and he left the stage.

Social media wasn't so happy about this win for one reason or thirty others, with A.I.-related complaints making up a chunk of them.

AWARD #21: Directing - Sean Baker (Anora)

The two-time Oscar-winning legend himself Quentin Tarantino took the stage with trés-casual vibes to present the Oscar for Best Director. And upon winning and accepting the trophy, Sean Baker started his third speech of the night by speaking directly to his fellow filmmaker:

I love how gleeful Baker seemed to be on stage, implying he maybe didn't expect to be standing up there. And since he mentioned it was him mom's birthday, let's all give her some rousing happy returns. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEAN BAKER'S MOM!

AWARD #22: Actress in a Leading Role - Mikey Madison (Anora)

Something of a stunner upset for first-time nominee Demi Moore after all of her pre-Oscar wins, Anora's Mikey Madison took home the Oscar for Best Actress, paying tribute those she worked with behind the scenes of the film.

Demi Moore didn't exactly look pleased, but did clap for Madison as her speech concluded. But social media was a bit more vocal about the displeasure over The Substance's star losing out.

And then there's this, which isn't quite right, given Susan Lucci's many nominations prior to her first win, but still.

Just saying, could we get Conan O'Brien and Billy Crystal as Oscar hosts next year? And make the telecast like 5 hours long? But if only one of those happens, I'd understand, as long as it's the first one.

AWARD #23: Best Picture - Anora

Welcomed to the stage by When Harry Met Sally's Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, Anora producer Alex Coco dedicated the Best Picture win to his son born in October during the same week of Anora's release. Cute.

Fellow producer Samantha Quan also shared some impassioned words before director Sean Baker, who is now as familiar with the Oscars stage as Conan O'Brien himself, shared the following inspirational thoughts:

I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly indepent film. This film was made on the blood, sweat and tears of amazing indie artists. And, um, long live independent film.

From his mouth to Hollywood God's ears.

And that's all she wrote! This year's Oscars delivered a lot of the wins everyone expected, though Anora''s partial sweep definitely shook things up the most.

Thank you to everyone who followed along with me during the telecast and its earlier-than-normal start time. And the same appreciation goes to anyone choosing to read along after everything is said and done. See you next year (and probably for the next several upcoming 2025 awards shows).

With the 2025 Oscar nominations announced and awards season underway, it's a great time to look back at Academy Awards history. As Hollywood prepares for its biggest night, the Oscars will honor exceptional filmmaking, continuing a nearly century-old tradition.

A persistent debate is whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences should create a separate category for stunt work. Given the remarkable feats seen in some of the best action movies, such as Mission: Impossible, John Wick, and Mad Max: Fury Road, many argue, like Jason Statham, who is a major advocate for stunt performers, that stunt coordinators and performers deserve recognition alongside cinematographers, editors, and visual effects artists.

While we can go back and forth about whether stunts should get their own Oscar category, what’s even more surprising is that over the years, the Academy has actually removed several categories that used to exist. Some of them make sense—Silent Film-era awards that became obsolete—but others leave you wondering why they ever got the axe in the first place.

Here are some of the most fascinating Academy Awards categories that were once part of Oscar history but have since been left in the past.

Academy Juvenile Award (1935–1960)

Before child stars with tons of charisma like Anna Paquin (The Piano) or Tatum O’Neal (Paper Moon) won competitive Oscars, there was an entirely separate award dedicated to recognizing kids actors. The Academy Juvenile Award was an honorary award given to outstanding performances by young actors deemed too young to compete in the regular acting categories.

The very first recipient? Shirley Temple received the award in 1935 at just six years old. Other famous winners include Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz), Mickey Rooney, and Hayley Mills.

While it was a great way to highlight young talent, the Academy eventually phased it out in 1960, leaving child actors to compete against their adult counterparts—something that rarely happens due to the sheer competition and industry politics.

Best Engineering Effects (1928)

Long before Best Visual Effects became a staple of the Oscars, the Academy recognized technical wizardry with the short-lived Best Engineering Effects category. Created in 1928 for the very first Academy Awards, it was meant to honor groundbreaking technical achievements in filmmaking.

The one and only winner of the category? Wings (1927), the first film to ever win Best Picture–in a long list of Best Picture winners. The movie’s stunning aerial combat sequences were revolutionary for the time and set the standard for war films to come.

After that, the Academy decided to merge the idea of recognizing technical innovations into the Scientific and Technical Awards, which are given out in a separate ceremony today.

Best Title Writing (1929)

This one is definitely a product of its time. During the era of some of the best silent movies, the only way to convey dialogue and exposition was through title cards—those interstitial screens with written text. The Academy decided to honor the art of crafting these cards with the Best Title Writing category at the very first Oscars in 1929.

The first and only winner was Joseph W. Farnham, who wrote title cards for multiple films that year. But once talkies took over, title cards became obsolete, and the category was dropped entirely.

Imagine if it had evolved into something like Best Subtitles or Closed Captioning—now that would be an interesting modern-day equivalent.

Best Unique and Artistic Picture (1929)

The very first Academy Awards featured two Best Picture categories: Outstanding Picture (which became the Best Picture category we know today) and Best Unique and Artistic Picture, which was meant to honor films that were particularly innovative or visually striking.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), a silent film by F.W. Murnau, was the first–and you guessed it–the only winner of the award. The flick remains one of the most visually breathtaking films ever made.

The idea was scrapped after the first year in favor of a single Best Picture category, but some have argued that it could have evolved into something like a Best Cinematic Innovation award, which could have honored visually bold films like one of the best sci-fi films of all time, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Mad Max: Fury Road.

Best Dance Direction (1935–1937)

If you’ve ever been wowed by the elaborate dance numbers in classic Hollywood musicals, you might be surprised to learn that there was once an Oscar category specifically for choreographers.

From 1935 to 1937, Best Dance Direction recognized choreographers who created outstanding musical numbers in Hollywood films. Busby Berkeley, the legendary choreographer behind kaleidoscopic dance sequences in Gold Diggers of 1935 and Footlight Parade, was a major presence in the category.

However, after only three years, the Academy folded choreography into the broader Best Original Song and Best Musical Score categories, even though choreography itself wasn’t being honored. With the resurgence of musicals like La La Land and West Side Story in past years, and with Wicked being a critical and financial hit recently, some argue that bringing back a Best Choreography Oscar wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Hey, can we make some changes in time for the upcoming Wicked: For Good as it approaches its 2025 movie release?

Best Original Story (1928–1956)

Today, we have Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, but back in the day, there was a separate category called Best Original Story.

This award was given to the writer who came up with the idea for a film, even if they didn’t write the actual screenplay. For example, Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett won for The Lost Weekend (1945) despite Wilder also winning Best Screenplay for the same movie.

The Academy eventually realized that it didn’t make sense to separate “original story” from “screenplay,” so they merged the categories into Best Original Screenplay in 1957.

Best Assistant Director (1933–1937)

Hollywood productions skyrocketed in the 1930s, and directing a film—especially a large-scale production—was becoming increasingly massive. Enter Best Assistant Director, an Oscar awarded to recognize the hard work of second-unit and assistant directors.

This category lasted from 1933 to 1937, during which multiple assistant directors would win in a single year. However, as filmmaking became more streamlined, the category was phased out, though many assistant directors today would probably love to see it make a return.

Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing (1963–2019)

For years, the Oscars handed out two separate sound awards: Best Sound Editing (which recognized the creation of sound effects) and Best Sound Mixing (which honored how all audio elements were blended together in post-production).

However, in 2020, the Academy combined these into a single Best Sound category. While it was meant to simplify things, some industry professionals feel that it was a loss, as the two disciplines are distinctly different.

Could Some Categories Make a Comeback Or Be Added

The Academy has evolved a lot over the years, dropping and adding categories as filmmaking has changed. For instance, just last year, the Academy announced a new category (the first addition since 2001) for Best Achievement in Casting, which is set to take effect during the 98th Academy Awards, i.e. the 2026 ceremony covering the 2025 films. While some of these categories make sense as relics of their time (Best Title Writing, for example), others (Best Choreography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Story) might actually have a case for making a return.

Meanwhile, the debate over stunt performers getting their own category rages on. Suppose the Academy can recognize makeup artists, sound editors, and visual effects supervisors. Why not the incredible people putting their bodies on the line for some of Hollywood’s most thrilling moments? It makes sense to me.

As we look toward the future of the Oscars, maybe it's time to not just consider new categories but also revisit some old ones that still have merit. The 97th Academy Awards premiere Sunday, March 2 7E / 4P which will be televised LIVE on ABC and can be streamed for those with a Hulu subscription.