The first thing out of my mouth when I saw the news that Conan O’Brien would be hosting the 97th Oscars taking place this March was not quite safe for work. It was pure shock as the former late night host, podcaster and, more recently, viral hit from his Hot Ones appearance was never in my mind as a potential Oscars host. My shock quickly turned to excitement as I thought of just how much fun it could be to have O’Brien emcee Hollywood’s biggest night.
O’Brien was — still is honestly — my favorite late night personality, as his zany antics and outrageous humor were so much fun to watch over the years (some I still watch on occasion on YouTube). Though he ended his late night show in 2021, I’m an avid listener to his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and loved watching his Max travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go (season 2 is on the way).
With that being the case, of course I’m obviously excited to see what one of my favorite comedians is going to have in store to keep the Oscars telecast a lively experience. But my fandom is not the reason why I believe O’Brien could be one of the better Oscar hosts in recent years. It’s the fact that O’Brien was such a left field pick.
Everyone says that hosting the Oscars is a thankless job. You do well, nobody cares, as success usually means you didn’t do or say anything stupid or make the traditionally three hour-plus broadcast feel longer than it already is. You do poorly, you get raked over the coals for a bit. And if you’re actively part of the industry, there are some inherent risks in poking fun at your peers that have the potential to impact you in the future.
O’Brien is at a point in his career where those risks are minimized. He’s not a late night host anymore, so he doesn’t have to appease a network in fear of losing his job or anything. He’s also likely not too concerned about impressing or pissing off any Hollywood bigwigs, as a movie career does not seem to be of any real interest to him. Yet while he’s not heavily involved in the moviemaking industry, he and his schtick is a known entity from the last 30-plus years that his bits aren’t likely going to be jarring or misunderstood by the audience.
O’Brien also has experience handling this type of show before, as he hosted the Emmys twice. Experience matters, that’s why you typically see Oscar hosts that get more than one shot at it feel more comfortable and run a smoother show.
We had that consistency in recently at the Oscars with Jimmy Kimmel hosting the last two years and four times overall. Kimmel was about as good as you want from a host, but it typically felt safe. That’s not a bad thing as you try to appease a wide base, but the only memorable bit I remember from his stints was joking he’d award a jet ski to the person with the shortest acceptance speech (though he did a commendable job trying to handle the Moonlight/La La Land snafu).
With O’Brien, I honestly have no idea what he could have in store, and that’s thrilling. Yet I’m also not worried about him crossing the line; years on TV, he knows how to push the edge without crossing it. This could be a one time thing for O’Brien (gone are the days of Bob Hope hosting nearly every year, or Billy Crystal’s impressive run of outings), but I could also see this be part of a new chapter in O’Brien’s career should it be something he wants to become a part of his brand.
All in all, O’Brien has a great mix of self-deprecation (see his post where he shared that he is hosting the Oscars), irreverence but also a respect for the history of show business that I believe could make him a great Oscar host. While I’m always excited to see what Oscar nominees end up winning the big awards at the ceremony, this year I’ll be most excited to see what O’Brien does to put his own spin on Oscar night.
The 97th Oscars take place on March 2, 2025, at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.
