Conan O'Brien's Oscars Secret: Why He Cut Jokes Backstage

Conan O’Brien’s 2025 Oscars routine was in the works right up until the last moment.

Behind the scene, it appears that the host’s seemingly effortless emceeing was actually carefully planned. His monologue, which included subtle jabs at Emilia Pérez, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Timothee Chalamet, was not improvised but rather thoughtfully constructed.

He shared an exclusive detail with TopMob News at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars party: “For months prior, there was the anticipation and preparation that felt endless. But once we put in all that hard work, I found myself eager to perform. The audience was fantastic – they were full of laughter, which was a relief.

But even with the preparation there were some jokes that, in the moment, Conan opted to leave out.

At times, he admitted, you might find a funny joke but choose not to tell it because it doesn’t seem appropriate. As a result, we made numerous adjustments backstage. Sometimes, you realize ‘This alternative is funnier,’ or you come up with something spontaneous on the spot, and those instances can be truly fortunate. (Be sure to catch more at the Vanity Fair party tonight, Mar. 3, only on TopMob News at 11 p.m.)

But, the 61-year-old is generally happy with his performance.

He playfully indicated he appreciated the compliments, expressing his satisfaction with how things turned out. Being asked to participate was a privilege, and he was thrilled to see everyone seemed delighted. Now, he’s looking forward to enjoying a long overdue rest for two weeks.

He shared with the Boston Globe in December that his parents seemed to be deeply connected, like two souls of a similar kind. They were both extremely dedicated and disciplined individuals.

The late night veteran also highlighted what made his mom and dad unique as individuals.

He reminisced about his father, who always had grand ideas. For instance, he once mentioned, ‘I’m heading to Peru, carrying an extra set of clothes in my briefcase, aiming to start a website for a hospital nestled in the mountains.’

While his mother was busy with her maternal duties, and once those tasks were completed, she would quickly dash off to a telephone booth, transforming herself into Ruth O’Brien, the second female partner at Ropes & Gray.

Conan’s triumphant hosting moment is a mix of joy and sorrow for him, as it happened approximately two months after the demise of both his parents: Thomas F. O’Brien, who passed away on December 9 at the age of 95, and his mother Ruth Reardon O’Brien, who followed suit three days later at the age of 92.

In a heartfelt conversation with the Boston Globe last December, I shared my belief that my parents, much like two souls destined to intertwine, were kindred spirits. They both possessed an unwavering work ethic and discipline that was truly inspiring.

The late night veteran also highlighted what made his mom and dad unique as individuals.

He reminisced about his father, “The visionary he was,” as he put it. “He’d declare, ‘I’m embarking on a journey to Peru, with an extra set of clothes in my briefcase, aiming to establish a website for a hospital nestled in the Andes.’

While his mother was attending to various maternal tasks, and once those duties were completed, she would swiftly enter a telephone booth, transforming herself into Ruth O’Brien, who held the position of the second female partner at Ropes & Gray.

Despite his sorrow, Conan maintained an optimistic attitude regarding hosting the Oscars, acknowledging the challenge of generating substantial laughter as the event approached.

Or:

Conan continued to be positive about emceeing the Oscars even amid his sadness, recognizing that he had the task of providing numerous laughs before the show.

He shared with People that there’s no professional stage in comedy where one doesn’t feel the jitters. He acknowledged the iconic nature of the show and its potential complications, but he enjoys taking on challenges.

For more highlights from the 2025 Oscars, keep reading.

–Reporting by Sharon Carpenter

Twenty-two years have passed since Adrien Brody famously acknowledged Halle Berry during his first Best Actor award win for “The Pianist.” Now, he is back as a nominee for “The Brutalist,” and she was ready to potentially reciprocate the honor.

Without a doubt, performing in the musical Wicked has left an indelible mark on both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. At the 2025 Oscars, they opened the ceremony with a stirring medley that included “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, “Home” from The Wiz, and their own production’s most popular hit, “Defying Gravity.

Stars, along with the essential audience members who temporarily filled seats when the prominent figures stood up for various reasons, were generously given presents by host Conan O’Brien.

2025 Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet openly acknowledged that he attended the event with Kylie Jenner, much like some other young actors, who aren’t shy about revealing their romantic partners.

As an absolutely smitten admirer, I couldn’t contain my excitement when Demi Moore, a first-time Oscar nominee for “The Substance,” shared the red carpet with the legendary Meg Ryan earlier in the night. The star-struck sensation was palpable!

Unfortunately, Moore didn’t win an Oscar for his awards season triumphs; instead, it was Mikey Madison from Anora who surprised everyone by winning Best Actress.

In his Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech, Kieran Culkin, the star of “A Real Pain,” appreciated the accolade especially since it was presented by Robert Downey Jr. Backstage, he relished spending time with the previous year’s winner and enjoyed their moment together.

Previous nominee Samuel L. Jackson and Emilia Pérez, who were assigned to introduce the categories for Best Documentary Short and Documentary Feature at the Oscars, took care to preserve that memorable occasion on record.

Emilia Pérez, famously known as Zoe Saldaña, was preparing to present the Oscar for cinematography offstage, and coincidentally, she saw Sterling K. Brown and Ana de Armas presenting the award for Best Live Action Short Film to ‘I’m Not a Robot’.

Prior to Lisa, the Blackpink artist and White Lotus star, delivering “Live and Let Die” as a tribute to the James Bond franchise, produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, she took a moment to compose herself backstage.

In the awards ceremony, Margaret Qualley from “The Substance” and Elle Fanning of “A Complete Unknown” didn’t receive nominations. However, producers managed to offer them substantial roles instead: Qualley dazzled as a surprise dancer during the James Bond tribute in the evening, while Fanning assisted in presenting the Best Costume Design award to Paul Tazewell from “Wicked.

Ariana Grande, accompanied by her Wicked costar and real-life partner Ethan Slater, seemed to have a stunned expression – although only Ethan Slater and Kieran Culkin can confirm the reason behind it for certain.

The esteemed figures Oprah Winfrey and Queen Latifah collaborated in paying tribute to the late legend Quincy Jones.

2024’s top-tier acting honorees, Cillian Murphy (Best Actor) and Emma Stone (Best Actress), shared a moment before they stepped on stage to acknowledge the current year’s winners, Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison.

Or:

Cillian Murphy, Best Actor in 2024, and Emma Stone, Best Actress, had a chat prior to announcing this year’s respective winners, Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison.

Or:

As the 2024 winners of Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Actress (Emma Stone), they took a moment together before revealing the names of this year’s winners, Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison.

The Best Actor award recipient, Brody, warmly welcomed the esteemed nine-time Oscar host, Billy Crystal. Interestingly, Crystal was in company with his co-star from “When Harry Met Sally,” Meg Ryan, who were presenting the Best Picture award to the movie “Anora.

2025-03-03 18:50

Conan O’Brien’s Oscars Secret: Why He Cut Jokes Backstage

Read More