Conan O’Brien shares the behind-the-scenes details of hosting the Oscars
From practicing jokes in little clubs to dealing with the excitement of live events, O’Brien shares what it’s really like to host the Oscars.
While most people might think that hosting involves stepping on stage and telling a few jokes, in reality, O’Brien puts a lot of effort into crafting every single line. In a recent conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, he discussed what it’s like to return as host of the Oscars and the challenges he faces in coming up with fresh, funny material for the audience.
What happened
In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O’Brien shared his thoughts on what it takes to be a host for an award show. O’Brien explained that he doesn’t just hope for the best on stage. He spends weeks “workshopping jokes in different clubs” to see what the audiences enjoy. When asked about where he tests his jokes, O’Brien said he has a terrific writer, Laurie Kilmartin, who sometimes tells him to visit certain clubs, like Chatterbox in Covina, to test his material on unsuspecting audiences.
Conan also seeks a bit of unpredictability in his performances. He told Kimmel, “I kind of want something to go sideways… I want good gone wrong.” For him, the real challenge comes from being ready for anything unexpected that might happen during a live show. Whether he is making jokes about a celebrity mishap or reacting to mistakes, he wants the show to feel alive. To O’Brien, that is the only way the audience knows they’re seeing something “truly spontaneous” and not just another scripted Hollywood event.
When discussing how he prepares for his jokes, Conan mentioned a challenge he faces: how quickly jokes expire. O’Brien noted that anything written in January usually feels like it happened “35 news cycles ago” by the time March rolls around. He illustrated this struggle by talking about the movie ‘Train Dreams’, saying his team wrote 5,000 jokes for it, but “not one of them is any good”, he added. He even tried one on the Kimmel crowd: “Train Dreams was nominated for best picture.
Finally, a movie that proves being a Pacific Northwest lumberjack in the early 1900s wasn’t as fun as it sounds.” Even though the audience applauded at his joke, O’Brien instantly said, “The pity applause doesn’t work”, realizing his joke was not that funny.
The 98th Academy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, 2026, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and 4 p.m. Pacific Time. You can watch the ceremony online via Hulu, the ABC website, or streaming services such as DirecTV and FuboTV.
Reactions
Many people are thrilled about Conan O’Brien returning to host the Oscars again. One person wrote, “Going to watch the Oscars only for Conan O’Brien”. Another viewer praised his unstoppable energy, saying, “Conan has no off switch. It’s always, ‘what else can I make funny?’ The GOAT.”
One fan fondly remembered their childhood, sharing, “What a surprise to see the great Conan! I still remember staying up late to watch him as a kid in the year 2000…” There is a lot of pressure on O’Brien to create fresh material while trying to live up to the fond memories people have of his past performances.
Another fan mentioned how O’Brien’s humble personality sets him apart, “Conan is such a humble guy and never afraid of making fun of himself, that’s what makes him different from other talk show hosts.” His ability to joke about his own oddities and flaws not only makes him more relatable to his audience but also helps create a friendly and comfortable environment on his shows.
One viewer shared a heartfelt message, “Conan – you have always kept me going in the most difficult times in my life. Jimmy too. Just wanted to say you both are my heroes. The world needs more people like you.” For the people watching at home, his comedy provides a much-needed break from their daily stress.
Why this matters
Even a well-known TV host who has been on air for thirty years can’t just show up and nail a three-hour live show without any effort. Most people think the host puts on a nice suit and tells a few funny stories, but that’s far from the truth. Hosting in front of a big audience is a tough job. It takes hard work and practice to ensure the jokes are well-received by the crowd.
One reason this is challenging is that comedy trends change so quickly. A joke that was hilarious last year might not sound funny today. This puts pressure on hosts to constantly come up with new material, often having to discard their previous work and start over. It takes a lot of perseverance to keep creating even when the jokes don’t last long. The lively performance that everyone sees is the result of months spent preparing and refining the content.
Ultimately, all the hard work that goes into writing and testing jokes helps a host avoid embarrassment when the cameras are rolling. What the audience sees is just a small fraction of the best ideas that made it through a tough selection process, leading to a lively and entertaining show.
