When a comic is killing, he knows it, and it becomes more than just a performance for him, it becomes a joy ride.
Conan O’Brien had one of the top joy rides of his career Sunday night, taking on the bloated, often ponderous beast that is The Oscars and pumping bubbling life into it with his signature inventive, silly, playful, comic voice. (Yes, he even sang.)
The show, which vacillates almost annually between moderating and celebrating its excesses, tipped back heavily toward the hyper-celebrating side this year with the comeback of big musical production numbers and acceptance speeches that stretched past moving and interesting and “let’s get on with it,” to “enough already.”
But overall, it still felt like an energetic, entertaining show, and that was largely thanks to O’Brien. He has always been the epitome of energetic, and he was again–so much so that when he disappeared for a couple of long stretches in the second half (I’m going to guess some bits had to be dropped) the show felt a bit like the jugglers tossing bowling pins on bicycles on the Ed Sullivan Show in between sets of The Beatles or The Stones.
He broke big early.
When he wasn’t part of the show’s opening it may have seemed like O’Brien hadn’t come up with something electric to kick off the night, as he has on his big nights in the past, which have included hosting gigs at different award shows.
But opening with the two stars of Wicked belting out songs from the Oz canon was can’t-miss great, so it made sense to delay Conan’s comedy opening. And since daring has been part of his DNA, that opening, a parody of The Substance, was typically big and bold, and it delivered explosive laughs (along with maybe a few queasy stomachs) as he climbed in and out of Demi Moore’s abdominal cavity.
That was a distinctive Conan video bit, just as the nominee song medley was Billy Crystal’s specialty.
Still, the monologue makes or breaks an Oscar host. You have to put up points there or you’re behind from the start and the evening could be quickly wrenched into low gear.
Conan came out brimming with confidence, and he looked the part. His conspicuous altitude stood out well on the giant set; his tuxedos were sharp, precisely fit; and fit also described O’Brien. He looked in trim comic shape.
From the start he hit the laugh-meter hard and kept it there on a high percentage of his jokes.
“I know what you’re thinking: Did Conan not have work done? Seriously, he looks his age!”
Referencing Wicked after its big number: “It’s the perfect movie for anybody who’s ever finished watching The Wizard of Oz and thought: ‘Sure, but where did all the minor characters go to college?’”
Going there on the Catholic Church (safer territory for an Irish Catholic): “If you haven’t seen Conclave, its logline is: ‘A movie about the Catholic Church—but don’t worry!”
And: “It’s Hollywood’s biggest night! And it starts at 4 in the afternoon. Everybody here just had brunch.”
And: “Netflix leads all studios, with a record 18—count ‘em, 18—price increases.”
A true Hollywood inside joke, referencing how the Emilia Perez star blew up the film’s chances when ugly social media posts were revealed: “Anora uses the f-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sophia Gascon’s publicist.”
The laughs for that one bounced off the wall of the cavernous Dolby Theater. The size of the place can make it difficult for an Oscar host to score, because modest laughs sound like half-hearted titters in a big place. O’Brien did not have that problem. He punctuated the Anora big laugh, with a little tap dance and a sincere, “I’m having fun.”
He announced the new James Bond, “Amazon vice president of global affairs Steve Belsky!” In the photo, Belsky looked more like James Bland. (The gentleman shown was actually long-time Conan writer, Dan Cronin.)
Then there was a truly great bit threatening the speechifyers: if they went long, they wouldn’t be played off. Instead, the camera would cut to John Lithgow looking “slightly disappointed.” Yes, Lithgow’s pained cringe face made the joke; but it was such a Conan bit.
Notably, the monologue cruised steadfastly straight through the middle of the roiling political seas. Throughout his career, O’Brien has maintained a reputation for the lightest touch in late night on political material. He did no overt political jokes in the monologue, and he did not once mention the name Trump or even the word president all night.
Prior to the show, he’d promised to “thread the needle” on political jokes. And he did just that, waiting until the last hour to insert the needle surgically, but deep. Citing Anora’s wins to that point, Conan said, “I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”
Boom.
The show seemed to feed off Conan’s ebullience. Some of the presenters and winners shared the comic vibe, like Kieran Culkin putting his wife on the spot for additions to the family because she had said he’s never win an Oscar; and especially the nonagenarian actress June Squibb scoring big in an extended bit about the fact that she was actually being played by the actor Bill Skarsgaard. “Half the time you see me in public, it’s Bill Skargaard.”
Ben Stiller, always creative himself, did some adept physical comedy with a sinking stage.
And in what was truly a perfect way to praise the now revered LA firefighters—and not be just another forced round of applause—Conan (and his writers) gave the firefighters a shot at telling a few jokes themselves, under the premise that they were too tough for Conan to tell in front of that Hollywood crowd.
They were all good and well delivered. Like: “Our hearts go out to all of those who lost their homes. And I’m talking about the producers of Joker 2.”
And: “To play Bob Dylan, Timothee Chalamet learned how to sing. In fact, his singing was so good he almost lost the part.”
The credits showed that Conan had brought along many of the players vital to his late-night stardom, including writers Mike Sweeney, Robert Smigel, and yes, Dan Cronin, as well as his first and forever executive producer, Jeff Ross.
They all had reason to celebrate Sunday night. This is not an easy job. Conan said before the show that he hoped it would be going well and he would have fun. His comment as he closed last night:
“I had a blast.”
His late-night fans who have missed this performing side of him undoubtedly did as well.
Not to mention the people in the film academy who pick the hosts. They’ve done well in recent years with Jimmy Kimmel. They found another winner in Conan O’Brien.
Maybe even a keeper, at least for one more blast.
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Loaded dishwasher during an opening that was uniquely bad.