Oscars 2025 Host Conan O’Brien Calls Out Karla Sofía Gascón Amid Emilia Pérez Controversy
Conan O’Brien needs a rule book.
The 61-year-old, who hosted the 2025 Oscars earlier this month, revealed that some of his ideas for the show were blocked due to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ strict rules about their iconic Oscars statue, which is aptly named Oscar.
“At one point, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if it’s just on the couch?’” Conan said on the March 13 episode of his Conan Needs a Friend podcast. “Let’s lay it on a really big couch and I’ll be vacuuming and say, ‘Could you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?’”
As he recalled, his humorous promo idea was met with the Oscars team responding, “No, no no, that can’t happen.”
“One of the people from the Academy came forward and said, ‘Oscar can never be horizontal,’” Conan continued. “That blew my mind. Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon.”
But the organization behind Hollywood’s biggest night didn’t just poopoo on Conan’s couch idea: According to Conan, when his team suggested they depict the trophy as a housewife in an apron serving the host leftovers, that bit was quickly shot down as well.
