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"Conan O'Brien Exposes Bizarre Oscar Statue Rules for Promos"

by Jason Apr 23,2025

Today, in a surprising twist of events, former Oscars host Conan O’Brien shared an intriguing story on his podcast, "Conan Needs a Friend," about his thwarted attempt to bring some humor to the Academy Awards through promotional ads. O’Brien and his team had envisioned a series of ads featuring a playful domestic scenario with him and a 9-foot tall Oscar statue. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences firmly rejected the idea, particularly objecting to the statue being clothed or laid horizontally.

Keep that Oscar upstanding. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP.

O’Brien humorously recounted his pitch, which involved everyday couple squabbles, including scenes where he would be vacuuming around the statue on a couch, asking it to lift its feet or help with chores. Yet, the Academy's response was a firm "No," emphasizing that the Oscar statue must never be shown horizontally.

The comedian was astounded by the Academy's strict rules, likening the Oscar to a sacred relic, saying, "Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon." Additionally, O’Brien revealed that the Academy insisted the statue remain "always naked," which dashed their plans for an apron-wearing Oscar serving leftovers.

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45 ImagesWhile the Academy's decisions may seem perplexing, they are within their rights to enforce these rules. It's unfortunate that we missed out on witnessing O’Brien's comedic genius in action through these creative ads. Fans are hopeful that Conan will return with equally entertaining ideas for the Oscars in 2026, and many are already rallying behind #TeamConanOscarHost2026.