In a surprising turn of events, Conan O’Brien, the host of the recent Oscars, shared on his podcast "Conan Needs a Friend" that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected his promotional ad ideas for the ceremony. O’Brien had envisioned a series of ads featuring himself in a domestic partnership with a 9-foot tall Oscar statue, but the Academy had strict rules about how the statue could be portrayed.
O’Brien recounted one idea where he would be seen vacuuming around the statue, asking it to lift its feet or help with chores. However, the Academy firmly stated, "No, no, no, that can’t happen." The reason? The Oscar statue must never be shown horizontally. O’Brien humorously compared the Oscar to a religious relic, saying, "Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon."
Additionally, the Academy insisted that the statue must remain "always naked," dashing O’Brien’s other idea of having the statue wear an apron while serving leftovers. This strict adherence to the statue's iconography left O’Brien and his team unable to execute their creative vision.
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While the Academy's decisions may seem peculiar, they have the authority to enforce their rules. It's unfortunate that we missed out on seeing O’Brien’s comedic talents fully showcased in these ads. Fans are hopeful that he will return with equally entertaining ideas for the 2026 Oscars, and many are already rooting for him to host again.
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