Conan O’Brien reveals his secret Oscar-hosting prep: ‘I hang out in a Cheesecake Factory’
Meeting A-listers? Nah. Entertaining a worldwide audience of millions? Nope. Conan O’Brien has one very specific reason for hosting this year’s Academy Awards.
"The incredible lighting. Because when I see people in a mall, all they say is, 'You look so good in person. What's wrong with you on television?' So this is my chance."
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Yes, O’Brien had the jokes ready during a Wednesday meet-and-greet with the media, where he was joined by the show’s creative team to tease what was in store for this Sunday’s big show. And he was excited to share that he'd reached out to Oscar host extraordinaire Billy Crystal for advice.
"I've spoken with Billy, who I think is the all-time great," O'Brien offered. "He will always be the top. And one of the first contacts I had was from Jimmy Kimmel and his beautiful wife Molly [McNearney], who reached out to me. They could not have been lovelier to me. They've been very supportive and very friendly."
Asked if he would be following in Crystal's footsteps by having a musical opening satirizing the Best Picture nominees, O’Brien replied, "I can neither confirm nor deny anything that's happening anywhere in the show, mostly because I don't know what's going on. I don't come to rehearsal. I hang out in a Cheesecake Factory, which is on Vine and Highland. ... The whole trick here in this business is to get people to watch to see what's going to happen. See this is the mistake I used to make. I used to tell people exactly what I was going to do long before I did it and no one tuned in. Then I learned, don't tell people what you're going to do. A magician taught me that."
O’Brien, who honed his hosting chops on the Emmys and MTV Video Music Awards, only got serious when asked how he and the producers intended to incorporate, ignore, or rise above the fraught politics that is both gripping the country and evident in many of the nominees.
"My philosophy on this as the host is that I am the spokesperson," O'Brien responded. "I am the person who's sitting in for the person watching at home if something happens that seems off or funny or strange [and] I should comment on it in the way that someone who's watching from their home — in the United States or anywhere in the world — would want me to as a human being.
"Yes, as host I think I cannot ignore the moment we're in. But I also have to remember it's threading a needle. I also have to remember what we're here to celebrate and infuse the show with positivity and also shine a light on all of these people who have worked incredibly hard — not just A-list celebrities but people you never see: craftspeople that work incredibly hard and have spent years making these films.
"And so I want to make sure that we address where we are in this moment on March 2 at this time, but that I do it with humor and that I also make sure that the night doesn't drift into (being) only about that. Because I think that's robbing people of something, the beautiful hard work that they've done. So it's a difficult line to walk, but I'm determined to figure it out.”
O’Brien’s ability to blend humor and sincerity — and to deftly handle topical events — was obviously a key reason for booking him. As executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor also noted on Wednesday, the ceremony will carry an overall theme of honoring the city of Los Angeles in the wake of January’s wildfires.
"There have been so many people that have been touched by this devastation," Kapoor said. "There's been so much outreach. And we really wanted to create some really beautiful moments onstage that celebrate this amazing city that we live in, all the amazing films that have been shot here, and just have a really uplifting and beautiful message." He added that there will be a charitable element tying into the rebuilding efforts after the devastating area wildfires that destroyed so many homes and lives in January.
Besides O'Brien and Kapoor, the press conference was attended by executive producer Katy Mullan, co-exec producer Rob Paine, producer-writer Mike Sweeney, writer Jon Macks, music director Michael Bearden, production designer Alana Billingsley and supervising choreographer Mandy Moore.
In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kapoor defended the controversial decision to nix the performances of the Best Original Song nominees. "When you look at all the business of the show and us having to present 23 awards, there aren't a ton of options for creative thinking," he stressed. "It was a conscious decision that was made with the Academy saying that we aren't necessarily going to do original songs this year — that we want to find a different way to honor that discipline. We would have been extremely limited by having to do all five original songs. We will instead be spotlighting the alchemy of filmmaking."
On Wednesday Kapoor made the point that he loved the element of surprise and focused on a different approach to music at the ceremony. "There are a number of people who have not been announced and you'll need to keep a sharp eye out for a few different cameos throughout the evening," he teased. "But one of the most exciting things we've worked on this year is a musical performance that will tribute [late music producer/impresario] Quincy Jones. We planned and curated this beautiful moment that we hope will uplift the room and celebrate the spirit of Quincy in all of his greatness."
Kapoor added that in terms of performances, "We have an amazing lineup. We have Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, we have Lisa from [the K-pop group] Blackpink, we have Raye, we have Queen Latifa (who will be part of the Quincy Jones tribute), and we have the L.A. Master Chorale, and they all have their special place. There are special moments planned of both music and celebration."
While O'Brien refused to divulge any of his planned special moments, he joked that his monologue would go after Ron Howard ("He's been riding too high too long") and Tom Hanks. "I'm going to take 'em both down. I want to tear down people who are beloved. I hope [Steven] Spielberg is there because I want to go after every one of his films."
The 97th Academy Awards will take place Sunday from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET, and will air live on ABC and Hulu.
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