Conan O’Brien didn’t hold back during the opening of this year’s Academy Awards, taking a jab at President Donald Trump.
The Oscars are prestigious annual awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) “to honor excellence in the film industry.” Established in 1927, they recognize “outstanding achievements across various categories, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress.”
The first-ever ceremony was held in 1929, and today it is a globally televised event followed by millions around the world. This year, Emmy Award-winning television host, writer, producer, and comedian Conan O’Brien hosted the show.
“I’m chill, because we’ve been working really hard. We have a lot of fun ideas,” O’Brien told ABC News’ Lara Spencer in an interview on Thursday on Good Morning America.
He added: “It doesn’t mean a million things won’t go wrong or sideways between now and the actual show, but that can be a challenge too,” noting that it is “always a running battle up until the moment the Oscars begins.”
Academy Awards 2026
Known for his sharp humor, the host got the ball rolling almost immediately, first targeting former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and the Epstein scandal, showing that Hollywood’s biggest night would not shy away from controversy.
But Andrew wasn’t the only high-profile figure to be roasted. Conan also took aim at Donald Trump, referencing the president’s recent decision to rename the Kennedy Center in Washington after himself.
After the Best Supporting Actress award, as the show returned from a commercial break, the host delivered his punchline: “We’re coming to you live from the ‘has a small penis theater’ – let’s see him put his name in front of that.”
It remains to be seen whether Trump, presumably watching from Florida, will respond. And, of course, the Oscars wouldn’t be the Oscars without a touch of drama.
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