Amid the one-liners, Conan O’Brien is striking a serious tone during his Academy Awards monologue, saying the annual Hollywood awards show brings some optimism in these “chaotic times.”
“Tonight is an international event,” O’Brien said, following some rapid-fire jokes, as he kicked off the 98th Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday.
“If I can be serious for just a moment, everyone watching right now around the world is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times,” the former late-night TV host said.
“It’s at moments like these that I believe that the Oscars are particularly resonant,” O’Brien, 62, continued.
“Thirty-one countries across six continents are represented this evening. And every film we salute is the product of thousands of people speaking different languages, working hard to make something of beauty,” O’Brien told the audience.
“We pay tribute tonight not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience, and that rarest of qualities today: optimism,” he said to applause.
“Let us celebrate — not because we think all is well — but because we work and hope for better,” O’Brien said.
While O’Brien did not mention the conflict, the Hollywood awards show came as the United States entered a second week of war with Iran.
President Trump has repeatedly criticized the Oscars over the years, knocking the show’s ratings and slamming it as too “politically correct and boring.”
During his opening remarks on Sunday, O’Brien said, “I should warn you, tonight could get political.”
“And if that makes you uncomfortable, there’s an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock,” O’Brien cracked, referring to last month’s Super Bowl halftime show counterprogramming that was headlined by the “All Summer Long” singer and hosted by the conservative organization Turning Point USA.
Later in the show, O’Brien appeared to make a veiled reference to the president.
“We’re coming to you live from the Has A Small Penis Theater. Let’s see him put his name in front of that,” O’Brien said. Last December, Trump’s name was added to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
Updated at 8:13 p.m. EST
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.