Home News "Conan O'Brien Unveils Bizarre Oscar Statue Rules for Promos"

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

Author : Ellie Update : Apr 26,2025

In a surprising twist of events, former Oscars host Conan O'Brien shared on the podcast "Conan Needs a Friend" that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected his creative promotional ideas for the ceremony. O'Brien had envisioned a series of ads featuring himself and a 9-foot tall Oscar statue in a playful domestic setting, but the Academy had strict rules about how the iconic statue could be portrayed.

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

O'Brien described one concept where he and the Oscar statue would be seen bickering like a couple over everyday chores. "At one point, I thought, wouldn’t it be great if it’s just on the couch? Let’s lay it on a really big couch and I’ll be vacuuming and say, ‘Could you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?’ We wanted to do it and they just said, ‘No, no no, that can’t happen.’"

The Academy's response to O'Brien's ideas was unexpectedly rigid. An Academy representative reportedly stated, "Oscar can never be horizontal," a rule that O'Brien humorously compared to handling a sacred relic. Additionally, the Academy insisted that the statue must always be depicted as "naked," ruling out another of O'Brien's ideas where the Oscar would wear an apron while serving leftovers.

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45 ImagesWhile the Academy's strict rules may seem puzzling, they have the authority to enforce them. It's a shame that audiences missed out on experiencing O'Brien's unique comedic take on the Oscar promos. Here's hoping that in 2026, when we're rooting for Conan to host again, he'll bring his trademark wit and creativity to the forefront in new and exciting ways.