In an unexpected twist from the world of the Oscars, recent host Conan O'Brien shared on his podcast "Conan Needs a Friend" that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences turned down a creative promotional campaign he had envisioned. O'Brien had proposed a series of ads where he would engage in a mock domestic partnership with a 9-foot tall Oscar statue. However, the Academy had strict guidelines on how the Oscar statue could be portrayed, which ultimately led to the rejection of O'Brien's ideas.
Keep that Oscar upstanding. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP.
O'Brien detailed one concept where he and the Oscar statue would be seen bickering over everyday household chores. "We’re fighting about things couples fight about," he explained. One particular scene involved O'Brien vacuuming around the statue, which was laid out on a large couch, prompting him to ask, "Could you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?" Despite the humor and innocence of the idea, the Academy firmly rejected it, citing their strict rules about the statue's presentation.
The comedian was taken aback by the Academy's stringent regulations. "One of the people from the Academy came forward and said, ‘Oscar can never be horizontal.’ And that blew my mind," O'Brien remarked. He likened the Oscar to a sacred relic, saying, "Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon." Furthermore, the Academy insisted that the statue must always be depicted as "naked," dashing O'Brien's additional idea of having the statue wear an apron while serving him leftovers.
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While the Academy's decisions may seem perplexing, they are within their rights to enforce these rules. It's disappointing that viewers missed out on O'Brien's creative vision for the promos. Fans are hopeful that O'Brien will return with another innovative and humorous approach if he hosts the Oscars in 2026.
