Harvard Nerd Conan O’Brien Has ‘Overprepared’ for the Oscars

I’ve never had a problem with any host of the Academy Awards. Hosting the Oscars is a thankless job. You’re trying to make jokes without upsetting people who (mostly) have notoriously thin skin. The audience is also waiting for what could be the biggest moment of their careers; they are likely not very interested in hearing jokes and jabs. Not to mention that it’s basic cable, so the jokes have to play to people in the room and the folks in Peoria. With all those caveats, it’s amazing that any host can do a good job, but they manage even though none of them have been Conan Freaking O’Brien!!

Conan is hosting this year’s ceremony and to say I’m excited would be the understatement of the year. I can’t think of anyone more well-suited for the job. Every bone in the man’s body is funny (YES, EVEN THAT ONE). He possesses no shame, only the need to feed on laughter and the sweet sustenance it brings him. Conan has been funny across mediums, platforms, and continents. There is nowhere he cannot get a laugh. My excitement knew no bounds when he was announced as host of this year’s Oscars, and hearing a producer say that O’Brien is putting his whole Conussy into the show, my excitement has grown exponentially!

Oscars Executive Producer and Showrunner Raj Kapoor recently revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that they were nervous about going under time this year, as had happened at last year’s show. They devised plans to ensure they had material should the show have any extra time to kill, then Conan arrived. “He has so much material that even the gems aren’t going to make it to air,” Kapoor explained about Conan’s eagerness to have a great night. “We are definitely gifted with how much time Conan has invested in this show.” Count me all the way in.

In addition to bringing extra material, Conan also suggested Nick Offerman be the night’s announcer, which will happen, with Kapoor teasing that they may even interact. Leave it to a former Harvard grad to overprepare for such a night. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be the Oscars for Conan to get motivated. His appearance on Hot Ones is a classic example of the man arriving ready to fire on all cylinders. While I don’t expect Conan to be shoving chicken wing bones into his pocket on the biggest night in Hollywood, I don’t not expect that to happen.

That’s the magic of Conan: you just don’t know what to expect aside from the fact that he will be funny. He may not work for everyone, because there are people in the world who refuse to be happy, but he will get the job done. The only downside I can think of is that NightBitch didn’t get any nominations. Hearing Conan shout, “NightBitch” throughout the night feels tailormade for the legendary comedian. Unfortunately, nothing in this world is perfect.