Conan O'Brien's Oscars opening parody was rejected

Conan O'Brien shared details about a scrapped opening for the 2025 Oscars on his podcast. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected his ideas to dress an Oscar statuette or present it horizontally, stating, "Oscar is always naked." O'Brien's original concept involved a comedic sketch featuring him and a 9-foot-tall Oscar as a couple. The final version aired as a parody of "The Substance," where O'Brien appeared in various movie scenes, but the elaborate opening was cut due to time constraints and changes after the Los Angeles fires. The Academy opted for a montage of famous movies set in Los Angeles to start the ceremony instead. This led into a musical performance from "Wicked" nominees, followed by O'Brien's parody and monologue.