You liked him! You really liked him!
The Academy Awards is one of the most-watched events in Hollywood, and for the second consecutive year, Conan O'Brien will be behind the desk as the host of the 98th Oscars in 2026." The late-night TV comedy legend is returning to the high-profile ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 15, 2026. A big responsibility for the 60-year-old television personality, O'Brien took over the hosting duties for the first time during the 97th Academy Awards in 2025 with great success from the audience and critics alike.
“We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars!” said Kramer and Yang. “This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host – skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”
The only reason I'm hosting the Oscars next year is I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech, O'Brien joked, teasing the Best Actor winner. How did Conan O'Brien do? Well, the 97th Oscars had it earlier this month on March 2, delivering a five-year high in both total viewers (19.69 million) and adults 18-49 (4.54 rating) and ranked as the number one primetime entertainment telecast in both total viewers and adults for the 2024-2025 season. The 97th Oscars reached 104.2 million total social interactions, marking the number one most social TV program season-to-date, outpacing both "The Grammy Awards" (102.2 million interactions) and "The Super Bowl" (62.4 million) this season for the first time on record. The 98th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be broadcast live on ABC and in more than 200 territories around the world.
Conan O'Brien's career has been defined by moments of comedic brilliance. In his days as a writer for The Simpsons to hosting Late Night with Conan O'Brien and finally Conan on TBS, O'Brien was known to be absurd, unpredictable in his humor, and full of love for entertainment. Over the years, he only cemented himself as a comedic force who could break down the wall of celebrity and audience, he did for the first time. He never hesitated to deride Hollywood's biggest stars, and it is this license that made him an excellent choice for the 98th Academy Awards.
What's your take on Conan as a host and do you miss him coming back? Let's here it!
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