According To The variety Oscar host Conan O’Brien gave Los Angeles firefighters the opportunity to deliver a few zingers during Hollywood’s biggest night.
On stage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, O’Brien told the audience of A-listers, “Now, I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but there are some jokes even I’m not brave enough to tell.” So he enlisted a number of first responders — members of the fire service who battled this year’s devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires — and instructed: “On behalf of myself, would you please read what’s in the prompter?”
O’Brien first them turned back to the crowd to say, “Remember — everyone in this audience has to laugh; these are heroes!”
Los Angeles Fire Department captain Erik Scott kicked things off with a doozy: “Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes. And I’m talking about the producers of ‘Joker 2.’” You see, it’s funny because “Joker: Folie à Deux” was one of 2024’s biggest theatrical bombs. The Warner Bros. comic book sequel, which cost $200 million to produce and roughly $100 million to market and distribute, stalled at the box office with $206 million globally. The production was projected to lose $150 million to $200 million for the studio in its big screen run, so it’s safe to assume its backers took a painful financial hit.
Even O’Brien was impressed with the one-liner. “Damn,” the comedian cracked, “best delivery of the night.”
Los Angeles Fire Department pilot Jonas Johnson was next and took aim at “A Complete Unknown,” a musical biopic about the early life of Bob Dylan.
“To play Bob Dylan, Timothée Chalamet learned how to sing,” Johnson said. “In fact, his singing was so good, he almost lost the part.”
Chalamet, an Oscar nominee for portraying the “Like a Rolling Stone” composer who is perhaps more beloved for songwriting than singing, gamely laughed at the joke.
O’Brien was the butt of the last bit by Fire Department captain Jodi Slicker. “It’s great to be back with Conan,” she said. “Usually, when he calls, he’s stuck in a tree.”
O’Brien shot back: “It’s happened twice!”
Elsewhere during the 97th Academy Awards, though, O’Brien didn’t hold back as he took aim at Karla Sofía Gascón, whose offensive social media posts caused controversy, as well as Drake’s longtime beef with Kendrick Lamar.
Little fact for you — ‘Anora’ uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist,” O’Brien cracked in his monologue. Later in the night, he quipped: “We’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile. Don’t worry, I’m lawyered up.”
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