'Oscar Can Never Be Horizontal' — Conan O'Brien Reveals the Weird Academy Demands for Oscars Statues in Promos

In a surprising twist of events, recent Oscars host Conan O’Brien shared an amusing story about the strict rules enforced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during his promotional ad pitch for the ceremony. On the podcast "Conan Needs a Friend," hosted by his Oscars head writer Mike Sweeney, O’Brien recounted his attempt to create a humorous series of ads featuring himself and a 9-foot tall Oscar statue in a playful domestic partnership.

O’Brien's vision included scenarios such as him vacuuming around the Oscar statue lounging on a couch, playfully asking it to lift its feet or help with chores like loading the dishwasher. However, the Academy was quick to shut down these ideas. "We’re fighting about things couples fight about," O’Brien explained. "At one point, I thought, wouldn’t it be great if it’s just on the couch? Let’s lay it on a really big couch and I’ll be vacuuming and say, ‘Could you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?’ We wanted to do it and they just said, ‘No, no no, that can’t happen.’"

The Academy's strict guidelines for the Oscar statue were particularly baffling to O’Brien. "One of the people from the Academy came forward and said, ‘Oscar can never be horizontal.’ And that blew my mind," he added. "Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon." The Academy also insisted that the statue remain "always naked," rejecting O’Brien’s idea of dressing the Oscar in an apron as a housewife serving leftovers.

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While the Academy's decisions might seem peculiar to outsiders, they have the authority to enforce their rules. It's a shame that audiences missed out on seeing the full extent of O’Brien’s comedic talents in these promos. Hopefully, he'll return next year with equally entertaining ideas. We're definitely rooting for Team Conan to host the Oscars in 2026.