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Conan O’Brien’s Funniest, Most Viral Oscars 2026 Hosting Moments
Nikki Glaser is giving Conan O’Brien two thumbs up on his 2026 Oscars hosting job.
The 41-year-old—who hosted the 2026 Golden Globes in January—praised her fellow comic for his role as MC on Hollywood’s biggest night, giving him high marks for his performance during the ceremony.
“A+,” Nikki exclusively told E! News on the gray carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party March 15. “He killed it last year. I knew he was going to kill it again this year. I got a chance to see his monologue about a week ago, and he got off stage, and I really meant it when I was like, ‘That's A+. Change nothing.’”
Still, the FBoy Island alum noticed that the former Late Night host did make some tweaks to his material to keep his monologue as fresh as possible.
“Things come out of the news cycle and then they don't work anymore,” she continued, “so you have to keep updating it.”
The stand-up star also compared Conan’s work to her own hosting experience, noting that while the Golden Globes “feels more like a comedy club,” Oscar night “is a different room for comedy than any other.”
“At the Academy Awards, as a comedian, that's a tough room because they're far away,” she explained. “It's very stuffy. They haven't been drinking. They haven't been eating. They're hungry and they're tired and they're sober, so it's a hard room to kill in.”
Jean Baptiste Lacroix / AFP via Getty Images; Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images
But Nikki, who will return as Golden Globes host in 2027, felt Conan rose to the occasion, adding, “With that at play, I was like, ‘God, he killed it.’”
And the attendees seemed to think so, too—even those who found themselves in Conan’s crosshairs. After all, Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet couldn’t help but giggle when his recent remarks about ballet and opera were referenced during the show’s opening monologue.
“Security is extremely tight tonight,” Conan said. “I'm told there's concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.”
While Conan kept the show moving onstage, viewers at home may have missed some big moments inside the Dolby Theatre. For all the major Oscars moments you didn’t see on TV, keep reading…
--Reporting by Alex Cramer
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Ryan Coogler & Paul Thomas Anderson
At this point in the night, the Sinners and One Battle After Another directors were just a couple of auteurs clutching their first-ever Oscars, Coogler for Best Original Screenplay and PTA for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Kylie Jenner & Timothée Chalamet
Jenner is officially a regular, accompanying Best Actor nominee Chalamet to the Oscars for the second year in a row.
And the Kylie Cosmetics mogul was excited to see Sentimental Value star Elle Fanning, her boyfriend's A Complete Unknown costar from his 2025 award season run and a nominee this year for Best Supporting Actress.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Teyana Taylor & Cassandra Kulukundis
While fellow attendees started ripping into their snacks (again accompanied by a note from host Conan O'Brien), Taylor celebrated One Battle After Another's casting director for winning the first-ever Oscar for Best Casting.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Jacob Elordi
The Frankenstein star made the rounds in between awards.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Pedro Pascal & Sigourney Weaver
Weaver's trying and failing not to burst out laughing before the duo headed out to present Best Production Design (to Frankenstein) and Best Visual Effects (to Avatar: Fire & Ash).
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Chase Infiniti & Paul Thomas Anderson
After making her acting debut in One Battle After Another, Infiniti couldn't have been more thrilled over how the night was going.
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Winners for Best Original Song
Mark Sonnenblick tried to keep the commercial break at bay, to no avail, when one of his fellow songwriters was cut off mid-sentence while accepting "Golden's" historic when for Best Original Song.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Demi Moore & Mikey Madison
Madison may have come out ahead in the Best Actress race last year, but they still enjoyed a reunion of substance.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Pauline Chalamet & Timothée Chalamet
There was plenty of room for family in the Marty Supreme row, Chalamet's sister joining him and Jenner for a night out.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Rachel McAdams & Sterling K. Brown
This is not us, but rather two actors having a moment near the makeup chair backstage at the Academy Awards. No need to send help.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Nicole Kidman
The 2003 Best Actress winner didn't mind whiling away a few more of the hours at the 2026 Oscars.
John Shearer/98th Oscars/Getty Images The Academy via Getty Images
Michael B. Jordan & Leonardo DiCaprio
DiCaprio was on hand to celebrate Jordan's golden moment, as he surged in the final days of voting to win Best Actor.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Oscar
This was taken March 10 during the Governors Ball preview at the Ovation Hollywood Complex, a sneak peek at the glam spot where the winners go to get their statues engraved, but we thought you should see how the sausage, er, chocolate is made.
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