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Was Conan O’Brien a good Oscars host in 2026, and why did the show feel so long? He was a solid choice: an experienced comedy writer and late-night performer who gave the opening an energetic visual hook. But a capable host could not make the whole ceremony feel brisk. The 98th Academy Awards had enough stretches that the night outlasted its best momentum—an editorial impression, not a claim about an official runtime.
How Conan O’Brien handled the opening
O’Brien returned for his second consecutive Oscars broadcast on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony honored films released in 2025. His background as a comedy writer on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons, followed by a long run as a late-night host, gave him the tools for a live awards show; the opening supplied a tangible example of how he used them.
In a gag reported by the Associated Press, children chased O’Brien onto the stage while he was dressed as Gladys Lilly from Weapons. The bit brought a current nominated film into the broadcast and gave the opening movement and a clear visual joke. It was a more memorable start than simply walking out to deliver a monologue, even if an effective opening could not set the pace for every hour that followed.
Why the ceremony felt too long
The case for calling the night too long is about pacing, not a verified stopwatch figure. The available official event information establishes the date, venue and host, but not an official runtime. Without a reliable duration and a defined comparison, it would be misleading to state how many hours the show lasted or claim it broke a record.
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As a television review, the problem is the contrast between a lively opening and the demands of a full awards ceremony. O’Brien could provide a steady comic presence, but hosting is only one part of the show’s rhythm. When the ceremony’s stretches between highlights feel longer than the highlights themselves, even a competent host cannot keep the broadcast feeling consistently sharp. That is why “solid host” and “too-long night” can both describe this Oscars: one is a judgment of O’Brien’s performance, the other of the viewing experience.
The winners gave the broadcast its dramatic center
One Battle After Another won best picture. The lead acting awards went to Michael B. Jordan for Sinners and Jessie Buckley for Hamnet; Sean Penn won supporting actor for One Battle After Another. Those results gave the evening a clear set of major outcomes, but a strong slate of winners does not by itself solve the pacing of a live broadcast.
The Academy’s official page lists the 98th ceremony and its winners: The 98th Academy Awards | 2026. The Associated Press also covered the best-picture win and the opening scene: In win for ‘One Battle After Another,’ the Oscars meet an anxious moment.
Audience numbers tell a mixed story, not a verdict on the jokes
Disney reported just under 17.9 million viewers for the 2026 Oscars, compared with 19.7 million for the 2025 ceremony; the Associated Press reported the year-over-year decline as 9%. At the same time, AP reported a more than 42% increase in primetime social impressions and more than 129 million video views on Academy social platforms during the night.
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These measures point in different directions: the reported television audience fell while social activity rose. Neither figure says whether O’Brien’s jokes landed or whether viewers thought the ceremony moved too slowly. They describe reach and engagement, not a comedy score. The AP report details the figures: After years of post-pandemic gains, Oscars ratings drop 9% in 2026.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Verdict: a capable host, an uneven-length show
O’Brien was a solid host rather than the cure for a long awards broadcast. His experience showed in an opening built around a specific film reference and a lively chase gag. The ceremony still felt too long as a viewing experience, but the evidence supports that as a critical judgment—not an exact runtime claim, nor a conclusion that O’Brien himself caused the pacing problem.
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For context on his career, the Television Academy records O’Brien’s writing and producing work and his late-night hosting: Conan O’Brien | Emmy Awards and Nominations.
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