Flanked by Weapons kids, Aunt Conan O’Brien hustles his way through Oscars opening monologue 

It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, and Conan O’Brien is once again playing court jester to America’s cultural elite. Taking the piss out of the people who light up the screen without totally pissing them off is no easy feat, and O’Brien put on Aunt Gladys’ best to get everyone’s energy out. Breaking free from his make-up chair, where his pasty skin and bright red hair made him look like “Betty Davis with lupus,” O’Brien made a run for it as those rascally Weapons kids chased him through clips of this year’s Best Picture nominees. (And KPop Demon Hunters). It’s an always-delightful Oscar tradition made better by O’Brien’s sweaty gusto. Few people can flop better than him. 

By the time he made it to the ceremony, he’d sufficiently warmed the crowd and proceeded to roast them. Ripping the band-aid off this year’s biggest award scandal, O’Brien went right after Timothée Chalamet, joking that the offended ballet and opera people were just mad that Chalamet didn’t mention jazz. But he wasn’t only going after the actors; singling out Ted Sarandos, the host celebrated the Netflix co-CEO’s first time in a theater. “What are those people doing enjoying something together in the dark?” Conan said, whilst aggressively miming petting a cat.