Conan O'Brien Recalls Watching Johnny Carson Host the Oscars with His Late Father

The comedian will host the 98th Academy Awards, a role that "links me to my dad" in a "cosmic way"

Mar. 12, 2026 at 1:34am

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Ahead of hosting the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, comedian Conan O'Brien reflected on the special connection he had with his late father, Dr. Thomas O'Brien, over watching Johnny Carson host the Oscars. O'Brien said that seeing himself now in that same role "in a cosmic way links me to my dad, is pretty amazing." He also remembered a specific Johnny Carson joke about the long Oscars telecast that has always stuck with him.

Why it matters

O'Brien's personal connection to the Oscars through his father's love of watching Johnny Carson host the ceremony adds a touching, sentimental element to his return as host of the 98th Academy Awards. It highlights how the Oscars can serve as a generational touchstone and how hosting the event can take on deeper meaning for those with family ties to the show.

The details

At a press conference, O'Brien, 62, recalled how as a child he would sometimes stay up late to watch Johnny Carson host the Oscars with his father. He said that interaction was "a triangle" and that "to think that maybe now I'm part of that equation somehow, and in a cosmic way links me to my dad, is pretty amazing." O'Brien also remembered a specific Carson joke about the long Oscars telecast during the Iran hostage crisis that has always stuck with him as a meaningful and unifying moment.

  • Conan O'Brien's father, Dr. Thomas O'Brien, died in December 2024.
  • Three days after his father's death, Conan O'Brien's mother, Ruth Reardon O'Brien, also died.
  • Conan O'Brien will host the 98th Academy Awards ceremony on March 15, 2026.

The players

Conan O'Brien

A 62-year-old comedian who will host the 98th Academy Awards ceremony.

Dr. Thomas O'Brien

Conan O'Brien's late father, who would watch Johnny Carson host the Oscars with his son.

Johnny Carson

The late host of The Tonight Show, who previously hosted the Academy Awards and made a memorable joke about the long Oscars telecast during the Iran hostage crisis.

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What they’re saying

“When I was growing up, and this is probably true of a lot of kids, I'd look at my dad and I would think, what's my dad into? And is that a way to connect with my dad?”

— Conan O'Brien, Comedian

“To think that maybe now I'm part of that equation somehow, and in a cosmic way links me to my dad, is pretty amazing.”

— Conan O'Brien, Comedian

“And Johnny said, 'Well, it is day 44 of this Oscars.' It was such a funny topical joke that touched on something everyone was thinking about, and at the same time got a big laugh and was unifying. And I don't know, that was meaningful to me.”

— Conan O'Brien, Comedian

What’s next

Conan O'Brien will host the 98th Academy Awards ceremony on March 15, 2026, where he is expected to continue the tradition of humorous and unifying moments that he recalls from Johnny Carson's Oscars hosting duties.

The takeaway

Conan O'Brien's personal connection to the Oscars, stemming from watching the ceremony with his late father, adds a touching, sentimental element to his return as host of the 98th Academy Awards. This highlights how the Oscars can serve as a generational touchstone and how hosting the event can take on deeper meaning for those with family ties to the show.