Last night's Academy Awards show was a relatively scandal free affair (at least nobody slapped host Conan O'Brien, although we're sure a few people wanted to), but one particular joke did result in some gasps from the celeb-filled audience in attendance.
At one point, O'Brien introduced the heroic members of the LA Fire Department who battled this year’s devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, and used the opportunity to slip in a few of his... harsher gags.
“Now, I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but there are some jokes even I’m not brave enough to tell,” said the host before adding. “On behalf of myself, would you please read what’s in the prompter? Remember — everyone in this audience has to laugh; these are heroes!”
Los Angeles Fire Department captain Erik Scott kicked things off with a very funny dig at Todd Phillips' much-maligned Joker sequel: “Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes. And I’m talking about the producers of Joker 2.”
O'Brien did save some fairly risqué observations for himself, taking aim at Emilia Perez star Karla Sofía Gascón's controversial social media posts, and Drake’s longtime feud with Kendrick Lamar.
“Little fact for you — Anora uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist,” O’Brien said in his monologue. Later on, he quipped: “We’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile. Don’t worry, I’m lawyered up.”
You can check out the jokes for yourself in the video below, along with a full list of the winners in all major categories.
Best Picture
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Best Director
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
James Mangold, A Complete Unknown
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Best Actor
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Best Animated Feature
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best Original Screenplay
Anora
The Brutalist
A Real Pain
The Substance
September 5
Best Original Score in a Motion Picture
The Brutalist
Emilia Pérez
Conclave
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best Original Song
El Mal, Emilia Pérez
Mi Camino, Emilia Pérez
Never Too Late, Elton John: Never Too Late
The Journey, The Six Triple Eight
Like a Bird, Sing Sing
Best Cinematography
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Best Sound
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two
Wicked
Emilia Perez
The Wild Robot
Best Visual Effects
Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Dune: Part Two
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
Wicked
Best Costume Design
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked
Best Production Design
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Editing
Anora
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Brutalist
Best International Feature
I’m Still Here
The Girl with the Needle
Emilia Pérez
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Flow
Best Documentary Feature
Black Box Diaries
No Other Land
Porcelain War
Sugarcane
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Best Documentary Short
Death by Numbers
I Am Ready, Warden
Incident
The Only Girl in the Orchestra
Instruments of a Beating Heart
Best Live Action Short
Anuja
The Last Ranger
A Lien
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
I’m Not a Robot
Best Animated Short
In the Shadow of Cypress
Wander to Wonder
Yuck
Magic Candies
Beautiful Men