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The 2025 Oscars will be hosted by Conan O'Brien, which is his first time hosting the award ceremony. O’Brien, known for his quick wit and punchy comedic timing, has looked to past hosts for inspiration as he gears up for the big night.
One of those he admires most is Billy Crystal, the legendary comedian who hosted the Oscars nine times. Addressing Crystal, he said:
"He's the all-time great and mastered hosting the Oscars, in my opinion,"
Billy Crystal hosted the Oscars for the first time in 1990. According to Film Stories, Crystal began the show with a monologue that took light-hearted aim at Hollywood’s biggest stars, but it was the multi-character musical medleys for which he has now become famous that defined him.
Crystal hosted the Oscars four years in a row from 1990 to 1993. His opening songs summarizing the Best Picture nominees, often with hilarious results, became a highlight of each year’s show.
In the year 1991, he made a dramatic arrival on horseback, and the very next year, he parodied The Silence of the Lambs by being wheeled out onto the stage like Hannibal Lecter. After a short break, he came back to host in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2012.
One of Billy Crystal’s most iconic Oscar hosting segments, the “What the Stars Are Thinking” gag that first appeared in 2000, was later revived in 2004.
Crystal joked during this bit that he could read the minds of celebrities in the audience (Hollywood Reporter). As the camera moved from person to person, he’d make up their imagined inner thoughts.
A look into Conan O'Brien's career and achievements in the entertainment industry
Conan O'Brien has featured in many innovations in the world of comedy and television. He started as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” from 1988 to 1991 and won an Emmy Award in 1989 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.
According to an article by The Kennedy Center, he then moved to The Simpsons, where he served as a writer and producer from 1991 to 1993 and helped write memorable episodes like “Marge vs. the Monorail."
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He became the host of Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993, and he remained in that role for 16 years, earning a reputation for his distinctive comedic style and unique interviews (Britannica).
While O’Brien’s time hosting The Tonight Show in 2009 was short-lived, he rebounded successfully by launching “Conan,” a hit late-night show on TBS that ran from 2010 to 2021. Outside of television, he entered the digital media with the debut of his podcast, "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend," in 2018.
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