Writer of Conan O'Brien's Oscar monologue explains Kendrick Lamar/Drake joke; calls it 'culturally relevant'

Conan O'Brien punctuated this year’s Academy Awards with one of the best turns as a host in recent memory. From his zany and self-deprecating comedy bits to his overall command of the proceedings, the former late night host truly checked all the boxes in his crowd pleasing turn.

Some of the highlights included his interaction with Adam Sandler, a bit showing actors’ and actresses’ original headshots, and a joke about the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, among other interactions that made the show a stirring success.

In response to a variety of feedback and opinions on social media, the writer of the Drake and Kendrick quip, Skyler Higley, thanked the powers that be for keeping the joke in the telecast, and has clarified the relevance of having the joke as part of the ceremony to begin with.

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Skyler Higley defends joke in Conan O'Brien’s Monologue

Skyler Higley is currently a staff writer on CBS’ After Midnight and formerly worked as a writer on TBS’ CONAN, pointing to a shared history between the two. According to TMZ, who caught up with Higley after the Academy Awards had aired, the joke was simply a reference to Kendrick's Super Bowl Half Time Show performance and a nod to a culturally defining moment of the past year.

Unfortunately, this did not stop fans from insinuating that Conan O'Brien, or the Academy were taking sides in the beef, another notion Higley was quick to denounce. In the same conversation with TMZ, Skyler noted,

"The idea that it’s being taken as a real call-out or taking sides in any way in the beef is absurd.”

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The Joke In Question

Slightly more than halfway into the telecast, host Conan O'Brien remarked,

"We're halfway through the show, which means it's time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile.”

This directly references Lamar’s claims in the heated exchange between the rap titans in 2024. Conan O'Brien went on to add,

“Don't worry, I'm lawyered up"

In reference to Drake’s lawsuit against UMG. The barb seemed innocent enough, and its writer, Higley, even took it to X to celebrate its inclusion in the telecast.

Some people did not take the joke lightly at all, including Jamaican-American podcaster, internet personality and live streamer Dj Akademiks. The notoriously outspoken personality and one of Drake’s biggest supporters throughout the on-going saga with Lamar, took to Instagram to voice his concerns.

The caption for the post simply reads,

“The Oscar’s writers wrote a joke bout Drake liking kids. Should he sue or na?”

Several commenters were interestingly in lockstep with Akademiks' point of view, agreeing that it appeared to be defamatory and problematic.