'Rotten Humor': Conan O'Brien Slammed Over 'Painful' 2026 Oscars Opening Monologue as Host Faces 'Several Awkward Moments of Silence'

Conan O'Brien shouldn't expect to win any awards following his "painful" 2026 Oscars opening monologue, RadarOnline.com can report.

The comedian, returning for his second year as host, was greeted with crickets from attendees and viewers for many of his opening monologue jokes.

After opening the show with a well-received dig at Timothée Chalamet and the recent backlash over his controversial comments about ballet and opera, O'Brien seemed to quickly lose the crowd with an ill-received gag linking nominated movies Hamnet and Bugonia to "off-brand lunch meat."

"Had a little 'Bugonia' around 10, it's not sitting too well," the host said to a muttered reaction.

Reading the crowd, O'Brien disappointedly added, "On the ride home, you’ll appreciate it."

Later, he joked that "'F1 received four nominations. 'F1' did so well, they are making a sequel – 'Caps Lock'." Another muted response saw O'Brien confess, "Some of these I do for myself."

Many of the early jokes at the Oscars targeted Chalamet and his slam of ballet and opera. Before the awards, the Marty Supreme star reportedly debated whether or not he would even be welcome at the ceremony.

The controversy erupted after Chalamet, 30, suggested traditional art forms like ballet and opera were struggling because "no one cares about this anymore."

His comments went viral instantly, with legends and performers from each craft slamming his opinion. The backlash was so brutal, Chalamet seriously considered looking for a back door.

"It will be a last-minute decision,” one insider told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter on his Substack before the event. "Timothée doesn’t want the first part of the night spent explaining those comments to reporters."

Eventually, Chalamet did walk the carpet, but quickly headed to his seat, pausing only for photographs.

Chalamet landed himself in hot water after appearing at a CNN and Variety town hall conversation with actor Matthew McConaughey, where the pair discussed the future of movie theaters and the changing habits of audiences.

Speaking during the discussion, Chalamet reflected on the debate around cinema's future and the pressure some actors feel to publicly campaign for theaters.

He said: "I admire when actors go on a talk show and go, 'Hey, we gotta keep movie theaters alive. You know, we gotta keep this genre alive.'"

The Oscar nominee added: "And another part of me feels like, if people wanna see it, like Barbie, like Oppenheimer, they're gonna go see it and go out of their way and be loud and proud about it."

Chalamet continued the comparison by referencing other performing arts that often rely on public support.

"And I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive.' Even though it's like, no one cares about this anymore," he said at the time.