Conan O’Brien Gets In Dig At Trump With ‘Anora’ Joke: “I Guess Americans Are Excited To See Somebody Finally Stand Up To A Powerful Russian” – Deadline
By Ted Johnson Political Editor
Conan O’Brien steered clear of politics in his opening monologue, but as Anora has collected a number of Oscars, he got in a quip directed at Donald Trump without naming him.
“Anora is having a good night. Two wins already. I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian,” O’Brien said, to huge cheers in the Dolby Theater.
His quip followed Trump’s shocking Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, with the president berating Ukraine’s leader and complaining at the treatment shown to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Anora is the story of a sex worker who falls a client, the son of a Russian oligarch, and is then held against her will by his henchmen as the family races to get an annulment.
O’Brien isn’t known for his political humor, a difference from last year’s host, Jimmy Kimmel. During last year’s ceremony, Trump posted on Truth Social posted an attack on Kimmel and the show as “boring.” During the ceremony, Kimmel responded by reading Trump’s post and then quipped, “Isn’t it past your jail time?”
The ceremony so far has had no other direct reference to Trump, but there have been subtler criticisms. Daryl Hannah shouted a salute to Ukraine as she presented an award. The filmmakers of No Other Land, winners for documentary feature, criticized U.S. foreign policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.
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Source: http://deadline.com/2025/03/oscars-2025-trump-conan-obrien-1236308273/
