As quickly as Conan O’Brien strode onto the Oscars stage Sunday evening, he regarded like he belonged there. He was self-deprecating, telling the group to sit down down earlier than he continued, despite the fact that nobody was standing. He discovered Demi Moore within the viewers and greeted her with a smile; he had simply performed a pre-recorded clip of himself rising out of her again as a nod to her work within the Greatest Image-nominated physique horror movie The Substance. He took a number of steps throughout the set and quipped, “I’m strolling to point out I’ve management of the stage.”

He actually did have management. O’Brien has by no means hosted the Academy Awards earlier than, however the comic appeared like a veteran of the gig as he kicked off the present. That’s partially as a result of he spent three many years working in late-night tv—writing bits, interviewing celebrities, and commanding all types of audiences as a bunch. As the author Vikram Murthi noticed final yr, O’Brien “is one in all our final traditional entertainers.”

However O’Brien’s success on the Oscars can be a results of his potential to steadiness the foolish with the intense; every so often, he even embodied each on the similar time. His tonal agility as a performer made him well-suited to a ceremony that got here on the heels of two main occasions—the presidential election and the wildfires in Los Angeles that destroyed total neighborhoods—whereas Hollywood itself has been enduring a tough time: Studio productions have largely vacated Los Angeles after the pandemic and the twin strikes, streaming platforms proceed to disrupt the standard theater enterprise, and a collection of scandals have plagued a number of of the nominees seated contained in the Dolby Theater. O’Brien has been going via a tough few months, too; his dad and mom died inside days of each other in December, and he evacuated his dwelling amid the fires. His job, on high of charming each the A-listers within the room and people watching at dwelling, requires figuring out when and find out how to make his viewers not solely snort, but in addition pay attention.

He proved adept on the activity from the bounce. In some moments throughout his monologue, he performed the function of the traditional Oscars emcee: He inspired the group to applaud Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the celebrities of Depraved, for his or her performances on the  starting of the present. He poked gentle enjoyable on the Greatest Image nominees, and teased a few of the assembled actors by displaying their pre-fame headshots. (The picture proven for Timothée Chalamet, as an example, was that of a sonogram.)

But he additionally performed the unruly jester: He championed Babygirl, a 2024 movie that was snubbed by the Academy, and skewered Amazon’s current buy of the James Bond franchise. He additionally deployed a number of harsh punchlines concerning the actor Karla Sofía Gascón, whose resurfaced tweets—a collection of bigoted missives, together with one concerning the Oscars themselves—basically sank her Greatest Actress marketing campaign. After the group gasped at his reference to Gascón, O’Brien appeared delighted, pointing on the viewers, rubbing his arms collectively, and even jogging in place. “I’m having enjoyable,” he stated, smiling impishly.

O’Brien’s giddiness was key to his opening act. It softened the strangeness of a few of his gags, whether or not it was verbally sparring together with his longtime good friend Adam Sandler, requesting the Conclave star John Lithgow’s assist to disgrace speech-givers into wrapping up, or performing an ironic song-and-dance quantity about not losing time onstage the best way that earlier hosts and presenters have. These moments aren’t new to awards exhibits; Sandler has change into a pinch hitter for dwell TV currently, and virtually each Oscars host calls out how lengthy the ceremony runs. However O’Brien made plain how a lot he sought to entertain, to carry everybody’s consideration at any value.

Maybe that’s why he efficiently delivered the section that others in his place would have tried to rapidly gloss over: a severe, direct-to-camera attraction concerning the significance of filmmaking, particularly throughout less-than-ideal instances. “In moments corresponding to this, any awards present can appear self-indulgent and superfluous,” he started, “however what I need to do is have us all bear in mind why we collect right here tonight. … Even within the face of horrible wildfires and divisive politics, the work, which is what that is about, the work continues, and subsequent yr, and for years to return, via trauma and pleasure, this seemingly absurd ritual goes to be right here.”

He paused. “I can’t,” he stated as the group started to snort. “I’m leaving Hollywood to run a mattress and breakfast in Orlando, and I’d prefer to see you there.” It was traditional Conan: goofy and ridiculous, however earnest in his pleasure, too. He’d stated in an interview final week that each one he needed out of the internet hosting gig was “to have enjoyable onstage.” He clearly did. So did these off of it.