Conan O'Brien gets honest about hosting Oscars

Conan O’Brien is set to host the Academy Awards, which, in his words, is the peak of his career.

During an interview with Us Weekly, he said, “I’ve hosted many awards shows in my life, but the Oscars, it’s the pinnacle,” adding, “It’s the one you dream about hosting when you’re a child … as long as the pay is good. I’m looking into that.”

Asked about what he will do in his hosting, Conan said, “There’ll be several moments in the Oscars where I’ll be shirtless and oiled, and I think that’s going to hurt the program incredibly.”

The late-night host also joked about whether the event went over its runtime. “My biggest goal is to enjoy the nine hours of the Oscar telecast. I think it would be a shame to get the chance to host the Oscars and not have a good time, so I’ll be medicated.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Conan reflected on the lesson he has learned in his career, “Mistakes aren’t mistakes," adding that he sees them as positive. 

“I’m someone who hopes that things sometimes go a little off the rails because that’s where the real memorable moments happen, on late-night and on the Oscars,” he noted,.

The Oscars will air on March 2.