Conan O'Brien's well-landed joke halfway through Sunday night's Oscars -- about Kendrick Lamar calling Drake a pedophile -- was nearly left in comedy purgatory, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ

Conan O'Brien's joke writer wants everyone who missed the comedic timing of his Oscars bit about Kendrick Lamar and Drake's beef to just say that -- there was no malice

Conan O'Brien's confusing the Academy Awards with the Super Bowl ... 'cause he says the show's halfway done -- so, it's time for someone to quote Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like

Oscars, Conan O'Brien dropped a witty Drake joke. This had everyone crying when the host said, "Well, we're halfway through the show, which means it's time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drak

Conan O’Brien referred to the rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar at the Oscars 2025. O’Brien, while hosting the biggest awards night, seemingly threw shade at Canadian rapper Drake.

Shortly after it aired, comedian and writer Skyler Higley—a former writer on Conan’s self-titled late-night show and a member of the team of writers Conan assembled for his Oscars gig—tweeted his thanks to the Academy for keeping the joke in,

Oscars joke writer Skyler Higley defended the Kendrick Lamar and Drake joke he wrote for the 97th Academy Awards monologue. He explained the joke was in reference to the cultural moment and that O'Brien was not taking sides in the rappers' feud.

Midway through the 97th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday (March 2), host Conan O’Brien fired off a Kendrick Lamar one-liner that once again made Drake the butt of the joke — this time at the Oscars.

Conan O’Brien quipped about Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s years-long beef and Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show during the 2025 Oscars. A little over two hours into the Oscars broadcast, O’Brien, 61, joked, “Well, we’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile.”