The awkward moment everyone was waiting for
Conan O’Brien was not going to pass up the opportunity. In his second time hosting the Oscars, the comedian got straight to the point. And to the point, in this case, it was Timothée Chalamet and his recent (and rather unfortunate) statements about ballet and opera.
“It’s great to be back hosting the Oscars; last year Los Angeles was on fire, this year, everything is going amazing. Security is extremely tight tonight, because we’ve already been told there are ballet and opera groups waiting out here,”
O’Brien blurted out with that mischievous smile we all know.
The camera did its thing. He found Chalamet in his armchair, accompanied by Kylie Jenner. The reaction was instantaneous: a nervous laugh, an obvious blush, a downward gaze. The classic ‘oh, they caught me’ made flesh (and Armani). Jenner, for her part, maintained an impenetrable expression. Poker face total.
The context of the bomb
All this comes because a few days ago, Chalamet dropped the pearl that ballet and opera were disciplines that were still alive “because that’s how it had to be”, adding that in reality “no one cared about them”. Bigger words. And as expected, the art world came crashing down on him.
The curious thing about the timing: the statements were on February 24. Voting for the Oscars closed on March 5. More than one critic has speculated whether that comment could have cost him votes in the Best Actor category, where he was one of the favorites for Marty Supreme.
He didn’t win last night. Coincidence? The showbiz universe is a strange place where a joke can be more memorable than a thank you speech. And last night, Conan made sure that awkward moment was etched in awards history.




