Conan O'Brien will 'respect the moment' as Oscars host amid L.A. fires
'We're all taking this assignment very, very seriously.'
Following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California, this year's Oscars ceremony will take on a different tone.
Conan O'Brien, host of this year's Oscars, commented on what he and the Academy are doing to present the show in a way that will "respect the moment."
"We're all, all taking this assignment very, very seriously," he told On The Red Carpet, referring to the Oscars producers.
"They understand the situation. They understand what's happening. They're very sensitive to it... And so we're working hard to make sure, as I say, that it's the right show for that night, for March 2ns, because this is an ever-evolving situation that we're in."
While the Palisades and Eaton fires are mostly contained, new fires are emerging daily, with the potential of mudslides to come.
O'Brien continued, "What I'm saying to my writers is, 'don't- let's not decide now what's going to be on the show. Let's think of lots of different ideas, lots of different approaches. And as we get closer to the night, I think- I have- I can read a room and I can, when I say read a room, I don't just mean it can't be just that room... It's global. So what is the room? Read that room. That larger room. And, try to respect the moment and try to do my job, which is to meet the moment, be appropriate. And then I hope, elevate in some way, you know, and maybe bring some, some happiness in the night."
Thousands of Angelenos have been forced to evacuate their homes, with O'Brien being one of them.
He noted that he was "fantastically lucky" that his home was not damaged by the fires, but he's "getting used to hotel living."
