The 97th Academy Awards brough plenty of laughs to the 2025 TV schedule, largely thanks to first-time host Conan O’Brien and his hilarious opening monologue. The former late night mainstay returned to live TV in spectacular fashion,

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.

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,