Conan O’Brien is being mocked for a “cringe” Oscars joke that saw him speaking Gen Alpha slang over footage of viral mobile game Subway Surfers.
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O’Brien hosted the 98th Academy Awards ceremony last night (March 15) after presenting the 2025 Oscars.
He started his opening monologue by joking that he was the “last human” host of the Academy Awards before making fun of Timothée Chalamet’s recent criticism of ballet and opera and Netflix boss Ted Sarandos being at the theatre for the “first time”. O’Brien also helped create a new Leonardo DiCaprio meme that’s gone down very well on social media.
Conan O’Brien makes a new Leonardo DiCaprio meme #Oscars pic.twitter.com/OX62X798Mx
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) March 15, 2026
However, O’Brien’s attempt to engage with a younger audience is being criticised online.
“We here at the Oscars are always trying to figure out ways to reach a younger demographic, and I’ve been assured this next segment will do just that,” he explained before appearing next to a TikTok clip of viral mobile game Subway Surfers and providing the voiceover.
“When you’re hostmaxxing the Oscars and lowkenuinely trying to rizz up the younger demographic by going brainrot mode, and even though you’re unc-coded with a bunch of fame-filled NPCs, you’re still S-tier level aura farming. 67.”
“Well, that’s a message that the young people will definitely see on broadcast television,” he added.
this is the worst thing i’ve ever heard pic.twitter.com/3mQilqGcOg
— trin (@MAXXXXXlNE) March 16, 2026
The clip has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media but the reaction hasn’t been positive. “This is the worst thing I’ve ever heard,” wrote one X user. “I’m so tired of things that should have decorum trying to cater to the gen z audience like, what is this,” asked another. “People need to start acting their age,” said a third.
“Quotes and replies not realising that Conan was being ironic here. Yes, he knows it’s cringe, that’s the joke,” explained another X user. “Why is it that people are so dense that they can’t realise he’s making fun of people like this? What has happened to everyone,” added another.
Elsewhere, HUNTR/X won Best Original Song at the 2026 Oscars for their KPop Demon Hunters anthem ‘Golden’. However their emotional acceptance speech was cut short by organisers which has angered many fans.
In other news, Swedish heavy metallers Sabaton have teamed up with tactical battle game World Of Warships to release new single ‘Yamato’.
The post Conan O’Brien mocked for “cringe” ‘Subway Surfers’ brainrot Oscars joke appeared first on NME.
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