Conan O’Brien has shed light on the surprisingly strict rules governing the handling of the coveted Oscar statuette. 

While speaking on the March 13 episode of his podcast Conan Needs a Friend, O’Brien shared how his comedic ideas were quickly shut down by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In regards to this, O’Brien revealed, “One of the people from the Academy came forward and said, ‘Oscar can never be horizontal.’ That blew my mind. Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon.”

According to Daily Mail, O’Brien had originally pitched a skit where the statuette would be placed on a couch, with him jokingly asking it to help around the house. 

Another rejected idea involved portraying the trophy as a housewife serving leftovers, both of which the Academy deemed inappropriate.

Moreover, the comedian also shared insights into the behind-the-scenes adjustments made to his Oscars monologue, revealing that some jokes were cut just moments before he went on stage. 

Additionally, he told E! News on March 2, “There are times where you think, ‘We’ve got a good joke here, but I’m not gonna do it. It doesn’t feel right.’ We made a lot of changes backstage.”

Despite the restrictions, O’Brien’s monologue featured several memorable moments, including playful jabs at Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet. 

As per the outlet, he quipped, “Timmy Chalamet, you look amazing. You will not get hit on your bike tonight,” while referencing the actor’s recent fine for using a rideshare bike in London.