Conan O'Brienknows there'sonly one Oscars.
That didn't stop the comedian, who is hostingthe 98th Academy Awards, from making a joke at the ceremony Sunday night that conservative viewers hoping for an alternative show could find one hosted by Kid Rock. The quip references analternative Super Bowl halftime show, put on by the right-wing organization Turning Point USA in February, which claimed the musician as their headliner.
"Tonight could get political, and if that makes you uncomfortable, there's an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock,"O'Brientold the audience during his monologue March 15. "It's at the Dave & Buster's down the street."
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Turning Point's "All American Halftime Show,"which included performances from Rock, a longtime ally of PresidentDonald Trump, and several country music artists, was largely viewed as a response to the NFL's choice of Bad Bunny as their headliner.
Bad Bunny, a Latin superstarwho hails from Puerto Rico, sings primarily in Spanish and has been critical of Trump's deportation efforts in the past. When he was announced as theSuper Bowl's lead performer, several conservative pundits, and Trump himself, criticized the choice, alleging he wasn't a popular enough artist and that he was a divisive pick. Bad Bunny was Spotify's most-streamed artist globally in 2025.
The biggest A-listers in Hollywood brought their most lavish looks to the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15. See the best fashion of the night, starting with Emma Stone." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
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Oscars 2026 red carpet – See every look from Emma Stone to Nicole Kidman
The biggest A-listers in Hollywood brought their most lavish looks to the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15.See the best fashion of the night, starting with Emma Stone.
In protest, Turning Point streamed their show, celebrating "faith, family, and freedom" on theirsocialchannels, as well as several conservative networks, including Real America's Voice and OAN. TPUSA was co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk. Following his September 2025assassination, his widow Erika Kirk was named CEO.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Conan O'Brien takes aim at Kid Rock, Turning Point USA at Oscars