The writer behind host Conan O’Brien‘s joke about Kendrick Lamar and Drake at the 2025 Oscars knew the line would elicit big laughs from the audience.

During last night’s telecast from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, O’Brien appeared on stage during the show’s halfway point and quipped to the audience, “We’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile.” Taking a beat, he added, “Don’t worry, I’m lawyered up.”

Comedian and writer Skyler Higley, who has written for O’Brien’s Conan and Taylor Tomlinson‘s After Midnight, shared in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he wrote the joke in question “and bet our executive producer $50 that it would kill.” Yes, he got the $50.

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Entertainment Weekly has reached out to reps for the telecast and O’Brien for comment.

The joke was in reference to Lamar’s celebrated halftime show at the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans last month, where the headliner performed, among other hits, his popular diss track “Not Like Us.” The song features the following lyrics about Drake: “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophile.” (Certified Lover Boy references the name of one of Drake’s albums.)

The song is currently at the center of a lawsuit that Drake has filed against Universal Music Group, his own record label that also represents Lamar, that alleges defamation and harassment. The Canadian rapper, real name Aubrey Graham, accuses the record label of assisting to spread the “false and malicious” narrative about him being a pedophile.

O’Brien, in his triumphant hosting debut, did not shy away from addressing hot topics head on, including the controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez star and Best Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón. Gascón, who had largely been absent from the awards show circuit, attended last night’s ceremony after a contentious awards season that saw her criticized and ostracized due to resurfaced, offensive comments she made in the past about Islam, the Black Lives Matter movement, and diversity at the Oscars.

“Little fact for you: Anora uses the F-word 479 times. That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist,” joked O’Brien in his monologue. The camera then cut to Gascón, who took the ribbing in stride. “Karla, if you’re going to tweet about the Oscars, remember, my name is Jimmy Kimmel,” added O’Brien.

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