{"id":333165,"date":"2026-03-17T01:25:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T01:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/333165\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T01:25:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T01:25:18","slug":"showrunner-on-conan-the-tie-and-biggest-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/333165\/","title":{"rendered":"Showrunner on Conan, the tie and biggest moments"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 The day after the Oscars, executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor is feeling a bit exhausted. After preparing for Hollywood\u2019s biggest night for months and months, it can feel a little surreal to realize that it\u2019s over. But he\u2019s also feeling good about what he and hundreds of others put together, not just for the nominees and winners but for the millions watching around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel really good,\u201d Kapoor told The Associated Press on Monday. \u201cIt is one of those things where you work so hard on putting something together and the next day you\u2019re absolutely exhausted and can barely talk. But it\u2019s still kind of an amazing feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click to Gallery<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael McKean, from left, Christopher Guest, Jerry O’Connell, Will Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne Zuniga stand in tribute to Rob Reiner during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael McKean, from left, Christopher Guest, Jerry O’Connell, Will Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne Zuniga stand in tribute to Rob Reiner during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

\"Christone<\/p>\n

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, from left, Shaboozey, Miles Caton, Brittany Howard, and Raphael Saadiq perform a tribute to “Sinners” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael B. Jordan accepts the award for actor in a leading role for “Sinners” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

\"Kumail<\/p>\n

Kumail Nanjiani presents the award for best live action short film during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

\"Host<\/p>\n

Host Conan O’Brien appears during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

And no matter how much they planned, the thing that Kapoor, who won an Emmy for the 96th Oscars two years ago, and fellow producer Katy Mullan know is that there\u2019s only so much control one has when producing a live television show. And they are always expecting the unexpected.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most surprising part of the night was when Kumail Nanjiani opened the envelope for best live-action short and announced that there was a tie. \u201cI\u2019m not joking,\u201d he said from the stage.<\/p>\n

Kapoor said that Nanjiani was given a heads up from Oscar accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers that it was a tie moments before he walked onstage. No one coached him about what to do. And Nanjiani handled the unusual situation calmly and deftly, saying he would announce the winners one at a time, giving both their moment onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was kind of like the perfect person to do that at that time,\u201d Kapoor said. \u201cI was so impressed with just how he handled it, how our team handled it. It\u2019s a very fast moving show and it\u2019s really complex from automation to stage cues to our trophy presenters and it is a whole night of choreography. So anytime something unusual happens I just have to give full credit to our full production team of just how aware they are to make those pivots and changes at the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some viewers watching from home wondered whether returning host Conan O\u2019Brien always knew when he was on camera. There were moments when it seemed like he had been caught in a private moment, reacting to what was happening onstage, like during the live-action short speech that was almost cut short.<\/p>\n

Kapoor said he can\u2019t speak to that moment because even he\u2019s not sure whether the host was caught off guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cConan is the master of improv and he\u2019s the master of reaction. And sometimes, you know, I, like, I honestly could not tell,\u201d he said. \u201cI heard the cue go out. But the way that Conan played that bit, it could have been a Conan bit. He is one of those people that are so talented. And sometimes you really don\u2019t know what he has planned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those in the audience knew that the \u201cSinners\u201d performance carried on after the broadcast cut to commercial. Kapoor said they did always have a reprise planned for the juke joint recreation. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere were so many talented musicians in that segment and I think they were just really living in that moment and wanting to have the party continue because I think the energy in the room felt electric and I really think between the audience and the performers onstage, nobody really wanted it to end,\u201d Kapoor said. \u201cUnfortunately, we had to change over our stage, otherwise we would have left them there a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The producers are constantly monitoring the show\u2019s timing, and while they have a little bit of wiggle room with Disney and ABC, they are always trying to come in at 3 \u00bd hours or under.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our responsibility to keep the train on its tracks,\u201d he said. \u201cBut really more than halfway during the show is when more crucial decisions have to be made. If we are continually stretching and adding more time, we have to start reining it in.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those tough decisions happened when \u201cGolden\u201d won best original song, and they made the call to cut the speech at the designated time. It wasn\u2019t a slow fade either, but a definitive cut microphone and a full volume orchestra.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the nominees are given guidelines of how long they have to speak and ultimately, in a lot of categories where there\u2019s multiple nominees, we\u2019ve asked for them to designate somebody to speak on behalf of everybody that\u2019s nominated in that category,\u201d Kapoor said. \u201cIt\u2019s that moment where somebody feels like they\u2019re done and the music has already been called to play. So at that point, the orchestra is playing, we are now moving on to the next segment. But ultimately, at that time in the show, we are now very, very extremely conscious of time. And want to be fair to all the nominees, so that ends up being a tough decision to make.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of their proudest, and most delicately planned, moments was the in memoriam, which included gathering a slew of stars to celebrate Rob and Michele Reiner, as well as Barbra Streisand for Robert Redford.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe in memoriam this year was really, really special for us,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the most delicate and thought through pieces of the show, because we know how much it means to people. Between our filmmakers, between our orchestrations, between the presenters that actually came on stage. It\u2019s just, yeah, it\u2019s something that we hold very dear and we want to make sure that resonates with not only people in the room, but people at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cUltimately, if it brings a little tear to your eye that\u2019s kind of us all feeling like we\u2019ve all done a good job to make something memorable happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

One thing producers know they definitely don\u2019t have control over is the content of speeches. But last night, Kapoor said, \u201call the winners really delivered some exceptional speeches,\u201d noting lead acting winners Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley specifically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they spoke to so many different people around the world from \u2018Sentimental Value\u2019 to \u2018KPop\u2019 to, you know, thanking mothers,\u201d Kapoor said. \u201cIt just shows you that even though we are celebrating film there\u2019s probably a message for almost everybody around the word to celebrate and to feel connected and to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kapoor wanted especially to recognize the over 700 people who worked on the show behind the scenes, from editors, to caterers, to makeup artists, to costume designers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis particular show really employs so many people in Los Angeles,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s so great for the city of Los Angeles, it\u2019s so great for the film community, it\u2019s so great for television. Katy and myself are honored to work with the academy, with Conan and to be able to produce a show that still means so much to people around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, we\u2019ll just have to wait and see. As Kapoor said, it\u2019s the day after the Oscars and \u201cI don\u2019t think Conan is taking anybody\u2019s calls.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he and Mullan loved working with him again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been so blessed to work with him these past two years, him and his team, and it\u2019s just a really lovely relationship, and I could not ask for anything better,\u201d Kapoor said.<\/p>\n


\n \"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael McKean, from left, Christopher Guest, Jerry O’Connell, Will Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne Zuniga stand in tribute to Rob Reiner during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"Christone<\/p>\n

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, from left, Shaboozey, Miles Caton, Brittany Howard, and Raphael Saadiq perform a tribute to “Sinners” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael B. Jordan accepts the award for actor in a leading role for “Sinners” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"Kumail<\/p>\n

Kumail Nanjiani presents the award for best live action short film during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"Host<\/p>\n

Host Conan O’Brien appears during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

HOUSTON (AP) \u2014 An Afghan immigrant whose family said he had been evacuated from his home country after working for years with U.S. forces died at a Texas hospital after immigration authorities detained him, according to authorities.<\/p>\n

Federal immigration officials called Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal a \u201ccriminal\u201d who had been arrested for alleged fraudulent use of food stamps and for theft. Officials also said Paktyawal had not provided any record of his military service.<\/p>\n

#AfghanEvac, a San Diego-based group that helps resettle Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the two-decade war, pushed back against the federal government\u2019s claims about Paktyawal, one of several people who have died in recent months after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalling a man a criminal without a conviction while claiming there is \u2018no record\u2019 of service without checking interagency systems looks less like fact-finding and more like damage control,\u201d said Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac. \u201cThe government should be explaining how a 41-year-old father of six died less than 24 hours after entering ICE custody.\u201d<\/p>\n

A cause of death is still pending from the Dallas County Medical Examiner\u2019s Office. But Paktyawal\u2019s family said he was not ill.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still cannot understand how this happened. He was only 41 years old and was a strong and healthy man. His children keep asking when their father will come home,\u201d the family said in statement.<\/p>\n

Paktyawal was arrested by ICE on Friday and during his medical intake exam at a Dallas ICE field office, he complained of shortness of breath and chest pain, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis said in a statement Monday.<\/p>\n

Paktyawal was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas and on Saturday, his tongue became swollen and he received treatment. But later in the morning, medical staff had to perform CPR on him. He was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m. CDT. <\/p>\n

\u201cNo one in ICE custody is denied access to proper medical care,\u201d Bis said.<\/p>\n

His death was still under investigation, ICE said.<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, who on Monday had visited the Dallas ICE field office where Paktyawal was held, said the Department of Homeland Security and ICE have had a history \u201clying and misrepresenting\u201d the background of people they arrest or encounter. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was not a violent criminal, as President Trump likes to say when he\u2019s rounding up these folks. He was working as a baker,\u201d said Johnson, a Democrat who represents parts of Dallas County. \u201cHe was providing for his family and contributing to our economy. And so we have a lot of questions of why was this gentleman targeted? Why was he picked up? And why did he die in their custody?\u201d<\/p>\n

ICE said Paktyawal had been arrested for committing fraud against SNAP, the government\u2019s biggest food aid program, on Sept. 16. ICE said he had also been arrested for theft by Garland police on Nov. 1.<\/p>\n

A Dallas County District Attorney\u2019s Office spokesperson said there is an active case regarding SNAP benefits fraud of $200 or more, a third-degree felony, against Paktyawal that had not been resolved.<\/p>\n

Police in the Dallas suburb of Garland said Paktyawal was arrested on Nov. 1 after being accused of not paying for groceries and merchandise from a Walmart.<\/p>\n

The case in Garland, a misdemeanor, had not yet been filed with the district attorney\u2019s office, according to the spokesperson.<\/p>\n

Paktyawal had previously served alongside U.S. military special forces in Afghanistan for a decade and came to the United States following the withdrawal by U.S. troops and the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. brought him here because of the role Afghans like him played in supporting the American mission,\u201d VanDiver said.<\/p>\n

Paktyawal, who was married, had been living in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas.<\/p>\n

Johnson said she had been told by his family that he had applied for asylum and his case was pending. But Johnson said ICE agents are claiming that Paktyawal had missed his asylum appointments.<\/p>\n

Deaths in ICE custody have soared during Trump\u2019s second term.<\/p>\n

The agency reported 14 custody deaths from the start of the government\u2019s fiscal year Oct. 1 through Jan. 6, well on pace to surpass the previous 12-month count of 24. ICE reported 12 custody deaths in the 2024 fiscal year and 12 in the previous three years combined.<\/p>\n

ICE has increased the number of people in its detention centers to more than 70,000 from about 40,000 at the start of Trump\u2019s second term. It plans to spend $38.3 billion to boost capacity to 92,600 beds by the end of November, including converted warehouses that house up to 10,000 each<\/p>\n

Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in San Diego, Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. <\/p>\n

Follow Juan A. Lozano: https:\/\/x.com\/juanlozano70<\/p>\n


\n \"FILE<\/p>\n

FILE – A federal agent wears an Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge in New York, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo\/Yuki Iwamura, File)<\/p>\n

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