Oscars 2024: John Cena plays streaker as a presenter

Every year at the Oscars, there are bits that don’t land. Then, there was John Cena pretending to be a streaker while presenting costumes.

Was he really a streaker? Well, not entirely. At first, the actor and wrestler refused to come onstage after deciding against the streaker bit (which was in itself a bit), before eventually coming out while using the results card in order to cover his bits. He then got on a gown while the nominees were read before eventually, stepping aside and allowing the winner to have their moment. The rapport between him and host Jimmy Kimmel was also on point.

From our vantage point, this is the perfect way to have some fun at an awards show like this. You get some unexpected laughs and yet, at the same time, you recognize when it is the right moment to step away and allow someone else to have their own moment. This was played really well and in the end, Cena got almost universal love from the crowd.

Is there some sort of additional guide to producing great bits on a live telecast? There isn’t, but our feeling (and why this one worked) is that you want to do some things that are reasonably close to the line, without at the same time totally walking over it. You need to find some clever ways to navigate that delicate balance while taking the show itself seriously. You can also tell jokes about people in attendance, but only about lighthearted things unless you are okay with the room getting divisive. (We saw that tonight during the monologue with Kimmel and Robert Downey Jr.)

Cena, in addition to of course his WWE career, has a number of other exciting things ahead, as well. That includes his upcoming season of Peacemaker coming to Max down the line.

Related – Get more news on the Oscars, including the opening monologue

What did you think about John Cena being a “streaker” during the 2024 Oscars?

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