It’s probably going to be the most memorable Oscars moment in history! John Cena’s naked appearance at the 96th Academy Awards had the audience laughing for a long time. It’s been a while since a streaker appeared at the awards show, and host Jimmy Kimmel was determined to do the bit.
Host Jimmy Kimmel joked about when a naked man ran on stage at the 46th Oscars while David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor in 1974. “Can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today?” Kimmel asked the Oscars audience. He looked behind him, “I said, can you imagine if a nude man ran across the stage today? Wouldn’t that be crazy?”
Cue John Cena hiding behind part of the set. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to do the streaker bit,” Cena told Kimmel. “I just don’t feel right about it. It’s an elegant event, you know, you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless joke.”
Kimmel responded the bit was “supposed to be funny,” to which Cena hilariously responded, “The male body is not a joke!” Cue John Cena, donning only an Oscars envelope appeared on stage. The cameras cut to Margot Robbie who was laughing so hard at the bit. After a pre-recorded segment of the nominations of Best Costume Design, Cena appeared dressed with a curtain around him.
Behind the scenes footage from Chris Gardner, shows the quick change that John Cena did from naked to slightly dressed, and it’s definitely a sight to see.
CNN Entertainment Reporter Elizabeth Wagmeister revealed that a source close with production said that Cena wasn’t totally naked. “The show had to ensure there’d be no FCC violations, so Cena was covered “in the groin and butt crack area” and “the envelope was velcroed to him,” she posted on X.
Movie fans took to X to react to the comedic bit: “Naked John Cena bit might be the greatest Oscar bit of all time,” one fan posted.
