In the world of live television, especially on a stage as prestigious as the Academy Awards, even the most chaotic and spontaneous-seeming moments are often the product of intense planning and careful negotiation. This was never more apparent than during the 96th Academy Awards, when actor and former wrestler John Cena appeared to walk on stage completely naked to present the award for Best Costume Design. Now, details from host Jimmy Kimmel and Cena himself have illuminated the meticulous, and humorous, process of pulling off one of the night’s most viral gags.

During a recent episode of his late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel, who has emceed the Oscars four times (2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024), revisited the memorable bit with its star. A clip was played showing Cena, seemingly bare, cautiously making his way to the microphone, using only the oversized winners’ envelope to preserve his modesty. The stunt was a direct homage to the 1974 Oscars, when a streaker famously ran across the stage behind host David Niven. Fifty years later, Kimmel and Cena’s version required a level of clearance the original streaker certainly never sought.

Reflecting on the moment, the 48-year-old Cena laughed about the physical prop he was holding. “The card was so small,” he joked, referring to the comically large envelope designed to cover his groin area. However, as Kimmel quickly revealed, the size of the card was just one piece of a much larger puzzle orchestrated to satisfy the network’s Standards and Practices department.

Kimmel explained the high-stakes nature of the live broadcast, noting, “This is not something that’s on tape that we can blur later if something pops out.” This reality meant every possibility had to be accounted for, a process that involved significant back-and-forth. Cena, a 17-time world champion wrestler known for his showmanship and commitment, was initially prepared for a more audacious version of the stunt. “I wanted to go out there with my incredibly underwhelming, odd-shaped penis just in the wind,” he quipped with self-deprecating humor. Kimmel playfully retorted, “I heard a different adjective other than ‘underwhelming’, to be honest.”

On a more serious note, Kimmel conveyed the network’s legitimate concerns. He recalled that producers were “worried” that a “regular-sized” card would be insufficient, leading to an accidental and broadcast-prohibited reveal. This fear prompted a series of preemptive measures. “We made the card bigger,” Kimmel stated, a fact Cena confirmed. But the precautions went far beyond props. Kimmel then asked, “And then you were all glued up, right?”

This question led to the central, and most candid, revelation about the entire affair. Cena agreed, explaining the core principle they had to follow. “Yes. You can’t show b-hole,” he said bluntly.

Kimmel immediately affirmed this as a foundational guideline for the broadcast. “That’s right! That’s one of the biggest rules, the number one rules at the Oscars,” the host confirmed, before jokingly adding, “90 years ago they put that rule in place.” Cena played along, quipping, “Yeah, can’t show the exit at all.” He then explicitly stated the solution: “So yeah. I had my b-hole taped.”

The conversation painted a vivid picture of the nervous energy backstage. Kimmel remembered “a lot of sweating going on” from the production staff and compliance officers tasked with ensuring the skit went off without a hitch. Cena added that these rule enforcers visited his greenroom “a lot” of times before he was due on stage, performing last-minute checks to guarantee every safeguard was in place.

Following the ceremony, behind-the-scenes photographs surfaced that corroborated their story and fully demystified the illusion. The images showed Cena, known for his role in films like The Suicide Squad, standing in a hallway wearing a flesh-toned modesty pouch. This piece of wardrobe, essentially a specialized undergarment, provided full coverage in both the front and back. While television audiences were treated to the thrilling illusion that Cena could have a major wardrobe malfunction at any second, the reality was that the Oscars’ wardrobe and production teams had engineered a foolproof solution.

The entire episode serves as a fascinating case study in modern television production. It highlights the collaborative tension between creative ambition and broadcast regulations, showcasing how a potentially risqué idea was methodically de-risked for a global audience. For Kimmel, a veteran host adept at navigating the unpredictable nature of live events, it was another successfully managed moment. For Cena, it further cemented his reputation as a game-for-anything comedic actor, willing to leverage his formidable physique for a laugh while respecting the intricate machinery of a massive Hollywood production. The viral moment wasn’t just a man in Birkenstocks holding an envelope; it was a carefully choreographed performance, complete with tape, multiple greenroom checks, and one very important rule.