Who Should Host the Oscars?
At the very end of Vulture's chat with Hugh Jackman, they asked if the multi-faceted star would again host the Oscars this year. His response: "I don't know. I haven't been asked." Which got us thinking: If it's never too early for Best Picture punditry, then it's just as valid to start calling the odds on who'll host an awards show five months away. We've narrowed down the race to seven candidates, broken down in three categories: The Thoroughbreds, The Tantalizing Possibilities, and The Dark Horses.
The Thoroughbreds
1. Hugh Jackman
Why: Producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon wanted to do something completely different with last year's show, giving the proceedings a classed-up, throwback feel by putting the orchestra on a thrust stage and bathing the audience in Swarovski-crusted opulence. Hugh was the dashing plastic bridegroom atop their wedding cake (and, some might argue, the glowing bride as well), wowing the crowd with his seemingly boundless gifts for song, dance, and making light-funny at only his own expense. And all the while, he managed to stay effortlessly classy, even when hopping into Frank Langella's lap or singing about pubic hair.
He brought in higher ratings, too: 36.3 million viewers, 4.3 million more than the year before.
Why not: His single 2009 output, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is considered an Oscar frontrunner in all categories, and will therefore turn the evening into an awkward series of hosting stops and acceptance speech starts.
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
1. Hugh Jackman: Missed those Oscars, so I won't judge. Okay, I will. He can sing, dance, and tell jokes, but he's no Billy Crystal judging by the clips and might want to step back for a year.
2. Neill Patrick Harris: Only the Academy would care about his personal life. Audiences seem to like him, finding him funny and personable and not appearing to care about his sex life. With some good writers he might pull it off.
3. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin: I can see the audience watching the show, wondering why one host is screaming his lungs out at the Oscar statue about his ex-wife, and why is Sara Palin there too.
4. Justin Timberlake: No.
5. Kristin Chenoweth: Too much risk of being mistaken for a statuette and taken away by an over-enthusiastic actor.
6. Kathy Griffin: If you want to kill the Oscars, go for it.
No Sarah Silverman? I would love to see her host the Oscars.
All of the other people you listed are good when they are scripted, but they are never ones to improv and that is exactly what the program needs. Not people reading off lines they've rehearsed which might get a chuckle here and there. They don't need "Broadway's" version of the Oscars as they had last year, they need someone who will not kiss ass, and hopefully make fun of some of the actors, actresses, and movies of this year.
No Ricky Gervais?
Kathy Griffin would be an awesome choice, but yeah it'll never happen.
...you do realize you just described Kathy Griffin, right?
When Silverman did the Spirit Awards (twice I believe, but more the first time) she held up very well.
I thought about that, but I remember in one of her stand-up shows on Bravo she said that she's isn't really good at telling spur of the moment jokes, but rather just jokes from the crazy things that go on in her life. Remember someone wrote that "suck it Jesus" joke she did at the Emmy's. But she would be my next choice after Silverman.
This may definitely be the year of the ladies with a female-centered film getting great buzz (Precious) and a female director possibly being nominated (Kathryn Bigelow). So a female host would just top it off. But please not Ellen. She is already doing Idol and is just too safe for me.
So there is no reason for Hugh not to host again 😉 Your "why not" isn´t too good. I liked Wolverine but it´s doubtful it will get any nominations that would involve Hugh (best actor - shame but true, produser - best movie). So yeah, I hope he could do that, he was great. But he is making a movie from January so he might have some schedule conflict.
Agreed. No one but Ricky shall do for now. Although, I wouldn't mind Chris Rock returning to make some white people uncomfortable. His Bush/Gap employee analogy was pretty hilarious.
Who Should Host the Oscars?
Me.
Billy Crystal should host the Oscars! He knows how to do it with style!!!
i had you pegged as the genie in Gene with Heigl as your Aladdin.
Neil Patrick Harris!
P.S. I don't know one person who watches 30 Rock. I really think it's popularity is because people who work in the media like it.
Billy Crystal. Nobody does it better.
Steve Martin or Ricky Gervais. Two -very different- funny men.
Tons of the greatest shows on television (The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Arrested Development) have/had thin ratings, while a lot of insipid, borderline-unwatchable crap (Two and a Half Men, all CSI shows, American Idol) bring in the frothing droves, so I'm not sure that that's really a negative.
Steve Martin and Tina Fey. Great together as presenters last year. He's done well with hosting duties twice before and his humor toes the line well with The Oscars' self-reverential tone. Fey can add some bite without going over-the-top (i.e. Whoopi). The two have the TV, movie and comedy chops to pull it off, plus their pairing would likely generate more buzz than--no offense--Neil Patrick Harris or a Hugh Jackman redux.
"His year"? Jon Stewart hosted the Oscars twice. I guess one time was *really* forgettable to you guys.
Howard Stern. Who better than the King of All Media!
Xmen is a frontrunner in all categories? WHAT?? No it's not. I doubt it will even get a nomination in a single category. Not to mention I highly doubt it will receive an award for actress, documentary, animation, and original writing. BECAUSE THERE ARE NONE. Not to mention how much of a joke the oscars would be if it got picture, actor, adapted writing, and director.
maybe he'd fuck it up but Eddie Murphy might work
Neil Patrick Harris would do a phenomenal job and proved that at the Emmys. He is very talented and handles the pressure with grace, class, and humor. He is very "now," but he reminds me in some strange way of some of the old Hollywood stars - wasn't Cary Grant both smooth and witty? I like very few current Hollywood stars, but I think he would do a tremendous job. This year was the first time I've watched the Emmys straight though in a long time - I'd definitely sit through the Oscars were he the host!
Meryl Streep!
She was a fantastic presenter (with Lily Tomlin) two years ago.
Streep's charisma & stage presence are unquestioned, and - as she showed in Mama Mia - she can sing, too.
To the 9:02 Anon - Streep would be great in theory. However, I saw her present at a benefit a few years back, and while she was a lovely person, she was less than magnetic or charismatic while on stage. She has an undeniable presence while acting, but I don't see that translating as well when she's just being herself.
My vote is Billy Crystal or Neil Patrick Harris. Mr. Harris radiates personality in a very specific way that is necessary for a great host; I would honestly go as far as to say he is the one on the list of prospective hosts who most embodies all the things I love about watching Billy Crystal host/present/emcee anything. They are both absolutely fascinating to watch, have brilliant timing, and are, by all accounts, tremendously talented.
I thought Hugh Jackman was... adorable and rather bland. His reedy voice does very little for me, personally. However, I'm not the target! I'm a lifer. I will watch the Oscars until I'm a decrepit geriatric, because for some bizarre reason, I actually care about who wins those silly things. The host selection is meant to pull in the people who might not otherwise watch. Ah, well, it's still fun to ramble on in internet comments. 😉
Steve carell and Steven Colbert should team up on this. They are two of the funniest men on television or even in the business right now as well as best friends. You'd get a lot of creativity and laugh out loud humor with these two. Carell is the perfect straight man and Colbert is great at barely containing his lunacy. Plus, they've both proven themselves in terms of acting well within ridiculous scenarios whether on the office, strangers with candy, the daily show (where they used to do a terrific point-counterpoint), and the colbert report, ensuring that any video parodying would be priceless comedy. Plus they can dress up well. My 2 cents.
Next »