Who Should Host the 2012 Academy Awards?
Kudos to Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer for thinking out of the box with James Franco and Anne Hathaway, but a loss is a loss is a loss. It just didn't work. Don't take my word for it -- or anyone else's here at Movieline HQ: the ratings for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards were down 10 percent overall from the 2010 telecast, and 13 percent in the "hip, young-er" demo of under 50s that the Oscars were courting. What can be done to fix this mess for next year? It's never too early to start worrying about the Oscars, and so here are 13 people who should be considered for hosts in 2012.
Robert Downey Jr.
For reference, this is now two awards shows RDJ has stolen in 2011; he's a natural future Oscar host -- if "Oscar host" going forward means "charming and smart Hollywood star that everyone loves." The problem is that Downey is probably too smart to host. It's a thankless role, and you get the brunt of the blame when it goes horribly wrong. See: Hathaway and Franco.
Tina Fey
How has this not happened before? I feel even silly bringing Tina Fey up at this point, because she'd be so ideal to host that her name must have crossed Cohen and Mischer's lips at some point in the last year. Perhaps she just didn't want to do it alone? If so, feel free to slide Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell, Steve Martin or Jon Hamm in as her co-host.
Neil Patrick Harris
Another "Duh," as Charlie Sheen would say. Neil Patrick Harris is beloved, talented and totally classy. Most important, he can be funny without being mean. As we learned on Sunday night, being funny is an important part of the Oscar hosts' duties.
Billy Crystal and/or Whoopi Goldberg
Why not? Let Billy and Whoopi host separately or together. It doesn't really matter. At least then we'd get the expected, boring Borscht Belt humor, and not James Franco's preening eye rolls.
Jimmy Fallon
Don't be a hater: Fallon killed the Emmys as host. He's young, he's enthusiastic, and he delivers. The opening segment with Hathaway and Franco being "incepted" into the year's best moves was inspired, but it paled in comparison to the "Born to Run" opening from the 2010 Emmys. Tim Gunn was there! And Kate Gosselin. In Jimmy I trust. So should the Oscars.
Sandra Bullock
Let's consider her the female RDJ, but with a caveat: Bullock might be smart enough to host. After all, she's Telfon at this point -- even moreso than Downey -- and she's got that tough-but-sweet demeanor which will allow her to kid the assembled Hollywood royalty in ways that Hathaway and Franco probably weren't able to (or didn't want to).
Ricky Gervais
He can just read his fake monologue for Francaway and it'll be better than the entire 2011 broadcast.
Kathy Griffin
If the Hollywood community thought Gervais was too mean, they likely wouldn't warm to Kathy Griffin. Though, that just means she'll be free to participate in Movieline's 2012 Celebrity Oscar Predictions pool. Which is great for everyone.
Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman
Surprise! Hathaway was not good as host, but I'm prepared to lay that squarely at the feet of Franco. His total lack of interest threw Hathaway off, and forced her to overcompensate. A lot. She was at her most comfortable with Hugh Jackman, which isn't surprising since they also produced a winning Oscar moment in 2009. Pair them up, make it a musical party along the lines of Glee (but without the Ryan Murphy sheen of smarm), and just have fun. I would watch this.
Melissa Leo and Kirk Douglas
Unfortunately, if this happened, the Oscars would run for six hours.
No One
Think about it: The Grammys do it. Up until Ricky Gervais took over for the Hollywood Foreign Press in 2010 and 2011, the Golden Globes did it. Why not the Oscars? It would streamline the telecast, allow for the individual stars to be the stars and free the audience from potential stinkers like Sunday night. The closest thing to a "can't lose" the Academy can get.
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Comments
Make it a contest and make it a reality show where a real person competes to host the Oscars. It would be much more interesting than what this last show was, it truly was the most boring one. Franco sucked
NOT MISS LEO IF IT WAS HER GET THE LAVA OR ANY OTHER SOAP READY
I think that Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Bullock should co-host. She is funny and RDJ is witty and sarcastic. That would make a great pair!
John Stamos, Charlie Sheen and Robert Downey Jnr. Isn't the Oscars trying to get edgy? Aren't they after the younger demographic? Didnt they laugh at the inaugural swear word? If you are after shock value, why leave it up to one rebel ... we want grit, we want the new rat pack, and .. if you choose three, you have some chance at one of them turning up sober!
spot on. that'd be ratings gold.
that's a great idea.
there seem to be a number of people that think sandra bullock would be an ideal host. personally, i think she's about as funny as a truckload of dead babies. i find her attempts at deadpan delivery to be amateurish and and her self-deprication insincere. a comic she is not.
that being said, i'm all for tina fey and amy poehler. i think they'd be legendary!
What a terrible list. The host of the Oscars needs to be someone known for films. Not tv stars or talkshow hosts.
I think KEVIN SPACEY should do it. The Oscars are about 3 things: charm, whimsy and class. He has it all.
If you were to take a comedian then NORM MACDONALD.
ABSOLUTELY! Totally agree.
Billy Crystal; if not, then Craig Ferguson - best 3+ hours you'll ever have!!
Steve Carell
Ricky Gervais's "fake" opening for Anne and James was funnier than anything Anne and James did or said. James and Anne just didn't work. They were un-funny and the whole show underwhelming. Let Ricky Gervais host. Or call back Jon Stewart or Steve Martin or hire Tina Fey! She'd be great!
We need a comedian to get us through all of the boring stuff. How about Whoopi, Billy and Robin from Comic Relief. We needed some comic relief at these awful Oscars.
Since Bob Hope's jokes were still relevant today, why not make a hologram of him and get Dave Thomas to dub in the contemporary names? They'd be able to roll him out every few years or so.
Since they are all Oscar winners I think Mo'Nique with either Jamie Foxx or Robin Williams would be great.
Steve Carell + Jon Stewart + Stephen Colbert (they were hilarious at the Emmys 2007)
Steve Carell + Ricky Gervais (they always have the best moments together on award shows)
Steve Carell + Tina Fey (amazing chemistry and a great team)
Steve Carell + Craig Ferguson (they're great and they should do more together)
Steve Carell + Conan (same as Craig Ferguson)
Anyway if Steve Carell will host the Oscars it'll be soooo good.
Would love to see Conan O'Brien host. Hopefully the Oscars won't be on NBC though.
I believe Eddie Murphy or Brendan Fraser would the perfect host desperately or together, these are the only two that everyone watch and they are 100% guaranteed fun and success.
If people think that the Oscar Telecast is too predictable, the Academy should immediately announce that Melissa Leo and Kate Winslet will co-host the show which has been scheduled for February 26, 2012. Just as television has a "Joan and Melissa Show," The Academy should establish a "Kate and Melissa Show." Since both of these very talented actresses have reputations for using "language that would make a sailor blush," ABC should provide physicians to monitor the hearts and the blood pressures of its censors. If nothing else, the evening will be unpreedictable!
Haha, I honestly think Betty White with either Sandra Bullock or George Clooney! I would TOTALLY watch that!
Thumb up for the brits!
Ricky Gervais great work at the Golden Globes this year x] ... seriously, I'm not kidding - he's the man for 2012
Neil Partick Harris
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