Billy Crystal Would Consider Return as Oscar Host If Show 'Freshened' Up
The surest sign Anne Hathaway and James Franco were total busts as Oscar hosts (besides all of the obvious reasons)? When Billy Crystal took the stage on that fateful night, he was given a standing ovation. Would Crystal return as host? "I think the show needs to change," the 63-year-old comedian said. "There's too many awards and it has to sort of freshen itself up, and if I can be a part of that, that would be great." Nothing like having an eight-time host return to make things "fresh." [AP]
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As awful as this year's show was, a return to the tired schtick of Billy Crystal (or Whoopi Goldberg for that matter) is a step backwards not forwards.
The Oscars need to decide once and for all if it is there to honor the industry (i.e the world's most glamorous "employee of the year" ceremony) which means continuing to include the few tech awards it currently televises, and suffering through an hour of boredom for some at-home viewers. Or if it wants to be a glitzy telecast that falls after all the other glitzy telecasts: Gloves, Sags, etc.
The host needs to be funny enough to deliver laughs at the top of the show, nimble enough to comment on what's happening throughout, and be good natured enough to poke fun at the year in film without the audience feeling like all the material is mean an meant for the at-home viewer (see the 05-06 Oscar hosting tenures of Stewart and Rock; or this year's Gervais-Globes hosting).
The ratings are going to continue to slip, because everything that isn't the Superbowl is slipping. Who is hosting doesn't seem to effect the viewership. The only thing that seems to drive ratings up or down whether a major box office juggernaut (Titianic, Avatar) is nominated.
Have to disagree with you. People decided to tune in or not based on the host. If there's a sense of anticipation, they'll turn it on or DVR it; if the host choice elicits a shrug, I don't care what's nominated, they're not going to bother.
He's freshened up his face so creepily that during the telecast I was left wondering why the Hell Gary Shandling was at the Oscars, and why was he getting a standing ovation?