5 Lessons The Oscars Can Learn from The Tony Awards
If the 65th annual Tony Awards succeeded in doing just one thing on Sunday night, it was in reminding viewers just how bad the 83rd annual Academy Awards were this past February. To paraphrase the great Mike Lowery: that's how you produce an awards show! From host Neil Patrick Harris' opening song and dance number about Broadway to his closing wrap-up rap, the Tonys were funny, touching, energetic and just about perfect. Or, the opposite of everything the Oscars have become. Ahead, 5 lessons the producers of the 84th annual Academy Awards can take away from the telecast.
1. Give out the "smaller" awards off-screen
Apologies to Wally Pfister, Robert Stromberg and Karen O'Hara, and Richard King, but if they weren't given 60-to-90 seconds during the Academy Awards this year to thank family, friends and co-workers, would anyone be that upset -- besides the aforementioned family, friends and co-workers? Pulling at the thread of what awards are worthy of television coverage is a dangerous game for the Oscars -- what constitutes "important" at this point? -- but perhaps co-opting the Tony's layout wouldn't be such a bad idea. The technical awards were given out during the commercial breaks, and the speeches were cut together in montages sprinkled throughout the show. It's splitting the baby in the best possible way: winners get to thank who they need to thank in front of their peers, and television audiences get to see the briefest glimpse of their gratitude.
2. Allow for lengthy, spontaneous speeches
Consider this a corollary to Lesson No. 1: with less awards presented during the telecast, more time is available for the winners' speeches. Sure, Ellen Barkin went on entirely too long during her speech after winning Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, but she was certainly moving. As too was Nikki M. James from Book of Mormon, who not only seemed genuinely excited to be on stage after winning, but was equal turns hilarious and touching during her rambling two-and-a-half minutes. If the Best Lighting Design of a Musical winner was allotted 60 seconds, do either of these moments even happen?
3. Get rid of the precursors
The Tony Awards felt spontaneous because they were spontaneous. It would be impossible, of course -- especially since the numerous Oscar precursors are now part of the season -- but imagine how much more fun the Oscars would be if you didn't know who was going to win in advance. Norbert Leo Butz's Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical victory for Catch Me If You Can was a legitimate surprise; Colin Firth's victory for Best Actor earlier this year was an expected coronation given his identical trophies from the Golden Globes, SAG and numerous critics' groups. It doesn't always work out that way for the Tonys -- Book of Mormon was such an obvious choice for Best Musical that presenter Chris Rock made a joke about that fact -- but the awards certainly allow for more shocks than the Oscars do.
4. Being live is a good thing
Try as they might, the Oscars never feel "live" -- there are very few rough edges during the interminable telecast, and the whole thing seems hermetically sealed. The Tonys, on the other hand, are kind of a mess! Brooke Shields screwed up during the opening song and dance routine not once, but twice -- and then she cursed about it later in the telecast. You could actually hear Daniel Radcliffe gasping for air during his performance of "Brotherhood of Man" from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. That's fun! Even the In Memoriam segment was lively -- instead of cutting the crowd mics to allow for respectful silence, the Tonys opened those suckers up to applause. Oscars, take note: even if the evening is a stuffy black-tie affair, it doesn't have to feel stuffy.
5. Just hire Neil Patrick Harris to host already -- and pair him with Hugh Jackman
Enough tiptoeing: the Oscars need Neil Patrick Harris to host in 2012. Never mind that he's not really a movie star (though he is appearing in The Smurfs this July); Harris is a born showman and the type of person who could salvage even a boring Academy Awards telecast. An even better idea? Hire Hugh Jackman, too, and let the song-and-dance men sing and dance their way through the night. Consider these two the anti-James Franco and Anne Hathaway.
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Even the In Memoriam segment was lively — instead of cutting the crowd mics to allow for respectful silence, the Tonys opened those suckers up to applause
There are one or two things I prefer stuffy, and considering the passing of colleagues is one of them. They did the open mic thing for years at the Oscars, and it was tacky as hell.
Agreed! Eliminating the In-Memorium-applause-popularity-contest was one of the very few good things to come out of this year's Oscars.
Can we discuss Frances McDormand now?
NPH won't work at the Oscars cause he is too damn small for a big night like the Oscars. You needs someone with major start wattage (like Huge Jackman or Johnny Carson) or someone that is quick on their toes (ala Goldberg, Martin or Crystal).
Harris is bad for the Oscar stage for the same reason he is bad on the big screen, he just doesn't have enough charisma. On TV, during the Tonys...great! That's where he belongs. Put in in the same room as a Warren Beatty or Jack Nickolson and it's embarrassing.
Well, that's kinda why you would pair him with Hugh Jackman. Objectively speaking, NPH is probably as famous — or even slightly more famous — than James Franco. Just sayin'.
Yeah, and Franco was a huge failure. LOL BTW: I am not addressing celebrity or how well known one is. I am talking about stage and screen presence.
RE: Duo hosting.
Here's my take, if one person can't do it solo then don't add another to make up. for their shortcomings. See both Baldwin and Franco. I am fine with duos but they have to be able to carry their own weight. Actually, I'd love to see Whoopi and Billy host together. That would be interesting.
I think the duo idea can be interesting, provided the duo is interesting. Francaway was not interesting. Baldwin and Martin were kinda interesting. IMO, Jackman and Harris would be very interesting. (Whoopi and Billy Crystal would be pretty fun, too, although pretty old fashioned.) There is the issue that NPH doesn't have stage and screen presence is debatable, but I would say he does, and Jackman clearly does...
Crazypants hyper speechifying = yay
Jean jacket = shudder
Oh no, I think NPH has stage and screen presence. The Broadway Tony's stage and the small TV screen kind of presence. ;-D
Why doesn't Jackman just come-out already!
Matronly, dowdy wife who's older than him- Check
Penchant for Musicals- Check
Spends alot of time in the gym - Check
My favorite moment was when NPH came out on the "War Horse" puppet robot monstrosity and they cut to an agog Hugh Jackman, who was clearly having bad flashbacks to the wrap party for "Real Steel".
What, just because he sung with NPH about which one was a top and which was a bottom?
In all seriousness, I enjoyed that song and dance number immensely. The patter beforehand seemed fun and natural, as if they WEREN'T reading it from a teleprompter (I know they were, but that's not the point), they can both sing and dance like nobody's business and they created a vortex of charm together.
"Your show is How I Met Your Mother." "Make 'em laugh... Viva Laughling didn't make 'em laugh", that stuff was hilarious.
I'm all for allowing longer speeches if the people have something interesting and funny to say but when their speech devolves into a shopping list of Thank-Yous then play that person off.
Also, I'm pretty sure I didn't see any montages celebrating the history of Broadway. Take note Hollywood!
Also noticeably absent (at least in what I didn't fast forward through) were two actors with a tenuous connection coming on stage for 5 minutes of awkward banter before reading the nominees.
Luckily we still had Alec Baldwin fulfilling the "Squinting to read the teleprompter" role and Chris Rock fulfilling the "I don't realise that I don't need to crouch to speak into the microphone" role. I think those are staples of any award show.
So more of the same, huh? Great idea, sosgemini.
Let me guess...without even reading this "insight"...
The Oscars should stop awarding "minor/lesser" awards live during the telecast. That is NOT an option. The point of the Oscars is to give the winners their moment...ALL THE WINNERS. End of discussion.
Yet, he completely stole those stupid Harold & Kumar movies out from under Harold & Kumar. Just because he's rarely in movies doesn't mean he wouldn't have charisma in them.
WRONG! The point of the Oscar CEREMONY is to give the winners their moment. The point of the Oscar TELECAST is ratings. If not airing the categories people don't care about would increase ratings, then IT SHOULD BE DONE. If it is to continue being a telecast and not just something we read about the next day, then they NEED to make it shorter and more entertaining. They're not going to get rid of the musical numbers or the In Memoriam or the Very Special Oscar presentation. That leaves eliminating certain categories from the primetime broadcast. Now THAT'S the end of the discussion.
Some people want to see who won those awards others consider "minor". To aspiring filmmakers, and professional filmmakers, jobs like Pfister's are extremely important and should be recognized. If you ask me to cut any award from the telecast I say cut Best Director or Supporting Actor and Actress and even Best Actor and Actress. As if they hadn't had their moment to shine already. The Academy recognizes talented individuals that should be shown ON CAMERA for their achievements.
Because it's no one's damn business but his own? Seriously, unless Hugh Jackman pulls a Tracy Morgan-esque homophobic stunt, I see no reason that his personal life should be part of his public profile.
SOME people, not MOST people! The Oscar telecast is not about awards, it's about MAKING MONEY. Does anyone think an awards show with no stars and a bunch of sound directors and documentary filmmakers will MAKE MORE MONEY? Of course not. These suggestions are not even in the realm of smart business moves. It's show BUSINESS not, free airtime for all frou-frou party time!
But the beauty of NPH as a live performer is, when faced with a Jackman or Baldwin or Nicholson, he doesn't blink. He's hard to rattle, and completely nimble on his feet.
People probably had similar doubts about Johnny Carson when he began hosting. But he took it and made it his. I think NPH is capable of the same feat.
*live performer. Sigh.