2011 Oscar Host

[criddic3]

The question is whether hosting will hurt either one of them if they are nominated; or even hurt their chances to be nominated? If some of us are thinking about the potential 'conflict of interest,' it is likely that some Academy voters may have the same thought.

[OscarGuy]

What the Academy fails to realize is that younger hosts, hipper hosts (I mean they tried Chris Rock before) and yet it doesn't translate into boosted ratings. What turns up the ratings is when films people have seen and can root for are nominated.

If Toy Story 3 and Inception are nominated this year, then you'll get a guaranteed turn out.

[Sabin]

The past two years they've tried to retool the Oscars, they've met with more steps forward than back. I say keep it going. Honestly, what do we have to lose?

[Damien]

Of course, the primary thinking must have been that they'll bring in the youth audience -- all those kids who turned Howl and a $100 million blockbuster.

[OscarGuy]

I'm torn. While I think them hosting is a conflict of interests when they are potential nominees, it has the potential of drawing a significantly larger audience (which is their desire). I think both are like thespians. Both are very talented. And both could very well be Oscar winners one day.

[Big Magilla]

I think the last time a potential nominee hosted the Oscars was in 1985 (for the 1984 awards) when Jack Lemmon hosted. He was a potential nominee for Mass Appeal, but if I recall he wasn't announced until after the nominations which made him look like a good sport for hosting instead of snubbing when he wasn;t nominated.

I kind of like the idea of James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosting. So what if they don't have any prior hosting experience. They are both quite articulate and spontaneous and should be a lot more fun than Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were last year.

[rain Bard]

Here are my two tweets on the subject this morning:

1. While the Academy is pressing likely acting nominees into service as hosts, why not make probable costuming nominees design all the gowns?

2. In fact, lets have Anthony Dod Mantle DP the telecast, & if he wins the cinematography Oscar he can shoot a handheld P.O.V. from the podium.

One of my followers replied with this almost-sensible suggestion:

@cmasonwells Or better yet, let the editing nominees take it down to a one-hour show.

Some other tweets making the rounds on this topic this morning:

@jmerriman: James Franco & Anne Hathaway to host MTV awar- I mean, Academy Awards.

@GuyLodge: I hope James Franco hosts the Oscars in character as Allen Ginsberg.

@FilmThreat:
Has anyone made a joke about James Franco giving his right arm to host the Oscars yet?

[Sonic Youth]

I guess we're heading for yet another mediocre night.

Here's the thing. Nobody knows if this is a mediocre choice or a brilliant choice. We have very little basis of deciding whether it will be a failure or a success. But the Oscar telecast has left us so jaded that we immediately decide it's not a good choice.

Neither of them are professional comedians. (True, they're comic actors, but that's not the same thing.) So, I'm hoping they won't have to give a lengthy opening monologue that we expect of the standup comedian hosts. This would establish a nice, brisk pace. And they don't have to be funny anyway. Just charming. I don't know about Franco not having seen him outside of a movie role, but Hathaway is very, very charming, not to mention bang-worthy.

[Damien]

They're eye candy, at least.

And he was very funny in the filmed sequence he did two years, while she was delightful in her duet that year with Hugh Jackman.

I also think it's best when it's not a comedian who hosts the show, because when one does the tone of the program is set by how the opening momologue goes over.

[Reza]

I guess we're heading for yet another mediocre night.

[anonymous1980]

I looked it up. The last time a host was also a nominee was back in '87 when Paul Hogan co-hosted the year he was up for a Screenplay Oscar for Crocodile Dundee.

[Mister Tee]

I'm speechless.

[anonymous1980]

James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host the Oscars?

Two actors with no experience in hosting anything and at the same are potential nominees this year? It's still a rumor now. They're weird choices if it's true. Has a current nominee ever hosted an Oscar telecast?

Confirmed.



Edited By anonymous on 1291053107