Chris Rock to Be Host of Academy Awards

By Anthony Breznican
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - The Oscars have a piece of the Rock. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday announced Chris Rock will host the next Academy Awards telecast.

Rock, who's been in the films Head of State and Dogma, is best known for his standup comedy specials Bigger & Blacker, Bring the Pain and Never Scared.

Rock, 39, has previously hosted the MTV's Video Music Awards.

"I am a huge fan of Chris Rock," said Gil Cates, the producer of the Oscars telecast. "He always makes me laugh and he always has something interesting to say. Chris represents the best of the new generation of comics. Having him host the Oscars is terrific."

The one-time Saturday Night Live regular has won three Emmys for his TV programs and two Grammys for his comedy albums. Rock currently is shooting a remake of The Longest Yard with Adam Sandler and recently provided the voice of the zebra in the animated feature Madagascar, both to be released in May 2005. His other film credits include Pootie Tang, Bad Company, Down to Earth and Nurse Betty.

The 77th Academy Awards telecast is set for Feb. 27.

Great choice. Chris is hilarious.

thats a good idea he will defenetly get people talking about the oscars the morning after the telecast i think he might bring a fresh approach to the hosting job and besides as an snl fan how could i not be happy about another former snl star hosting the awards way to go chris

good, maybe i'll laugh this year.

Very good news!!

I love Billy Crystal.... but you can only do it so much....

Finally the Academy does something good. Now if they can get the voting right for the awards!

I guess I will watch this year! :yourock: :clap :rockon: :yeahthat :nod: props: peacesign:

Awesome, he's hilarious.

I hope he does a good job. I mean he's certainly a funny guy, but the Academy Awards doesn't seem like his normal area of expertise. The Academy has had a long history of picking comics who just don't stand up well to the occasion (Remember David Letterman and Steve Martin?) So, here's hoping.

I actually think Steve Martin did a really good job when he hosted a few years ago, and Letterman really wasn't as bad as lots of people say he was..

I will say that the worst host we've seen in the last 20 years (maybe ever) was Whoopi Goldberg.

Originally posted by AKA
I actually think Steve Martin did a really good job when he hosted a few years ago, and Letterman really wasn't as bad as lots of people say he was..



I agree with you!:wave:

One word:

Chris Rock is hysterical, he was the best MTV VMA host ever

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Chris Rock is hysterical, he was the best MTV VMA host ever

I completely agree.
I think Dave Chappelle would've been good this year.... if they had him host. (this was the stupidest VMA ever)

Originally posted by AKA
I actually think Steve Martin did a really good job when he hosted a few years ago, and Letterman really wasn't as bad as lots of people say he was..

I will say that the worst host we've seen in the last 20 years (maybe ever) was Whoopi Goldberg. I agree with everything you said.

Chris Rock hosting. Now that's something to look forward to.

Chris Rock is hilarious, but I can't picture him hosting the academy awards! I really liked when Steve Martin hosted in 2003. He did a really good job.

I can't believe people actually thought Martin did a good job. He totally bombed - the only good moments came from when he was stealing jokes from Billy Crystal and Bob Hope. I thought he was horrible - I really don't get why in the world he was asked to do it twice. Sheesh.

Whoopie was alright. She wasn't great, but she wasn't awful. But the last time she did it she really seemed to have run out of steam. Billy Crystal's great, but even he needs a break every now and then. David Letterman had one good joke, and he repeated it thirty thousand times that night...

Uma, Oprah. Oprah, Uma.

:rolleyes:

Too bad Bob Hope's gone. We really need to find someone young and hip - maybe Chris Rock will be able to pull it off. I hope so.

Originally posted by Liza
David Letterman had one good joke, and he repeated it thirty thousand times that night...

That's what Letterman does on his show every night.

Originally posted by Liza
David Letterman had one good joke, and he repeated it thirty thousand times that night...

Uma, Oprah. Oprah, Uma.


That was the good joke?

I didn't think Letterman did so bad. I know I'm in the minority but to this day I'm surprised people didn't like his hosting job. I liked him.

Originally posted by Liza
We really need to find someone young and hip - maybe Chris Rock will be able to pull it off. I hope so.

I hope so too. It's an interesting choice, definitely a different setting than MTV's video awards, but I'm pulling for Chris to do well.