Brian Damage
02-25-2009, 12:14 AM
Now that Hugh Jackman’s turn as host of the Academy Awards has been cemented as a success, the multi-talented movie star/song and dance man can go into the rotation with all the other available hosts for future shows.
But most hosts don’t repeat in consecutive years, so the question is, who should be next?
The answer is right under our noses: Billy Crystal.
I am told by various sources that Crystal, who last hosted the show in 2004, might be amenable to coming back now that the show is on sure footing again and he isn’t touring his one man show, publishing a book, or writing a new movie.
Crystal has undeniably been Oscar’s favorite host. He started in 1990 and continued a four-year-run through 1993. After a break of three years, he did back-to-back hosting in 1997 and 1998 and again in 2000. The last time he hosted the show — is it possible? — was in 2004. If he’s wooed back for the coming year, 2010, he will have been absent six times.
Of course, one of the main pleasures of a Billy Crystal Oscars is his opening film. This year, you could really have imagined Billy answering questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” as an old man and an ugly baby in “Benjamin Button,” in sexy scenes with Kate Winslet from “The Reader,” and playing both Frost and Nixon.
Having Crystal return doesn’t mean jettisoning any of the great stuff added by Larry Mark and Bill Condon. In fact, many of their changes should be instituted as new traditions, especially the acting nominee “tributes” and the “surprise” guests. But none of that has anything to do with who hosts the show. And Hugh Jackman may well be busy with his own career at this time next year.
So, someone at the Academy needs to pick up the phone, and call Billy Crystal before he’s out of reach again!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,499088,00.html
But most hosts don’t repeat in consecutive years, so the question is, who should be next?
The answer is right under our noses: Billy Crystal.
I am told by various sources that Crystal, who last hosted the show in 2004, might be amenable to coming back now that the show is on sure footing again and he isn’t touring his one man show, publishing a book, or writing a new movie.
Crystal has undeniably been Oscar’s favorite host. He started in 1990 and continued a four-year-run through 1993. After a break of three years, he did back-to-back hosting in 1997 and 1998 and again in 2000. The last time he hosted the show — is it possible? — was in 2004. If he’s wooed back for the coming year, 2010, he will have been absent six times.
Of course, one of the main pleasures of a Billy Crystal Oscars is his opening film. This year, you could really have imagined Billy answering questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” as an old man and an ugly baby in “Benjamin Button,” in sexy scenes with Kate Winslet from “The Reader,” and playing both Frost and Nixon.
Having Crystal return doesn’t mean jettisoning any of the great stuff added by Larry Mark and Bill Condon. In fact, many of their changes should be instituted as new traditions, especially the acting nominee “tributes” and the “surprise” guests. But none of that has anything to do with who hosts the show. And Hugh Jackman may well be busy with his own career at this time next year.
So, someone at the Academy needs to pick up the phone, and call Billy Crystal before he’s out of reach again!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,499088,00.html