The Host and Me

Hosting the Oscars is actually a tricky thing. Every year people start talking about how wonderful it would be to have Billy Crystal back, but I wasn't around when he used to host the Oscars in the beginning of the 90's, so I just watched the 2003 Oscars, which is the last edition of the Oscars he hosted. Hollywood obviously adores his style - it's all about making the audience relaxe and forget about the awards for a moment & he has these crazy best picture nominees' songs. Judging from youtube videos, he had some really witty songs in the 90's. And of course, I love him becoming digitally part of the actual Oscar nominated films in these little movie segments, which are aired over ths how. But Crystal simply ain't my favorite. I don't get Chris Rock either. I think that his humour just feels like way too arrogant for my taste. And Ellen was quite fun, but I don't think she used the time she had. She's really something of a TV host and the TV format fits her loose style. She just wants people to relax and just have something of a conversation with them, not just popping killer jokes. Anyway, my favorite seems to be the one most people don't get and that's Jon Stewart. I used to watch his The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (the CNN World edition) and I simply love his way to make people feel kind of uncomfortable and that's really what I loved when he hosted. For him it's easy, because he isn't part of Hollywood and critisizing is real fun, even though the audience just doesn't respond to his jokes the way an outside would. And does. I do.

Jon hosted last year and I think that he did a good job, even though I wanted him to focus more on politics. It was an election year and it could have been fun. But anyway, I loved the Vanity Fair Oscar party joke. The Vanity Fair Oscar party is just the absurd of Oscar season: a magazine gathering all the stars to congratulate themselves once again in the weeks before the Oscars telecast. That year the party was cancelled in support of the writers on strike. Of course, the strike ended, Jon Stewart welcomed the guests of the 80th Oscars to the "make up sex" and then said:

There is still some collateral damage left from the strike - emotionally, economically, but probably worst of all the cancellation of the legendar Vanity Fair Oscar party. They said they did out of respect for the writers. Oh, you know another way you could show respect for the writers. Maybe one day invite some of them to the Vanity Fair Oscar party!

That was great. And the audience enjoyed it immensely, even though I'm sure some felt kind of offended. And that's the problem with Jon Stewart. His jokes are stinging Hollywood's ego and it's a problem for them, because he exposes them on Oscar night. That's why they prefer having him talk about politics. And of course, he had a nice part about the election. (And of course, the Diablo Cody joke, which was kind of really predictable, but still fun - "Diablo Cody used to be an exotic dancer and now she's an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. I hope you enjoy the pay cut." It was kind of expected having Stewart tell a joke about a screenwriter and Diablo was the screenwriter sensation of the year. And she was a blogger, actually. ;-) Anyway, I'm no huge fan of her film, so that's all I'm saying about her.)

And then the very best joke (to me) was the one, which mixed the reality of film and politics. It was quite fun and kind of it has been there all around, which is iconic.

Now about Hugh Jackman. I've never been to one of his Broadway musicals, even though I've seen parts of them on youtube. And I think that he's going to be an entertaining host - pretty much using his tools (dancing, singing) and it won't be about the jokes, but about entertainment, which could be good for a change. We'll see. On Feb. 22nd.

That's it for now.


Here's a part of Billy's songs segments. The gay dream thing at the end is funny. ;-)