Talkback: After Billy Crystal's Tepid Turn, Who'd Result in the Ultimate Oscar Host?

Some people available might have loved Billy Crystal's ninth outing as host from the Oscars last evening, but his turn was as tepid as James Franco's 2011 "performance" was bizarre. Crystal's Academy awards-designed song and dance routine? Dated. The weak banter and soft barbs at Hollywood's collected illuminati? Snoozeville. Considering that the formerly and sometimes great Very was upstaged through the night's random moments (Angelina Jolie's leg, J. Lo's boob, individuals Cirque du Soleil acrobats) and youthful, really funny presenters (the Bridesmaids crew and Emma Stone) you're ready to start anew and refresh what's already referred to as fussiest evening within the film calendar. Quite simply: Who'd result in the ultimate, charming, amusing, non-sucky Oscar host? Let us begin by taking anybody who already located the Academy awards from the board, for freshness' sake which includes 2005 host Chris Rock, who provided last night's telecast having a much-needed jolt of real talk hilarity because he presented Best Animated Feature. Or, say, Ellen Degeneres, Emmy-nominated on her 2006 turn, who had been nevertheless all around the tube Oscar evening in individuals movie-designed JC Penney advertisements. The tradition of employing comics to host is really a historical one which compensated off in spades dads and moms of Bob Hope (who located an archive 18 shows). But nowadays the most daring, subversive stand-ups (read: the funny ones) run facing the stifling feeling of decorum perpetuated through the older-skewing Academy it appears you can either have an "edgier and more personal" host who dares to push the envelope and attract the coveted more youthful demographic -- Bieber alone can't work, even when the ill-advised blackface will get press -- or else you employ a safe host who will not get carried away and bore everybody to dying. In justness to Very, he was saddled by having an awfully boring script. The couple of sparks of existence only arrived the odd ad-lib or as he roasting stars within the audience, but even that devolved into easy mean jokes. (Leave Nick Nolte alone!) Another past Oscar trend ended up being to cast a slew of famous stars to host the evening -- charming personas who split hosting responsibilities and attract diverse audiences. In 1974 it had been the eclectic mixture of John Huston, Burt Reynolds, David Niven, Diana Ross annually later the Academy drawn on Sammy Davis Junior, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Shirley MacLaine. Why don't you obtain the present day same as a b-lister superteam to host? I am not speaking Hathaway As Catwoman and James Franco, but George Clooney! Robert Downey Junior.! Sandra Bullock! Cute little Emma Stone, for goodness sake! On the other hand, maybe you will find celebs available who could reinvigorate the Academy awards solo: The famous host oprah, for just one? The talk show titan was batted around this past year like a potential Oscar host until then-telecast co-producer Brett Ratner hired Eddie Murphy (who'd also most likely do well, if he would return). I'd watch a whole telecast located by Zach Galifianakis, even when it had been a 3-hour parade of weirdness on componen together with his and can Ferrell's crash cymbals gag. When the Academy's older membership and demographic understood who the hell he was, Louis C.K. could be fantastically entertaining. After which there's Sacha Baron Cohen... I'll transform it to you, Movieliners -- who'd are the ideal audience-getting, attention-holding non-snoozeworthy Oscar host... and would the Academy ever bite?