Looking Forward to Oscars
No, I'm not the type to do much handicapping on who's likely to get noms, or whatever. But as I'm sure you can tell by now, I'm nothing if not opinionated! And if you've ever been in L.A. on the day of the Oscars, you know it is like a city-wide holiday. Serious business! So I felt it was appropriate to comment a bit...
News recently came out that Chris Rock is out as host of the 2006 Oscar telecast. (BTW, don't forget BugMeNot if you don't want to register to read that article.) The article mentions Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, and Whoopi Goldberg, all former hosts, as forming the "short list" for hosting. Well, of them, I'd definitely cast my vote with Steve-o. I'm a huge Martin fan. Regardless, someone recently mentioned a different idea in a conversation I was having. I can't remember who brought it up -- so if you read this, and it was you, chime in -- but it might have been my friend Annabel Lee. Anyway, I liked the suggestion, so figured I'd toss it out here:
Jon Stewart!
I mean, sure, they may be hesitant after the Dave Letterman debacle (though I liked him), seeing as this is another TV talk show host. But Dave and Jon are way different. And Hollywood has a love affair with Stewart. Plus he's hip, irreverent, and still intelligent. I'd love it. I say they make that short list a little longer!
What do y'all think?
Tags: Oscars, Jon Stewart, David+Letterman, Steve+Martin, Billy+Crystal, Whoopi+Goldberg, Chris+Rock
News recently came out that Chris Rock is out as host of the 2006 Oscar telecast. (BTW, don't forget BugMeNot if you don't want to register to read that article.) The article mentions Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, and Whoopi Goldberg, all former hosts, as forming the "short list" for hosting. Well, of them, I'd definitely cast my vote with Steve-o. I'm a huge Martin fan. Regardless, someone recently mentioned a different idea in a conversation I was having. I can't remember who brought it up -- so if you read this, and it was you, chime in -- but it might have been my friend Annabel Lee. Anyway, I liked the suggestion, so figured I'd toss it out here:
Jon Stewart!
I mean, sure, they may be hesitant after the Dave Letterman debacle (though I liked him), seeing as this is another TV talk show host. But Dave and Jon are way different. And Hollywood has a love affair with Stewart. Plus he's hip, irreverent, and still intelligent. I'd love it. I say they make that short list a little longer!
What do y'all think?
Tags: Oscars, Jon Stewart, David+Letterman, Steve+Martin, Billy+Crystal, Whoopi+Goldberg, Chris+Rock
posted by Fun Joel | 9:22 AM
15 Comments:
He would absolutely kill! You’re right about the Hollywood love affair.
Steven Martin’s been the best in the last 15 years for me. Like Stewart, he’s smart, irreverent, funny, and is debonair in a tux.
So can you make the Stewart thing happen?
Oh hey, I ran across a blog that gave you big, big ups on your script service. It was a post from a few months ago. I hope you’re still doing that.
I'm a Steve Martin fan going way back, and I'd be glad to see him back at the podium.
I can't argue with the selling points of Stewart, and Steve may not be exactly "hip," but I would submit, for your consideration, the fact that he *has* hips, and that should be enough.
And if, in some freak accident, he loses those hips, then all the more reason to have some heart, and let him up there in his wheelchair (or trapeze as the case may be).
I'd definitely go for Stewart. Martin is a great comedian in film, but I haven't seen him do standup, so I don't know if he'd be any good.
Why did Chris Rock get chucked? Was it the Jude Law comment? I thought he was LMAO funny.
Yeah, don't get me wrong, I'd still love Steve Martin up there. And yes, he does have a lot of class, and a nice humanizing undercurrent. Marc, I totally agree. He is an awesome banjo player, and how sad it is that people don't know his stand-up. I heartily recommend that anyone (Konrad) who hasn't heard/seen it go out and download, er, buy it now! And look for the earlier stuff, preferably before the "Wild and Crazy Guy" era.
But still, I think Stewart is an awesome fresh choice. Now, what do we need to do to get him on the radar? Warren, you got any connections over at the Academy that might listen to this suggestion? ;-)
Not to be buggy about it, but the correct spelling is "Jon Stewart" - he doesn't use the "h" -
I'm not really much of a spellcheck-cop, so don't take it the wrong way - but I am a huge fan of Big Jon and his show, I think he'd be an excellent host and wanted to warn you about the name before you wrote him and he made sardonic fun of you -
Excellent choice, though, and Jon would certainly not let an opportunity to speak of Bush and Arnold, live in front of billions watching award, not without some righteous blood-letting.
Augh - I meant to say "not let and opportunity GO BY . . . not without righteous blood-letting" - I wrote to correct you and fructed up meself.
This writing thing be hard stuff . . .
Ooooh, good one!
I'd liek to see THAT!
Heh heh. Joshua, I actually thought about that as I was writing it. John or Jon. It shouldn't even have been a question for me -- most Jews spell it without the "H" (don't ask me why -- I don't know). And of course I could have checked when I set up the link. I guess you can blame this one on being lazy!
I vote for the other Three Amigo -- Martin Short. Every time he's on Letterman, he cracks me up with his fake smarmy showbiz schtick and the "[Blank] is a Lady" showstopper song he sings. "Oscar is Lady" would be better than anything Billy Crystal ever came up with I wager.
Grr. My comment didn't show up so now I'm tasked with recreating its former brilliance. Dangnabit.
Jon Stewart. Would be. Awesome.
But Joshua's right. Joel shoulda known better about the h-lessness of the name. And Joshua, you're my kind of self-appointed blog editor. Rock on.
Never seen Steve Martin do stand up? Now I feel old...very, very old.
Okay, okay, I've fixed the spelling on Mr. Stewart's name. Hey, at least I didn't write John Stuart!
Esther,
You are too cute - don't tease me;)
David, I never saw Martin in concert ('cause I was in nowhere, IA) , but I HAD his concert albums on EIGHT-TRACK, believe it or not - my folks had 'em and I laughed my little butt off.
The key to comedy is . . . . . timig . . . tiiiming . . . I mean, TIMING, timing
Steve Martin: Da Vinci of comedy, brilliant stand up, more responsible for the rennaissance of stand up comedy in the US than any single figure. Also, a writer, so we should root for him -- and a GREAT writer. Roxanne, anyone? And see his play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile", astounding piece of work. And CLASS all the way as an MC.
David Letterman: HISTORIC figure in 20th century american comedy and I am not kidding -- in 1984, everyone I knew said he was "mean, nasty, etc." because he was so sarcastic/ironic...20 years later EVERYONE I KNOW IS SARCASTIC/IRONIC...what Mark Twain was to the 19th century, Groucho, then Letterman are to the 20th. History will bear me out on this. Everyone thinks he's old hat now -- but it's because he changed the world in the image of his aesthetic of humor, so he doesn't stand out as he used to.
But that may not make him the best MC.
Martin Short is actually an inspired choice, would do a song like Billy Crystal does, but not so LAME and embarassing.
Just chiming in on humor. I can't actually stand to watch the oscars, and hang out by the dip and check in on the pool now and again...no matter who's MC'ing.
And comedy? Richard Pryor, RIP.
cbs
I can't claim credit for the suggestion, but thanks for thinking I'd have such a great idea!
Post a Comment
<< Home