Being an Oscar host is a difficult thing. I’ve never done it, but I’ve met two of the three most successful ones ever, and they both told me it was among the hardest gigs they’d ever done. There’ve been a lot of underwhelming performances by talented people over the years, and Ellen’s, I’m sorry to say, was another one. She wasn’t bold, funny, or controversial, though I’ll grant that she was sincere. She had some cute bits in the audience with Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood, but as the show got longer I wished she’d have gotten shorter. She had one decent line: “If there weren’t blacks, Jews and gays, there’d be no Oscars. Or anyone named Oscar.”
While hosting has proved difficult, there’ve been some great one-liners by hosts through the years:
- “So much mud was thrown this year, all the nominees look black.” –Whoopi Goldberg.
- “It’s so good to see so many new faces, many of them on the old faces.” –Johnny Carson.
- “Welcome to the Academy Awards or, as they’re known at my house, Passover.” –Bob Hope.
- “Good evening, Hollywood phonies.” –Chevy Chase
- “Probably the only laugh that man will ever get is for stripping and showing his shortcomings.” –David Niven, after a streaker ran across the stage
- “We have black people, white people, Asians, Hispanics, Jews, Christians, all working together. All because of a single common love: publicity.” –Steve Martin
Last night Ellen joined a long list of hosts who’ve tried and not necessarily succeeded at being a comedic host. Jon Stewart wasn’t bad last year, but the “Brokeback Mountain” jokes got old in the first hour and got tired by the end. Chris Rock was decent, but it obviously was a much tamer atmosphere than he was used to. David Letterman is famous for how badly his “Ooooooomah, Ohhhhhprah” gad went. I think the worst years were when Oscar tried to put groups of people together called “Friends of Oscar.”
Who were the best Oscar hosts of all time? Well, I’d say it’s these:
- Bob Hope, who hosted 18 times from 1939-1978, kept it light, made it funny and (most important of all) moved it along.
- Billy Crystal, with the curious off-and-on reign of 1990-93, ’97-’98, 2000 and ’04; he made the opening film segment and opening song medley a true art form, combining overture and expectation creation with humor and music.
- Johnny Carson, who hosted 5 of 6 years from 1979-1984, calling it “two hours of sparkling entertainment stretched into a four hour time slot.”
I think Johnny, Billy, and Bob succeeded where others have failed came in the freedom to be authentic. We’re all at our best–physically, mentally, socially and spiritually–when we can be real, where we can be ourselves. Ellen wasn’t. Chris Rock wasn’t. David Letterman wasn’t. Chevy Chase wasn’t. Robin Williams wasn’t. I don’t understand why Oscar producers pick hosts that have succeeded with a certain style that has to be tamed down on Oscar night. I hope they’ll keep that in mind when they make their next choices.
No blog posting on this would be complete without mentioning the noble efforts of Jerry Lewis, who tried to fill 20 minutes of empty time after the show ended early, as well as Agnes Moorhead, the first woman host. Perhaps a miracle will someday happen and they’ll return to the format of the first show, when Douglas Fairbanks and William DeMille handed out all of the awards in about 20 minutes. Until we get back to that, I’m hoping Billy Crystal will come back, or some new star will arise. I don’t think it’ll be Ellen.
posted February 26, 2007 at 6:46 pm
For a movie buff like me, the Oscars are like the Superbowl — I’ll keep watching even when they aren’t that exciting. I agree that Carson and Hope were the greatest Oscar hosts, and Billy Crystal had his moments. For my money, David Niven’s quip was the funniest moment in Oscar history, although Billy Crystal’s jokes about Jack Palance after the famous one-armed push-ups were a close second.I agree that Ellen added nothing to the show, even though I generally really enjoy her upbeat, effervescent presence. She was born to be a talk show host, and I don’t mean that as an insult. This just didn’t seem to be her forte.
posted February 27, 2007 at 9:29 am
I think Ellen did a good job hosting the Oscars Sunday nightand she even gave us a few laughs.We watch Ellen on a regular basis and they couldn’t have asked for anyone better. This was a huge step for Ellen anda once in a life time opportunity,and probably the moment she had been waiting for.
posted February 27, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Ellen gave us a wonderful break from the usual by being someone who is not an insider ie that she is not a film star. It made the show more approachable. The entire show was the best ever for me because of the humility and genuine appreciation people like Forrest Whittaker, Jennifer Hudson, Alan Arkin and Helen Mirren had for winning. They really felt honored to be where they were, not entitled.
posted February 27, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Wow. For a site that purports to look into the center of things and perceive the beauty or higher purpose that exists in something, this commentary sorely and completely misses the mark. The spiritual and ethical values of so many of the people who spoke, and the true gratitude they showed, was and is uplifing; climate change, which is the Big Kahuna of global awareness right now, was emphasized, spoken about with honesty and hope, and it was shown, by the Academy making a practical decision to “green” the Oscars, that every business can take practical steps to renewable existence; it made a strong statement to a billion people. The opening, “the Nominees,” was incredible—it showed all these dedicated, happy-and-healthy-looking people, all artisans/artists playing at the absolute top of their game, having fun, making a difference—and being grateful. The sound-effects chorus—which had the effect of taking the curtain from out the front of the Wizard of Oz, if you follow me, was truly astounding. Ellen, God bless her, was relaxed and obviously loved to be there; everybody loved her; the house told her so at the end by their ovation. Where the heck were you? O spiritual and moral blogger? Bing bing bing—-wake-up time. David Andersen
posted February 28, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Meret – I’d like to know whey you think that Arkin, Hudson and Mirren were not entitled? I have not seen Arkin’s 10 minute performance. I did however see both Hudson’s and Mirren’s. Hudson’s performance was a religious experience and Mirren was like watching a master class.
posted March 5, 2007 at 5:04 pm
GOD use anybody he wants in order to show children hate is not of GOD my heart love Ellen Degeneres one time while OPRAH was on commercial I turned to channel 4 as Ellen has a show that I wanted to see my son said mom she is an homosexual I told my son not to look at people’s sin just the person she is a nice looking lady I wish she could marry a man and have nice looking baby like herself but GOD allow satan to chose for her instead even now I wish GOD in his mercy and grace might change her ways GOD will do it except if she was chosen for heaven before the world began if she change herself that will be nice but her heart will still move for that sin but when JESUS set anybody free you are free indeed no demon in hell can dominate your heart in voodoo power the demon that called himself saint patrick do that and 2 other demon woman that called themselves saints make people like that my dad can tell you who demon power that choose your child as soon as they born and you will see that child grow up whith the sin that demon provided>