Vilanch & Musto: Crystal or Jackman?
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 8:30AM Comedy writer Bruce Vilanch and the Village Voice's Michael Musto are such enduring sidebar figures of popular culture that it was kind of right somehow to read them conversing in the Village Voice. They talk comedy, James Franco, Cher, racist carnival barkers (that's Donald Trump if you haven't been paying attention), and more. But mostly it's about the Oscars.
Here's a tidbit.
Musto: Who will host next year's Oscars?
Vilanch: I think there might be a revival of Billy Crystal. It was such a success. They were so happy to see him that even as we speak, they're sending a gold wagon to his house: "Please come back!" My guess is they'll go back to a comedian—maybe just one person, so you don't have to worry about servicing two. I'd like not even a comic but a Renaissance person like Hugh Jackman. Or someone may surface. It's Charlie Sheen's time!
I'm with Vilanch on this one. Would love to see Jackman back. You?
Billy Crystal, Hugh Jackman, Oscar Hosting, Oscars (10), Oscars (11), politics
Reader Comments (20)
I'd rather have Jackman back than Crystal. Jackman did a great job in his year, handling all the various aspects (monologue, singing, etc.) with ease. Crystal was fun as a cameo, but I think he mainly looked great compared to the lackluster hosting pair. A whole ceremony with him at this point isn't what I'd want.
I still say Kevin Spacey would make for a superb host. He has a kind of old-school Hollywood charm to him, he's 100% an entertainer, and he carries himself with enough gravitas to suit the event.
CHER
No way it's Charlie Sheen. The "Torpedo of Truth" tour is TANKING, suggesting he's not really ready for live. Billy Crystal? He's aging and, based on the fact that five of his last six roles are VO, I don't know if he has the energy to host at this point. Bringing Hathaway back, ON HER OWN, could certainly work. Spacey is a good suggestion, if he can do live. Would love to see Jackman back at some point, but I feel they shouldn't be so willing to repeat hosts over and over again. We know Gervais isn't going to get it, but I'd love to see what his partner (Stephen Merchant) could do with live hosting (he improvised dialogue in Portal 2, which helps the experience because, repeat after me: "Most video game designers are not writers. They're digital architects.")
I liked Crystal back in the day, but his style didn't work last year. MAAAYBE it was the writing, but he felt a little out of date. Personally, I'm all for a return of Jackman.
I think either Billy Crystal or Neil Patrick Harris should host next year.
Neil Patrick Harris is a great host but nowhere near high profile enough for the Oscars. I remember when he did the opening number a couple of years back , none of the British broadcasters on Sky where they do a chat during the commercial breaks had any idea who he was. Hugh would be great to come back, I felt safe watching him host.
Jackman has been interviewed by several radio stations in SF to promote his concerts a few days ago. Unenviably the Oscars question was asked. He said he would take the gig in any following year with one condition - he shouldn't be working at that time, because basically it's a full month of steady work, he really can't do it in advance before the nominations announced and he would like to fully commit to it without the other work interference.
Rami -- that type of story always depressed me though i don't doubt you. How exactly do people get gigs being commenters on pop cultural events and not know who something like NPH is?
high profile or not, i think NPH is a really good pick. he's done every other show in america, and he's done a decent job at all of them. and he's really funny actually.
kevin spacey is an amazing suggestion. he's really funny as well, and he's an internationalyl recognizable (and respectable) face.
my top pick would still be gervais though. they'd never give it to him, but if they were brave enough...
if they really wanna shake things up and get the ratings to go up, i think that's the way to do it, everybody still remembers him from GG's controversies last year, and he's laugh out loud funny.
even if they wanted to go for a duo again, him and Merchant would be the best pick in my opinion.
I never understood how Vilanche has such a hold on the Oscars ceremony. I'd definitely give Hugh Jackman another shot- that was the best produced Oscars in recent history, which reminds me- bring back Bill Condon as well!
@ Peter, +100
As long as Vilanch continues to write his insipid material for them it doesn't really matter who the host is. That said Jon Stewart's second time was by far the best of recent times IMO.
I'm tired of saying this but: Tina Fey. Period.
And if you need to have someone more high-profile up there with her: Tina Fey and Robert Downey, Jr. Or Steve Martin. Or Alec Baldwin.
And also: Bruce Vilanch should let her write her own stuff (or at least do a rewrite of his jokes).
That said, I like your suggestions of Neil Patrick Harris and Kevin Spacey. And I agree, Vilanch should step down and let someone else write for a change.
@Rami: I feel you. Here in Portugal our tasteless reporters of the show did not know who he was either. And also didn't know who danced alongside Beyonce and Jackman the musical-dedicated number in 2009.
I still want Hugh Jackman & Anne Hathaway to host the Oscars together ( or maybe Anne & Robert Downey Jr. ) with better written material and well produced Oscar telecast . Hugh & Anne had killer chemistry together when they performed at the 2009 Oscars . Also, I want both Anne & Hugh star in a movie musical together.
I'm totally with the NPH suggestion! But Jackman would also be a welcome return! I think Billy Crystal was great in his day but I think nostalgia is eschewing the fact that he was a tad out of date when he was on the oscars last year!
Bette Midler, dammit!
Chris Rock
I'd love to see Jackman do it again, but I think if they want a real fresh faced younger audience to watch the oscars, they should ask Emma Stone to host. She's young, she's funny, she's got killer comic timing, she can sing and she'd appeal to that younger demographic they so desperately want. I'm 16, and so many people I know quote Easy A, that it sort of is a bit of a new Mean Girls. I think Emma would definitely boost interest.
I remember watching the Crystal oscar casts and they were without a doubt a good telecast.
Of all the most recent hosts, Jackman did a fine job.
What about they co-host?
Put the two of them together...let's see what we get