Monday
Feb142022
Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes are hosting the Oscars
Monday, February 14, 2022 at 5:07PM by Nathaniel R
We'd already heard that the Academy was eyeing a "three-act" structure for the March 27th ceremony and now we know who is starring in those "acts". Fine actress Regina Hall, and two hilarious TV comediennes Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. We'd hoped for Maya Rudolph or Kristen Wiig since they're always deeply hilarious when presenting Oscars but we like this trio. The past couple of years have proven that we really do need hosts for some kind of party throughline and the Academy could have chosen (and have chosen) much worse!
What'cha think?
Reader Comments (17)
Hiring Amy Schumer is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Brenda hosting the Oscars is one of those impossible children dreams that come true
PP92 -- who is "Brenda"?
Meh. I would keep Sykes but then replace the other two with Catherine O'Hara and Jennifer Coolidge. Sexy older women can be really fun. It's clear they weren't going to get A-listers, but they could have gotten more interesting B-list people.
Nathaniel: Brenda is the name of Regina Hall's character in the Scary Movie franchise.
Schumer ugh. Jenny Slate would have been great with Sykes and Hall. (As would Sarah Silverman, Kathryn Hahn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Samantha Bee or Kate McKinnon, but never mind.)
These ladies are all great, but they don't feel like superstars. I would have preferred someone like Queen Latifah paired with Melissa McCarthy. At the same time, I think Wanda and Amy are incredibly funny, and Regina Hall is so likeable.
I know she's not in the public consciousness anymore and just sits on piles of her Desperate Housewives money, but I think Eva Longoria would fit in with this crew. Especially since it skews towards women from television.
I really like Wanda Sykes, so I hope this nets her a second emmy.
Love these picks. No notes.
I think "yuck!!!!!"
This all seems fine.
Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes... I could go for that. Amy Schumer... FUCK OFF!!!!!
I actually like Amy Schumer and I just don't get all the hate for her.
Although it is just stupid if you invite her to host and completely ignore her movie, THE HUMANS (and her superb performance there).
These three are also so random, like why???
@Fadhil. I'm guessing, only guessing, but I think it might be some combination of two reasons:
1) Market research shows (meaning I guess it MIGHT SHOW) there are a lot of "persuadables" in the African American community, meaning people who might or might not watch the show depending on who hosts. Despite what everyone thinks, I really don't think the ratings would go up that much with a Tom Holland or Robert Downey Jr. or any of the Marvel actors, but they might if the hosts are well known to other potential watchers. Marvel fans are not into award shows, even ones with their stars. If the popularity transferred over to anything other than other Marvel movies, CHAOS WALKING and DOLITTLE would have each grossed a billion dollars. But they didn't.
2) They get who they can get. Big names don't want the headache anymore. We're always reading stories suggesting that they go down pretty far on their wish list. We know for a fact they tried to get the ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING trio. There were probably others. There's literally no upside to doing this. It didn't help Hugh Jackman's career, it didn't help Anne Hathaway's career. It *hurt* James Franco's, David Letterman's, and Seth MacFarlane's. It's a ton of work, the pay's probably not great, why would anyone do this? Social media is just to savage. That's why we can't have nice things.
I think what Dan is saying above is quite truthful and explains this trio of celebrities, which just feels VERY 5-7 years ago. So yeah, they will do it because it gives them some exposure again since all three's careers is not at her peak. It is just not easy to be excited for it.
I wished they asked McKinnon though, but knowing ABC, they probably don't want to get a SNL cast member if they can avoid it.
Dan H — I think you’re absolutely right about the star power of the Marvel actors. They’re huge stars in that people know who they are because of their Marvel characters, but we’re living in a post-movie star world in the respect that there’s really nobody who is currently a box office draw through sheer star power. For those movies, the characters are much more of a draw than the actors portraying them. Yes, fans get attached to certain actors in certain roles, but as we’ve seen time and time again, if a character gets recast, they’ll follow the character into the theater, not the original actor into whatever other projects they do. I think the same is true of their potential to draw big ratings at the Oscars. Unless they were to announce that Tom Holland was going to be hosting the Oscars in character as Spider-Man, I don’t see him driving ratings up all that much.
I love these three together... something tells me it's good chemistry. I enjoy all three of these ladies, but haters will hate.
OMG someone said they tried to get the Only Murders in the Building trio ... I would have LOVED that!
I mean, as others have stated, it's a pretty much thankless job, and usually the ceremony is boring / cringey regardless of who's hosting, so...
They could've picked MUCH worst. Good luck to them all.
As long as they show movie clips, I'll be okay.