When The 83rd Annual Academy Award hosts were announced, I was initially lukewarm to the idea of having Anne Hathaway and James Franco lead the evening's events. Yes, the Academy wants ratings, they want younger viewers, but most importantly, they need to shake the formulaic formula up. A good way to do that is to change up the expected idea of a host. We expect comedians, but it is a night that the entertainment industry takes very seriously. What we saw Ricky Gervais do at The Golden Globes this year would never be done at the Oscars. So, often times, comedians can't be funny in the way we expect/want them to be. So, enter James Franco and Anne Hathaway and the new promos for the upcoming show. The first piece is my favorite, but watch Anne's outfits in the promos, they scream Rachel Zoe all the way. I am "bananas" waiting to see Anne's entrance on the red carpet on February 27th as I'm sure a pregnant Rachel Zoe will hold off on childbirth just to see her client's big moment. Either way, the promos are well-produced which I think is a good sign for this year's Academy Awards. (And I reminder that The Princess Diaries is a classic to watch on TBS over and over again. Long Live, Princess Mia of Genovia!)
What do you think of this year's hosts?
Photo Used with Permission from AMPAS.
Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico / ABC
I do not understand the persistent interest as to whom will host the Academy Awards, nor do I understand the consternation which accompanied the announcement of this pair as award show hosts.
The purpose of the host is to open the show, traditionally either with a musical number or a comedy monologue. Anne Hathaway is a talented singer, there is no reason to believe that she cannot ably perform a song that a team of writers spent weeks crafting, nor is there any reason to believe that she cannot deliver lines also prepared in advance for her.
Once the introduction is concluded, all that remains for the host is to introduce the occasional presenter, perhaps tell a few jokes prepared by the writing staff, or 'banter' with the audience, activities well within the wheel-house of a trained actor.
This is not Mrs. Field's 5th grade Christmas pageant where little Jimmy Snoodles is called upon to present a 5 page monologue, these are reportedly the best thespians on the planet. Each and every actor in that building should be capable of hosting the show, flawlessly. Fretting over the fortunes of this pair, if anything, demonstrates the drought of discernible talent within the Hollywood industry.
Ah, but that is the beauty of the Oscars. It's BIG business. It makes everyone lots of money from studios to stylists to nominees to florists to the fast food joint that is in the same building as the Kodak Theatre.(during set-up there are about 5000 people milling around.) It's like a National Holiday around here on Oscar Sunday. No one is on the road, they are all either at the show or parked in front of their TVs. As for the hosts, you want buzz about your show. You want them to be talking about the host, the sets, what they wore, and the red carpet. That's why everyone cares......in LA. The rest of America, probably not so much.
In fact, it's the same way the Detroit media cares so much about Charity Preview night at NAIAS. It really isn't that special an evening if you compare it to what Chicago Auto Show does at their charity preview, but it is important to the city......both financially and historically. They care who was there, who said what, and who hosted. It's their Oscars. :)
I do not understand the persistent interest as to whom will host the Academy Awards, nor do I understand the consternation which accompanied the announcement of this pair as award show hosts.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of the host is to open the show, traditionally either with a musical number or a comedy monologue. Anne Hathaway is a talented singer, there is no reason to believe that she cannot ably perform a song that a team of writers spent weeks crafting, nor is there any reason to believe that she cannot deliver lines also prepared in advance for her.
Once the introduction is concluded, all that remains for the host is to introduce the occasional presenter, perhaps tell a few jokes prepared by the writing staff, or 'banter' with the audience, activities well within the wheel-house of a trained actor.
This is not Mrs. Field's 5th grade Christmas pageant where little Jimmy Snoodles is called upon to present a 5 page monologue, these are reportedly the best thespians on the planet. Each and every actor in that building should be capable of hosting the show, flawlessly. Fretting over the fortunes of this pair, if anything, demonstrates the drought of discernible talent within the Hollywood industry.
Ah, but that is the beauty of the Oscars. It's BIG business. It makes everyone lots of money from studios to stylists to nominees to florists to the fast food joint that is in the same building as the Kodak Theatre.(during set-up there are about 5000 people milling around.) It's like a National Holiday around here on Oscar Sunday. No one is on the road, they are all either at the show or parked in front of their TVs. As for the hosts, you want buzz about your show. You want them to be talking about the host, the sets, what they wore, and the red carpet. That's why everyone cares......in LA. The rest of America, probably not so much.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, it's the same way the Detroit media cares so much about Charity Preview night at NAIAS. It really isn't that special an evening if you compare it to what Chicago Auto Show does at their charity preview, but it is important to the city......both financially and historically. They care who was there, who said what, and who hosted. It's their Oscars. :)
You're invited... LOL.
ReplyDeleteGo KB!