As the annual guessing game of who will host the Academy Awards continues to go in circles, there’s at least one name we can remove from consideration: a certain Mr. Hugh Jackman.
Variety confirms that the previous Oscar emcee was invited to repeat, but “quietly” turned down the opportunity sometime in the last few weeks, not wanting to do the task in consecutive years. (He may host again in the future, in other words.)
This largely puts paid to the speculation that the hiring of choreographer Adam Shankman to produce the show meant we were essentially in for a rerun of last year’s show, which is fine by me.
The previous Oscarcast format was very much the singular vision of Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, while Jackman’s song-and-dance stylings will stay fresher if used on an irregular basis.
It does, however, put us back at square one. Are we going to return to the more familiar comedian-as-host routine, or might the producers still opt for someone with song-and-dance qualifications? (Neil Patrick Harris’s name, for example, keep getting thrown into the hat by fans, but would he merely come across as a poor man’s Jackman?)
You all know where I stand on this. (Hey, if Shankman and Mechanic want music, Steve Martin can always bring his banjo.) In the meantime, suggest away.
Comments
27 responses to “Jackman turns down Oscar gig”
i gotta say, I loved Ellen DeGeneres.
JAB has a good point. I wouldn’t mind seeing Conan O’Brien given the shot either.
Paula Abdul
I am still fully behind the idea of Steve Martin.
Banjo and all.
Excellent idea, Alex. Since Ellen gets to replace her on American Idol, it’s only fair.
Ok I’m just throwing this out there but what about Richard Gere! The song and dance man rob marshall got out of him wasn’t half bad!
Daniel Day Lewis should do it. He can sing and dance according to Nine.
Aren’t Tina Fey and Steve Martin both unavailable or did I misread a previous article?
Not that Hugh Jackman was side-splitting or anything, but don’t Richard Gere and Daniel Day-Lewis kind of lack, uh, sufficient comic chops?
Loyal: That’s entirely possible. I don’t follow every development.
George Clooney. Who is, or could be, more beloved by Hollywood and the world? Then they prop up his emcee type role (he’ll be like a variety show host) with song/dance “acts” by people like Justin Timberlake, Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman (surely he’ll come back for one number!), the cast of Nine, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Martin/Fey, and the Best Original Song nominees. The emphasis should be on the multitalents of Hollywood (they can sing! they can dance! they can act!). Clooney will be there to look glamorous and keep the proceedings light but the acts will bleed into award presentation. They select from a broad base of talent, but don’t pander, and really choose people who have solid careers in the movies. All the promos push a “See Your Favorite Stars Perform Live!” angle and the vibe is all very Coconut Grove. It’d be a huge production, but at least it would move quickly.
I don’t want it to be another middle aged male comedian.
NPH would most definitely not be a poor man’s Jackman. He’s another song-and-dance man but he’s got more comedic chops than Jackman does.
Having NPH host would be a complete overkill…i mean, the Tonys, Emmys, AND Oscars all in one year??? Come on…
NPH would be terrific as host, he would be entertaining like jackman but also extremely funny, but i agree with evan that George Clooney is a good idea, the man would love the stage and has shown in the past that he can be quite funny
This site is saying that NPH is already in….
http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2009/10/exclusive-neil-patrick-harris-is-hosting-the-2010-academy-awards/
Well technically NPH wouldn’t be doing it all in “one year” since the Oscars take place in 2010, but duly noted. And he’s certainly no poor-man Hugh Jackman!
But other than NPH, I wouldn’t mind seeing Ellen do it again. I, too, am tired of the “middle aged [white] male comedian” go-to host. Let’s mix it up please.
Kathy Griffin would be hysterical. I know it would never happen (no one would show up if she was the host – they know she would say some mean shit about them) but that would really kick it up to full volume that is for sure.
KEVIN SPACEY.
stephen colbert. the joke the entire night could be him jockeying for an award himself.
I’m not sure that the Colbert character would entirely mesh with the Oscars but I could see him presenting with Stewart or something.
Norm MacDonald.
Tom Hanks.
Craig Ferguson!
Or… Ewan McGregor.
No Ellen, no Sarah Silverman, no NPH, please. And we also don’t need Steve Martin to return.
I would give Jon Stewart another go. I’ll take some wry wit over dancing and showtunes any day.
NPH is a TV actor.
We need Steve Martin and Tina Fey or John C Reilly and Tina Fey. Mainly we need Tina Fey.
I wouldn’t mind Sarah Silverman if she were to refrain from fucking a piece of cheese.
Calling Matt Damon a “piece of cheese” is a little harsh, don’t you think?
Oh, wait …
Watch her monologue from Independent Spirit Awards 2007 where she simulated boning a piece of cheese for a good minute or so…