THERE WILL BE FUNNY VOICES AND A MEDIOCRE SONG: Ted will almost certainly remain the year's top-grossing comedy (at least in the live-action division), so I guess it kind of makes sense that
Seth MacFarlane will host the 2013 Academy Awards. It's a particularly interesting choice given that this year seems likely to be dominated by throwbacks to the 70s (
Argo, The Master) and stuff that is VERY traditional (
Les Mis, Lincoln).
I don't think this will work either for the Academy or for me. Unless he seriously adjusts his mode of humor, that's not working in the room.
ReplyDeleteThis is the perfect year to let Hathaway and Jackman co-host. Grr.
Hathaway isn't going to be allowed within 100 miles of hosting for many many years after the debacle (even if I don't think she deserves much of the blame for it).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I always find it awkward when a nominee's hosting, and both have legit shots at nominations this year. MacFarlane, despite the commercial success of Ted, probably not.
I'm still shocked that despite his long tenure as Tonight host and late night ratings king, Leno's never hosted (even if I don't think he'd be terribly good, he'd be a safe choice).
Argh. Bleck. Blurgh.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to have the creator of an animated show host the Oscars, it should be Matt Stone and Trey Parker instead. Much funnier than Seth MacFarlane, and they actually were nominated for an Oscar once.
ReplyDeletePaul Hogan co-hosted the year he was up for screenplay for ... [oh, come on, like he did a second movie]. So did Michael Caine once. So I don't think it's awkward, and it wasn't her fault. All on Franco and the directors.
ReplyDeleteWas The Master supposed to be the 70s? Pretty sure it was the 50s.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the movie yet, but my description of The Master as being of the 70s referenced not the setting so much as the filmmaking style. Anderson is a devout discipline of Altman in particular.
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention them, since they managed to sum up my opinion of MacFarlane/"Family Guy" perfectly: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0786244/quotes?qt=qt0232544
ReplyDeleteHopefully this goes as well as the Ratner/Murphy plan and someone else is actually on stage come February.
He did a second movie. In fact, I saw it. I've even heard anecdotal evidence that he did a third movie, but only in the context that it was written by the fantasy football guy from SportsCenter.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness no.
ReplyDeleteThe Pop Culture Happy Hour blog talked Emmys in the most recent ep, and posited that a good awards show host must show affection for the awards and the field to succeed. Not sure how McFarlane would track--his is very much a slash and burn comedic style, and yet he does have a genuine love for some old-time Hollywood stuff. Could be interesting.
ReplyDeleteNah - The Master was too bright to be a 70s film. Too pretty. Visually, it reminded me a lot of Sirk.
ReplyDeleteHe also loves song and dance numbers. And I'm pretty sure he did something on PBS where he sang old Hollywood musical hits with an orchestra. While he's somewhat of a surprise choice, maybe not that much of one.
ReplyDeleteAfter his bit on the Emmys, I assumed he'd be hosting next time it's Fox's turn to air them, but this is a bit of a jump. (I assume CBS, whose turn it is next year, will either do Ferguson or NPH.)
ReplyDeleteMcFarlane over NPH? I haz such a sad.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been this disappointed about an Oscar host announcement since Whoopi Goldberg.
ReplyDeleteSigh... I so used to enjoy awards shows.
ReplyDeleteMy first judgement was wow that seems really odd - but the more I think about it the more I think this is a good decision. What do you want from an Oscar host? You want someone who can anchor the bloated proceedings in a light and humorous manner. Cover the board in terms of demographics and give the perception of edginess but not really. The host must be able to think on their feet and pivot the conversation when we're stuck watching someone thanking their lawyers and interpretative dance on the theme of sound.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that the Oscars are a fairly ridiculous show why not appoint someone who will at least make us tune in to see either the fairly innocous presentation of awards or a train wreck.
It's a pretty modern movie, any way you slice it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if his SNL hosting gig got him the job. What I saw in him throughout that show was a very old-school kind of charm, and a confidence that I certainly didn't expect to see from a guy stepping out from the recording booth to tackle a live broadcast.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I still think Dave Letterman did an incredible job, so.... yeah.
....Heh. "Uma, meet Oprah! Oprah? Meet Uma!" Heh heh.
I'd imagine they were blackballed after that, even though I think their showing was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteSeth MacFarlane was on Wait Wait earlier this year and sounded like a nice guy. Too bad anything of his I've seen I loathe. I will be doing anything except watching the Oscars that night.
ReplyDeleteThe Uma/Oprah joke is as old as the hills. You want a great version of it, check out the Thomas Meehan short story "Yma Dream." The Letterman version was not a great version.
ReplyDelete