Oscars 2010 - 'New and improved!'

So... Hugh Jackman is out. Instead, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are to co-host the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony next year.

Apparently the show wanted Hugh Jackman back again after the Aussie actor got rave reviews and TV ratings jumped for his singing-dancing-stand-up comedy performance as host of the last Oscars, but he politely declined to give a repeat performance. The official word is he's too busy with theatre and film projects for the next 12 months.

Also reported to have declined Oscar's invitation to host the glittery party of self-congratulatory slebs were Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. Now that would have been funny! Especially if their pairing on Tropic Thunder was anything to go by.

So it's down to third choices (possibly fifth or sixth choices ...) Martin and Baldwin. This will be Baldwin's first and Martin's third time hosting the Academy Awards. Since Martin has proven more than capable to host the show on his own, one can only surmise that he isn't considered a big enough drawcard to land a solo gig anymore.

By huge coincidence, the two actors are starring with Meryl Streep in the upcoming movie from Nancy Meyer, It's Complicated (pictured below) - here's the trailer - so, in some ways, the Oscars could be seen as a really big ad for Universal's middle-aged rom-com (due out here on Jan 1) which, to be honest, is unlikely to be taking home any Oscars on the night...

While not unprecedented, having more than one host is unusual and seems to be part of a desperate changing-up that the low-rating Oscars ceremony is going through.  

A pair of hosts helmed the inaugural Oscar ceremony in 1929: Douglas Fairbanks and William DeMille, (then president and vice-president of the film academy). However, the last time multiple hosts graced the Oscar stage was way back in 1987, when Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan shared hosting duties.

Martin said that he is "happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin". (The 64-year-old entertainer is on tour in support of his latest banjo album.)

It's funny, but when I heard that Alec Baldwin is going to present an awards ceremony, I got flashbacks to Team America: World Police... although to be fair, it sounds like poor old Alec Baldwin gets them worse... especially when he drops his daughter at school. (I suspect there's a pun about "smart Alec kids" in there somewhere but can't be arsed teasing it out...) Interesting to note that Baldwin does a pretty good Kim Jong-il impersonaltion - well, the Team America version of the North Korean leader, anyway... (Incidentally, for those who have no idea what this is about, Kim Jong-il is the reason kids think Alec Baldwin is worthless.)

The producers for the 2010 Oscar show are also promising to take out "some of the stilted banter that goes on between presenters". (Some of it? Why not all of it?) The honorary Oscars, often a long-winded affair that bogged down the ceremony, is now a separate event in November. 

And in the biggest change in decades, the academy has doubled the number of best-picture nominees from five to 10. Academy overseers hope that might open the top category to a wider range of films, including commercial movies that could attract more TV viewers. 

Oscar noms for the cast of New Moon don't look so crazy now, huh?

What do you think of the Oscar "innovations"? Which film would you like to see win an Oscar? Does anyone care about the Oscars anymore?

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the_fridge   #1   02:49 pm Nov 11 2009

District 9 for a nomination for best film although it'll never win!!

I don't really know what the organisers could do to make them interesting to watch because frankly they are just OH SO BORING!!!!!

Hosting the awards sin't a big deal is it? Otherwise celebs would be jumping at the opportunity to host them.

NickB   #2   03:35 pm Nov 11 2009

I'd heard that Ellen DeGeneres was considered as host -- she would have been great. Maybe another year? But nobody's ever come close to Billy Crystal as host.

Increasing the number of best-picture nominations may add a bit more suspense, and maybe help do away with the weird phenomenon of a movie missing out on a best-director nomination but getting a best-picture nomination.

Ben R   #3   03:59 pm Nov 11 2009

IMO, Ellen is about as funny as a turd. Don't like the choices.... Martin is past his best pink pather anyone and Baldwin is funny at timers but such a tosser I can't take him hosting something like this. Stiller and Downey Junior would have been awesome!

Ian   #4   09:36 pm Nov 11 2009

Ellen DeGeneres already hosted them 2 or 3 years ago.

paul   #5   08:03 am Nov 12 2009

Twitlight doesn't deserve a nomination for anything. Except a Raspberry Award. Steve Martin is a veteran of Oscar hosting so should be fine - The Baldwins are all hollywood whores so will do anyting for attention and money.