And the hosting gig goes to…Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin
After weeks of hand wringing and speculation, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have been chosen to host the 82nd annual Academy Awards on March 7.
I thought Martin did a terrific job in his two times up to the plate and would’ve done fine all by himself, but the addition of Alec Baldwin is frosting on the cake. He should add a little much needed edge to the proceedings.
Expect much awkwardness in the unlikely event Kim Basinger gets nominated for The Burning Plain.
Also, thank the movie gods they didn’t fall back on smug Billy Crystal. I know he’s beloved in the annals of Oscar hosting history, but I’ve never liked him and he would’ve been a middle-of-the-road choice.
Before he was chosen to host the Golden Globes, a number of people talked about Ricky Gervais, but I’m not convinced he would’ve been a good Oscar fit. He’ll be great at the more laid back Globes, but the ideal Oscar hosts manage to fit in with the Hollywood elite while remaining apart at the same time. It’s why David Letterman and John Stewart were not popular and why Johnny Carson was so good.
Source: Awards Daily
Filed under: Awards
Tags: Alec Baldwin, AMPAS, Oscar, Steve Martin
Neato. I’m a fan of both. Though I won’t vouch for some of their movies. They oughta do a good job as co-hosts.
Nice pic choices. :)
Craig…
Well, I hope to Christ Kim Basinger DOES get nominated for THE BURNING PLAIN. It’s probably the best performance she’s ever given.
Kim was fantastic: extraordinarily raw and real. She had to expose herself both emotionally and physically. That takes balls.
Not everyone is capable of acting on that level. Doubt that her ex husband could ever accomplish that feat.
BTW, isn’t that a very old picture of him…?
Yeah, I thought so.
I agree that Gervais didn’t seem like a good fit. And I also am glad they didn’t drag Crystal out of mothballs — the whole show would’ve reeked of it.
Martin and Baldwin seem like a good pairing. I expect we’ll see a pre-taped spoof that includes Meryl Streep.
I’ve liked Martin’s previous hosting gigs just fine, so I’m OK with bringing him back. I too like Martin better than Crystal as an Oscar host- Crystal kisses up to the stars too much, not to mention going overboard with the mugging. By comparison, Martin’s pretty classy, but with some fairly cutting jokes.
Plus I love the sweet’n’sour dynamic that the Martin/Baldwin pairing promises. Martin occasionally has a tendency to get too whitebread with his comedy, so I figure that when that happens Baldwin will cut him down to size.
Also, I just love the sound of Baldwin’s voice. Seriously, the dude has one of the best voices in Hollywood. Watch The Royal Tenenbaums again and tell me I’m wrong.
Paul. Yes! The mugging! The smug “I know I’m hilarious” look. You’re not wrong about Baldwin’s voice either. I wonder if he’d be willing to host The Muriels…
Miranda, don’t take my skepticism wrong. I wasn’t commenting on whether or not Basinger deserves a nomination, just that she’s not in any of the conversations about Oscar and it seems like she’s going to be forgotten. The film didn’t get much of a release.
Craig, not to worry.
You and I have been friends for a long time. In two years, you and I have NEVER exchanged a cross word. Even when you’re cranky, I always understand why.
Plus you’re never cranky with me specifically. I certainly have days where the state of the world makes my hot Irish blood boil.
And so it goes…
I understood immediately what you meant about Kim’s potential nomination. So no worries, Monsieur Crabcake.
Alec has talent. That’s indisputable. As a human being, well…
Let’s just say I don’t like bullies. They don’t impress me for a millisecond.
Anyone that thinks that I don’t know what I’m talking about should remember that recorded phone message from a few years back where he went on an uncontrollable tirade against his daughter Ireland and called her “a litle pig.” Should still be available somewhere on the net. Have a listen to that and think about it for a moment. Or two. Maybe even longer.
I’m firmly on Kim’s side in this matter. But enough all ready…
If she gets passed over due to THE BURNING PLAIN’S spotty release pattern, that would be exceptionally tragic.
It took far too long for people to take her seriously as an actor. She’s been terrific in lots of things. I will always be grateful that she won an Oscar for LA CONFIDENTIAL. She genuinely deserved it.
But she definitely was award worthy in THE NATURAL and THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR. In TBP, she arguably gives the performance of her life.
If she doesn’t make the cut, it wouldn’t be the first time the Academy made an egregious mistake.
Here’s hoping that she’s recognized. She really, REALLY should be…
Don’t worry Craig, THE BURNING PLAIN isn’t going to be anywhere near the Oscars in any form, and not just because no one saw it. It died a very merciful death.
Otherwise, I’m excited about seeing Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin host the Oscars. Martin is my favorite Oscar host, and Baldwin will make an excellent sparring partner.