The 86th Academy Awards Academy awards takes place later today as the world casts its collective eyes to a theatre in Hollywood as the most beautiful and talented people on the planet are rewarded for being beautiful and talented- the bastards.
While the Oscars can often blend into one when we look back at them over the years, there’s usually one thing that can define the ceremony even more than the choice of winners or the acceptance speeches- although there are exceptions, aren’t there Gwyneth?
The presenter of the Oscars can usually make or break the occasion, get it right and you’ve been part of a successful Academy Awards night that the whole industry can be proud of. Get it wrong and you’ve ruined the most important date in the film making calender and should be banished to a room somewhere to watch James Cameron’s Titanic acceptance speech on repeat. For five hours.
Over the years, the Academy has it’s favourites, presenters that have been asked back time and time again, as they’ve found the correct balance between, self-deprecating humour, a bit of good-natured joshing at some of the assembled stars and a sprinkling of sycophancy to all that’s great about Hollywood and the amount of sick babies the industry saves each year.
Some presenters are about as likely to be asked back to present the Oscars as Mel Gibson is to direct a sequel to the Pianist such has been their disastrous and badly received stint at presenting.
Last year saw the Academy take something of a calculated risk by giving Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane the hosting gig. Following Ricky Gervais’ much talked about stint hosting the Golden Globes- where the Brit more or less ridiculed everyone and anyone who was either present, absent or recently deceased, the Academy seemed to be trying its hand at something similar.
Macfarlane received mixed-reviews for his hosting performance but to be fair, he was on something of a hiding to nothing- too edgy and offensive and the Academy would have been outraged, too nice and friendly the critics would’ve ridiculed him for playing it safe. Macfarlane walked a difficult tightrope and while some of his gags fell flat and others pushed it a tad to far for some, he did a decent job of amusing almost everyone and offending barely anyone.
Ellen DeGeneres is hosting tonight, for the second time after her fairly unmemorable stint presenting in 2007 where she more or less played it completely safe and therefore guaranteed she’d be asked back again – worked like a charm.
Other presenters who won’t be getting asked back are the likes of Chris Rock, James Franco and David Letterman.
Letterman’s sole presenting performance is arguably the worst in the history of the Academy, so painful to watch it was as though he was determined to make sure he never had to go through the ordeal again. Letterman made an awful joke about the names of Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves and then exacerbated the cringe factor by repeating it several times past the point of humour, or even sanity.
Chris Rock made the fundamental error of assuming that Sean Penn had a sense of humour, as after the comedian made a quip about Jude Law making a ridiculous amount of films that year- many of which were in all honesty utterly terrible- Alfie remake, Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow? Sean Penn decided to defend Law when he was presenting an award, reminding Rock that the Brit was one of “our finest young actors” – the reason Penn was eager to defend Law? He was currently making a film with him, not like Law to be making a film, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Franco, who shared hosting duties with the slightly annoying Anne Hathaway, can’t be overly criticised for his performance as he more or less didn’t turn up. Franco looked so indifferent to the entire proceedings as he delivered his lines with the enthusiasm of a terminally ill clown performing at his ex-wife’s, wedding you expected him to just give up and go home at any moment. If Franco had been filmed smoking weed in the back of the theatre it would have made a lot of sense- arguably more than his somewhat rambling, half-hearted performance.
DeGeneres will no doubt present the show in the same safe and cosy manner which has made her talk show so popular and had the biggest stars in the world willing to be her guests. If you want edgy and dangerous presenting, then try the Raspberries, the Oscars is all about the love….
