The fallout from RatnerGate continues today, as Eddie Murphy has pulled out as host of the 2012 Oscars, just a day after Brett Ratner resigned from producing duties for, well, being Brett Ratner. This might come as a disappointment to some of you, but believe me when I say that it's for the best. For starters, Murphy told David Letterman that he refused to do musical numbers! What kind of Oscars doesn't have a single song and dance? A terrible one, that's what!
The conversation will obviously now turn to who should host Hollywood's biggest night instead. Let's turn to the intertubes for ideas, shall we?
IDEA #1: The Muppets
ANALYSIS: The departure of the creative team has breathed new life into a campaign called @MuppetOscars. Makes perfect sense: The Muppets are owned by Disney, which owns ABC, which airs the Oscars. They also have a new movie to promote. And, also, they are THE MUPPETS! They will definitely do a musical number! They will do many musical numbers! And make us laugh and happy to be alive. So I am definitely behind this movement.
CONCLUSION: Good idea!
IDEA #2: Random Characters from NBC's Thursday-Night Comedy Lineup
ANALYSIS: Names like Ron Swanson and Troy and Abed have been bouncing around. I understand the thinking: "These are characters on popular sitcoms which I enjoy, and therefore I think it would be amusing to say I would like to see these fictional characters hosting a real-life awards show. Suggesting them makes me sound very hip and irreverent!" Except it's not going to happen, so let's move on.
CONCLUSION: No.
IDEA #3: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
ANALYSIS: This is a step in the right direction, since these are actual people, famous outside of a popular network sitcom block (but who still work within it), and who have extensive comedy writing experience. They also work very well together, and we've never had an Oscars telecast co-hosted by two women before. That said, there really is no element of surprise or novelty here. We know what we're going to get.
CONCLUSION: Good, but not particularly exciting, idea.
IDEA #4: Courtney Stodden and/or Paz De La Huerta
ANALYSIS: These ideas come from TV.com's own Louis Peitzman, and Stodden was echoed by Michael K., blogger at dlisted.com. The idea here is to conceive of the person or persons who are least qualified to host a prestigious awards show, and have them host it in the hopes that it will turn into the greatest trainwreck of all time. Like the NBC sitcom character ideas, these ideas work better in tweets than in execution. But if it really comes down to a choice between Troy and Abed or Courtney and Paz, I choose Courtney and Paz.
CONCLUSION: No.
IDEA #5: Just Literally Name Every Person Who Comes to Your Head and They Should Host
ANALYSIS: The Atlantic Wire's Richard Lawson (who also once wrote for TV.com!) offers a list for every taste (and taste level, as Tim Gunn might say). There's Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim, there's the cast of Glee, there's Stephen Colbert, there's Will Ferrell. So many choices!
CONCLUSION: Collapses under the weight of its own indecision.
IDEA #6: Kim Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
ANALYSIS: You guys! Be serious!
CONCLUSION: If we can't trust her to tell us she's been dating the same man for a year, how can we trust her to host the Oscars?
IDEA #7: A Hologram of Paul Lynde, Robocop, Doctor Zoidberg and Weird Al, All Together
ANALYSIS: I give up.
CONCLUSION: Actually, this honestly seems like the best scenario.
Now it's your turn! Who do YOU think should host the 2012 Oscars now that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn?
Colbert WITH the Muppets!
Why don't you try somebody like;Vince Gil,Barry Manilow,Ted Nugent,Reba McIntire,Julianne Hough,Leann Rimmes,John Travolta,OR the Bee Gees? You know,SOMEBODY WITH TALENT!!!! God Bless,& Shalom....
tina fey, amy poehler AND the muppets!
i would choose the muppets over everyone else as well. what's with eddie and the musical numbers?? was he not "jimmy got soul, jimmy got soul"-ing during a scene in dreamgirls?
Weird Al for sure!
Oh heck yeah man, Weird Al would be cool!
www.anon-toolz.tk
Someone from SNL who people who don't watch SNL may not know (Bill Hader is my first choice)
or the Muppets. 'Cause lets face it, that would be amazing!
Muppets=BEST IDEA EVER
Seriously, make this happen...
Thursday Night NBC line-up sounds good, as long as 30 Rock's cast is in over Whitney's.
Idea #99: Kristen Wiig and/or Bill Hader.
no! F*CK GOD NO! not Tina Fey and Amy Poehler! i've had enough of their cynical satirical sarcastic shenanigans. i think it's time to move on from them.
I say Don Rickles!!! Would be so fun to watch him make fun of everyone in his loving way. Always wanted to see him host a show like the Oscars. Have him with a younger sidekick who can keep up.....Sad that I can't think of anyone.
If I can have Don I would like to see Bruce Willis do it, funny charming and can sing.
MORGAN FREEMAN
What about Chelsea Handler?
Tina Fey and Steve Carell, Neil Patrick Harris. Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. I too enjoyed when Ellen hosted so I'd love for her to be back. Maybe Ellen and Neil Patrick Harris? That would be pretty epic. I'd love to see them do a movie together, and Oscar co-hosts would be the next best thing.
Ellen, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, or Robert Downey Jr. would be great. The muppets sound like a fun idea.
But please not Amy Poehler or Zach Galifianakis!
And Billy Christal again? the guy is fantastic, but let's leave it to someone else now...
The Muppet campaign has gone global! Let's all make it happen.
HOW DARE YOU INSULT YOUR READERS BY HAVING ANYONE FROM THE FEEBLE NBC THURSDAY NIGHT LINEUP!! NO ONE watches NBC on thursday night, it's just NOT funny.
Come on... Justin Timberlake and Andy samberg!
I'd gladly go with the Muppets but not any other of the above.
How about say Reese Witherspoon and Patrick Wilson? They'd be able to pull off some musical numbers and with grace, I think. Just not any snotty comedian please that always backfires. It's the OSCAR's grant it some dignity!
How about we go old school and ask Bob Saget.
I think that the best presenter will be Johnny Depp!
and snooki as oompa loompa
reprising his role as Willy Wonka ?
Why u mention it , old movie was better ! :D
My favorites would be
- Stewart/Colbert
- NPH
- Ricky Gervais
Not Billy Crystal please! Will I be made fun of if I say Ellen? She was funny before right?
Billy Crystal. Why look anywhere else? He is a million times funnier than any of the above choices. And as far as Eddie Murphy, he stopped being funny back in the 90's.
Cut the Twitter middleman and just get Norm MacDonald. His tweets were the best part of last year's show.
Amy and Tina all the way! How awesome would that be?!
Troy and Abed at the Oscars!
Damon Wayans... it's the only way a Wayans gets on stage at the Oscars.
The opening monologue, as Homey D. Clown, complaining about the man always keeping him down, would be epic.
I've got it! Build a time machine, and get Eddie Murphy to do it when he was still FUNNY.
Zach Galifianakis or Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
conan o brien and ellen degeneres
Billy Crystal
Jason Segel would be totes dope.
If they do decide to go with the Muppets, I think it'd be cool if Jason Segel was a co-host with them. On his own though, I'm not too sure.
Jon Stewart, Ali G, Peter Griffin, Zach Galifianakis....
john stewart
they should give Craig Ferguson a chance
just see this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVg-cqoNRwc
he will lip-sync , but his hosting the oscar will be epic !
I just had a Fergasm thinking about Craigy hosting. Unfortunately, like vettegirll said, I don't think he'd go for it. I may be wrong though, so if he is up for it, I'm ALL for it.
Geoff the Robot! I can just imagine the jokes about not being able to use his hands for any of it...
Hell yes, CraigyFerg! He would be AMAZING.
I'd love to see Craig do it - but that's sooo not his style. He always says he hates red carpet stuff, and the whole night is about that.
Oh, come on! It would be awesome if Troy and Abed hosted the Oscars! If not them, then the Muppets for sure!
Whoopi, Ellen, Gervais, or Hugh Jackman. I'd be happy with any one of those.
Fallon and Gervais.
WHOOPIE GOLDBERG
Chris Tucker