And the winner of the hosting oscar is…..Eddie Murphy?
A few weeks back I reported that there was the potential for Billy Crystal to return to his throne as king of all Oscar hosts, but it seems just a short while ago I was proven wrong. Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop, The Nutty Professor) will be taking the reigns for this years Oscar show. Brett Ratner, the producer of the show, expressed interest in Eddie Murphy as his “only choice” having worked with him in the past with the film Rush Hour.
Now whether or not Eddie Murphy has the talent isn’t a real pressing matter, the question that stands out is “Why?” With Eddie Murphy’s recent string of flops Norbit and Meet Dave, it’s just an odd feeling to see him take such a strong presence in one of the most prestigious shows in Hollywood. I have no doubt that he will perform better than last year’s abysmal hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco, but I’m just not sold on the idea. I was really pulling for Billy Crystal to return but it seems he shall be making an appearance as a “marquee role” What exactly that entails no one is for certain.
Some quotes from the official press release by AMPAS “With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances – especially on stage – I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February,” said Brett Ratner. Don Mischer adds, “Eddie is a truly ground-breaking performer, whose amazingly diverse array of roles has won him a devoted audience of all ages. His quick wit and charisma will serve him very well as Oscar host.” Murphy states, “I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others.”
So it seems that everyone is pretty jazzed about this idea. What do you think about the new host for the 84th Academy Awards? Only time will tell if he can bring back the Oscars to what they use to be, or dig the hole even deeper.
Stay tuned with Stuff We Like for more news on the road to the Oscars!