Hollywood bosses are reportedly absolutely shitting themselves over what to do about the apparently poisoned chalice that is the Oscars hosting gig, and the latest suggestion bouncing around ceremony producers’ desks is one that more or less involves throwing the hands up in the air and declaring “fuck it.”
[jwplayer WN6Q3XAn]
Since Kevin Hart‘s inglorious self-binning from the role, a number of names have been thrown around in reported contention for the gig – including that of Tasmania’s own Hannah Gadsby, who’s spent the better part of the last six months quietly stealing the show at every US award ceremony she’s been invited to.
Now, however, a different option entirely is reportedly being strongly mooted: No host at all.
Variety reports that the Academy’s Board of Governor’s will convene Tuesday night (US time) where the issue of the hosting role will be frantically discussed. And one of the options being floated right now is to simply not have a singular host at all.
Instead, the Oscars broadcast would be hauled along by “a bunch of huge celebs, something ‘SNL’ style, and buzzy people to throw to commercial.” Essentially, a laundry list of big names floating in and out of the ceremony in order to keep things moving along.
There is also reportedly some frustration with the Academy for not properly vetting Hart before announcing him as host, particularly given his sketchy history with homophobic jokes had been discussed at-length in the past.
Interestingly enough, it wouldn’t be the first time the ceremony operated without a single, centralised host; in 1939 the show operated with no host for the first time. The show then ran three consecutive host-less events between 1969 and 1971. And then again in 1989, the event went on with no serving as the official host of the show.
Whatever the outcome here, the Academy is under extreme pressure to come up with it quick.
The 91st Academy Awards are scheduled for February 25th 2019 Australian time.
