Why Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin to host Oscars? Well, it's complicated . . .
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are good, solid choices to host the Oscars, but it's hard to make sense of why they were tapped — and combined as a pair. Lately, Oscar chiefs have seemed eager to lure younger viewers and add song-and-dance entertainment to the ceremony. Martin is age 64, Baldwin is 51. Neither is known as a musical showman a la last year's emcee Hugh Jackman.
But they're both stars of the upcoming comedy directed by Nancy Meyers, "It's Complicated," which opens this Christmas featuring them as dueling love interests of Meryl Streep. If either nabs a bid for acting, he'll be the first Academy Awards host to be nominated while presiding at the ceremony since Paul Hogan was nommed for writing "Crocodile Dundee" as he hosted the Oscars with Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase in 1987 (honoring films released in 1986).
That was the last time that the Oscars had multiple hosts, which rarely occurs nowadays. A trio also presided one year earlier — Alan Alda, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams. Notice that both of those examples included something missing from this year's combo: a woman. Why don't they add Meryl Streep to this year's mix? If they want a dash of musical panache, let's recall that the two-time Oscar champ recently crooned successfully in "Mamma Mia!" and earned one of her record 15 nominations for her singing performance in "Postcards from the Edge." Oh, wait -- that's right: last year there were reports that producers wanted her to join Hugh Jackman in a musical duet on stage, but she declined.
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Photo: Scenes from "It's Complicated" (Universal)
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OMG
Why is meryl streep not invited I am not going to watch the show this year this sucks no meryl streep she is my bloody hero!
MERYL STREEP MERYL STREEP MERYL STREEP MERYL STREEP!!!!
Posted by: Meryl streep | November 08, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Daveed -
Hey, Suckaz -
His juvenile approach to child rearing was merely a window to his mind and soul. For the most part, the only people who find Baldwin amusing are those who agree with his political ideology or his fellow Hollywood liberals.
Without knowing you, I'm confident that you, Suckaz, fall into one of those categories.
The Oscar Awards lost its luster and class years ago. Much of that has to do with the lack of class in society and is simply magnified by those who are considered todays "movie stars".
Posted by: Mary Bee | November 04, 2009 at 09:29 AM
Your basing judgement on a occurrence that happened 3 to 4 years a go. Get over it.
Alec Baldwin is the most hilarious man on tv right now regardless of how bad his parenting skills are. 30 rock is a hilarious show. Television is entertainment.
suckaz
Posted by: daveed | November 03, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Alec Baldwin? Are they trying to make the public stop watching? Alex Baldwin? Are they nuts? Hey, if they really want to get people to stop watching the Oscars... maybe they could get bench Steve Martin and have George Clooney co-host with Baldwin.
Posted by: Mary Bee | November 03, 2009 at 09:40 PM
Alec Baldwin is great on 30 Rock and should be good here too. I'm sure some won't be happy for political reasons, but I don't care about that. I just want to be entertained and he and Steve Martin can do that.
Posted by: Mike | November 03, 2009 at 09:21 PM
Alec Baldwin?
Another reason not to watch.
Posted by: Stan B. | November 03, 2009 at 08:08 PM
That loud mouthered misogynist had time to break away from his auto-biography, oops, er, book explaining how his ex-wfe is responsible for all his 'parental alienation', to host the oscars?
I'll have to cover my daughters ears, then blame my wife for it!
Glad to see pigs are given equal billing in this town!
Posted by: Steve | November 03, 2009 at 06:12 PM
It would be a cold day "you know where" when I would bother watching anything hosted by that bag of blubber Baldwin. Too bad because I kinda like Steve Martin.
Did anyone bother noticing how poor the viewership
numbers were for the Oscar awards show last year? It might say something about how the public feels about this particular spectacle. Oh, sorry, I forgot, this show isn't about what the viewers think, it's all about what the celebrities think. Hmmmmm.......just another reason to skip it! I know what a good movie is and I don't need a Hollywood idiot to explain it to me.
Posted by: OregonStorm | November 03, 2009 at 06:07 PM
Should have been Jack Black and Will Farrell or Will Farrell alone. Dismal choice I tell you.
Posted by: SF | November 03, 2009 at 05:39 PM