I woke up from my long Turkey vacation to discover that Anne Hathaway and James Franco are hosting this year’s Oscars. When I first read this I had to check my calender to confirm that it was December 1 and not April 1, because this ridiculous decision has to be a prank, right? So what were the suits thinking? I can only guess, but here goes. Because Hollywood is so insanely focused on the ridiculous 18-35 demographic for ratings purposes, it only makes sense to choose two very young celebrities to host an aging awards show that is desperately in need of a pick-me-up. Anne Hathaway makes sense because she’s an A-list actress, and her previous performance with Hugh Jackman at the Oscars proves she can carry a tune for at least 10 seconds. As for James Franco — he’s a complete mystery. I read an article about how he’s a heartthrob, and how the students swooned over him during his appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, but I have no idea how that makes him worthy of hosting the Oscars. Also, I don’t mean to be rude — but I find the guy really boring in interviews. And furthermore, the Oscars should be hosted by a comedian. I realize that Hugh Jackman was incredible during his Oscar stint, but he compensated for the comedy by carrying the show with his own performances. Can Anne and James do that?
I am a budding Franco fan and he is def a heartthrob. As for his comedic skills (please let me know whether that is a word and whether I used it correctly), I thought he did a great job when he hosted SNL unlike some of my other favorite non-comedian actors (e.g. Jon Hamm and the gentleman from Breaking Bad) who were only ok when they hosted the show. It could have been the writing, but Franco was great.
Anyhow, I do not not usually watch the Oscars. Maybe this year I will take a chance…
(And I could see Hugh Jackman being a good host as far as entertainers go, but has he won Oscars? Is he Oscar material? I am not asking as if I know – I really don’t. I am looking for enlightenment. Jackman strikes me as a far less legit actor than Franco.)