We’re three-quarters of the way to Oscar. Nomination voting is now over and the industry will nervously wait for a week until the finalists are revealed on a dark and way, way, way too early Tuesday morning, Jan. 22. That means campaigning is basically on hold for now and everyone can divert their attention to the biggest issue facing our nation. No, it’s not the government shutdown, it’s not the anxious waiting for the Mueller probe report or the cavalcade of politicians deciding to run for the Democratic nomination for President. It’s the prospect of how the Academy and ABC can save the 91st Academy Awards from being a host-less bore of a show.
There has been no official press release or announcement, but it’s 99% confirmed next month’s Oscar telecast will not include an emcee for the first time in 30 years. That 1989 ceremony featured the now legendary Rob Lowe and Snow White’s cringe-worthy musical number. If it gives this year’s producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss any solace, it’s that despite a deserved critical drubbing, that host-less telecast earned the Oscars its highest rating in at least four years. So, you can have ratings success without a marquee name guiding the show. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.
Reports are already circulating that The Academy is trying to have a gigantic reunion of the cast of the “Avengers” franchise on the Dolby Theater stage. Frankly, that’s a minute bit? And, well, a bit basic and predictable? Reunions can surprise people watching and we’re not against them at all, but unless the people in question are performing a skit or a musical number (we’ll get to that in a minute) hyping them beforehand usually just results in a letdown.
There is also word Gigliotti and Weiss want to have different sections of the telecast introduced by big-name stars. Well, sure, but is having Sandra Bullock and George Clooney handing out three Oscar categories really that much different from previous ceremonies? Again, we get the idea of star power and “surprise” (good luck with that). The question is whether it’s engaging enough to keep casual viewers from flipping over to Netflix or YouTube. The strength of a good or compelling host is they accompany the viewer on the ride and can chime in as they would (if Kimmel had any plusses as a host it was this).
Without a host and coming off two years of pitiful ratings, the Academy Awards telecast needs to be unpredictable, funny and, most importantly, watchable. Nothing would make the Academy and ABC happier than for social media buzz to be into the proceedings enough to increase ratings as the show airs over its (hopefully) three-hour life span. Keeping all this in mind we have some suggestions.
Take a lesson or two from the Grammys
Without a host, you likely don’t have an opening monologue or a filmed bit centered out said host. Two years ago Justin Timberlake opened the telecast with a big number around the pop hit “Can’t Touch The Feeling.” There likely isn’t a nominee that popular and upbeat to kick off the show with, but why can’t the Oscars take a nod from the Grammys and start off with a non-nominated song? Why not have a Queen melody from “Bohemian Rhapsody” kick-off things? Or #1 Billboard 100 hit “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”? Or The Weekend and Kendrick Lamar’s “Pray For Me” from “Black Panther” that can then segue into Lamar’s likely nominated “All the Stars”? Why not try matching up legendary divas such as Mariah Carey with Ariana Grande singing “When You Believe”? Or Barbra Streisand and Lady Gaga dueting on “Evergreen” from 1976’s “Star is Born”? Weiss has never directed the Grammys, but he has a number of Emmys for his work putting on the Kennedy Center Honors and the Tony Awards. He should be able to make a few of these happen.
No host doesn’t mean more montages
Seriously, nothing slows down the show than those goddamn montages. They are simply a bore, needless filler and we don’t need another “salute to comedy” or “remember the Western” for the godzillionth time. Please, we’re practically begging at this point.
This might be the time to bring back five presenters for five nominees
Drama. Nothing gets viewers attention more than drama and outside of the now notorious Best Picture announcement of 2017 nothing has created more gasps from the in-theater audience than when previous winners and notable figures presented the acting categories in 2009 and 2010. It’s been nine years since it’s been done and now might be the perfect time to bring it back (frankly, they should have for the 90th Anniversary last year).
Go out of the box with presenters
They all don’t have to be famous movie stars. They can be cultural icons too. How about RuPaul to present Makeup & Hairstylings and/or Costumes? What about getting Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to hand out Animated Film or the Shorts categories (assuming any are on air this year)? What about Beyonce presenting Best Original Song? Can Ruth Bader Ginsberg make it on a plane to Los Angeles? How about the Notorious RBG hands out Best Picture? Shoot, she can even do it from her home in the D.C. area like Michelle Obama did a few years ago. These might seem like pipe dreams, but most of these people all live in Los Angeles. It’s not impossible.
Reunions can work, but they need to be truly special
As we mentioned previously, a reunion for just a reunion sake only goes so far. Do we think the producers want the original “Mary Poppins” team of Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke to walk out on stage? Sure, but that’s pretty much expected. Give us the unexpected. Give us the cast of “The Devil Wears Prada” – Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci – to present the Screenplay awards. Give us “Superbad’s'” Emma Stone, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera and Jonah Hill to present Editing. Give us the casts of “The Godfather” films, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, James Caan and Robert DuVall, for picture. Just surprise us.
Throw to backstage
Why can’t “A Star is Born’s” Shangela and Willam reprise their roles and engage with presenters and winners backstage? Or pretend to keep the show going? If anyone knows Shangela, she’s a professional and will make sure everyone is there on time. Oh, and both them are funny on their feet too. Or why not have Charles Barkley and Dion Sanders act as analysts giving commentary on who won backstage like a sports report? Please, just don’t put a boring, traditional entertainment reporter back there. That’s not what audiences want.
Comedy correspondents around the globe
Why not put some well-known comedians or comedic actors around the nation and the world on live remotes to check in with what audiences, wherever they are, think of the show? Maybe Hannah Gadsby in Syndey, Jack Whitehall in London, Billy Eichner in New York, Eugenio Derbez in Mexico City? At least two of them gotta work, right?
The 91st Academy Awards will be held on Feb. 24, 2019 and broadcast live on ABC beginning at 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET.