Ellen Degeneres will host the Oscars in 2007, but will she be successful? Her Emmy hosting a couple years ago was underwhelming. And the shark-jumping stunt--the bird on her shoulder as she showed us behind the scenes at the award show. Now she's facing an even tougher crowd, one that believes Billy Crystal is the only possible host for the event. Perhaps, Ellen's cheerful, accepting, less controversial, less political persona will go over better, not that there was anything wrong with Jon Stewart. I still cringe at the silences after his perfectly decent jokes.
The problem with the Oscars is the audience and the voters. Everything has its place, Best Movie must suck yet be socially responsible (short film winners--holocaust or children related) and all Best Actress winners have to be gorgeous and young (Reese, Halle, Charlize, Gwyneth, Julia). No uggos, gay cowboys, crack-smoking teachers, no jokes about mediocre actors, but sexual innuendo--man to woman--is okay (Thank you, George Clooney, for referring to Julia's breasts in your acceptance speech, but that might have been at the Golden Globes--am waiting for a starlet to comment on some action hero's small man berries).
Ellen is one of my heroes, and I have no problem supporting her for Oscar Night. Her talk show is entertaining, her attitude always positive. She doesn't need to swear to be funny and I pray her enthusiasm will enliven a deadly dull but beautiful audience. Those of us watching television--well, at least, I--will be cheering her on. At the same time, my fantasy host is Steven Colbert....
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