Some people flock to the TV for the Super Bowl. It’s their holy day, so take a step away from the TV and no one will be hurt. That’s how I am with the Oscars. While some find it up tight and stuffy, I find the pomp and circumstance enthralling. As much of an awards show buff as I am, I do believe that The Academy needs some rejuvenation if they want to draw in the audiences that the Golden Globes have attracted since landing comedic queens Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Their first attempt to draw in a younger audience came in 2011 when young Hollywood’s Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosted the awards. Despite media hype that this pairing would save the Oscars, viewers and critics alike largely viewed the attempt as an epic flop. The broadcast brought in 37.9 viewers, down from the previous year’s 41.62. Numbers aside, the two had a serious lack of chemistry and Franco appeared to be half-asleep (while some speculate that lack of sleep wasn’t the issue) for most of the show. In an effort to recover from this over-shot attempt to draw in a younger, fresher audience, The Academy chose to retreat into its cave of tradition and go with their old faithful for the 2012 ceremony: Billy Crystal. No one can deny that Crystal puts on a great show and has for the grand total of 9 Academy Awards shows that he has hosted (Crystal’s 9 shows is second only to Bob Hope’s 19). Some may argue that the Academy was right to go with a safe choice after their risk-gone-wrong in 2011, but no one can deny that it was just that: a safe choice.
2013 brought The Academy’s latest attempt, Family Guy and Ted writer Seth McFarlane. Yet again, props to The Academy for taking a risk rather than bringing back Billy Crystal for round 10. That being said, they probably should have known that the man responsible for the aforementioned works might not be the most politically correct choice. McFarlane was criticized for off color jokes that had viewers in the audience and at home squirming in their seats. While it surely wasn’t the attention The Academy was looking for, the show did bring in over a million more viewers than the past year.
Now, we’ve come to the 86th annual Academy Awards, and, I would argue, The Academy’s best attempt to draw in viewers yet. Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting her second Oscars show, the first being back in 2007. DeGeneres is being hailed by some as being just what the doctor ordered. Anyone who has ever tuned in for her show can agree that she is undeniably hilarious without antagonizing anyone. She’s witty, she’s fun, and she’s a current and recognizable brand that all different kinds of people will tune in to watch. For the 18-25 bracket, DeGeneres is a reminder of a simpler time. She isn’t just an endearing television host, she’s a reminder to “just keep swimming.” DeGeneres will be reprising her role as Dory from Finding Nemo in the 2016 film Finding Dory. The Daily Beast agrees that Ellen is the perfect choice.
“The most entertaining award-show telecasts make an audience feel as if they’re at a dinner party thrown by someone who could be one of their best friends. Watching is easy and comfortable, and viewers at home can believe they would belong with that crowd if they were in the theater. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler did a masterful job creating that atmosphere at the recent Golden Globes, easily the best award-show broadcast in recent memory. Staging that dinner party should be remarkably easy. Hire a host with a sense of humor that’s current and edgy. (Note: “current” doesn’t mean “crass,” something MacFarlane seemed to confuse.) Ditch the idea that award shows should double as A-list roasts. Who wants to attend a party where they’re in constant fear that they’re the next to be insulted and skewered? And, most important, forget pandering to a specific audience demographic.”
We’ll see if The Daily Beast, myself, and the rest of the DeGeneres fans out there are right Sunday, March 2nd when the movie buffs and awards show enthusiasts tune in for the 86th annual Academy Awards.
Obsessive Compulsive Undergrad 