Hollywoods premier award ceremony, the Oscars, went without a Master of Ceremonies in a show off great cowardice. You remember the Cowardly Lion's search for courage... from The Wizard of Oz. Looks like Hollywood forgot the wonderful message, you need a brain, a heart and courage to find yourself and make your way in the world. Those things make it more likely when you encounter witches, flying monkeys and the occasional tornado or rainy day.
Hollywood steering clear of a comedian host indicates a detour from the truth of today's world. Comedians are truth tellers, it's essential to their DNA. I always loved the way Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal guided us through the evening, poking fun at the stars. The comedian hosts offered subtle hints to the workings of their industry because comedians are truth-tellers and Hollywood surrounds the room on Oscar night.
Today's fear-filled world can send your career on downward spiral based on a statement, rumors generated and highlighted on social media or based on comedy material once appreciated but no longer embrace by polite, politically correct, society.
Woody Allen seems to be the filmmaker to most rapidly fall from hero to zero. Not sure exactly why. You've heard the stories. Nobody wants to produce his movies now but he's had a hell of a run. Stay around too long and the barking dogs eventually pull you down. Now some film critics refuse to consider his films. Sounds like Mao-style re-education going on in certain corners of American society.
Great Comedian Oscar Hosts (a few from the list)
Will Rogers-- 1934
George Jessel- 1936
Bob Hope-- 1940s,1950s, 1960s, 1978
Jack Benny-- 1947
Jerry Lewis- 1950s
Johnny Carson-- 1970s
Billy Crystal-- 1990s
Whoopi Goldberg-- 1990s
(since 2000)
Whoopi Goldberg
Steven Martin
Chris Rock
Jon Stewart
Ellen Degeneres
Jimmy Kimmel
Double hosts don't work. Didn't like Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin together. James Franco and Anne Hathaway was a disaster. Franco seemed at a loss as a host. David Letterman notably failed. The comedians listed above, from this millennium, could have done an excellent job and added a little of the unexpected. That's the role of comedian. But unexpected was verboten this year.
Failure of the comedian host was not the concern-- so much as possible backlash generated by controversial commentary from center stage.
Harvey Weinstein's ghost hung over the proceedings. He was referred to as the Oscar Monster by Vanity Fair. As recently as 2017, Harvey was the most thanked man at the Oscar's. Alas. how times change.
Talks of casting couches and alleged sexual assault have sullied the reputation of the grand master of Oscar victories. He's now joined the Hall of Shame from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Maybe Hollywood feared a comedian emcee would point out some of Hollywood's warts and that was a prospect the brass could not and would risk taking.
Race issues, along with #metoo movement influence, were front and center. Minority concerns were indicated by the choice for Best Picture-- Green Book-- a fairly sweet story, dare I say saccharine, about the challenges of integration. John L. Lewis appeared on the program as a symbol of the great struggle for Civil Rights and brought a dose of the deeply painful reality of US race relations to the stage. The Favourite, my favorite of the year, may not have received serious award consideration because its story-- two women who struggle mightily to destroy each other may have been a bit too real and raucous for the Oscar's of 2019.
The automaton-like voice introducing the "next presenters" fell flat for me. It had no personality and lacked for truth. Hollywood struggles on many levels-- just to keep up with changing media platforms and tastes. Removing a human element-- the comedian emcee-- does not solve any of these problems. The disembodied voice suggested machines are taking over and not doing a good job of it.
The kings of the days of old had Court Jesters to bring them unpleasant realizations. The Jester might himself without a head if the material went badly enough. Talk about high stakes!
Hollywood just did not want to hear from the Court Jesters on Oscars night. Laughs were few and far between and the night smacked of restraint and overly tight production deadlines. The trains were running on time but the absence of a core-- an emcee and toastmaster-- showed the importance of heart, brains and courage.
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