It’s a different cup of tea to host a show and that too something like the Oscars, one has to be witty, presence of mind needs to be sharp and the audience should not feel for one moment, bored. There have been examples where people have goofed up as Oscar Hosts.
Some like Steve Carell and Cameron Diaz, who were presenting this year's Oscar for best animated picture, were busy in self-effacement. Carell was funny, but Diaz failed miserably. Anyways Diaz didn’t flounder while announcing the winner which was Up. Academy awards have always seen hosts come in pairs and they have, with rare exceptions, proved awful at most occasions. There have been solo acts too, but this year the authorities decided to go for a double.
Steve Martin, who had a past experience in hosting such a show, was partnered with Alec Baldwin, who was a greenhorn at least in this arena. It seemed like an idea. A plan to pay homage to great double-acts of the past. Hope and Crosby, Astaire and Rogers, Burton and Taylor. To name a few. Some like Dick and Liz had their own style as they hymned in an opening number. The show was an instant hit. It also pointed the success of double anchors in the Academy Awards.
The hosts actually very well know that they're torn between making fun of the whole event and the knowledge that if they go too far, there won't be an event. For, Steve Martin who is a veteran of sorts it was a cakewalk as he kept on surveying the audience, and continued taking intended puns at different movies especially the “Inglourious Basterds”. It may not read much, but it was funny when he said it. This was Martin’s ability and though he's never quite been a major movie star, he can easily claim his USP was the Oscars. His delivery was weightless but priceless. Baldwin, by contrast, was heavy.
People were apprehensive about Baldwin but were quite sure that he would, make the transition. And, though he paid tribute to Tina Fey for revitalizing his career, comedy wise he was in no comparison with the much older Martin. Baldwin, at present can do sitcom but not stand-up. But once past the embarrassing song-and-dance at the top, the show looked like settling down. The clips were longer than usual. However, they actually told you something about the movies.
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