Jon Stewart as Oscar host?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:18pm

What did you think?

I liked the montage at the beginning with the "I can't host the Oscars this year" but that's it. He only sincerely made me laugh once the entire show.

His humor was just to insincere for me. He had nothing and knew it and would be the first to admit it. But that's what he works off of. In the end - it didn't work, however.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:24pm

I (and the people at my Oscar party) completely disagree. Though, I thought he was a but stiff in his opening monologue and I hated how obvious Gil Cates had put a short leash on Jon and his writers, I thought it was a nice first time out, and I would be very happy to see him return. He would inevitably be more relaxed then.

Updated On: 3/8/06 at 08:24 PM

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:26pm

He was one of the best hosts in recent memory.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 8:37pm

Liked him very much. I thought he did the best that he could within the parameters that I'm sure were given to him.

Now if we're talking about painful and unfunny...g'day, Ben Stiller!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:17pm

I think the stuff he could control he did a pretty good job. The stuff other people wrote, and the montages throughout the show, pretty darn awful.

I thought some of his quips were pretty funny.

Ben Stiller - just a terrible bit.

I give him a B/B+ Better than Whoppi or Chris Rock, but nowhere near Billy.

[slimandslam]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:22pm

I dunno, I liked Stiller's bit.

It's rather complicated. Obviously we weren't supposed to find it funny, but we were supposed to find the fact that it wasn't funny funny.

I didn't think this... but I thought that the fact that the fact that it was supposed to be unfunny wasn't funny was pretty damn funny.

No, really.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:22pm

I give him a solid A-, I found him hilarious. (I must say I am not really all that fond of Billy.)

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:24pm

I think he got much better as the program went on.

[Shepski]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:27pm

I think the issue is that the Oscars are such an obviously tough gig that no one can live up to our impossibly high standards. Personally, I've found Billy Crystal stale and unfunny recently. Chris Rock was straining. Props to Whoopi and especially Jon for being as edgy and political as they can within the parameters.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:11pm

Screw censorship and let Robin Williams host!

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:19pm

I would find that show unwatchable.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:25pm

I felt he was given really boring material

[bta212]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 12:29am

I'm a big fan of Jon Stewart's, and I enjoyed watching him. That said, I felt that the majority of his jokes fell flat. Worse, he felt small to me. In his chair, doing what he does, he feels life-sized, or possibly bigger than life. On that Oscar stage, he felt so small. Maybe that's inevitable (big stage), but a lot of the Hollywood types know how to fill a big stage; Jon Stewart didn't, to me.

I didn't think he bombed, and I would not criticize them if they gave him a second shot, but I think the host needs to have the presence and self-confidence that comes from being a major player. Johnny Carson had it. At the end of the day, Jon Stewart's audience is 29 year-old white boys; he doesn't have it.

--My two cents.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 12:34am

I was skeptical about Stewart but it turned out that we all laughed out loud a lot! I wouldn't mind him doing it again.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 12:36am

Which Hollywood types know how to fill a big stage? The ones that do a lot of stage work? Like Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg?

I thought he was great. Very funny. But I was previously a fan.

[bta212]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 12:41am

I didn't mean stage experience. I don't know that I can defend/explain my statement--it's more a personal reaction, I guess. Whoopi and Billy seem so at ease; they seem more in control than Jon did.

But I was a fan of his going in, and I'm still a fan. I suspect he would get better and better. I think they do the hosts a disservice by giving them one shot only.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 1:36am

Jon has done stand up. I think it was other factors.

[StageWhore]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 2:36am

Capn, from your mouth to God's ears.
I think Robin Williams is one of the very few people who could lure me into watching any awards show. Assuming, of course, they fire every censor for the night.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 2:57am

We didn't see much of him but most of what he had to say was funny.

10,000x better than Chris Disaster Rock, but really, Terri Schiavo would have been a better tose than Chris Rock. I thought John did a wonderful job...best in recent history.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 3:06am

A Terry Schiavo reference? I love it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 3:08am

Terri is my fave.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 3:45am

Stewart did a great job. The show seemed tighter this year somehow. I'd love to see him host again.

[javero]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:31am

I think Jon did a decent job and am in favor of his returning to the helm next year. I'm confident that he'll loosen up a bit between now and then as well. Of course, Carson was tops and Crystal wasn't bad at all. Letterman, no comment. I even could take Whoopi in measured doses. Many of Chris Rocks quips were beyond the pale and I thought in poor taste, plus I detest the sound of his screechy voice. The one about Jude Law and his body of work was unforgivable. The chilly reaction from Sean Penn was warranted. Honestly, my choice for Oscar host going forward is George Clooney (fat chance). Dude is now witty and charismatic plus can take one on the chin. I've seen him go toe-to-toe with Bill O'Reilly and thought that his acceptance speech was both spontaneous and spot-on.

Updated On: 3/9/06 at 10:31 AM

[bta212]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:45am

I like the idea of Clooney. Never happen, but I like the idea.

Are you folks serious about Robin Williams? Can you imagine? 3+ hours of his "hilarious" antics and self-indulgent masturbation? Please, God, no.

[mabel]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:54am

I thought Jon did a good job. As someone else mentioned, disregarding the endlesss slew on montages (which even Stewart had a ready quip for by the 23432th one) which were out of his hands, the show moved pretty smoothly. I think his opening monologue (after the gay cowboy montage, I think...or maybe it was before it? I don't remember) was a little rough. Nothing painful, but also nothing to really write home about.

Did anyone else think the crowd at the Kodak was kind of dead?? Maybe their laughter just wasn't being picked up, but if they were as unresponsive as it seemed, I'd imagine that must have been tough on him, as far as really loosening up. I mean there was stuff I was laughing at at home, and it sounded like he was just kind of getting half-hearted polite laughs from the crowd. Did anyone see The Daily Show on Tuesday with the split screen shot of Jamie Foxx laughing hysterical and Joaquin Phoenix looking rather constipated? Twas amusing.

I do think he really picked up speed once the show got going though. He had some great one-liners, between the montages, 3 6 Mafia/Scorsese, what's his face wearing his jeans, etc.

And javero, I agree...I think Clooney would made a great host. He's charming and witty. I don't think they'd ever go for it either, but maybe going against the typical stand-up comedian route might not be such a bad idea?