Neil Patrick Harris Says He WON'T Host the Tony Awards This Year- Page 2

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 4:37pm

I always thought Matt Stone and Trey Parker would be good.

[bobs3]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 4:50pm

It's too bad CBS passed on the Matthew Broderick/Kristen Chenoweth sitcom pilot. They would have made excellent co-hosts.

I also agree that Matt and Trey would be excellent hosts and Comedy Central is owned by Viacom which also owns CBS.



Updated On: 2/5/14 at 04:50 PM

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 4:58pm

I saw that pilot, thank GOD they passed on it and saved us the misery

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 5:10pm

Team Whoopi....OR Team Jesse Tyler Fergueson and Kristen Chenoweth.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 5:27pm

They should have two hosts this year. I thought the Megan Hilty, Laura Benanti, and Andrew Rannells bit was hilarious last year. Maybe two of them?

[The Josh]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 5:36pm

Let's get the Muppets!

Only half-kidding.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 7:32pm

Andrew Rannells and Megan Hilty would be amazing!

[willep]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 8:28pm

I agree with the poster who suggested Zac Levi, he would be great.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 8:48pm

NPH is a great host but I think taking this year off isn't a bad thing at all. Hugh Jackman I think has film commitments with Pan so cannot see him being available, Jim Parsons is a fine suggestion but I couldn't see him doing the big opening and closing numbers like NPH does.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 9:41pm

What's Carrie Underwood doing?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 11:12pm

[HorseTears]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 11:18pm

It's too bad it isn't on NBC. I could imagine Jimmy Fallon or even Seth Meyers doing a nice job. I think having a capital "A" dramatic actor is never a good idea. You need someone with comedy in his/her DNA, someone who can respect the art form but be enough of an outsider to poke fun at everything. It's a delicate balance.

I suppose Billy Crystal would be on their shortlist given his return to Broadway this season. He was completely flate and tired on his last Oscars hosting gig, though and perhaps too expensive for the Tonys gig anyway.

Maybe the star of the NY Phil's COMPANY, Stephen Colbert?

I'd love to see Steve Martin do it -- still the funniest Oscars host, I think. I doubt he'd be interested, though.

[kikki327]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 11:31pm

I also agree Zachary Levi would be a great host. His opening number would be excellent

[HorseTears]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 12:41am

I thought you'd all lost your marbles for a second there. I was seeing "Zachary Levi" but somehow reading "Zachary Quinto". I didn't see FIRST DATE - nor would I have wanted to - but Levi seems funny and charming. I bet you guys are right that he'd do a bang up job. But is he enough of a name? Will anyone know his name if you don't say, "the dude who played Chuck"?

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 1:18pm

I know they wouldn't be a draw, but Rannells and Benanti would be a great pairing. They seem to be really good friends offstage and their twitter banter is priceless.

[dreaming]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 1:24pm

They're going to get as big of a name as they can, I'm sure. Cute as Benanti and Rannells are with the banter, they aren't people anyone off this board recognizes.

I'm guessing Billy Crystal could be on the short list. Robin Williams might be (and I think could be great), Colbert could be up there.

[dreaming]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 1:24pm

They're going to get as big of a name as they can, I'm sure. Cute as Benanti and Rannells are with the banter, they aren't people anyone off this board recognizes.

I'm guessing Billy Crystal could be on the short list. Robin Williams might be (and I think could be great), Colbert could be up there.

[DeeKDee]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 2:57pm

Ratings-wise, the Tony's have a problem with "skewing old". While Billy Crystal is a seasoned host, I think CBS's preference would be to have someone younger. The median age of who watched last year was 62--and that was with NPH hosting. I suspect they'll want a host who is younger than Crystal.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 5:36pm

Re: the demos for the TONYS. Yes, they tend to skew older,but they also skew upper middle class/household and business decision-makers. This could totally be spin, but I distinctly remember a CBS exec -- perhaps for special programming - saying that they don't have expectations about getting a younger audience but they don't worry about that because the wealthier, decision-makers in the Tony audience always lead to ad sell outs every year. Again, that could just be spin, or perhaps, unlike Madonna, they're embracing where they are in life rather than desperately trying to chase a younger demo that's never going to come out in big numbers. Unless Wicked 2 is opening soon, I suppose.

[bobs3]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 9:41pm

The Tonys don't get great ratings but they attract a decidedly upscale (meaning wealthy) audience and CBS is able to charge premium rates to advertisers (usually luxury cars, upscale department stores, etc.) and that is why they keep renewing their annual contract.

[DeeKDee]

Posted: 2/7/14 at 10:05am

Yes, the audience is upscale and getting a younger audience is difficult, but I still think CBS would prefer a host who is under 60 vs. over 60.

[dreaming]

Posted: 2/7/14 at 12:36pm

I wish we could have Seth MacFarlane-but that will never happen. He'd be terrific.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/7/14 at 12:37pm

After seeing him botch the Oscars, I hope it doesn't.

Updated On: 2/7/14 at 12:37 PM