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#51

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:20pm

He was average. Some things were good, most of it passable. (The Birdman bit was done better on the Independent Spirit Awards the day prior.) No one ever goes into it expecting people to like what they did. I do think that without the distraction of the Broadway numbers and and theatre-y jokes, his skills as a host are much more naked to the eye.

If a slight defense the balls on the dress joke, he may have missed the suicide comment as the music was coming up in the house and he was coming out on stage. (If you watched the show earlier, the guy that won for Ida was getting laughter and applause for talking through the music while he was mentioning his dead wife.)

"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

#52

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:28pm

Neil was right down there with Letterman and Franco as "worst Oscar host."

He was focused on himself and on goading individual stars in the audience. That doesn't work for the Oscars, and he should have done his homework. He seemed totally out of touch. They love "general" comments and even general slams, but not personal ones directed at one member of the audience.

His timing was off, he looked nervous and hesitant after a tepid opening number, and it was all downhill from there.

He landed one or two good laughs. In a 3-hour evening, that's kinda terrible.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#53

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:29pm

NPH is a hard working, highly skilled professional but what he is not is a natural wit and that is what is most needed for the job. Give me Ellen or Steve Martin any day.

#54

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:30pm

I think everyone needs to remember how these things work. Neil did not write most/all of those jokes. I guarentee you that the Academy and ABC packed a room full of their writers for an unknown host (i.e. he's never done the Oscars). There was a team of (at least) a dozen people that came up with that stuff, and Neil did his best to deliver them.

He can be criticized for his lack of ability to improvise in situations, but he did a great opening number, and almost all of his jokes he presented well. He just presented badly written jokes.

In regards to the post suicide speech joke, I would be willing to bet he was getting ready for something else and walked on stage and gave his pre-written joke. Likely some stage manager or handler feels awful for not saying "he just told a story about suicide" before Neil walked on stage.

Billy Crystal and Ellen do great because they are great off the cuff - but if you go back and look at their first go at the Oscars verses their latest hosting, you'd see a stark difference.

#55

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:33pm

"In regards to the post suicide speech joke, I would be willing to bet he was getting ready for something else and walked on stage and gave his pre-written joke. Likely some stage manager or handler feels awful for not saying "he just told a story about suicide" before Neil walked on stage."

I'll be honest - if it had been a famous actress, I would've have taken it so personally, but it just seemed like an unwarranted attack for someone whose probably having the biggest night of their life.

#56

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:34pm

He's been overrated for a long while

His Hedwig wasn't as great as folks think: He didn't embody the character and I could easily see NPH behind the wig. It was an obviously played character. If you've seen JCM in the role, you simply can't imagine it getting any better.

His hosting duty last night was lazy at best, smug and tart otherwise. It was uncomfortable watching him.

#57

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:34pm

I'm surprised he hasn't issued his "I couldn't hear anything from where I was standing" statement to justify that remark yet.

#58

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:37pm

While we always feel like that comment is a fabricated excuse, it's often true.

You see the feeds of backstage, it's full of people running around, and he's likely being run through "off the cuff" jokes being written during the show. Again, there should be people in charge of keeping him aware of those sort of situations, but you can't very well go out and say "it's that assistant stage manager's fault," now can you?

#59

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:42pm

I thought the "ball" joke was funny. His job is to keep the show moving... keep it light... keep it entertaining. She had her moment, it was appreciated by the crowd with respect, then they left the stage and Neil did what the host is supposed to do. The joke was innocent and not mean, and it had the desired affect which was to bring the show back to it's intended tone which is "fun". I didn't think it was offensive at all. There were a lot of balls on that dress!! It was a good, innocent joke.

#60

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 12:43pm

Well if the rest of his performance wasn't so awful we probably wouldn't be focused on the balls comment today.

#61

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:02pm

I must be in the minority, I thought the opening was pretty terrible (with the exception of Jack Black and the screen thing.) To me if anything it felt expected. It didn't feel "live" and by the time Jack Black go there I had already lost interest.

In NPH defense this is a HARD gig. I can't believe people on here are suggesting the Tony's is a better production (it isn't).

#62

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:31pm

Philly03, I noticed the strange intros as well! The one I got confused at was Octavia's, maybe they thought she was in Dreamgirls? I liked that Oprah's introduction was "Nobody Does It Better" from The Spy Who Loved Me.

"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."

#63

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:34pm

NPH may not have written his material but he absolutely has a say, and the final word, as to what comes out of his mouth. He's not a puppet. He either approved or handpicked the writers and helped shape the material.

"I was only following orders" doesn't cut it as an excuse for tanking.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#64

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:37pm

NPH is charming. Bad writing is bad writing

#65

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:39pm

He was mediocre... and I am so over the NPH -Burtka PR machinery. They have both been irritating me now for a while. They are so 5 minutes ago. And I am sorry.. that spread in Architectural Digest was vomit inducing.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

#66

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:42pm

He wasn't charming last night. Not for one minute.

He started out vapid and cocky and totally unaware of how to gauge that audience, and it went downhill from there.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#67

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:47pm

He was not look at all last night..

'Take me out tonight where's there's music and there's people and they're young and alive.'

#68

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:48pm

I'm not a Neil-hater in general either. I think he is one of (if not) the best Tony Awards hosts ever.

He is also one of the worst Oscar hosts ever.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 01:48 PM

#69

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:50pm

Fire

Totally disagree. Comparing shows the Oscars,are a old gas guzzler which should be junked and the Tonys are a brand new ferrari

Poster Emeritus

#70

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:53pm

Viewing figures are starting to come out and it appears that the telecast was down by double digits.

....but the world goes 'round

#71

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:54pm

Bestie,

I am not a hater either. But with the finale of his TV show, Hedwig, and now the Oscars, I have been watching a lot of his PR Machinery and it is a bit of a turn off. And with him being so bad last night I hope he steps back and concentrates on his acting work and come back for the Tonys at some point..

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 01:54 PM

#72

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:57pm

The idea that he has final say over anything is rather absurd. He was hired, but he absolutely has to answer to the Academy and to ABC, not to mention advertisers. (all of whom are pouring millions into the broadcast). Please correct me if I'm wrong, but he is NOT a listed producer, director, or any artistic position that I could find (unlike some of his Tony hostings). If he hosts again, sure he might be able to have a greater say. But I don't see any sort of scenario in which the Academy or ABC gives that much control to a first time host.

If ABC says cut it - you cut it.

I'm not asserting the NPH is without blame, but he wasn't set up for success with the material developed for him.

#73

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 1:59pm

MOUSTACHA; You asked to be corrected if you are wrong. Well here I go. I am correcting you. You are wrong. He had a lot to say. He even said so himself in tons of the PR for the show. I am just happy they reigned in the magic crap.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 01:59 PM

#74

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:03pm

Input does not equal creative power. His name is not mentioned at any time in these credits.

http://www.oscars.org/news/87th-oscarsr-production-team-announced

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron today announced 13 key members of the production team for the 87th Academy Awards®, which will air live on Oscar® Sunday, February 22, 2015, on ABC.

Director Hamish Hamilton returns...

Production designer Derek McLane...

Choreographer Rob Ashford...

Writer, producer and director Greg Berlanti...

Zadan and Meron have brought in Michael Green, Seth Grahame-Smith and Andrew Kreisberg to complete the writing staff...

Music director Stephen Oremus makes his Oscar debut this year...

And these are just the named production members. I suspect these writing staffs to be bloated with at least 12-15 people. Neil maybe had one or two of his guys in the room, and they likely listened to any ideas he brought, but to think he had some sort of creative control is not correct.

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 02:03 PM

#75

Neil Patrick Harris' first and last year as Oscar host

Posted: 2/23/15 at 2:14pm

DAME, I am so over the NPH-Burtka PR machinery too. It's like they stopped being real people and it seems to be affecting Harris' persona. He can be so charming and dynamic and fun. He just fell flat on his face last night. Couldn't agree more with Besty's comment that he was cocky and it didn't work. The writing is only part of it. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey can sell a bad joke like nobody's business at the Globes because you can genuinely tell they enjoy being with each other, and they know exactly how to work the audience in the room and at home. I think it's one of those that if you can tell the people in the room are not having fun, it's really hard for the audience at home to have fun.
There was something mean-sprited in his jokes. I hated the comments he made about people who didn't get in right before their categories were announced or, worse, right before they presented. The look on Jennifer Aniston's face after Harris' "And now two people who definitely deserve to be here" comment said it all. It was a disaster. Jack Black and Anna Kendrick should have kicked him out during their number, they got the right tone IMO.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

Updated On: 2/23/15 at 02:14 PM

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