Riedel says: Oprah not out of the question for TONY host

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 9:50am

I figured as much.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/65417.htm

Updated On: 5/3/06 at 09:50 AM

[Charmed I'm Sure]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 10:09am

as am not a fan of ms. winfrey as a talk show host she is a very good actress...but cant we find a broadway start to host with her..someone like...say Chita maybe.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 10:11am

I think it's a bad idea.

They're basically giving TCP the award for Best Musical if she hosts.

Riedel speaks of the times when Jackman hosted (when he was nominated) and when Nathan and Matthew hosted (when THE PRODUCERS was nominated for everything). And both times the hosts won the awards they were up for.

Updated On: 5/3/06 at 10:11 AM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 10:23am

Personally, I wish they would ask Angela Lansbury. She was a great Tony host back in the 80s, lending the proceedings an air of class and distinction. She also has a huge tv following from Murder She Wrote.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:10am

I'll second Margo's big for Mdme. Lansbury. She was the quintessential Tony host - charming, classy, gracious, and stunning in those Bob Mackie gowns. Nobody has matched her since. With her recent return to NYC and the 60th anniv of the Tonys - it would be great to have the grande dame back.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:12am

I say Lansbury and Julie Andrews should host together.

Oh...the possibilities.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:30am

"She also has a huge tv following from Murder She Wrote."

Margo, the series went off the air in 1996. Half the people on this board in the "Where were you on 9/11?" thread mention recess.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:40am

adam feldman has his own bag of preferences and prejudices. he may be a bit more techno-savvy than the other members of his organization but he is still someone trying to force his point of view -- a very old fashioned practice.

[midtowngym]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:47am

Angela is also IN her 80's. Not exactly a way to get kids to watch--who's granny up there hosting? Old queens like us will watch no matter who hosts--where's Julia Roberts?

Updated On: 5/3/06 at 11:47 AM

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 11:53am

Who cares if random tv viewers and kids watch the Tony's??? The point is for theatre fans to watch the Tony's!!

grrrrrrr

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:00pm

the ratings have been so low the last few years that it's almost charity for a major network to carry the broadcast. perhaps if they were on BRAVO instead, we could have marvelous, not so well known theater folk do the honors and have a great show instead of the frightening hugh/aretha duets, etc that we're subjected to.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:05pm

Does he not have a fact checker? I know it's a gossip column, but he said Jackman won the Tony last year!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:07pm

I really don't think there's any way to get "the kids" to watch the Tony Awards, with the exception of the drama club queens. Adding Mary J Blige, P Diddy and LL Cool J did NOTHING to improve ratings, so why not forget about that and just put together a smart, classy, entertaining show?

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:12pm

I absolutely agree. Look, I didn't start watching Gray's Anatomy because Sara Ramirez was on it. I watched it because it was a great show. Do they really think they're bringing people to the broadcast by including people like LL Cool J? Honestly, what die-hard LL Cool J fan is going to tune into the Tony Awards?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:14pm

THey want Oprah to present Best Musical? Has someone ever presented an award in a category the're nominated in? There should be some kind of rule against that...

[midtowngym]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:15pm

Then the Tony's become even more marginalized like the once regal Miss America Pagaent (only half serious), now relegated to CMT (a country cable network.)
It's easy to criticize since neither our money or livelihoods are at stake. However, a solution is still unclear (maybe there is none.)
Paris Hilton as host! Not so crazy, didn't they name the Hilton Theater after her?

Updated On: 5/3/06 at 12:15 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:17pm

It's just like the 2002 TONY awards.

Mary Tyler Moore (who was in "Thoroughly Modern Millie") presented the award to...:gasp:...THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.

And Joanna Gleason (who was in INTO THE WOODS) presented the award to...you guessed it...INTO THE WOODS.

The committee might as well not even give out the awards. Just list the presenters and we'll already know.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:19pm

BUt they weren't producing those shows. If Whoopi presented the award for Millie, then I'd question it.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:19pm

But it's such a slap in the face to the theater community to have to put this Hollywood garbage into our yearly celebration of the best of Broadway. No one's interested.

Personally, I think there should be no host. Just presenters. No performances except from the ones from nominated shows, and then those can be extended.

[catstagestud]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:20pm

I would love a reprise of LL and Carol; have them host for the evening...All I can say is that the year those two walked on stage together I had more fun in those two minutes than the majority of the evening.

But in all seriousness, I'd love to see Julie Andrews or Lansbury...that'd be wonderful

Cheers,

Christopher

[Magicupoursleeves]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:28pm

The problem with that, says one Tony person, is that "the show could look like a raid on a geriatric home."



I was not at all happy with that line.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:30pm

I love Reidel's sources, "one Tony person". Uh huh...

[DG]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:32pm

I'd ask Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett to do it.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 12:38pm

Just because Riedel says something, it doesn't mean it's true. He is a gossip columnist, not a bonafide journalist.

Angela is looking to make a comeback to Broadway...and my guess is that she will definitely be featured in the Tony ceremony in some capacity.

I don't see how Color Purple could win Best Musical. Its reviews have been mostly unfavorable. I think Jersey Boys is the front-runner with Drowsy Chaperone as the dark horse contender.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/3/06 at 1:00pm

I think it would be great for Oprah to host. Maybe have Lansbury present best Musical. I would even go for Julia Roberts presenting best play. Couldn't hurt the ratings.