The holidays, or at least chatter and decor regarding the holidays, seems to come earlier every year. I believe I even saw a Christmas-themed commercial the day after Halloween. The nerve! Well, leave it to me to not buck the trend. The Oscars are a celebration of sorts, so I figured I might as well throw it in the mix. It's certainly my favorite time of year to drink champagne and dream about what dress I'd wear to the awards ceremony. What I'm leading up to is... I've found some Academy Award news! First up, a little tease. Details: [The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' newly
selected producers Adam Shankman & Bill Mechanic went to Ben Stiller and
Robert Downey Jr. and asked them to host as a duo. It would have been a killer
combo. But the answer was no.]
That would have been a powerhouse duo; perfect for drawing a younger crowd to the event. Hugh Jackman did a fine job, but showing his Broadway roots isn't really what the kids are looking for these days. Though the Academy jumped up a generation with their decision, they've still made a stellar choice. Here's the big reveal... Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have been chosen to host the 2010 Oscars!
[The two are starring with Meryl Streep in the upcoming
holiday movie from Nancy Meyer, It's Complicated, from Universal. And they're
friends, something Steve Martin kidded about in the AMPAS press release. ("I am
happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," said Martin.) I think
it's a natural and even perfect pairing (short of adding a woman or minority),
and, for once, I'm actually looking forward to the Oscars, especially under
Bill Mechanic's and Adam Shankman's stewardship. This will be Baldwin's first,
and Martin's 3rd time hosting the Academy Awards. As I've been reporting, the
Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences hoped first to reteam host Hugh
Jackman with producers Larry Mark and Bill Condon, but all were busy with other
projects.]
Given that Stiller and Downey Jr. weren't available, I think they've found an amazing alternative. Steve Martin is a class act and nothing short of (another) horrendous public scandal could stop me from loving Alec Baldwin. He's absolutely sublime on 30 Rock. I can't wait to see what these two come up with...
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