The Clicker Flips For The Oscars

As you probably already know, Ellen DeGeneres is set to host the 79th Annual Academy Awards. I doubt I’m alone in thinking that Ellen will most definitely rock the Oscars this year. One of the key ingredients to an entertaining Oscar night is a good host. The host sets the mood for the event and if they’re any good at their job, they deliver well-timed jokes and keep the viewers (both in the audience and at home) entertained. Ellen, who has been hosting a talk show for a few years now, definitely has the skill and the sense of humor to carry the event.

So what makes a good Oscar host? My favorite Oscar host of all time would easily be Billy Crystal. His energetic and friendly nature, singing abilities and quit wit always makes for an entertaining evening. Crystal really has a knack for poking fun at A-list celebrities without coming off as rude or offensive. I can’t recall there ever being a time when he’s made a joke that was over the top or taken the wrong way by the audience.

Jon Stewart would probably be my second favorite host, at least in terms of the more recent Academy Awards. Stewart hosted the Oscars last year. As expected, he brought his smirky sense of humor to the stage and delivered a series of somewhat mild but definitely funny jokes. The interesting thing about Stewart’s hosting was that he didn’t have to change the way he delivered a good line nor did he have to tone down his sense of humor to suit the event. He was a different type of host but a good fit for the job nonetheless.

I wish I could say the same for Chris Rock. I like Chris Rock. He’s loud but he puts it all out on the table and I can respect that about him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a good fit for the Oscars. When he was asked to host the 77th Academy Awards, many people thought he might appeal to younger viewers. Unfortunately, what ended up happening was that Rock’s humor was too edgy for older viewers, not to mention some of the people in the audience. At one point, he made a crack about Jude Law that rubbed some people the wrong way. The other problem with Rock’s hosting is that while his performance wasn’t refined enough for some people, it was also too watered down for the people who usually find him hilarious.

It shouldn’t be that difficult for the Academy to select the right host for the ceremony. They run into problems when they bring in someone whose sense of humor doesn’t already fit the style of the event. Rock was expected to tone down his jokes and even when he did, it wasn’t enough to please the bulk of their traditional viewers. This is why I think Ellen is going to do a fine job hosting the Oscars this year. For one thing, she makes fun of herself as much, if not more than she pokes fun at other people. This is one of the things that makes her so charming. In addition, her sense of humor is innocent and playful so it’s hard to imagine she would offend anyone. If there’s one thing that would keep her from delivering a stellar performance it’s that she might be a bit too reserved. Hopefully Ms. DeGeneres will approach the Oscars the was Crystal has in the past, by showing up and just being herself. And if she feels the urge to dance, I hope she goes for it.


What to Watch (2/25 to 3/3)



’Grease: You’re the One That I Want’ (NBC) 8:00 pm
(New!) – The top ten get narrowed down to eight contestants. Last weeks “duets” episode was really entertaining. This week Frankie Avalon performs “Beauty School Drop-out” with the potential Sandy’s.

The 79th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) 8:30 pm
Ellen DeGeneres Hosts. If you’re not attending an Oscar party somewhere, why not check out Cinema Blend’s infamous Oscar Chat. Watch the Oscars with your fellow movie fans and answer trivia questions to win prizes!

’Battlestar Galactica (SCIFI) 10:00 pm
Dirty Hands - (New!) – Chief is convinced to defy Adama and goes on strike.



’How I Met Your Mother’ (CBS) 8:00 pm
Arrivederci, Fiero- (New!) – Marshall’s car, which is approaching its 200,000th mile dies. As the gang waits to see if the car can be saved, they reflect on the many memories they have with the Fiero.

Watch: ’24’ (Fox) 9:00 pm
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm- (New!) – Jack got in touch with the former president, Logan and isn’t sure if he can trust him. Palmer, still unaware that there are plans for his assassination, forms an unlikely alliance with someone.

TiVo: ’Heroes’ (NBC) 9:00 pm
Company Man- (New!) – Matt, Ted and Hana hold the Bennets hostage in the hopes of getting some answers about what he did to them. Tvguide.com reports that the mission has some tragic consequences.



’American Idol’ (Fox) 8:00 pm
(New!) – The top 10 male singers perform. Hopefully they’ll deliver the goods this time.

”Veronica Mars” (CW) 9:00 pm
Papa’s Cabin (New!) – Keith arrests Landry for the dean’s murder. Veronica catches Tim Foyle breaking into the Mars Investigation Offices and Wallace is concerned about what might be starting with Parker and Logan.



’American Idol’ (FOX) 8:00 pm
(New!) – The top 10 female singers perform. The girls out-sang the guys last week. Hopefully they’ll be just as good, if not better this week.

”Jericho” (CBS) 9:00 pm
Black Jack (New!) – Jack and a couple of other people try to fix the town windmill.

”Lost” (ABC) 10:00 pm
Tricia Tanaca Is Dead (New!) – This is a Hurley flashback episode. Hurley finds a wrecked car on the island. Sawyer and Kate reunite with the rest of the group.



Sweeps is over and most of the shows (including ‘The Office,’ ‘Earl,’ ‘Ugly Betty,’ ‘Smallville,’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’) are in reruns tonight.

”American Idol” (FOX) 8:00 pm
Two more guys and two more girls are voted off.

”Scrubs” (NBC) 9:00 pm
My Night To Remember (New!) – When trying to treat a patient whose lost their memory, the gang recalls some of the better moments at Sacred Heart.

”Scrubs” (NBC) 9:00 pm
My Night To Remember (New!) – When trying to treat a patient whose lost their memory, the gang recalls some of the better moments at Sacred Heart.



Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Bravo) 8:00 pm
Who didn’t want to be Ferris Bueller when they were growing up? He had it all. Most kids who played hooky might go to the mall, the movies, an arcade or to a parking lot to sit around doing a lot of nothing-much. Ferris made the most of his day off by taking his girlfriend and best friend into the city for a day of unexpected adventures.



Building A Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy (ABC) 8:00 pm
I’m not a huge Oprah fan but I have to say, what she’s done with this school in Africa is amazing. Using her money and celebrity to literally change the world is truly admirable. This special will show the planning and construction of the school as well as profile some of the students who will be attending.




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