The Academy is still considering not having a host for the 2020 Oscars. This past ceremony, which took place in February, was supposed to feature Kevin Hart as emcee, but he stepped down due to controversy regarding homophobic comments he made. In lieu of finding a replacement, the Academy opted to go host-less, which at the time seemed like a recipe for disaster. That announcement when it appeared the Oscars couldn’t do anything right, on the heels of the infamous Best Popular Film debacle and the (later reversed) decision to remove a handful of technical categories from the broadcast.
What could have been an absolute train wreck turned out much better than expected. The 2019 Oscars saw an uptick in ratings when compared to recent years, and the show itself was well-received by viewers. Given the success of that happy accident, it came as little surprise when the Academy tossed out the idea of another host-less show back in March. With awards season now in full swing and the 2020 Oscars right around the corner, that option remains on the table.
According to Variety, there’s an ongoing debate to decide if the 2020 Oscars will have a host or not. Per the outlet, the Academy and ABC are thinking about a “compromise solution” where there would essentially be a team of A-listers passing the baton to one another, as opposed to a single person carrying the show on their own. Right now, it’s unknown when any official announcement will be made.
The Academy needs to figure something out sooner rather than later. This awards season is truncated, with the Oscars ceremony taking place on February 9, 2020. For that reason, it’d arguably be for the best if they decided to go without a host again. Not only did viewers enjoy the 2019 Oscars broadcast (which moved along quickly and kept a focus on the films nominated), even the most qualified hosting candidates might be hard-pressed to craft an entertaining show in that short amount of time. If the 2019 Oscars had been an unmitigated disaster that highlighted the importance of a host, there would be no debate, but based on the results, the Academy could have stumbled into a successful formula.
There’s no shortage of personalities movie fans would like to see host the Oscars (Dwayne Johnson was in the running last year), but a case can be made it’s a rather thankless job that’s lost much of its appeal. Hosts are often criticized for being too vanilla or too brash, and segments like Jimmy Kimmel infamously surprising Hollywood tourists with a walk across the Oscar stage go nowhere and just prolong an already lengthy broadcast. For one more year at least, the Oscars should just keep things simple and forge ahead without a host.
More: Screen Rant’s Oscars 2020 Best Actor Predictions
Source: Variety
