Billy Crystal steps in for Eddie Murphy to host this year's Oscar telecast

Posted by · 1:31 pm · November 10th, 2011

Okay, so like I said, I imagine it went something like this: “Let's make this easy on everyone. Let's get Billy Crystal in here and let's forget this whole mess ever happened.” Sorry, Muppets.

Billy Crystal has been tapped as the host of this year's Oscar telecast. I'm fine with it. What was the last one he did? 2003? And he's been itching to get back into that seat. So I'm happy for him. And I'm happy this whole thing was settled so quickly. I wish the show the best moving forward and I have no doubt it'll be a fun and classy event.

It all started with a Tweet (which could have easily been a joke, but that doesn't stop the desperate world of online journalists from single-sourcing and running with it). But that news was eventually confirmed by the Academy to numerous sources, including HitFix. So Billy's our guy.

There isn't really much in the way of a nuanced discussion of what Crystal will add to the proceedings, is there? I don't really know what to say. “Boring” isn't the word I'm looking for, because I know it'll be entertaining. “Unremarkable?” Yeah, maybe that's the word.

“With Billy, we”re moving forward with one of the greatest hosts in Oscar history,” Oscarcast co-producer Don Mischer said via AMPAS press release. “His return to the Oscars is, in a sense, a celebration.”

Anyway, the question is, what do YOU think? Good call? Bad call? Rifle off your thoughts below.




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