Wicked Wits

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I'm more than down with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-hosting the 82nd Academy Awards, which producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman announced a little while ago. In fact I'm almost excited. They're both wordsmiths -- the pithy, erudite, dry-witted Martin vs. the pugnacious, slightly testy, vaguely-angry-all-the-time Baldwin. So it'll be a competition all the way. They'll be on each other's back and will call each other's bluff. If Martin takes the humor or commentary in a certain direction that doesn't quite pan out, Baldwin will immediately zap him and course-correct. And vice versa.

The elegant, 60ish, New Yorker-contributing Martin vs. the tanky, 50ish, anger-afflicted Baldwin.

So with all this snip-snipping going on there the show will be bullshit-free. I think this might turn into the best Oscar-host situation since Billy Crystal's heyday in the mid '90s. Or, you know, they could both blow it totally because of shitty writing and whatnot. But I'll be very suprised if thi\s happens.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 3, 2009 at 4:09 PM

comment #1

creepingmalaise says ...

As long as they stay OFF script they will be just fine.

Posted by creepingmalaise at November 3, 2009 4:32 PM

comment #2

coxcable says ...

The Academy, after years of experimenting with hip and edgy, is acknowledging it's a niche now and moving back to its comfort zone.

Nothing wrong with that.

Steve Martin, like Billy Crystal and Bob Hope, knows the mission here and usually accomplishes it.

Posted by coxcable at November 3, 2009 4:40 PM

comment #3

Lost_Contacts says ...

I thought Martin was good a few years back. Baldwin should be a good addition.

Anything is better than Hugh Jackman,

Posted by Lost_Contacts at November 3, 2009 4:40 PM

comment #4

Jeffrey Wells says ...

Amen!

Posted by Jeffrey Wells at November 3, 2009 4:50 PM

comment #5

Circumvrent says ...

Steve Martin had the best joke I've ever heard at an Oscar ceremony:

"Tonight, Billy Crystal's doing what I usually do on Oscar night - having sex with Billy Crystal's wife."

I'm excited for this.

Posted by Circumvrent at November 3, 2009 4:50 PM

comment #6

George Prager says ...

That's awesome. I'm there.

Posted by George Prager at November 3, 2009 4:52 PM

comment #7

Ryansi51 says ...

Circumvrent, I forgot about that one:

fucking hilarious!

Posted by Ryansi51 at November 3, 2009 4:56 PM

comment #8

Colin says ...

Well in a way we got the 30 Rock team-up. If you count guest stars.

Baldwin's great and Martin needs to vent his comedy in something besides Pink Panther sequels.

Posted by Colin at November 3, 2009 5:00 PM

comment #9

lipranzer says ...

I've had mixed feelings about the two times Martin hosted, but Baldwin has killed every time he hosted SNL, so maybe. But I agree with creepingmalaise - it'll be better if they go off script, or get their own writers in there.

Posted by lipranzer at November 3, 2009 5:05 PM

comment #10

JulesWinnfield says ...

Finally a host, or in this case two hosts, that we actually care about what they have to say because we know that whatever comes out of their mouths with be a scream.

Posted by JulesWinnfield at November 3, 2009 5:10 PM

comment #11

115thDreamer says ...

This is great news - potential comedy heaven that should keep the show light and make us forget the fact that we now have ten BP recaps to sit through during the course of the program. Martin had another great line when he hosted, something about millions of people all around the world watching us tonight, and they're thinking the same thing...."that we're all gay".....again, potential manna from comedy heaven here, plus the subtraction of Hugh Jackman in itself.....great news.

Posted by 115thDreamer at November 3, 2009 5:12 PM

comment #12

televisiontears says ...

I've got a crisp twenty here that says Steve Martin breaks out his banjo.

Posted by televisiontears at November 3, 2009 5:42 PM

comment #13

AitchCS says ...

I love Alec Baldwin. He will be excellent.
televisiontears: I won't bet against you!

Posted by AitchCS at November 3, 2009 5:58 PM

comment #14

BanksAreForRivers says ...

I loved when Martin was running through the names of all the people who showed up for the 2003 Oscars:

"Roman Polanski is here... GET HIM!"

Posted by BanksAreForRivers at November 3, 2009 7:08 PM

comment #15

Gaydos says ...

"Nicole Kidman has worn a fake nose in every movie she has ever made - except The Hours." - Steve Martin.

Posted by Gaydos at November 3, 2009 7:19 PM

comment #16

Arran says ...

Steve in 2001: "People say movies are too violent these days, and maybe they have a point. I took a small child to see Gladiator and he cried throughout the entire movie. Though that may have been because he didn't know who I was."

Posted by Arran at November 3, 2009 8:22 PM

comment #17

btwnproductions says ...

They co-star in the meh-looking IT'S COMPLICATED, but maybe this'll make up for it.

Posted by btwnproductions at November 3, 2009 8:56 PM

comment #18

Phatang! says ...

Thank God Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. had the good sense to pass on the gig!

Posted by Phatang! at November 3, 2009 9:55 PM

comment #19

JBarragan says ...

It's interesting how many parallels these two guys' careers have. They've both done Mamet films and they both have that really strong connection to SNL.

They sort of started from opposite ends of the acting pool and swam their way to the other side. Martin started as that "wild and crazy guy" before starting to write novellas and New Yorker humor pieces and then doing fine dramatic work in movies like The Spanish Prisoner. Baldwin started off as a dramatic actor and then revealed that he had an excellent sense of comedy during his numerous SNL guest host spots, culminating with his work in 30 Rock.

It's kinda cool. I'm looking forward to watching these two work together - this is actually the most excited I've been for an Oscar host announcement since...Letterman, I think.

Posted by JBarragan at November 3, 2009 10:19 PM

comment #20