Kudos to the Academy for selecting Jon Stewart to head up this year's Oscars. I will go out on a limb and say that, far more than Letterman (whose Uma/Oprah thing was reviled mostly because people didn't realize he was riffing an absolutely classic "New Yorker" essay called "Yma Dream"), Stewart is the late-night host who combines a sense of comedy and gravitas better than anyone since Johnny Carson. What a challenge. But I'm sure he'll be up to it.
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Posted by Peter David at January 6, 2006 12:54 AM | TrackBack | Other blogs commentingYeah, I'm so glad they went with Stewart this year. I really could NOT hack Billy Crystal doing his shitck again. He was great and all about ten years ago. But that was ten years ago and I can't stand his song and dance routine anymore. And I think Whoopi was up for consideration too, but she's not my favourite, TNG cred aside. I must be one of the five people in the planet who actually really dug Chris Rock last year, but I'm baised because I went in already a fan of Chris Rock anyway. (his new show, "Everybody Hates Chris" is really funny stuff, stuck on a Thursday night timeslot, though, sadly)
All that said, Stewart is going to rock the world and I can't wait to see that lazerbeam wit pointed towards Hollywood instead of politics for once. Also, he's a *genius* at improv, and knowing how kooky Oscar night can get sometimes (anybody remember the interpretive dance numbers from a few years ago? Ack!) he'll get in a great quip or nine.
side note: Anyone who likes Jon Stewart should really see Half Baked. If only for the five minutes that he's in the movie, but its freakin genius. Dave Chappelle is a writer / star of it too, so its a solid movie.
Yeah, i'm sure Jon Stewart will be among the more memorable ones to herd the various celebs. I look forward to some unexpected stuff from the man ala his roasting of those two CNN dweebs, but maybe that far away from his desk and in those hallowed(shallowed?)halls he will tend to stick to the program. Nah, i know he won't be able to resist taking a few digs at the emperor. Should be fun.
Much as I like Jon Stewart its still just another award show for people that make more money then they should for reading scripts.
I've no doubt that I'll love it but whether or not it is considered a success will end up being determined by the audience reactions...one shouldn't underestimate the humorlessness of the Hollywood types when someone treats them with a bit of irreverence (paging Sean Penn!).
Should still be great.
Can't wait to see what he has to say about Pat "Idiot" Robertson on Friday.
Though I tend to find the middle 'wacky' section of his show (which we see in the Uk mostly as the 'Weekend Edtiion highlights') a little bizarre, I have to say that his commentary at the beginning is certainly most of the deft reporting on issues I often see.
It may not be strict reporting 'per se' but it's far from made-up and it does puncture the balloon of those like Bill O'Reilly.
:)
I should think that New Yorker "classic" is pretty obscure - this is the first I've ever heard of it, I didn't see it mentioned in any discussion about the show in question, and I have no doubt that almost nobody outside of a very tiny circle of NY and NY-aspiring intellectuals knows it.
I think it's a great idea, and I can already see the self-deprecating montage of old Stewart clips from some really bad movie appearances.
That said a lot of Stewart's success will depend on how much he's able to use his staff of award-winning Daily Show writers for material (a group in which I include Stewart) and how much he gets stuck with people like Bruce the giant Smurf, who's been writing that unfunny Hollywood psuedo-insider crap he's been writing for the Oscars for too many years now.
Joe-
I have to agree that it would be better (will be?) if the academy awards flunkies let Jon use his own people for this. They know how to pace things and they know how to write for their people.
Kath
I should think that New Yorker "classic" is pretty obscure - this is the first I've ever heard of it, I didn't see it mentioned in any discussion about the show in question, and I have no doubt that almost nobody outside of a very tiny circle of NY and NY-aspiring intellectuals knows it.
I know it, and I have no aspirations towards New York--it was on the audio version of a collection of New Yorker humor called "Fierce Pajamas." If more people aren't familiar with it, that's a shame--it's hilarious, and really works best if read aloud. (And if no one thought to mention it in discussing the show, shame on them--surely there must be at least one "NY intellectual" who follows entertainment news.)
He's already hosted the Grammys and did a great job at it. I remember after Shania Twain had finished a number in yet another midriff revealing outfit; "That was great. Did, did she sing a song?"
For John Mosby,
the daily show can be seen in the UK every week night at 8:30 on the digital channel More4 (channel 165 on sky)
It shows it a day behind, so tonights episode will be the one that aired last night in the US.
Stewart's irreverent everyman style is a perfect choice for the audience at home. Of course, like Rock, he'll probably offend the wrong power brokers in Hollywood and not get asked back.
I loved his commentary last night about Robertson's latest idiotic statement. Although, it does raise an interesting question: If Pat Robertson were to suffer a massive stroke, would anyone notice?
One more thing: I am one of the few people who thought Letterman's "Uma-Oprah" bit was funny. Of course, that was before he endorsed blatant fan interference in the AL championship playoff series. I've been boycotting him ever since.
If Pat Robertson were to suffer a massive stroke, would anyone notice?
He's one of the few people on this planet that, should this happen, I might actually start clapping (and for the sake of comparision, Bush isn't one of those people).
Robertson gives humanity a bad rep. :)
Robertson seems like he might be a drinker. I'm not saying that just because I dislike the chump, he really just gives off the same vibes I've gotten from confirmed alcoholics in the past. Doesn't excuse him in the least.
Mark
Thanks. I know More4 have been showing it, but sadly I can't get back in time for that on an evening :( Will have to work out how to tape on the infernal, unpredictable VCR!
John
Regarding the Uma-Oprah bit: Did anyone else see Oprah's appearance on Letterman, where she gave him an autographed photo of her and Uma standing together?
Stewart will be out of his element, but unless he suffers from some massive attack of "I'm not worthy" self-doubt, he should do a great job.
"Yma Dream"? And here I thought Letterman stole that bit from Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special. "Charo, Chairy; Chairy, Charo."
""Yma Dream"? And here I thought Letterman stole that bit from Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special. "Charo, Chairy; Chairy, Charo.""
No, they both got it from the same source. "Yma Dream" was published back in the 1960s. There was even a marvelous adaptation of it on a TV variety special that starred Anne Bancroft, in which Bancroft comes into a psychiatrist's office and proceeds to rattle off the entire "dream" to an increasingly stunned shrink.
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