Seth MacFarlane On Why The Academy Is Having A Hard Time Finding A Host
After Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting the Oscars when old homophobic tweets resurfaced, the Academy is apparently freaking out because they don’t have a Plan B. They’re even toying with the idea of not having a host at all.
Seth McFarlane, who hosted in 2013, has a few ideas why filling the seat is difficult.
“Look, it’s a gig that has all eyes on it,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “And when you’re doing something that’s that much in the spotlight, with that much focus on it, that much intensity, you’re going to have a lot of opinions from a lot of people. I’m trying to think of the last time that I read a review of the Oscars the next day where everyone is raving about it — it’s been a long time.”
“The thing about award shows in general is, it’s kind of a dusty format,” he added. “It’s a format that’s about as current as the 1950s variety show format. There’s always an effort to make it interesting and exciting to viewers who are used to a very different entertainment landscape in the modern era, and it’s often times fitting a square peg in a round hole. So it’s not an easy job, and I’m not surprised that they have a tough time finding takers.”