My first impression: Oscarcast producers made a very savvy move in selecting Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as co-hosts for the 2010 awards ceremony. Martin was a pretty terrific solo host for the show in 2001 and ‘03. Indeed, I still chuckle whenever I remember his joke during the ’01 extravaganza about an alleged conspiracy to abduct a dour Best Actor nominee: “The FBI has just announced a suspect in the plot to kidnap Russell Crowe, and all I can say is: Tom Hanks, you should be ashamed of yourself.” (Cut to a close-up of Hanks, seated in the audience, selling the gag by responding with a mock-serious grimace of embarrassment.) And Baldwin – who has gracefully demonstrated his movie-buff bona fides in various capacities on Turner Classic Movies – is more than capable of delivering his own share of well-timed bons mots. (Remember: In addition to his Emmy-worthy work on 30 Rock, he has a dozen or so stints as Saturday Night Live guest host to his credit.) Sounds like a winning combination to me. (And, evidently, to others as well.) My only question: If It’s Complicated stiffs at the box-office during the upcoming holiday season, will their collaboration on that project be a running gag for this one?
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
And now, for your enjoyment, the comedy stylings of Martin and Baldwin
My first impression: Oscarcast producers made a very savvy move in selecting Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as co-hosts for the 2010 awards ceremony. Martin was a pretty terrific solo host for the show in 2001 and ‘03. Indeed, I still chuckle whenever I remember his joke during the ’01 extravaganza about an alleged conspiracy to abduct a dour Best Actor nominee: “The FBI has just announced a suspect in the plot to kidnap Russell Crowe, and all I can say is: Tom Hanks, you should be ashamed of yourself.” (Cut to a close-up of Hanks, seated in the audience, selling the gag by responding with a mock-serious grimace of embarrassment.) And Baldwin – who has gracefully demonstrated his movie-buff bona fides in various capacities on Turner Classic Movies – is more than capable of delivering his own share of well-timed bons mots. (Remember: In addition to his Emmy-worthy work on 30 Rock, he has a dozen or so stints as Saturday Night Live guest host to his credit.) Sounds like a winning combination to me. (And, evidently, to others as well.) My only question: If It’s Complicated stiffs at the box-office during the upcoming holiday season, will their collaboration on that project be a running gag for this one?
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