Without Kevin Hart, who’ll host Oscars?
The Oscars is facing a crisis because Kevin Hart is stepping down as the awards show host, just days after he got the gig.
To some critics, Hart wasn’t the right choice in the first place. While he might be funny, entertaining and topical, he also lacked a certain graciousness and broad appeal needed to host a globally televised show that’s ultimately about celebrating Hollywood.
On Thursday night, the stand-up comedian announced he was stepping down for another reason: Comic tweets about LGBTQ people — which relied on a lot of angry, homophobic stereotypes — emerged from eight years ago.
So now the Academy needs to scramble to find a host for the Feb. 24 show, which will air on ABC. Perhaps it should consider some entertainers whose names were floated as potentially suitable hosts earlier this week, before the Hart debacle. Among them:
•Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph: The comic duo was “the bright spot” in this year’s “otherwise exhaustive Oscars telecast,” the Guardian wrote. The pair came on to announce the awards for documentary and live-action short with an extended gag that infused the ceremony “with much-needed selfmockery.”
• Key & Peele: KeeganMichael Key and Jordan Peele, former hosts of a popular sketch-comedy show, have popped up on a couple of critics’ lists.
•Lin-Manuel Miranda, possibly with Emily Blunt: The “Hamilton” creator and star is known for his song-and-dance showmanship. He also has been a charming presence on the media tour with Emily Blunt for “Mary Poppins Returns,” the upcoming movie from Disney, which owns ABC.
• Robert Downey Jr.: Vulture notes that Downey is another Disney-connected star, with his “Iron Man” roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: Johnson is another popular star with charisma and an affable, upbeat presence. Vulture added that he has a Disney movie, “Jungle Cruise,” coming out in 2020.