It’s Complicated stars Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin named co-hosts of the 82nd Academy Awards. Now all they need is Meryl!
Beverly Hills, CA (November 3, 2009) — Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will serve as co-hosts of the 82nd Academy Awards®, Oscar telecast producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman announced today.
“We think the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars,” said Shankman and Mechanic. “Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event.”
“I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin,” said Martin.
“I don’t play the banjo but I’m thrilled to be hosting the Oscars – it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Baldwin.
68 Responses for "Oscar Hosts: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin"
I like Martin. Baldwin, not so sure.
like it
Great news! Big fan of Baldwin and Martin not only as actors but as performers/comedians as well! Martin was beyond hilarious last time he hosted, and Baldwin’s always been entertaining from his interviews and SNL. I’m so very excited!!
Co-hosts, eh? I wonder how their chemistry is – we’ll get a glimpse with “It’s Complicated”.
At this point, I’m not completely sold!
I loved whenever Martin hosted in the past so yay to him. Not too keen on Baldwin.
AWESOME. If anyone’s seen them together on SNL (they’ve done a couple of skits when one or the other is guest hosting) they’ve got great chemistry. I would follow Alec Baldwin to the ends of the earth, so I’m definitely not an impartial observer, but I think this could be a super combination.
Brilliant.
Looking forward to 40 variations of Meryl’s “good sport” reaction shots.
Hell. Yes.
Perfect
YAWN!!!
Meryl better win that DAMN OSCAR or heads will roll.
im impressed, its complicated and meryl just seemed to get a boost at the oscars
Also haha this means Streep is winning that Oscar!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVaE1Tj4b7Q
“Salt” got a Russian trailer.
I think the combo makes sense. Steve Martin’s humor works best when he has a comic foil to play off of. Especially one who can dish it out as well as take it. This keeps the opening number from being a stand-up routine and turns it into two characters in a drama. Because both Martin and Baldwin know how to project a hilariously inflated image of themselves, but that might get tiresome for 3 hours without a rival to let the air out of each other’s pretend egos.
They’re already giving us a sample of the tone to expect:
(Though sometimes I get the feeling that Alec Baldwin is only pretending that his ego is a pretend ego. His self-deprecation masks an arrogance that shields a modesty that hides a genuinely giant ego.)
I never thought it was a real contender, but this does douse any chance of an It’s Complicated BP nomination right?
Yes! next year is going to be Meryl’s year. After decades of sitting on her seat and clapping as untalented twats mount the stage and cry about how they are not worthy to win and how shocked they are, Meryl Streep is finally going snag that third Oscar.
I’ll happily see where is goes even though Alec Baldwin is a bit of a wildcard.
ha, Loyal. My thoughts exactly
It’s Complicated is to Martin & Baldwin
as the ‘The Road to…’ movies were to Bob Hope
… material for jokes.
great pairing.
Ohh I like it!
Love it! Both those guys are hilarious.
“His self-deprecation masks an arrogance that shields a modesty that hides a genuinely giant ego.”
We finally know the reason for his expanding girth. At Oscars he might pop off his pants button. Kim Basinger better bring a face-shield to the Oscars.
Baldwin’s humor always comes across as arrogance and as for Martin, well Pink Panther says it all.
weird (but interesting) choice, to say the least!
“…as for Martin, well Pink Panther says it all.”
We’d all be D-Listed if we were judged by our weakest stabs at humor.
Nobody should know that better than you. And I.
I would like to thank the Academy for not picking Justin Timberlake.
Not a terrible choice, but they picked the wrong 30 Rocker. Also, I’m not sure about 2 men. Maybe Tina Fey turned them down, but suggested Baldwin. But Fey/Martin would’ve been better.
“We’d all be D-Listed if we were judged by our weakest stabs at humor.
Nobody should know that better than you. And I.”
What else is he working with? Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid? Dirty Rotten Scoundrels? HouseSitter? Bringing Down the House? The Pink Panther 2? I don’t know; I still stand by my comment 100 percent.
And which demographic can people like Baldwin and Martin lure? this decision is simply shocking, for lack of a better word.
“I never thought it was a real contender, but this does douse any chance of an It’s Complicated BP nomination right?”
Yeah, I think the opposite is true.
eek, Sasha, really?
I can think of no BP nominee that looks remotely like It’s Complicated.
Well, In the Bedroom has some of the same plot elements, but hardly anybody thought that was funny but me.
I guess anything is possible in a Year of 13 Moons and 10 Best Picture Nominees. But I think James L. Brooks id the only person who’s ever been able to elevate this sort of material to memorable status.
Here’s me, weighing In the Loop in one hand and It’s Complicated in the other. One feels weightier. Now watch me try to juggle (500) Days of Summer in the mix.
SO so glad they have Steve Martin coming back. He has been my favorite Oscar host this decade. And I like that they paired him with another comic actor of equal stature and “experience.” I personally would not have thought to have Baldwin as a foil for Martin, but I actually think it’s a great choice. Though, it’s too bad Tina Fey apparently wasn’t available – now THAT would have been a perfect pairing.
There better be a banjo-accompanied opening song by these two, that’d make my Oscars!
“Though, it’s too bad Tina Fey apparently wasn’t available – now THAT would have been a perfect pairing.”
Absolutely, Laura. Tina Fey would’ve provided the sly innocence and tricky candor of Gracie Allen. Alec Baldwin just brings a sly trickiness.
But that’s what we’re getting, so let’s get used to it.
Martin was one of my favorite hosts but not everyone agreed. I think it’s good he’s co-hosting so he won’t get all the criticism. Baldwin sometimes gets on my nerves but he’s been hysterical on SNL so this may be a good match. I’m sure Streep will be enlisted to do something since she’ll probably be there for the ceremony.
Great! I would like to see Alec Baldwin take it on his own one day. After catching up on “30 Rock,” it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that he is one of our greatest comedians.
Afrika, I agree with you 100%. Baldwin is the biggest douchebag that has ever lived. And as for Martin, well, he has his moments. But I was not at all impressed the last two times he hosted. Why couldn’t they have asked Billy Crystal, or, hell, Jon Stewart. Amy Poehler is one of my favs, but apart of me thinks that she’s not ready to host such a huge event.
MERYL, I am routing for you.
This is her year. If there is any credibility left in the Academy, then Meryl will take home that gold statue this year. Her performance in Julie and Julia was beyond brilliant!
Tina Fey… some day
um, Amy Poehler?
She looks like she’s having a perpetual panic attack on her own sit-com. Amy Poehler would soon have the entire auditorium searching their clutch bags for stray Ativan.
Let’s stop to consider that Alec Baldwin probably has a more prestigious Oscar filmography than any other host in history. The Departed, The Aviator, The Cooler, Working Girl. (and one degree of separation from L.A. Confidential.)
Love Ryan’s take on Baldwin. It’s arrogance wrapped in an enigma…
This is a great choice. Martin was my fav recent host and Baldwin just adds a little edge…a bevel if you will.
It’ll be a bit awkward in the unlikely event Basinger gets a nom for The Burning Plain though, won’t it? (forgive me if someone already pointed that out, I’ve been drinking too much too soon to read all 39 comments carefully.
Also…halle-friggin-lujah they didn’t fall back on Billy Crystal…though it would’ve been nice if they fell back hard enough to keep him from ever hosting again.
Very happy with this pairing. Woot.
Its good would have liked stewart again
Actually Craig, i was going to bring up the point about Basinger, but you beat me to it!
i think this absolutely bolsters meryl’s chances of a third (and overdue) oscar win. imagine the snide comments either of these smart alecks would make if she were to lose!
They should have picked Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. They really dropped the ball with that one.
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Great news!
I like it. I think it will work.
Afrika, I never thought we’d be on the same side of the fence, but… I completely agree. If AMPAS and the network have concerns about viewer numbers, who, except those of us over 40 (or more) and the devoted Oscar watchers are going to tune in for these two? At least Hugh Jackman was entertaining eye candy. Who are the sponsors for this show? Viagra and Fixodent?
Craig, Martin was always my favorite host too! I loved his cutting humor….
With sincere due respect, who except devoted Oscar watchers will even know who’s hosting the Oscars unless they’re flipping through channels on March 7th. I don’t notice any breaking news announcements cutting into the World Series tonight. (that is, if I were watching the World Series, I wouldn’t notice any.)
@Ryan Adams it’s an off day today. World Series Game 6 tomorrow in the Bronx.
ah, well then, what a relief I’m not missing anything.
I had to deliberate long and hard to decide whether or not World Series should be capitalized.
“Who are the sponsors for this show? Viagra and Fixodent?”
LOL @ Haroldsmaude; very hilarious line right there.
thank the lord they did not bring back Hugh Jackman. He was okay by me. Martin and Baldwin are a perfect pair.
Although Tina Fey would have been a welcomed presence, I think the pairing of Martin and Baldwin will work — and Streep is bound to be part of some kooky pre-taped spoof.
Of course. It’s Meryl’s year. And they know it.
Steve is my favorite host – but I’ve only seen him, Billy, Whoopie, Jon, Hugh and Chris Rock (a terrible choice).
I think that Martin and Alec could make it be real fun. And I expect Meryl to be around for a lot of time.
But actually: don’t you think that the Oscars’ producers actually watched It’s Complicated and thought it has the potential of becoming a real B.O. sensation and that’s why they’re choosing these two hosts? Maybe it’s a good idea to have a host with a B.O. hit. They could get the audience.
And Meryl will be there and will get a lot of attention that night!
Ross your logic is spot on. I think that might be the very explanation, I hope it will be a great show and Meryl will be winning her third Oscar. I look forward to it.
Oh, great choices!
Loved Steve Martin when he hosted it, both times. Very dry sense of humor, as I like it.
And I also like Stephen Baldwin very much. Although I would have not come along with the idea of him co-hosting, it makes absolutely sense!
I would love to see a joke where Baldwin tries to give his daughter a phone-call on stage and yells aloud “Pig!”
That would be…priceless!
ALEC Baldwin…of course.
(No post without typos)
K…so I’m expecting skits with both Meryl and Tina… *gasp* Imagine all FOUR of them on stage at once!
Baldwin will enhance Martin’s dry wit. Steve’s prior two performances were entertaining sometimes, but often kinda bland. Alex has a quick wit, and can verbally spar with the best of them. I love the pairing.
I hope this has nothing to do with Meryl. I appreciate her talent, but geez she’s so over exposed on these days.
Steve Martin is always entertaining and so is Alec Baldwin. I never thought Baldwin would get this much criticism. This just proves how underrated he is. I want to know what Baldwin has ever done to be referred to as a douchebag.
And here we go again with Meryl Streep again. Personally, I still don’t see how this makes it Streep’s year. Since when do we determine the winners based on who’s hosting the ceremony???. And you would think Streep has more of a chance with It’s Complicated, not Julie & Julia. I love Meryl Streep, but this desperation is making me sick to my stomach.
JR
Anyone who dares comes in between Meryl and her OSCAR will be CRUSHED. U have been warned.
And the legend of Baldwin grows. He’s an inspired choice and he’s got a regal-like quality about him that this year’s Oscar host should have. I always felt that a “movie star” should host or co-host this year, although he’s a tv star now. I know Jackman is a movie star, and he was great in The Boy From Oz, but he’s more of an action star than movie star at the moment.I think it will be a funny show and I honestly can’t wait to see Baldwin sing and dance.
I want to see Martin spoof Baldwin’s scene from Glengarry, Glenross, which is only the greatest performance from an actor in history.
JR,
I agree wholeheartedly. Aside from the leaked voice message tape debacle, Baldwin has always been quite funny and inviting in his interviews. Let’s face it, we all have our off days and too bad Alec’s was captured on tape and leaked to the public. I personally have had worse outbursts so I still don’t see what the big deal is.
Here’s a video for people wondering about Martin and Baldwin’s dynamic together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssw4xk6NPiU
they have such natural chemistry and both men are so full of charisma, I’m really loving this choice of hosts more and more.
“we all have our off days and too bad Alec’s was captured on tape and leaked to the public”
I don’t know about you but on my dad’s “off day” he never verbally assaulted me over the phone and called me a “rude thoughtless pig”.
But why are we talking about that tape here? we should be focusing on his humor and not his personal life. What names he chooses to call his daughter should have nothing to do with his comedic skills.
With that said, I think he is an awful comic. His humor always seems forced and comes across as arrogance. Something about him always reads “pretentious/faux gentleman” even when he is wearing his pity face. All in all, I don’t find him funny. I tried watching 30 ROCK and I could barely bring myself to laugh.
Ryan you know someone has to say it – you can stack up Whoopi Goldberg’s Oscar filmography just as high as Baldwin’s, even if you only take the top four, as you did: The Color Purple, Ghost, The Player, and The Lion King. (Though Lion King did win 2 Oscars, I am one of those people who still can’t believe Four Weddings and a Funeral stole the fifth BP slot from it. Not to be an issue moving forward, as of this year the best animated film will almost certainly nab one of the ten.)
Personally I think Baldwin is doing the best consistent acting on TV right now, bar none – including anyone on Lost, including Jon Hamm and Hugh Laurie – and I grew up regularly quoting Steve Martin and I’m looking forward to this pairing. And Baldwin is a better actor than Whoopi. And I think your russian-doll description of his ego is pricelessly accurate. But none of that changes the fact that Goldberg’s Oscary resume is at least as strong as Alec’s.
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