Jimmy Fallon, freshest of late late night talk show hosts, is in talks to host the 85th Academy Awards. ABC is reportedly raising objections because Fallon has the audacity to be brilliant on a program not owned by ABC. The network has no authority in choice of Oscar host so what good can come of Disney/ABC kicking up a stink? The LATimes has details.
ABC is owned by Disney, and Disney chief executive Bob Iger is said to be unhappy with the idea of showcasing Fallon, whose show competes with ABC’s late-night show featuring Jimmy Kimmel. Fallon and Kimmel are in a neck-and-neck competition for viewers.
Disney declined to comment. The people briefed on the talks cautioned that they could still fall apart. While in the last few years the academy has primarily turned to film stars to host its biggest night, talk show hosts such as Jon Stewart and David Letterman have hosted the telecast before. But Letterman took the Oscar stage in mid-1990s, before ABC had a late-night show of its own, and Stewart’s show airs on Comedy Central, a cable outlet with a smaller audience.
Jimmy Kimmel is hosting this year’s Emmy Awards, and he’ll be a great fit. Personally, I think Kimmel’s style is all wrong for the classier Academy. Does ABC seriously think part of its privilege as Oscar broadcaster is to showcase its own TV talent? Shabby attitude.
