Site Presented By
Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009
Of all the Oscar shows you've done, which one would you most like to forget?
[Laughs] Oh, God. I don't think I even want to go there. What I can tell you without reservation is that I like some shows better than others, clearly.
Do you feel the show David Letterman hosted back in '95 got a bad rap? To this day, the man still seems to be flagellating himself over the job he did.
I thought that was a pretty good show. David did a pretty good job. Listen, it's like if you had two children. One's the tall one, one's the short one, one's the outgoing one. People tend to speak in hyperbole: "This show's much better than last year" or "It's terrible compared to last year." David followed Billy Crystal, who's naturally a brilliant, terrific host. That's a tough act to follow.
This year you've tapped Steve Martin to host. What makes you think he's up to the task?
Steve Martin's humor is unique. It's very different from Whoopi [Goldberg's] and David's and Billy's. Basically, it's intellectual and it's thought-provoking. I think his unique persona will present the show in a special way that is going to be terrific. Technically speaking, he was for many years a stand-up comic and he knows how to work a room. He's quick on his feet, he's mentally agile and alert. I think he'll be a great host.
Just out of curiosity, who else was on that list to replace Billy Crystal?
Oh, I'll never tell. I will answer your question this way: There are only a half-dozen people who can really do that job in my opinion -- who are well-known. Obviously, the person should be a movie star. Go look through the list of stars who are so uniquely known by the American people that they have their own special dispensation.
How much creative control do you have over the host's material? Have you ever gone toe-to-toe with a writer over a joke you found particularly offensive or unfunny?
Well, I don't have that kind of relationship with the writers. If someone shows me a joke they have and I think it's in questionable taste, usually they'll change it or come back with another idea or just cut it. Essentially, you've really booked that host to get what that host does best. I've had hosts in the past who would come to me and say, "What do you think about this joke or what do you think about that?" I'll give them my honest opinion about it, but basically the host is the host. You have to give the host enough latitude to do his job properly.
Considering that Hollywood has long been branded a politically liberal community, what effect do you think the presidency of George W. Bush will have on the tone of this year's telecast?
I think there's a larger part of your question, which is that each year is different than the year before. The first year I did the show, the Berlin Wall came down and there was euphoria and happiness around the world which was reflected in that show. One year when Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer were running for senator in California, it was quite obviously the year of the woman, so we had a show that reflected women in film. Each year is reflective of the movies and the time in society, so it's sure to reflect the fact there's a different administration. It's not a purposeful reflection -- it's in the water.
Watching the Oscars, I sometimes get the sense that the host's monologue doesn't go over well with the audience -- regardless of how funny it may be. Do you think actors, in general, have a hard time laughing at themselves?
No. I think the actors are very comfortable laughing at themselves, and some of the biggest jokes and biggest responses have come from that. I think what you're referring to is that many of them are nervous and scared to death. If you have 25 awards, you have 100 people -- all of whom are centered in the best seats in the house. There's a lot of tenseness and anxiety. I mean, they love laughing at themselves for the most part. I'm sure I've hurt people's feelings in the past, but it's not our intention.
Having worked with the biggest names in the business, which celebrities won't be invited back anytime soon? What's the biggest power trip one of your presenters has ever pulled?
I know you're going to find this difficult to believe, but when people come down to the show they're generally so overwhelmed by the size of it and all the other stars that are there, they're usually very, very easy to deal with. Honestly. There really have been no power trips. Occasionally, you'll find an actress who's nervous about the dress she's wearing and she'll say, "Can I see both dresses on camera before I decide?" Or someone will come down and say, "Ohmigod, I'll be too nervous to read this stuff." You'll find things like that. Let's face it -- they don't get paid for it. You don't have to deal with their agents or lawyers to book them. There's no billing clause in it. It's a very simple deal. "You want to present one of the best-picture clips -- yes or no?" It's a no-brainer. You're interested or you're not interested.
How about the seating assignments? You'd think that in a community so ego-driven, you'd have performers saying, "I want to sit closer to the stage" or "Make sure I don't get a seat next to so-and-so."
No, no, no. But I'm conscious of not putting a performer next to his recently divorced spouse. [Laughs] I've been asked to write a book on my experiences in the Academy Awards show and I've been trying to store material -- it's mostly funny and positive stuff. Like Mike Myers, whom I asked to take an envelope from Bart the Bear. Bart weighs 1,800 pounds, he eats a hundred roasted chickens, he's 11 feet high -- so Mike Myers is gonna have to go up to this fucking monster and get an envelope. I mean, he would be stupid not to be nervous about that.
