The nominee: Whoopi Goldberg
Hosted: four times (1994, 1996, 1999, 2002)
The monologue: Goldberg was the groundbreaking host, times
two: the first female host (solo anyway, as Goldie Hawn, Rosalind Russell, Carol Burnett and a
few others had shared duties prior to 1993)
and the first black person to host
(again, solo, as Sammy Davis Jr. and Richard Pryor both did some co-hosting).
Those are enormous hurdles to get over, and the world owes Goldberg a debt for
suffering the requisite anxiety that must have come with this particular hosting
gig.
But the truth is that she was disappointing as a host, even to those of us
who really like her and find her smart and funny. The bravado required to take
on the mantle of history-making didn't translate well, and the overall
impression Goldberg left was of a disgruntled sourpuss who changed outfits a lot
(remember her Queen Elizabeth outfit?) but wasn't having much fun. What an
irony. The first female co-host, who happens to be a feminist, and yet it ended
up being all about the clothes.
Will we see Whoopi hosting again? Probably not; the first show Jon Stewart hosted opened with a montage of past hosts
refusing the duty. Goldberg is shown opening a door, delivering a tart, "Hell,
no," and then slamming it. But, after a couple of years dealing with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on a daily basis, hosting the Oscars
might start to seem like a pleasant vacation to her. And the fifth time could be
the charm.
The envelope, please: Meh. (AP)
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