Oscar Hosts Franco, Hathaway Failed With Polite Banter
The show began on a mildly cute note, with hosts Hathaway and Franco inserting themselves into scenes from nominated films.
But the show went downhill fast when they got the chance to talk more.
The problem was that they simply weren't funny. But this was merely a symptom of a larger problem common among people at awards shows; they were too grateful. They tried so hard to seem grateful for their beauty, wealth and fame, that they forgot how important it is for hosts to also be funny.
For example, why did Anne Hathaway laugh so much at James Franco's jokes throughout the night? Probably to prove that she was sweet and humble. But nothing is funny about watching one Oscar host sweetly laugh at another Oscar host's joke.
Franco and Hathaway were probably picked as hosts to attract a younger crowd. This was a bad move. Young people aren't blindly attracted to other, more attractive young people (well, in certain situations they are, but this wasn't one of them). Most young people I know would have preferred an Oscar host like Golden Globe Awards host Ricky Gervais; ugly, bitter and not afraid to insult those around him. Even if you didn't find Gervais' jokes funny (which they were, but whatever), you can't deny that it was at least entertaining to watch someone make so many enemies on national television.