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Well, I can, because I actually did.
It was that there was absolutely no reason itneededto run late.
It came close, but didnt quite get there.
My apologies to Joaquin Phoenix, the Oscar winner who speaks for the cows, for using that metaphor.
Hosts in the past have opted for a musical number and a monologue to start the show.
(That was a staple ofBilly Crystals approachback in the day.)
But if there is no appointed host, my feeling is: Why not just pickoneof those two options?
Instead, Steve Martin and Chris Rock strode onto the Dolby stage to tell some jokes.
Their jokes were not bad necessarily.
But after Monaes high-spirited sing-along, it was certainly a comedown.
Martin and Rock didnt add much to the broadcast, other than more minutes on the play clock.
There were several other instances of unnecessary, and sometimes confounding, acts of time-suckage.
For reasons I do not understand, a handful of presenters actually came out to present other presenters.
Is trotting out a winner from 17 years ago the best way to achieve that?
Pro tip: If you better recap a show before its over, the show is taking too long.
Winners Brad Pitt, Laura Dern, and Bong Joon Ho gave lovely, gracious, and concise speeches.
Turns out the actual awards are reason enough for us to watch.
Now, no ones asked for my advice about handling the broadcast, probably for good reason.
Trust that your purpose, which is to honor great filmmaking, is enough.
