The Oscars May Be Host-Less Again Next Year

The winners of the 2019 Oscars may have been some of the most disappointing choices, but at least no one was disappointed by the ceremony. In fact, this year’s ceremony was almost enjoyable, running briskly and without a hitch thanks to one central factor: No host. And it’s a format that the Oscars ceremony may repeat next year.

The lack of an Oscars host at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony happened by accident, after original host Kevin Hart stepped down following the resurfacing of homophobic tweets. Instead of scrambling to find a new one, ABC decided to move forward without a host — a risky undertaking considering the last time that happened resulted in one of the greatest disasters in Oscars history. But when the 2019 Oscars ceremony rolled around, it was the opposite: smooth, clean, efficient. And most importantly, it was brisk. No overlong bits, no drawn-out monologues. This time, the focus was on the performers and awards, and for that, the 2019 Oscars couldn’t have been better.

Which is why ABC chief Karey Burke said that the network is considering going host-less again next year. She told The Hollywood Reporter:

“We’re having those conversations with the Academy right now. We are extremely happy with how the show went. Odds are you’ll see us repeating what we consider to be a successful formula.”

It was an impressive feat to pull off, especially after everyone expected another debacle following Hart’s exit. Burke said that the pressure was on with Hart’s departure, but it ended up becoming a success thanks to the hard work of everyone on the Oscars team.

“It was unnerving,” Burke said. “Never before have I had the illusion of so much responsibility and yet felt quite powerless. If the Oscars can serve as a harbinger to how we approach things in my tenure here at ABC, I will be very happy. Expectations might be low but everybody here made bold choices, did risky things, had each other’s backs and pulled it off.”

I hope ABC does consider going without an Oscars host again for the 2020 ceremony, despite what falling ratings say. It put the focus back on what the ceremony should’ve been about in the first place: appreciating movies.

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