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When I spoke to Brett Ratner on the day he was announced as a producer of next year’s Oscar telecast, he told me that his vision of the night “entails comedy” and that “the key to this show is making it funny.” The early punchline from Ratner haters was that the filmmaker, who directed three Rush Hour films, would hire Chris Tucker, who hasn’t released a movie in over four years. My first thought was that Ratner would enlist Ben Stiller, one of the stars of his upcoming comedic thriller Tower Heist. But he’s gone with another Tower Heist star, Eddie Murphy, which strikes me as a less predictable and much better idea.
Filmmakers who produce the Oscars like to go with performers they’ve worked with for comfort’s sake; that’s why Bruce Cohen went with his Milk costar James Franco and Adam Shankman chose his Bringing Down the House star Steve Martin. Ratner, who’s 42, is clearly of the generation that grew up worshiping Murphy on Saturday Night Live and in his raunchy stand-up films Delirious and Raw. But the once dangerous Murphy is better known these days for a run of unfunny family films. On the Kodak Theatre stage, Murphy obviously can’t be the guy from Delirious, because all we’d hear is a four-hour bleep. But if his jokes are of the Daddy Day Care variety, then we’ll be in for a really long night. I’m hopeful that with Ratner behind him, Murphy will exude that unique combination of cheshire-cat grin and naughty humor that he used to such great effect in the Beverly Hills Cop films.
As we saw earlier this year, hosting the Oscars is possibly the most risky and thankless job in Hollywood. One major star told me recently that he’s turned the gig down several times, since the likelihood of falling on your face is so high. But if Murphy succeeds on Feb. 26, the hosting gig could resuscitate his grown-up movie career in the process. Anyone who saw his electrifying performance in Dreamgirls knows he’s capable of much more than mugging in movies like Imagine That or Meet Dave (as much as I like that title). Look what awards-show emceeing has done for Neil Patrick Harris or Hugh Jackman; wouldn’t it be great if the Oscars helped return one of our best comedians to his former glory?
Follow Dave on Twitter @davekarger
Read more:
It’s official: Eddie Murphy to host 2012 Oscars
How Brett Ratner will change the Oscars: ‘It entails comedy’
‘Tower Heist’ stars Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller discuss their criminal pasts
I’m surprised so many people, especially those in the business of talking about entertainment, forget how funny he was on Inside the Actor’s Studio with non-family friendly material. The guy’s still got it. Give it a chance.
He’s in trouble without talking animals or a fat suit.
I’ve been wanting to see him get back to his stand up roots for a long time, so this is good news to me.
Oh yes his anti-gay stuff was hilarious! Hope he does that!!!
I hope he rises to the occasion. He’s a very talented guy. Frankly, he’s just seemed rather bored (and boring) since his early films and time on SNL. I just hope he can be funny without being crude for 3 and half hours.
I wish Eddie Murphy would do movies for adults again like he used to and ceases doing children’s films. It would be sad and disappointing if he doesn’t.
Everyone is ready to give up on him. He has alienated his fanbase for years and has seemingly gone out of his way to make lousy children’s movies, with only the occasional adult film once in a while.
Can’t disagree with this column. Hope for the best…
Especially if Eddie works Charlie in.
I agree that Eddie seems to concentrate mostly on putting out bad movies for children these days. I wish he’d go back to putting out bad movies for adults! Spread the love, Eddie, spread the love.
Love the choice!
Agreed – he always seemed at home on a stage. Fingers crossed for some Eddie Murphy magic. Oscar needs it!
I hope he’s not rusty. Maybe he needs to do a couple of practice runs (stand up gigs)?
He’s immensely talented and I am really hoping for his comeback. And the problem is not that he does children’s movies. It’s that those children’s movies suck (minus Shrek, but voiceover work doesn’t count).
Was hoping for Billy Crystal, but this guy is awesome, I’d like a Donkey impersonation please!
Anything beats two young actors. Its time to return to comedians
Agreed. But Eddie Murphy? I guess he can’t be any worse than Chris Rock or Jon Stewart as a host. (I hope I don’t end up “eating” those words.)
I was actually looking forward to seeing Hathaway and Franco host. And then the show happened.
There was a time when there was no one funnier than Eddie Murphy. It was a long, long time ago, but that raw talent still has to be in there somewhere. I would just like it to be good enough to make me forget that whole hooker incident.
“I was actually looking forward to seeing Hathaway and Franco host. And then the show happened.”
Same here. I thought they seemed like inspired choices. But their material was so mediocre, and they didn’t click together.
I’m hopeful Murphy will work out. I have a feeling that one or both “Help” maids could get some Oscar love so the ceremony could have a blacker feel than usual. Great!!!
He hasn’t been funny since the ’80s, don’t expect that to change now.
They need to hire Charlie Murphy and some of the writer’s from Chappelle’s Show to write some of the jokes for the show. Maybe Ratner will have some say on who comes in as the last few years have been LAME!!
You’re an idiot, why would he need Charlie or Dave to write anything? Charlie isn’t even funny.
I thought they were going with Zhang Ziyi
Can he do standup without the “f” word? That was his easy laugh. I think he’s talented, very talented, when he has a character to play. I’m not so sure about his standup without his easy laugh.
I pretty much lost interest in the Oscars this year when they announced Brett Ratner would produce it, so I can’t say I’m too excited about this decision for host.