Jon Stewart to Host 2006 Academy Awards
LOS ANGELES - First music. Now movies. Jon Stewart, who worked the Grammys in 2001 and 2002, was tapped Thursday to host the 2006 Oscars.
"As a performer, I'm truly honored to be hosting the show," Stewart said, then joked: "Although, as an avid watcher of the Oscars, I can't help but be a little disappointed with the choice. It appears to be another sad attempt to smoke out Billy Crystal."
The 43-year-old star of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" follows a long line of standup comedians who have hosted the Oscars. Over the years, Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Whoopi Goldberg and Crystal have held down the podium.
"I love a comic who can deal with the unexpected and has the ability to run the room," said Gil Cates, the producer of this year's Academy Awards, airing March 5 on ABC. "The speed of mind and fearlessness of a comic really adds to the show."
Speculation swirled about a replacement for last year's host, Chris Rock, who said he would not be coming back. Frequently mentioned candidates included Goldberg, Steve Martin and late-night hosts Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien.
Rock drew younger viewers, but his barbs skewering Jude Law, Tobey Maguire and others alienated some academy members. Rock is currently producing and narrating "Everybody Hates Chris," a UPN sitcom based on his life.
While Rock has been known to offend some people, Stewart also can stir the pot with his own caustic brand of humor. Stewart and his team of comedy writers often poke fun at mainstream politics and current events.
His efforts have obviously struck a chord. "The Daily Show" has earned seven Emmys and a Peabody award, while Stewart has won the 2005 Thurber Prize for American Humor for his book, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction."
Cates said he wasn't worried about hiring Rock and doesn't believe that Stewart will have any problems.
"Jon knows the difference of being irreverent without being impolite," Cates said. "This is not a political show. I think he understands that."
One requirement to be the show's host is an appreciation for movies, Cates said. Although Stewart is mostly known for his TV show, he has appeared in several movies, including "The Faculty," "Death to Smoochy" and "Big Daddy."
"He's a very, very popular entertainer with a mind that is quick, and you need that on a show like this," said Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
However, Stewart didn't enjoy his time spent on the other side of the red carpet. He once worked as a celebrity reporter covering the Oscars and said being cooped up with other journalists was like being in a zoo. In an interview with The Associated Press in 2000, he called the job "the grandaddy of humiliation."
'Brokeback Mountain' leads SAG film nominations
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The actors of gay romance "Brokeback Mountain" earned four nominations for Screen Actors Guild awards on Thursday, more than any other film, further cementing the film's position as a front-runner for Oscars.
The movie that has drawn wide critical acclaim was nominated for best cast in a film, the Screen Actors Guild's top honor, alongside race relations film "Crash," political movie "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Capote," about the author Truman Capote, and in a surprise, the drama "Hustle & Flow."
The Screen Actors Guild represents film and television actors, and because actors make up a large voting group for Oscars, the U.S. film industry's top awards, the SAG honors are considered a key indicator of which actors may win Oscars.
This year's list of nominees for best movie cast featured five low-budget movies, continuing a trend this year in which many major motion pictures have been shunned by award voters.
Moreover, several films that had been expected to compete for awards were shut out of SAG nominations including director Steven Spielberg's "Munich" and effects-filled "King Kong."
"We've had some really phenomenal performances this year," said SAG President Alan Rosenberg. "The bigger films rely on special effects, whereas these smaller films are all about the performances."
Along with best cast, "Brokeback" earned a nomination for lead actor in a film for Heath Ledger and one for supporting actor for Jake Gyllenhaal. Their co-star, Michelle Williams, was nominated for best supporting actress in a film.
ACTORS & ACTRESSES
Joining Ledger among the nominees for best movie actor were Joaquin Phoenix, playing singer Johnny Cash in romance "Walk the Line," David Strathairn as newsman Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck," Philip Seymour Hoffman in the title role in "Capote" and Russell Crowe playing a boxer in "Cinderella Man."
Best film actress nominees were Judi Dench portraying a theater owner in "Mrs. Henderson Presents," Felicity Huffman as a transgendered character in "Transamerica," Charlize Theron as a sexually harassed mine worker in "North Country," Reese Witherspoon as singer June Carter in "Walk the Line" and Ziyi Zhang in romance "Memoirs of a Geisha."
Along with Gyllenhaal for "Brokeback," supporting film actor nominations went to Don Cheadle and Matt Dillon both for "Crash," George Clooney in "Syriana" and Paul Giamatti in "Cinderella Man."
Williams was joined in the supporting actress category by Catherine Keener in "Capote," Frances McDormand in "North Country," Rachel Weisz in thriller "The Constant Gardener," and Amy Adams for independent film "Junebug."
"Capote" and "Crash" earned three SAG nominations each, and "Cinderella Man," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "North Country" and "Walk the Line" all earned two nominations.
Later on Thursday, the Directors Guild of America gives out its nominations, and they also are expected to narrow the list of Oscar contenders.
SAG also gives out awards for TV performances. For its top honor of best ensemble cast in a TV drama series, SAG nominated the actors in "Grey's Anatomy," "The Closer," "Lost," "Six Feet Under" and "The West Wing."
Nominees for best ensemble cast in a TV comedy were the actors in "Arrested Development," "Boston Legal," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Desperate Housewives," "Everybody Loves Raymond," and "My Name is Earl."
The SAG awards will be given out in Los Angeles on January 29. The ceremony will be telecast on cable TV networks TNT and TBS.
Jon Stewart Reportedly to Host Oscars 12 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES - Jon Stewart reportedly has been selected to host the Oscars.
The Los Angeles Times says Stewart was contacted shortly before Christmas and the deal was wrapped up a day or two before the holiday.
The Times says a formal announcement is expected today.
Stewart has hosting experience. He hosted the Grammys twice.