It wouldn't be awards season without the Academy finding itself in a bit of a pickle. This year's issue - a lack of host.
For a brief 48-hour window last week, they seemed to have solved this problem. Kevin Hart was announced as the host for the 91st ceremony; however, for reasons that deserve more discussion, he quickly dropped out.
So, the search continued, sort of. It seems the Academy is a little gun-shy after losing their first pick, and are now considering going with a less controversial choice - no one.
If the idea that no one deemed "uncontroversial" can be found to host the Oscars sounds a bit unbelievable, that's because it is. It very nearly suggests that an entire gender has been labeled as controversial by the Academy. If that seems like a bit of a leap, consider the history of Oscar hosts.
In 90 years, three women have hosted the Oscars. Two of those women, Whoopi Goldberg and Ellen DeGeneres, each hosted twice. One, Anne Hathaway, co-hosted. That's a grand total of five ceremonies that have had female hosts.
While I would never assume that the Academy has failed to consider inviting a woman to host, I would presume it based on that track record.
That being said, there's still an opportunity here. Already countless female performers have publicly offered to host, and countless others have been suggested.
To those who would cry ratings, I'd like to leave you with this study. It shows that over the past four years women-led films have consistently earned more than male-led films. The study covered films from indies to big-budget blockbusters and it was true across the board.
It kind of makes you wonder if movie fans, you know those people who will be tuning in to watch the Oscars, are looking for something new.
More on the Story: Indie Wire
...just for fun:
She already has a dress...I'm just saying...
