Jon Stewart (right), one of those appallingly rare comedians who are actually funny and witty, will host the 80th Academy Awards telecast, as Oscar show producer Gil Cates announced today. This will mark Stewart's second stint as Oscar host. (His first Oscar show was in 2006. Stewart also hosted the Grammy Awards in 2001 and 2002.)
Since 1999, Jon Stewart has been host and executive producer of Comedy Central's uproarious The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which also happens to be infinitely more informative than most anything on CNN and MSNBC — not to mention Fox.
The Daily Show has won four consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series, and has received two Peabody Awards for excellence in radio and television broadcasting. In 2004, Stewart and the writers of The Daily Show authored America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, which was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor. The book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 46 consecutive weeks.
As per the Academy's press release, upon hearing of this new gig Stewart remarked, "I'm thrilled to be asked to host the Academy Awards for the second time because, as they say, the third time's a charm."
Personally, I found he did a solid job in his Oscar-hosting debut — the first time in years that I actually managed to watch a good portion of the show. (I still cringe when I remember that Crash was voted best film of the year, but I do chuckle when I remember the "ad" claiming that "Dame Judi [Dench] is no dame.")
The 80th Academy Awards telecast will be Gil Cates' 14th assignment as show producer — more than any other individual. Previous Oscar telecasts produced by Cates (left) have garnered 99 Emmy nominations and 25 Emmy Awards. Cates himself won an Emmy in 1991 for producing the 63rd Annual Academy Awards telecast.
Cates, a former member of the Academy's Board of Governors, has served as producing director of UCLA's Geffen Playhouse since 1994. He has also served as dean of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television and is a former two-term president of the Directors Guild of America.
In addition to his theater work, Cates has also directed motion pictures (I Never Sang for My Father, Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams) and television productions (Absolute Strangers, Consenting Adult).
The Oscar ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 24, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center. In the U.S., it'll be televised live by ABC.
Photos: © A.M.P.A.S.
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