Has Hollywood Run Out of Comedians? Jimmy Kimmel Is Set to Host Oscars for 4th Time
Now, he's one of the few people to have hosted the ceremony these many times.
Summary
- The 96th Academy Awards ceremony is on its way.
- Jimmy Kimmel has already been announced to host the event.
- The comedian hosted the Oscars this year.
It's been just over a week since the SAG-AFTRA strike finally came to an end, and Hollywood has sprung back into action as if nothing ever happened. Networks have resumed production on our beloved shows like Virgin River, Young Sheldon, and The White Lotus. Studios are making movies again, including Deadpool 3 and Superman: Legacy. And various awards committees are once again considering honorees.
The Oscars is just one of the awards with its next ceremony scheduled for March 10, 2024. While the contenders for the various Academy Awards have yet to be announced, it was recently revealed that Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the eponymous late-night talk show on ABC, will be hosting the ceremony. And this news is quite surprising, to say the least.
Hollywood's Man of Choice
It's more of a tradition than an exception for the Oscars to invite the same comedians to host the ceremony. For example, Bob Hope, the fabled British-American actor and comedian from the Golden Age of Hollywood, emceed a whopping nineteen Academy Awards ceremonies. The runner-up is Billy Crystal of When Harry Met Sally fame, who has hosted the Oscars nine times.
In Jimmy Kimmel's case, the number is much more modest, but still impressive. The upcoming 96th Academy Awards will be the comedian's fourth foray into the field, meaning he'll join the likes of Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Lemmon, who also hosted the Oscars four times.
'We are thrilled about Jimmy returning to host and Molly [McNearney] returning as executive producer for the Oscars,' Bill Kramer, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, said in an interview.
'They share our love of movies and our commitment to producing a dynamic and entertaining show for our global audience. We are deeply grateful to Jimmy, Molly and their teams for their incredible creativity and partnership and for going on this ride with us again.'
Jimmy Kimmel's Previous Performances at the Oscars
Notably, Kimmel hosted the 95th Academy Awards, which took place earlier this year. Prior to that, the comedian helmed the ceremony in 2017 and 2018. Now, he's about to take on the role again for the second year in a row.
'After his triumphant return to the Oscars stage last year, we are honored to have Jimmy back to guide us through one of the most beloved celebrations in entertainment,' Craig Erwich, the president of ABC Entertainment that broadcasts the Academy Awards, said.
While it's great to see Jimmy Kimmel hosting the fan-favorite ceremony, there are many more comedians in Hollywood who could diversify the overall image of the Oscars. Hopefully we'll see some new faces one day.
Source: Variety.