You know what’s crazy? I’ll tell you what’s crazy.™
The Oscars.
Seth Macfarlane Hosted.
Many grumbled the day it was announced.
Seth who? people whined.
Where’s Billy? Where’s Whoopi? Is Amy Poehler and Tina Fey busy?
Until recently, Seth Macfarlane was unknown to most adults, but your kids have long known who he is.
He is the prickly wise ass kid from next door who says the first thing on his mind. He’s inappropriate and absurd. He’s flatulence in church. He’s Shaquille O’neill in a Leotard.
He was a controversial pick. And from beginning you could see why. It was chair squirming, tug at your collar, uncomfortable.
He is the prickly wise ass kid from next door who says the first thing on his mind. He’s inappropriate and absurd. He’s flatulence in church. He’s Shaquille O’neill in a Leotard.
He was a controversial pick. And from beginning you could see why. It was chair squirming, tug at your collar, uncomfortable.
The theater is full of superstars and as the cameras find them, their faces give it away. They seemed shocked, disgusted, repulsed.
People were afraid Seth would insult and you know what? He does, and he does it from the get go.
The first words out of his mouth? “And now the quest to make Tommy Lee Jones laugh.” It’s a reference to the venerable actor’s sour disposition at the Golden Globes where his face looked like a piece of Stonehenge.
And you know what?
Tommy Lee Jones laughed his old Stonehenge face off.
I like Seth. He is well known to a younger audience, not so much to older viewers. The Oscars are trying to skew younger and possibly expand to include more straight males.
The hope is Seth would help do that.
The hope is Seth would help do that.
Macfarlane is best known for his funny voices and irreverent comedy on Family Guy and his movie Ted.
But this is the Oscars, the superbowl of the movie business.
Apparently it’s not your daddy’s Oscars, not this year.
The opening 20 minutes are funny, but also a bit uncomfortable.
He says inappropriate things about super powerful stars use to people fawning over them.
They don’t like to be the subject of jokes in front of a billion people, but that is in deed what is happening.
The cut-a-ways of the audience are angry. The vibe in the theater makes you squirm even at home. Sometimes Seth’s jokes don’t get laughs, but groans.
And just when you think Jack Nicholson might get up and scream “You can’t handle the truth,” the bit turns hilarious.
Captain James T. Kirk, sitting on the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise, shows up from the future. He begins to admonish Seth, “I’m here to stop you from doing what you are doing.”
Why Seth asks.
“Because it is a disaster,” Captain Kirk responds.
“No it is not,” Seth says.
“I’ve come back from the future to stop you from destroying the academy awards,” Kirk says showing him tomorrow’s headline which says.
SETH MACFARLANE; WORST OSCAR HOST EVER.
“is it that bad?” He asks.
“uh huh.” Kirk nods.
“Your jokes are tasteless,” Kirk says.
But the skit is funny and it pokes fun at the angst filling the theater.
“What else did I do wrong?” he says.
Well you offended everyone with that offensive song.
Offensive Song?
Kirk pushes and button and you see a big broadway number with Macfarlane singing:
“We saw your boobs,” naming actresses who revealed their breasts in various movies.
Periodically they cut to these actresses. Some look horrified. Others are laughing.
It was edgy and funny but mostly edgy.
Hollywood frequently takes itself too seriously. These people are American royalty and feel above insult, scrutiny or ridicule.
How do i fix this? Macfarlane asks Kirk.
“These people don’t want you to mock the movies,” Kirk says. “celebrate the movies.”
The new headline: Seth Macfarlane: pretty bad Oscar host.
Cut to:
Macfarlane in a habit hanging from the ceiling, talking to Sally Field.
“Hey how’s it going,” a habit wearing Macfarlane says.
“When I was a kid I watched the flying nun. You were so hot!,” he says. “You were a nun and you were so ridiculously hot. Hey what are you doing in 7 hours?”
He jumps down and kisses her.
Cut to:
A Trans Am squealing out of a parking garage to the theme of Smokey and the Bandit.
Funny.
And suddenly the opening segment was over. It was funny, quirky, somewhat uncomfortable, and it was over.
So Monday, when Macfarlane is labeled the worst Oscar host ever, perhaps keep in mind that the people who make these headlines are old farts, and tired souls who don’t like edginess and hate when kids walk on their grass.
If they wanted a little spark, if they wanted a new audience, I think Macfarlane delivered.
And that is crazy.™