What did you think of Jon Stewat as Oscar host?

[foodfiend]

I actually quited liked him. It's not an easy task, but I thought he did a good job. I thought the film montage of "straight" cowboys was HILARIOUS. He was much more current than Billy Crystal. I must admit, I didn't see the whole show, but he seemed to do a good job for what I saw.

[Sookie]

I liked him too. I thought he was very good. I agree -- the cowby clip was too funny. I was happy to see that there were no long political speeches from the actors also. And no outlandish outfits! It was a very toned-down show except for Jon Stewart. He was funny.

[ChristineVA]

I thought he was good. He wasn't "outrageous" like Chris Rock and he was kind of low-key, but I thought he was good. Of course, the paper here and radio stations are blasting him today.

I also loved the "cowboy" clip and my son (who is 11) was rolling on the floor laughing at it. The whole "Brokeback Mountain" thing has him so intrigued. :D

[blazedog]

I thought he was good. He wasn't "outrageous" like Chris Rock and he was kind of low-key, but I thought he was good. Of course, the paper here and radio stations are blasting him today.

I also loved the "cowboy" clip and my son (who is 11) was rolling on the floor laughing at it. The whole "Brokeback Mountain" thing has him so intrigued. :D

How interesting that he is being blasted by your media as he is receiving great reviews in Los Angeles and New York for his subtlety.

I thought he was in keeping with what the producers were trying to accomplish -- nobody has topped Crystal in terms of some of his opening skits but Crystal played the insider card and Stewart plays the wry outsider observant.

Oops -- wanted to add that I enjoyed him as a host -- and thank God for TIVO as I was able to watch the whole show in about 1 hour of actual viewing time. :D

[Wendy w]

I thought that he did a very good job. I loved the Bjork (sp?) joke, the clips of former hosts, and the clips of straight cowboys. :D

[Melman]

I enjoyed watching Jon S as the host. Of course, I also enjoy The Daily Show and really like his style of humor and satire. I'm not sure how well he went over with the audience though. I liked him MUCH MUCH MUCH better than Chris Rock last year.

[MikeC]

I stupidly misread the TV listings and thought that it was starting at 9 pm Eastern Time instead of 8 pm. And so I tuned in around 9:15.

From the little I glanced at the newspaper this morning, I think I probably missed the best of the telecast. My impression was how dull and incredibly low-key the whole thing seemed, including Stewart.

[foodfiend]

OT, but what was going on with Lauren Bacall? She could barely get through her lines.

[PAMMELA]

OT, but what was going on with Lauren Bacall? She could barely get through her lines.

I know! I thought the same thing and felt really bad for her and prayed she'd make it through! I think she's just getting old.

[jmarie]

I enjoyed Jon Stewart, as well.

I felt really bad for Lauren Bacall. At first I wondered if she had had too much to drink, but DH said that maybe it was her age. I googled it and she was born on the 16th. of September 1924, making her 82 years old. That is the same age as my mom and there is no way that mom could have done as well as Lauren Bacall.

I also found this:
I'm always a fan of bringing out legends, however it was ill-fitting, and it didn't help that the Teleprompter conked out rendering Bacall a little like a deer caught in the headlights. Well, Jessica Alba had the same problem, so perhaps it was an equipment failure.

Joyce

[Peggy]

My impression was how dull and incredibly low-key the whole thing seemed, including Stewart.

My thoughts exactly!

Peggy

[lisalee]

I too liked him. I thought his jokes got better as the night wore on. I read somewhere that they were trying to make sure that the host was low-key and didn't compete with the actors or categories. I liked the swan dress joke too as well others. The skit about previous hosts was pretty good.

I wondered about Laren Becall also, and kind of thought that perhaps she had too much to drink or was having a reaction to something. I saw the moment she looked like "deer frozen in headlights" and so if the telepromter went out that would explain it. Maybe she's like a lot of people who don't ad-lib very well on the spot.

Lisa

[ellielk]

I thoroughly enjoyed Jon Stewart. What I really liked was the opening bit with all the previous hosts turning down the gig.

[ChristineVA]

From The Washington Post:

Stewart began the show drearily, loping through a monologue that lacked a single hilarious joke with the possible exception of "Bjork couldn't be here tonight. She was trying on her Oscar dress and Dick Cheney shot her."

That was about it -- and Stewart had five months, working with his legions of writers from the "Daily Show" on Comedy Central, to come up with good material. It goes to prove that there's still a big, big difference between basic cable and big-time network television after all.

The liveliest moment of the night was contributed by the hip-hop ensemble Three 6 Mafia performing a nominated song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," from the film "Hustle & Flow." The group practically brought the house down, leading Stewart to ask, following the riotous performance, "How come they're the most excited people here tonight?" He said more Oscar acceptance speeches should be as rollicking. But it's the host's job to generate excitement, too, and Stewart generated none.

There was a cute taped bit before he appeared in which past hosts turned the job down. Billy Crystal and Chris Rock said no because they were sharing a tent a la "Brokeback." Even David Letterman, who has joked for years about flopping as an Oscar host, made a gracious reappearance as if to say "no hard feelings."

Letterman's hosting gig, however, was better than Stewart's by far.

[VALERIEA234]

About Lauren Bacall.......i Think That Glasses Would Have Done The Trick. As Well As Larger Printing On The Prompter.

V. :)