# Eddie Murphy to host next Oscars \[then drops out\] - Thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514 "2011-09-07T16:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/21 "2011-09-07T22:09:52Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > If he goes the “comedic” lost Eddie that people want back it could be great. > If he goes the “I’m a serious actor now” route and just tells the jokes the writers write down for him he could be a bore. > The “out there” comediene/actors (Robin Williams, Jim Carey, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, etc.) need to remember why people liked them in the first place and stop trying to get in the actors circle of friends. I think that the Oscars are written by pretty much the same people no matter who hosts, and even to the extent the writers change, there’s a set Oscar style that every host tries to fit into (with varying degrees of success). So no matter who is up front, the result is never _that_ different from year to year. Some hosts and good and some suck, but the style doesn’t change much. I guess that’s partly just the nature of the enterprise- it’s unnecessary in the first place and the theater audience wants to be told how great it is. If the host doesn’t tickle everybody’s balls sufficienently (Jon Stewart’s first time, Chris Rock’s joke about Jude Law not being a real movie star), they get offended, and if the host is too respectful, it’s boring. I think some hosts don’t know what to do with it (or maybe James Franco was just really stoned). And I think that 30 years ago, this would be a very interesting choice. Today I’m not sure I get it. I do know that I really dislike Brett Ratner. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/22 "2011-09-08T01:11:56Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > If he wears fewer than three different fat suits over the course of the show, I’ll be gravely disappointed. He said he’ll make up for the slack in fat suits with some pretty heavy farts. He’s been rehearsing all week. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/23 "2011-09-08T02:22:44Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And I think that 30 years ago, this would be a very interesting choice. Today I’m not sure I get it. I do know that I really dislike Brett Ratner. Stealing a friend’s response on Twitter to this news: “Wow, the 1985 Oscars are going to be the best ever.” ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/24 "2011-09-08T02:54:45Z")
I don’t watch the Oscars, ever. But I am curious. “What happened to Eddie Murphy?” is one of my enduring questions. (Comedically, not physically.) It seemed he was trying to recreate himself as a kid’s entertainer, and while it made him good scratch, I can’t help but think that either his chops weren’t all that (hard to believe for someone who grew up listening to _Delirious_ and _Raw_) or he sustained a brain injury that made him unfunny for life. I do think he was great in the Dreamgirls movie. Maybe he’s heading to Robin Williams territory - incredibly unfunny to me, but brilliant in dramatic roles. To see a glimpse of 1980s Eddie would be fucking awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/25 "2011-09-08T03:15:00Z")
I thought the same thing happened to Richard Pryor. His more “adult” comedies were great, but then he made several family-friendly comedies (The Toy, Superman III) that weren’t very funny. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/26 "2011-09-08T03:52:50Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > Eddie needs a comeback. This could be it. Don’t know if he’s been polishing his comedic chops. > > Katt Williams would be funnier (and better dressed that most of the attendees), IMHO. Maybe. If he can avoid [pissing off Mexicans](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkNnmun5fZE) and doesn’t get arrested Oscar night. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/27 "2011-09-08T04:06:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I thought the same thing happened to Richard Pryor. His more “adult” comedies were great, but then he made several family-friendly comedies (The Toy, Superman III) that weren’t very funny. Even those weren’t that bad, comparatively. _Norbit_ makes _Superman 3_ look like _The Godfather_. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/28 "2011-09-08T04:08:40Z")
I don’t know about that. _The Toy_ was really bad. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/29 "2011-09-08T04:58:46Z")
He also was Donkey in the Shrek series. He also did the Donkey voice for video games. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/30 "2011-09-08T05:42:18Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Eddie Murphy? I thought he was dead! You’re thinking of Stevie Wonder. Except Stevie Wonder’s not dead. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/31 "2011-09-08T16:16:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think that the Oscars are written by pretty much the same people no matter who hosts, and even to the extent the writers change, there’s a set Oscar style that every host tries to fit into (with varying degrees of success). My impression (not that I know what I’m talking about or anything) is that it depends on the host, and that some hosts and/or their own creative teams provide at least some of the material. At least, I’m having trouble imagining “Oprah… Uma” and “Would you like to buy a monkey?” originating with the standard Oscar committee. As for Eddie Murphy, I don’t know whether it’ll work or not, but I’d like to see him try. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/32 "2011-09-08T16:46:11Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Stealing a friend’s response on Twitter to this news: “Wow, the 1985 Oscars are going to be the best ever.” I wish I’d made a similar point in post #3. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/33 "2011-09-08T16:51:33Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > To see a glimpse of 1980s Eddie would be fucking awesome. Bit harder to imagine the “faggots are funny” bit going over well nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/34 "2011-09-08T17:10:53Z")
now that I’ve thought about it - -maybe Academy feels that they snubbed Eddie since he didn’t win when he was nominated & he made a stink about it. Therefore he should be the obligatory next black host. [sarcasm] -apparently Academy has given up on their ‘attract the youth’ effort w/James & Anne -I think Neil Patrick Harris should host. or maybe Jimmy Fallon. They’ve both done excellent jobs on recent awards shows. -wouldn’t it be great if instead of outfit changes ala Hathaway, that every time the show came back from a break, Eddie appeared as a different character - Gumby, Donkey, Mr. Robinson, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/35 "2011-09-08T17:11:25Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I wish I’d made a similar point in post #3. That was the Oscars for 1983. 😃 Apparently you were going on his SNL and standup career popularity, while my friend figured the Academy was cashing in on the post-Beverly Hills Cop hype. Now that I think of it, when **was** he the hottest commodity around that time? My contribution? I thought, “…well, I thought **Bowfinger** was funny.” That’s from 1999. :smack: It’s the last thing he’s done that stands out in a positive way to me, barring his Shrek voicework. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/36 "2011-09-08T18:07:50Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > -wouldn’t it be great if instead of outfit changes ala Hathaway, that every time the show came back from a break, Eddie appeared as a different character - Gumby, Donkey, Mr. Robinson, etc. etc. That could actually work. Eddie’s always been at his best when (a) he’s been in front of a live audience and/or (b) he’s had the opportunity to play different characters. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/37 "2011-09-08T18:11:52Z")
Ferret - thanks for reminding me of “Bowfinger” - I love how that films sends up Scientology! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/38 "2011-09-09T02:11:02Z")
Low expectations, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. He was amazing at his peak. . ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/39 "2011-09-09T02:12:04Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > He was amazing at his peak. We all were. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514/40 "2011-09-09T17:53:51Z")
I hope Buckwheat sings a medley of the Best Song nominees. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-murphy-to-host-next-oscars-then-drops-out-thoughts/595514.md?page=3)