Stewart ready to put sting into Oscars
TV comedian Jon Stewart will be injecting some stinging satire
into this year’s Oscars, giving a political flavour to the
Hollywood extravaganza ahead of the US presidential election.
The 45-year-old returns to host Monday’s proceedings at Los
Angeles’ Kodak Theatre, two years after making his debut at the
78th Annual Academy Awards in 2006.
That performance received mixed reviews, with some critics
saying Stewart had earned the right to be a permanent host while
another railed against the comic’s “smug humourlessness”.
What is unarguable is that US television viewing figures for
2006’s Oscars were the second lowest in history, and the darling of
US liberals will need to be at his funniest this year to win over
neutrals.
In 2006, Stewart took aim at a line-up of movies bristling with
controversial themes, from the gay cowboys of Brokeback
Mountain to the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972
Olympics in Munich.
“Steven Spielberg is here. … A best-director nomination for
Munich, a tremendous film, and I congratulate you, sir,”
Stewart said.
“From the man who also gave us Schindler’s List. Schindler’s
List and Munich. I think I speak for all Jews when I
say I can’t wait to see what happens to us next. Trilogy!”
Since 1999, Stewart has hosted the satirical TV news program
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which has a small
audience but has developed a cult following and is required viewing
among US liberals.
While his show targets a niche market, the New Yorker who was
born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz has attracted widespread US media
attention for his merciless and unflinching prods at the
administration of President George W Bush.
Stewart joins a select group of including Billy Crystal, Steve
Martin, Bob Hope, comedian Chris Rock and Ellen DeGeneres to have
hosted the Oscars.
“Jon was a terrific host for the 78th Awards,” said Gil Cates,
producer of the Oscars telecast. “He is smart, quick, funny, loves
movies and is a great guy. What else could one ask for?”
In addition to a career as a stand-up comedian and Daily
Show host, father of two Stewart also had minor roles in
several motion pictures, including Death to Smoochy, Big Daddy,
The Faculty and Playing by Heart.
AFP
