I'd have to review the tapes, but I might have made a remark during last year's Oscar broadcast, commenting that the show had deteriorated so much, I actually missed Billy Crystal. I think I'd like to take that back, now that Crystal seems to be throwing his hat back in the Oscar ring. The eight-time host told the audience at the Aug. 12 "City Slickers" 20th anniversary screening in Santa Monica, Calif., that last year's Oscars cameo made him "itchy" to return to the show, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"It got to be too much after a while and the sameness in my life," Crystal said. "That's why I pulled back. And then when I thought I might want to do it again, they were on to other people. It's always fun. It's really hard, but maybe one or two more times? I don't know. They know where I am."
Crystal said that his cameo was not in the works long before it actually happened.
"I came out last year as a surprise. It was a last-minute decision," Crystal explained to the sold-out audience on Friday. "They had called and said would you do this thing and honor Bob Hope and that was a kind of cool thing to do. I said OK. I did it, and people wanted to see me, they stood up, and I couldn't talk for about a minute [while waiting for the ovation]. And, um, I got a little itchy. So we'll see what happens. I can't promise anything."
The 84th Academy Awards will take place Feb. 26. Are you more likely to tune in if Crystal hosts? Or did last year's tepid performance by Anne Hathaway and James Franco sour you on the show? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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