Jimmy Kimmel will be taking to the stage at Dolby Theater on Sunday to present the 96th Academy Awards, marking the comedian’s fourth turn as host.
Over 70 famous faces have presented the Oscars during its 96-year run, but unfortunately, not all hosts are created equal.
From left to right: Jimmy Kimmel, Neil Patrick Harris, Oscars’ statuette, Ellen DeGeneres and Seth McFarlane. The Academy Awards has been hosted by more than 70 stars in its 96-year history.
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While some stars have gone down in Oscars history for their sparkling wordplay or iconic dance numbers, others are best-remembered for their varying levels of cringe.
In honor of Sunday’s ceremony, Newsweek ranks the best and worst Oscars hosts on record.
The Worst Academy Awards Hosts of All Time
5) James Franco and Anne Hathaway
James Franco and Anne Hathaway host the 83rd Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on February 27, 2011 in Hollywood, California. The co-hosts had zero chemistry, leading to a very awkward evening.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment
Getting two of Hollywood’s biggest names together to present the Academy Awards may seem like a no-brainer, but James Franco and Anne Hathaway made surprisingly awkward co-hosts in 2011.
The evening started well enough, with the pair joking about the Academy’s reported attempt to reach more young people with Franco’s good looks. However, things quickly went downhill, with the actors having absolutely zero chemistry.
While an enthusiastic Hathaway clearly tried her best, Franco checked out part way through the show, leaving his co-host to overcompensate and making them both look bad.
4) David Letterman
David Letterman delivers his opening monologue as he hosts the 67th annual Academy Awards in 1995. The comedian described his hosting stint as “an explosion of excrement.”
Don Emmert/AFP
David Letterman may not have been an amazing host, but at least he knew it. During a 2020 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the late-night TV legend described his 1995 presenting slot as “an explosion of excrement.”
Although many celebs would die to host the Oscars, the comedian wasn’t thrilled about the gig after a tedious experience presenting the 1986 Emmys. His agent convinced him to accept the offer, but an anxious Letterman managed to psyche himself out, leading to disaster.
“Almost immediately after accepting, I started to realize, ‘Oh, geez, what if this doesn’t go well?'” the 76-year-old told THR. “Within a month, I had an awareness that, ‘Oh, by the way, this isn’t going to go well.’ And it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Letterman began with his infamous “Oprah-Uma” bit, awkwardly calling out celebs with unusual first names. The comedy star said he went into survival mode, continuously referencing the failed joke throughout the evening.
Many of his other quips about A-listers failed to land, with viewers accusing Letterman of having “ruined the Academy Awards.” Despite bombing, Letterman was asked to host the Oscars two more times, which he wisely declined.
3) Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris hosting the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 22, 2015, in Hollywood, California. Harris’s remarks to Octavia Spencer and Dana Perry did not land well.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment
It’s unclear exactly what Neil Patrick Harris was going for in his 2015 Oscars’ hosting gig.
Some of his quips seemed to poke fun at Hollywood and the Academy’s lack of diversity, such as the evening’s opening joke: “We celebrate the best and the whitest—sorry, brightest.” However, other comments were just plain mean or offensive.
The actor’s poorly-timed crack about documentary filmmaker Dana Perry’s dress, delivered right after she dedicated her win to her late son, sparked outrage on social media, as did his apparent dig at Octavia Spencer’s weight, with the Oscar-winner clearly uncomfortable with the gag.
Harris’s mockery of British actor David Oyelowo’s accent also made viewers groan, particularly as Harris managed to mispronounce the Selma star’s name several times.
2) Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase at the 63rd Academy Awards on March 25, 1991. The actor managed to offend the audience in his opening monologue, referring to the crowd as “Hollywood phonies.”
Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch/Archive Photos
Chevy Chase has developed a bit of a reputation in Hollywood. The 1980’s icon is reportedly difficult to work with and has allegedly been embroiled in several behind-the-scenes feuds.
The Saturday Night Live star’s stint as Oscars host probably did little to dispel the rumors. Chase presented the awards in 1988 during a Writers Guild of America strike, with the actor managing to offend the audience with his opening monologue.
The National Lampoon alum began the ceremony with “Good evening, Hollywood phonies,” with his follow-up jibe about the writer’s strike also falling flat.
Chase joked that his monologue had been “generously donated by five teamsters,” with the comedy legend never managing to win back the crowd.
1) Seth McFarlane
Seth MacFarlane walks on stage to announce the Best Actor nominees at the 2013 Academy Awards. The actor’s hosting stint was described as “hostile, ugly [and] sexist” by The New York Times.
Robyn Beck/AFP
Seth McFarlane’s 2013 Oscars hosting stint definitely hasn’t aged well. It may have been pre-#MeToo, but the actor’s “We Saw Your Boobs” song managed to enrage several big names at once.
The Family Guy creator’s opening number listed films where actresses appeared topless, with many of the performers sitting right there in the audience.
The line “And Scarlett Johansson, we saw them on our phones” was particularly unpopular, as nude photos of the star had recently leaked online, while movie buffs pointed out that the actresses were playing rape victims in at least three of the films listed.
His joke about Jennifer Aniston, in which he suggested the Friends star had a secret past as a stripper, also caused uproar online, as did his quip about Chris Brown attacking his ex-girlfriend Rihanna a few years earlier.
While discussing Best Picture nominee Django Unchained, McFarlane said: “This is the story of a man fighting to get back his woman who has been subjected to unthinkable violence, or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie.”
The New Yorker dubbed McFarlane’s gags as “hostile, ugly [and] sexist,” while The Guardian simply asked: “What was Seth McFarlane thinking?”
The Best Academy Awards’ Hosts of All Time
5) Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres poses for a selfie taken by Bradley Cooper with (clockwise from left to right) Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Channing Tatum, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong’o, Angelina Jolie, Peter…
Handout/Ellen DeGeneres/Getty Images Entertainment
Bullying allegations from her talk show employees may have tainted her reputation, but back in 2014, Ellen DeGeneres was one of the biggest comedians in the world.
Her first attempt at hosting the Academy Awards in 2007 may have been lack-luster, but the TV star shined during her second try in 2014. Although DeGeneres’s jokes were pretty tame compared to other years, her good-natured banter took over the internet, helping to update the annual ceremony for the digital age.
The comic was also behind that year’s viral Oscars selfie, which included big names such as Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Lupita Nyong’o and Meryl Streep. At the time, the photo was the most-shared Twitter post ever, racking up over 3 million retweets.
4) Jon Stewart
Musician Marketa Irglova and host Jon Stewart onstage during the 80th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre on February 24, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. Stewart’s second attempt at hosting the Oscars was far…
Michael Caulfield/WireImage
Jon Stewart is another star to perform better the second time around. While his first run as emcee in 2006 was considered dull and awkward, The Daily Show host clearly learned from his mistakes, smashing it in 2008.
The comedian poked fun at the recent writers’ strike, which had ended just a few weeks prior.
“I’m happy to say the fight is over, so tonight, welcome to the make-up sex,” Stewart quipped.
Hosting during an election year, Stewart took a risk with his material, giving his jokes a political bend. Nevertheless, his mocking of both Democrat and Republican figures landed well, as did his gentle ribbing of nominees.
Still, Stewart was perhaps most lauded for inviting Once’s Markéta Irglová back on stage to finish her speech.
The Icelandic musician won Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” along with collaborator Glen Hansard. However, the Irish singer rambled through their allotted time, leaving Irglová to be ushered off before she could even begin speaking.
3) Whoopi Goldberg
Left: Whoopi Goldberg dressed as Queen Elizabeth I at the 1999 Academy Awards. Right: Whoopi Goldberg opens the 74th Academy Awards in 2002. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via…
Munawar Hosain/Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Fotos International
When Goldberg hosted the Oscars in 1994, she was not only the first African American to emcee the show, but also the first woman to do it solo.
“Things are a little different, the host is wearing a dress and that is a first,” she told the crowd, before joking: “I got it because I seem to cross so many ethnic and political lines. I’m an equal opportunity offender.”
Unsurprisingly, Goldberg rocked it, going on to present the awards again in 1996, 1999 and 2002. Her famed comedic timing was always lauded, as was her seemingly never-ending roster of outrageous costumes.
The actress dressed up as Queen Elizabeth I in 1999 to honor Best Picture winner Shakespeare in Love, and descended from the ceiling in a sparkly leotard and feathers as a tribute to Moulin Rouge in 2002.
In an interview with Variety in 2021, Goldberg said she “had a great time” as host, landing an Emmy nomination in 1994 for her efforts.
2) Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal hosting The 76th Annual Academy Awards in 2012. The actor hosted the Oscars nine times between 1990 and 2012.
M. Caulfield/WireImage
Billy Crystal was so beloved by Oscars’ audiences, he hosted the show nine times between 1990 and 2012.
The actor clearly adored the crowd as much as they did him, telling People in 2021: “I had so many great memories hosting the show. It was a history of cinema for me.”
Crystal’s 1998 performance was the most-watched Academy Awards broadcast ever, but the comedian is also responsible for some of the Oscars’ most memorable moments.
The filmmaker was wheeled on stage in a hand truck in 1992 for his parody of Hannibal Lector, following Silence of Lambs’ Best Picture nomination, while his hilarious “What the Stars Are Thinking Gag?”—in which Crystal pretended to read the minds of celebrities in the audience—caused thunderous laughter and applause.
However, his opening song-and-dance numbers about nominees, set to tunes from the Great American Songbook, became his signature move. When Eddie Murphy dropped out of hosting the 2012 awards show at the last minute, Crystal was asked to step in, reviving his iconic musical performances.
“You didn’t think I wasn’t going to do this?” he told the crowd, before poking fun at the year’s contenders.
1) Bob Hope
Bob Hope (right) jokingly tries to wrestle an Oscar statuette away from Marlon Brando, backstage at the 1955 Academy Awards. Hope hosted the Oscars 19 times, beginning with the first-ever televised ceremony in 1953.
Hulton Archive/Stringer/Archive Photos
No celeb has hosted the Oscars more times than Bob Hope. The comedian first took to the Academy Awards stage in 1940 and would emcee another 18 shows by 1978, either with co-hosts or as a solo star.
Helming the first-ever televised ceremony in 1953, the famed funny man was known for his witty one-liners and speedy delivery, which he brought to the Oscars as well as American troops overseas.
While Hope was presenting the award for Best Picture in 1966, the Academy surprised the entertainer with a gold medal honoring his legendary hosting stints.
After being handed the special award by Jack Lemmon, Hope asked: “You couldn’t tip me or anything, huh?” before joking that anyone who wanted to see the trophy needed to “come to my place, it’ll be in the shrine.”
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