Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Oscar host curse strikes again

Neil Patrick Harris’ streak of awesomeness ends with a so-so performance at the Academy Awards.

Neil Patrick Harris presents his Oscar predictions at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)
Neil Patrick Harris presents his Oscar predictions at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)Read more

SO THAT HAPPENED.

The 87th annual Academy Awards had its moments, but too many of them were uh-huh moments.

Host Neil Patrick Harris onstage in his tighty whities, a la "Birdman."

Anna Kendrick and Philly's Kevin Hart presenting the award for animated short because, well, they're animated. And short.

Harris' following the Oscar win of "Whiplash" star J.K. Simmons with, "He won Oscar . . . ," set to the tune of the jingle for Simmons' Farmers Insurance ads.

Yep, Oscar, the Everest of hosting gigs, has left yet another promising host stranded short of the summit.

They either have to stop giving this job to smart, talented people or we all have to lower our expectations so hosts can stop overthinking what, pre-Billy Crystal, didn't feel like the show-biz equivalent of quadruple axel.

Harris, a veteran of the Tonys and Emmys, came oversupplied with quips but seemed uncomfortable with emotion, which made for some awkward segues (though I'm not sure how he could have followed that standing ovation for Common and John Legend's performance of "Glory," one of the night's most powerful moments).

As always, there were categories even the Oscars never got to:

Charming time-waster: Lady Gaga's channeling of Julie Andrews, as extraordinary as it was, began at 11:14, with miles of categories to go before anyone could sleep. Someone should have broken into Harris' well-guarded briefcase of Oscar predictions and pulled out a watch.

Dead-on Oscar prediction: By musical heckler Jack Black, who sang, "Believe me, Neil, you're just better off polishing your Tony."

Going off script: Presenter Terrence Howard got so emotional talking about "Whiplash," it looked as if he had trouble making the segue to "The Imitation Game." Might have been a prompter error, but it also highlighted the awkwardness of grouping best-picture nominees.

The if-you-have-to-explain-it award: To Harris, whose comparison of the box-office smash "American Sniper" to Oprah clearly confused Winfrey (there, after all, for "Selma"). "Because you're rich," he explained. Oh.

It's called acting: Any lingering worries that Simmons might be the guy he played in "Whiplash" - or, worse, the neo-Nazi he played in HBO's "Oz" - were probably dispelled by his family-centric acceptance speech, which closed with the admonition: "Call your mom, call your dad . . . and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you."

Breath of fresh air: Reese Witherspoon's spirited demand, via Instagram (hashtag: #AskHerMore), that red-carpet reporters not limit their questions to what (or who) actresses are wearing.

First #AskHerMore award: To "Boyhood" winner Patricia Arquette, who, after thanking everyone, used her remaining time to declare, "It's our time to have wage equality . . . and equal rights for women in the United States of America." A few more best-picture nominees featuring women's stories wouldn't hurt, either.

Also sending a message: Penn's Legend, whose acceptance for "Glory" made it clear that the issues raised in "Selma" aren't just the stuff of history.

Thank-you you maybe weren't expecting: By "Citizenfour" director Laura Poitras to the absent subject of her winning documentary, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Crowd favorite: "Everything Is Awesome." Tegan and Sara, joined by a cast of dozens - including a Lego Batman - shook up a sleepy show.

Getting it out of the way early: "Tonight we honor Hollywood's best and whitest - sorry, brightest," Harris said at the top of the show, where the list of presenters was considerably more diverse than the list of nominees.

Bad thing that happened: Harris making risque remark about someone's dress on the heels of an acceptance speech referring to suicide.

Bad thing that didn't happen: Presenters Chiwetel Ejiofor and Nicole Kidman smartly ignored Harris' joke that they would be appearing as each other. Still - huh?

Phone: 215-854-5950

On Twitter: @elgray

Blog: ph.ly/EllenGray