Why the Muppets Should Host the Oscars

Following Kevin Hart’s resignation as host, the Academy still scrambles to find a replacement… or does it? Some suggest that the Academy has no back-up plan and is considering a host-less award ceremony. Where is the fun in that? Hey, Academy, we have the perfect solution for you — hire The Muppets.

Hosting the Oscars does sound like a lot of pressure. Seth MacFarlane explains why no one wants to host the Oscars; noting that the all-eyes-on-you position is intense, and is clearly not all that it is otherwise cracked up to be.

What we know about the host criteria is that you need: a) squeaky clean tweets, b) a boring, PG-13 sense of humor that won’t offend any advertisers, nominees, guests, etc. and c) skin as thick as rubber, because praise for the job you’re doing is unlikely to be forthcoming. I am not sure that any human celeb fits the bill. So, who could possibly do the job?

The Muppets. The Muppets don’t make outrageous tweets, generally have a PG-13 sense of humor, and don’t take offense. But which Muppet is the perfect Oscars host? Well, the Academy would go from no host to too many hosts if they took our considerations on board.

We know; we know. Our two elderly Muppet favorites Statler and Waldorf may be a bit too cantankerous for the Oscars. They would jeer at all the nominees! Still, they get our number one vote.

The obvious choice is Kermit. “Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here!” Sure, Kermit is lovable and a great host, but his credentials go beyond his TV popularity, making him a stellar candidate for the Academy Awards show host. His accolades also include:

• being awarded an honorary doctorate of Amphibious Letters on May 19, 1996, at Southampton College, where he also gave a commencement speech.
• receiving a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002.
• his song “The Rainbow Connection” was nominated for an Academy Award, as was “The First Time It Happens” from The Great Muppet Caper.
• receiving fictional awards, such as the Fred Award and The Frog of the Year Award.

What’s more, if Kermit needs assistance he has a couple of experienced sidekicks in Gonzo and Rizzo.

Gonzo and his best friend Rizzo co-hosted The Muppet Christmas Carol (Gonzo as Charles Dickens and Rizzo as himself). They connected with audiences, and continued to be paired (often as the stars of the show) throughout the 1990s. Not to mention Gonzo’s style of fashion includes what could be viewed as Oscar-appropriate attire, namely purple tuxedos and checkered suits.

Naturally, Miss Piggy would also want to make an appearance. Miss Piggy is a force of nature, a crowd-pleaser, and she is certainly not camera shy. She also prides herself on being “anybody’s icon”, and no justification need be given for her already Oscar-friendly wardrobe.

This would not be the first time the Muppets were at the Oscars. They’ve presented various awards over the years, including this one in 1986 featuring Kermit, Scooter, and Jim Henson himself:

Then there was the 2012 marketing tie-in to help promote their movie “The Muppets,” which itself won an Academy Award that year for its music.

We could obviously go on and on about why the Muppets are the most appropriate hosts, and which Muppets would be best suited for the job, but we will conclude with vouching for Sam the Eagle.

Sam is appalled by nonsense that passes for entertainment and does his best to keep things in check. This sounds like just the sort of quality control the Oscars need

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.

The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television. So Disney ought to be able to make this magic happen, right?

Is 2019 finally the right time for The Muppets to host the Oscars? Is America ready for this?