The toughest job in Hollywood

Capturing the collective attention of tens of millions of fickle television viewers who are really more interested in what Angelina is wearing or if Jack will ever take off those shades than who walks away with an editing Oscar is no easy task. Combine that pressure with the added responsibility of keeping a three-hour-long ceremony feeling brisk and finding common ground with a viewing public who historically don’t watch the nominated films and you have one miserable job description.

Such is the overwhelming duty of the appointed Academy Awards® host, an honour/curse bestowed this year upon Aussie beefcake Hugh Jackman. A rather unexpected choice given the Academy’s soft-spot for comedians, Jackman is, however, a three-time Tony host who knows his way around a song-and-dance number and can certainly fill out a tuxedo. Time will tell if the Wolverine himself proves to be a dud or follow in the footsteps of Oscars’ best hosts, catalogued here for your reference and reverie.

Top Oscar Hosts

Billy Crystal

His brand of humour may be a touch too pedestrian and safe to be considered truly impressive but still manages to elicit chuckles, which is likely why Billy Crystal has hosted the Oscars an astounding eight times. His schtick of inserting himself into nominated films and making legendary entrances, including being wheeled in as Hannibal Lecter complete with wired mask or coasting atop the Titanic, proved to be enduring calling cards that consistently won the biggest laughs. His last stint as host was in 2004 and judging by the Academy’s obvious Crystal crush, it probably won’t be his last.

Steve Martin

Steve Martin’s considerably dry sense of humour and lack of a/v-aided gags meant that the Academy audience was in for a change when he took over hosting duties in 2001. Martin did a more-than-capable job of filling Crystal’s shoes, delivering one-liners that crackled and popped on their way to living rooms the world over. Memorable zingers included the following: “Hosting the Oscars is like making love to a beautiful woman. It’s something I only get to do when Billy Crystal is out of town,” and “Be sure to stay to the end of the show because at the end of the night we're going to vote someone out of showbiz." Truly a job well done.

Chris Rock

Chris Rock’s typically adult material and preponderance for four-letter words made his appointment to Oscar host a bit of a head-scratcher. Likely looking to engage the twentysomething set by choosing a cutting-edge comedian, the Academy were wise to go with Rock who sidestepped salty language in favour of poking fun at the A-listers populating the star-studded room, paying special attention to Russell Crowe and making one ubiquitous Brit especially uncomfortable when he asked: “Who is Jude Law? Why is he in every movie I’ve seen in the past four years?” Rumour has it that Law is still fuming.

Jon Stewart

The irreverent host of “The Daily Show” returned last year for his second stint as the ringleader of an event that’s watched by one in six of our lovely planet’s inhabitants. Jon Stewart, he of the pithy quip, waxed political, somewhat predictably, but hit the mark with his jab at Eddie Murphy’s box-office bomb – “Even Norbit got a nomination, which I think is great. Too often the Academy ignores movies that aren't good” – and ushered in the post-writers’ strike Academy Awards by welcoming everyone to the make-up sex. We love you too, Jon.

Whoopi Goldberg

As a four-time Oscar host, Whoopi Goldberg has a long-standing and rather historical relationship with the Academy: credited as both the first female host and the first African-American host, she’s also the only Oscar winner to ever host the Academy Awards and the second African-American woman to win an Oscar. With Goldberg, audiences can never be sure what they’re going to get and that’s mostly a good thing. Willing to get silly for a joke as often as risking getting booed, she’s a fearless comedienne who also loves her elaborate costume changes. In 1999, she appeared in full regal regalia as Queen Elizabeth – powdered wig and all – calling herself the African Queen and quipping, “Some of you may know me as the Virgin Queen, but I can't imagine who."

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Who do you think was the best Oscar host? Who delivered the best jokes and entertained the crowd? And how do you think Hugh Jackman will do? Share your thoughts below!