OSCAR UNAFFECTED BY ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

Despite deteriorating ratings in recent years, next February’s Oscar telecast commands the same price for a 30-second commercial as it did a year ago, about $1.6-1.7 million, according to Advertising Age, which cited “a person familiar with the tone of negotiations.” This year’s Oscarcast attracted 37.9 million viewers, down from 41.7 million tuned last year. […]

IN WAKE OF OSCARS HAVOC, INDUSTRY OFFERED HELP, SAYS SHERAK

Motion picture academy president Tom Sherak maintains that the turbulence of the past week, which saw both the co-producer and host of next year’s Oscar telecast resign, will have no effect on the production of the telecast itself. Referring to the departure of Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy, Sherak told Deadline.com: “If this happened in […]

BILLY CRYSTAL WILL HOST THE OSCARS AGAIN

Acting with fast-forward speed, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has struck a deal with Billy Crystal to bring him back for a ninth time to host the Oscars. “Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward […]

REPORT: BRIAN GRAZER TO REPLACE BRET RATNER AS OSCAR CO-PRODUCER

Just one day after Brett Ratner resigned under pressure as co-producer of next year’s Oscar telecast, the motion picture academy has struck a deal with Brian Grazer — himself an Oscar winner for 2001’s A Beautiful Mind — to replace him, TheWrap.com reported today (Wednesday). An official announcement is expected to be made on Thursday, […]

EDDIE MURPHY WITHDRAWS AS HOST OF OSCARS

(UPDATE) One day after the decision of Oscars co-producer Brett Ratner to resign in the wake of bitter criticism of his anti-gay slur and other remarks that embarrassed the motion picture academy, Eddie Murphy has followed Ratner out the door. In a statement, Academy President Tom Sherak said, “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing […]

WILL ACADEMY FIRE OSCAR CO-PRODUCER BRETT RATNER? (Updated)

UPDATE: Late today (Tuesday) Ratner resigned as co-producer of the Oscar telecast. After apologizing (a second time) for his offending remark about gays, Ratner said: “As difficult as the last few days have been for me, they cannot compare to the experience of any young man or woman who has been the target of offensive […]

TINTIN DOMINATES OVERSEAS BOX OFFICE

Overseas, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin easily captured the No. 1 spot for the second weekend in a row with $40.8 million in ticket sales. Since opening on Oct. 26, the animated film has earned $125.3 million in 45 countries. The film dominated the market in most countries, particularly the U.K., where it racked […]

A BEVY OF COMEDY WRITERS ASSEMBLED FOR OSCARCAST

Call it the Academy Awards Comedy Show, because that is what it will apparently amount to, judging from a Los Angeles Times report today (Monday) that describes how co-producer Brett Ratner has brought on board a host of comedy writers for the February telecast — from those working on such TV shows as Saturday Night […]

EDDIE MURPHY: WHY HE BOYCOTTED SNL

Eddie Murphy, who made his television debut at age 19 as a regular on Saturday Night Live, has explained why he has not appeared on the show again in recent years. “They were sh**** to me on Saturday Night Live a couple of times after I’d left the show,” he told the upcoming edition of […]

REPORT: EDDIE MURPHY TO HOST OSCARS

Eddie Murphy has been selected to host the 84th Annual Academy Awards in February, according to the website HumorMillMag.com, which cited “several inside sources.” The report was picked up by the Los Angeles Times, which said on its website Sunday that “no decision has officially been made” but that sources close to the Oscar show […]

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