More on the Odd Choice of Hathaway and Franco

So, over at The Wrap Steve Pond gets down to it, with a lot of good stats for us:

No Oscar nominee has served as host since screenplay nominee Paul Hogan was one of three hosts at the 59th Academy Awards. Other host/nominees include Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges in 1985, Walter Matthau in 1976, Michael Caine in 1973, David Niven in 1959 and Academy president Frank Capra, who hosted in 1939 and also won the Best Director prize. All except Capra served as co-hosts of shows that had between three and 10 hosts.

Last year’s Oscar hosts, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, both starred in the movie “It’s Complicated,” which was considered a possible contender at the time that they were named hosts, but which ended up not figuring in the Oscar race.

“You could eliminate lots of people because they might be nominees,” said Sherak. “You never know who’s going to be nominated. I only know that we have two really glamorous people who have the ability to put on a show that we will all be proud of, and who fit into the framework of the show that Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer have laid out.”

There’s no question that Franco and Hathaway have the skills to pull off the gig ‚Äì both have hosted “Saturday Night Live,” which seems to have become the new testing ground for Oscar hosts ‚Äì but the fact that at least one of the hosts will be in the thick of the race has raised eyebrows around Hollywood.

“I don’t work with Colin Firth,” said one consultant who represents potential nominees, “but if I did, I would be worried that Franco is going to get a lot of goodwill out of this.”

Somehow I don’t think goodwill is the thing that is going to come out of this for Franco. For Hathaway, it’s all good. I’m learning how to live with this, now, I want you all to know. The shock is starting to wear off. And I’m actually starting to feel more positive about the AMPAS stepping outside their comfort zone and inviting the young people to get excited about the Oscars. So, why not.