Oscars To Go Hostless Again

LOS ANGELES, CA — Hosts are sooo two years ago. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will hold the Academy Awards in February without a host for the second year in a row, the president of ABC Entertainment said Wednesday.

The first time it happened was by accident, after scandal knocked would-be host Kevin Hart from the perch in 2019. Hart quit just two days after being named host when some previous homophobic Twitter posts and comments resurfaced. Struggling to replace him, the Academy tried a no-host show and apparently liked it. The show saw an uptick in ratings last year after a series of dismal ratings-years.

Speaking at the Television Critics Association's meeting in Pasadena on Wednesday, Karey Burke said the network and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences jointly decided "there will be no traditional host" for the Feb. 9 ceremony. She said the show will include "big musical numbers" and "star power."

Last year's show opened with a performance by classic rock band Queen — thanks to last year's biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," which won a best-actor prize for Rami Malek for his role as the band's late frontman, Freddie Mercury.

Following the performance, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph took the stage for a short comedy bit. Overall, the often-long-running ceremony was held to about three hours, and ratings increased by about 12 percent over the previous year.

Oscar nominations are to be announced Monday morning.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.