After a series of issues plaguing the 84th Academy Awards, veteran host Billy Crystal has been pressed back into service to replace Eddie Murphy.
When the going got tough, the Oscars execs decided to go with a known commodity, and who better than the former emcee who has already done the gig proud eight other times: 1990-1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2004. He turned down the job in 2006 in order to concentrate on his one-man show, 700 Sundays.
Ever the funny man, the 63-year-old comedian tweeted, “Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show.”
You can catch all of the action on February 26 on ABC.
It was reported yesterday that Brian Grazer has been brought in to replace the fired Brett Ratner as the show’s producer. The previously announced host, Eddie Murphy, turned surly and quit in a snit.
Check out Crystal’s decidedly creative song and dance routine from the 2004 Oscars opening … move the slider to 10:00:
Photo: WENN