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Here’s how many time the Oscars has not had a host

by in News

No host? No problem.

The 91st Academy Awards will not have a host after Kevin Hart, who accepted the job, stepped down amid controversy over his past tweets. The Oscars have not had a host several times.

There’s something about years ending with a 9 and the show not having a host. This will be the sixth Academy Awards to not have a host, following 1939, 1969 and 1989.

Hosts with the most

  1. Bob Hope, 18
  2. Billy Crystal, 9
  3. Johnny Carson, 5
  4. Whoopi Goldberg, 4
  5. Jack Lemmon, 4 (two as co-host)

Host it notes

At the first ceremony, the winners had been announced three months before. From 1930-1940 the academy kept the results secret but gave an advance list to newspapers to enable next-day publication. This was discontinued after the Los Angeles Times published the winners in its evening edition in 1940.The sealed-envelope system began in 1941.

  • 1940: Bob Hope hosts for the first of a record 18 times.
  • 1943: 45-second speech limit is set.
  • 1953: First televised ceremony.
  • 1966: First color TV broadcast.
  • 1969: International broadcasts begin.
  • 1969-71: There was no official host. Awards were presented by Friends of Oscar, including Bob Hope, John Wayne, James Earl Jones, Barbra Streisand, and Raquel Welch.
  • 1979: In Johnny Carson’s first opening monologue, he says, “As you well know by now, this is the 51st Academy Awards. Two hours of sparkling entertainment spread out over a four-hour show.”
  • 1989: For the first time in 17 years, there is no master of ceremonies. Awards are handed out by various actors.
  • 1994: Whoopi Goldberg becomes the first woman and first African-American to serve as the solo host. She goes on to host three more times.
  • 1998: 57.25 million viewers tune in the year “Titanic” wins and Billy Crystal is host.
  • 2002: Longest ceremony: 4.5 hours. Whoopi Goldberg is host.
  • 2008: Jon Stewart’s last time hosting gets one of the smallest TV audiences for the ceremony in 20 years: 31.8 million viewers.
  • 2009: Hugh Jackman’s low-budget opening montage referencing the recession receives a standing ovation.
  • 2010: The first telecast to have more than a single host since 1987. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin share the stage.
  • 2011: James Franco and Anne Hathaway host. The show is ranked the worst ever by TV Guide and Variety.
  • 2013: Seth MacFarlane’s song referencing breasts is criticized as crass and inappropriate.
  • 2016: In Chris Rock’s opening segment, he says, “No black actors nominated. I thought about stepping down as host, but the last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart.”

Hosts by the year and U.S. TV viewers (starting in 1974)

* Not all hosts listed# Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president

Oscars hosts

Sources: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Box Office Mojo, Internet Movie Database, Nielsen Media Research Inc., Variety, TV Guide Photos by The Associated Press