THE MUPPETS AS OSCAR HOSTS: DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH

UPDATE: Billy Crystal got the job. But it was fun while it lasted!

SHOWBLITZ is on the record here as being a huge advocate of The Muppets as Oscar hosts -- read excellent posts by Kris Tapley and Scott Weinberg for reasons why this idea makes total sense -- but we're not hopeful. We have it on good authority that Academy brass are aware of the online campaign to get Kermit, Piggy, et al at the front of the show and ... they aren't taking it real seriously. Now, it's Brian Grazer's call, and it'll take a matter of days for them to sort out their new host and lock him/her/them into a contract. But whoever gets the job won't do better than The Muppets would've to bring some fun and freshness to a show that badly needs it.  --Josh L. Dickey

 (Photo is fan art by James Boyle).