Ok, now that Hugh Jackman is set to host the Oscars (and we're sure you may have some comments on that, too), how else should the producers shake things up for this often too-tried-and-true telecast? Here are the top 20 results from our survey of 7,000+ Fandango users. Let us know, though, if we forgot your recommendation to the Academy...
1. NO POLITICAL SPEECHES EVER!
When asked about which elements they’d like to see dropped from the Oscar telecast, 51% of Fandango survey respondents picked the political acceptance speeches, making it Fandango moviegoers’ top pet peeve. Here are some of our fans’ own rants:
“Shut up and entertain us. We don’t care what you think about politics. A bit of graciousness would be in order.”
“They should keep their political opinions to themselves before they end up with no consumer for their product.”
“Ban any individual who gives a political speech who does not hold a degree in political science from an accredited university.”
However, some film fans actually enjoyed the unrehearsed political elements of the show: According to one film fan:
“The unpredictable elements — the terrific or dreadful political speeches, horrible outfits, the tears…are such a fun part of the Oscars - we need them! Especially in a time of gloom & doom & falling finances, bring on the glitz & the glitches.”
2. SEND IN THE CLOWNS
The majority of film fans say they are more interested in watching the Oscars with Hugh Jackman as this year’s host, but some disagree. Fan comments include:
“Keep Billy Crystal on standby.”
3. HAIL TO THE CHIEF — BUT OFF-CAMERA, PLEASE…
Not everyone wants to see a presentation from the Academy president — in fact, 39% of respondents said they’d like to see that bit dropped from the telecast. The introduction of Academy accountants PriceWaterhouseCoopers is also something fans would like to eradicte. Here’s a sample comment:
“Nobody cares to watch Sid Ganis awkwardly speak or see the PriceWaterhouse people, it’s a total buzz-kill and time-sucker…”
4. BOTTOMS UP
Fans would rather see the stars mingling at a dinner like the one held for the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, rather than a four-hour evening with stars patiently sitting in their seats and mugging for the camera. One moviegoer wrote:
“It would be great to see everyone get a little liquored up — it would provide more surprises for a stale show.
5. YOU CAN STOP THE MUSIC…
While it’s unlikely that the show’s new producers (the guys who brought you Dreamgirls) will drop the musical numbers, several film fans would love to see that happen. Their advice:
“Live musical numbers can be left out. Just give a bit of the song, in the same way we only see bits of nominated films via clips. This is not the Tony Awards, where music is essential.”
“Stop trying to do a variety show. The days of the musical are over.”
Go to the rest of our Top 20 Ways to Improve the Oscars.