Billy Crystal's Oscar Itch
On Feb. 29, Billy Crystal hosts the 76th Annual Academy Awards. Arguably the most popular Oscar emcee in recent history, the comic's taking his eighth turn at bat. But why hasn't he done the show in the past three years?
"I've never had any regrets about the years I haven't done it," Crystal says. "I so needed a rest from it. It's three months [of prep time], and that's a long part of your year. The years just felt all the same, after a while, and you start to feel stale."
How did Oscar entice Billy back? First off, Joe Roth — Crystal's pal and director on 2001's America's Sweethearts — is producing the awards show this year. Secondly, his public was clamoring for it. "Wherever I go, people ask me, 'Why aren't you doing the show? We miss you. We want you to do it.' After a while, you have to pay attention to that."
Plus, he feels the Oscars are an inside job, not to be trusted to smart alecks like Dave Letterman. "The Oscars is the movie industry's show. You know, it's not the People's Choice Awards," Crystal cracks. "I think it's easier [to host] if you're in the [film] industry. I want to make it comfortable for [the stars], because they are really uncomfortable when they come to the show. They're nominated. The lights are on. The cameras are roaming. It's not the easiest night for them."
Academy Awards night is also a great time for Crystal to hang with old friends, like his favorite heckler, Jack Nicholson. Yes, they really are chummy. "Jack has been my partner on several of the shows," he laughs. "I'm telling you, I've come out [on stage, and] either he didn't know where he was, or he just didn't care. One night, I was in this really kind of cool suit and he talked to me during the monologue. He just went, "Willy, is this Armani?" — during the show!
"And then one year," Crystal goes on, "I came out and I sat on his lap and had my picture taken. Because one of my relatives didn't think that I actually knew him."
