Neil Patrick Harris Won’t Be Hosting Oscars Again After Harsh Feedback
Published on March 5, 2015.Photo by MediaPunch/REX
In all honesty, Neil Patrick Harris, 41, was looking at an uphill battle all the way when it came to his hosting gig for the 87th Annual Academy Awards on February 22. Not only did he have some big shoes to fill, following a year in which Ellen DeGeneres did a bang-up job but many expected that Harris’ natural on-screen comedy would translate flawlessly to the Oscars stage, which wasn’t necessairly the case.
Some viewers were supportive of his hosting antics but many others were not and while Harris has taken all of the feedback in stride, even joking about it himself on Twitter, he told the Huffington Post on Wednesday March 4 he doesn’t think he’ll be back hosting.
“I don’t know that my family nor my soul could take it. It’s a beast. It was fun to check off the list, but for the amount of time spent and the understandable opinionated response, I don’t know that it’s a delightful balance to do every year or even again.”
He went on to explain that he knew there was no way he was going to keep everyone happy but he did what he could and poured over the lines and jokes well ahead of the show.
“It’s so difficult for one who’s simply watching the show to realize just how much time and concession and compromise and explanation has gone into almost every single thing. Every joke. Wording of joke. Placement of joke. Canceling of joke. Embellishment for just one line. And I’m not saying that to defend everything I said as if it was the absolute best choice, but it’s also an award show, and you’re powering through 14 acts filled with 20 plus awards.”
Even though those at home were not so welcoming of him, he did say those in attendance were, “I was told that as the room fills, with you know it’s four-fifths of the room didn’t win, and you get further into the award giving they get less enthusiastic and less excited. And I felt while we were doing it that people were enjoying themselves more and more, so for that I’m happy.”
Also Check Out: 7 Best Oscar Hosts Of All Time
