Posted on 03/25/2022 4:48:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Former head writer Bruce Vilanch on what we're about to witness — and some seriously fun A-list dish along the way
Bruce Vilanch is a legendary Emmy-winning comedy writer, songwriter and actor in Hollywood. He was also a writer for 24 years on the Academy Awards broadcast, spending 14 of those years (2000-2014) as the show’s head writer. Vilanch collaborated with hosts including Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, David Letterman, Steve Martin and, of course, James Franco and Anne Hathaway. In this episode of the Ankler Hot Seat podcast, a special bonus edition for Oscar week, Vilanch, who will be watching the Oscars with friends in New York City, joins hosts Janice Min and Richard Rushfield and reveals some of the secrets behind past broadcasts and his thoughts on the challenges of this year’s 94th Academy Awards.
Some highlights:
On the overall vibe this year: “The basic landscape is a minefield…comedy generally is where you come out and you don't know who you're going to piss off with anything that you say…the second nervousness will be about proving to the membership, the Academy proving to the membership that this idea (of removing eight below the line awards from the broadcast) works.”
On what went wrong last year: “It had no famous people in the first half-hour. They had Regina King, who came on and immediately went political. So right away people began tuning out because their worst fear had been realized. It was a bunch of political Hollywood types telling you things you know. Her first joke was a BLM joke, and that was it. In the first half-hour, they have, I think, Laura Dern and maybe one other famous person, rather than opening with one of the supporting actor categories, which is what we've always done, because it puts a personality on camera…Soderbergh's idea was to have Aaron Sorkin talk about what it was like to sell popcorn in the theater in Evanston, Illinois. No one gives a XXXX about I mean, this is a rookie mistake.”
On making Putin jokes: “A lot of people are dead. So I don't know that you can really joke about Putin. I mean, there might be some oblique jokes.”
On COVID jokes: “There’s a tension in the air because of all these super-spreader events…like BAFTA…I wrote the PGA Award show, and we started out with Ciarán Haines, Jamie Dornan and Kenneth Branagh and the kid and everybody wound up sick. Jamie Dornan ended up doing the presentation.”
On the disastrous James Franco-Anne Hathaway year: “Franco was kind of off the wall and he was out of his comfort zone. He was scared. He didn't trust the writers. He asked Judd Apatow to come in and do it, and Judd sent four of his young intern writers and the week before the show, everything was tossed out because nothing was very good….we assumed that two songs from Burlesque would be nominated and that Cher would do one song and Christina Aguilera would do the other. But and as a result, Franco really wanted to do Cher. He does a Cher impression, and he just wanted to get into the whole Cher drag and do it. But then they weren't nominated, the songs were not performed, but he was caught up in the idea of drag. So we finally had him come out as Marilyn Monroe after what was one of the biggest laughs of that particular show.”
The “dirty secret” of why the show is so long: “The dirty little secret is [ABC] doesn't really mind that because it gives them more commercial time to sell. And that's where the money is. And by the way, that's where the licensing fee goes up for the Academy. So the Academy doesn't really mind that the show is as long as it is this year. [But] because of last year they were read a riot act about it's got to come in short, and also I think because they were getting some sponsor…pushback.”
Being Oscar producer: “You cannot win.”
On “woke: culture: “The latest wrinkle is the woke madness…they're so crazed and they're eating their own, you know, they're just eating their young and nuts. It's just nuts.”
Why no one wants to host the Oscars: “If you’re big enough to be considered to host, you don’t need it”
Ratings prediction: “I mean, it certainly will be the the second-lowest broadcast ever.”
i skimmed a story about how if your film isnt woke enough with the right kinds of actors that in the future you cant get an Oscar
I’d rather stick a fork in my eye than watch that dreck.
I haven’t watched it since that actress made out with her brother.
Although I might just watch if they hand Arec Barwin a gun onstage . . .
The only Oscar I know of are the weiners.
Bruce Vilanch runs in my (former) small circle of Hollywood live event comedy writers, back when I was in the business. Continuing to hire this self absorbed, nasty jurassic slob - 30 years after his prime - exemplifies the lack of talent that exists in that tired town.
Here's hoping there's no genetic component to creativity.
Bet you never thought you’d see the day he was on the “conservative side” of Hollywood.
No more Italian mobster movies..Goodbye Godfather
The last time I remember sort of watching the Oscars was sometime in the 1990s. Gwyneth Paltrow won best actress, and I remember her pink gown and that she cried while making her acceptance speech. I can’t recall ever watching the show after that, although the live broadcast Oscar threads here on FR have been entertaining.
That dude is one disgusting ogre. I mean literally one of the most heinous people ever birthed.
Yeah, I think it really underscores his old school "Carson era", middle of the road political sensibilities per comedy writing. I haven't been in his orb for over 8 years, but I noticed he got much more grouchy in his "old age"... probably too tired to go wokey.
Pay no attention to the fat homo. Follow 91 year old Rita Moreno and go political from the get go. Add a few F Trumps for old times sake eh.
Isn’t this the one where that skank Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes host? That’s the minefield, IMO.
Well whatever - won’t be watching (again).
Was that the dress that made her chest look pathetic and sad? I mean more so than usual.
What that show needs is some streakers, like the year David Niven hosted.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.