ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY - OSCARS CO-PRODUCER DEFENDS DECISION TO BRING IN TWO HOSTS

OSCARS CO-PRODUCER DEFENDS DECISION TO BRING IN TWO HOSTS

Adam Shankman maintains that he was not brought in to co-produce next year's Academy Award show because of any desire by the motion picture academy to expand or enhance the production numbers. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Shankman acknowledged, "There had been a lot of speculation surrounding the hiring of me as a signal that there might be more of the song/dance. But I don't want musical numbers unless there's an organic fit into the show." He said that when he contacted Steve Martin, who had twice hosted the Oscars, about doing the show again, he told him, "I want the show to feel that we are continuing to build on the Oscars and I'm not trying to make the MTV Movie Awards. I want there to be some level of tradition that is respected by the [Hollywood] community." Shankman added Baldwin, he said, because he "wanted to twist it up, ratchet up the funny. ... It will keep it high entertainment." By presenting two hosts, he said, would lessen the burden on each of them. "Playing them together and separately will, I think, really help in the streamlining of the show."

05/11/2009