Oscars First Reshearsal: Billy Crystal Gets The Jokes Rolling

As the world gears up for this weekend's Oscars ceremony, the stand-in host Billy Crystal has already started on the gags. The City Slickers star took to his Twitter page yesterday (February 22, 2012) and posted a message that read "First rehearsal: They said keep it 'fresh and new.' This from an industry that just brought us Fast & Furious 5 and Harry Potter 7, part 2."

There have certainly been more controversial awards-based jokes in the past but it seems to suggest that Billy Crystal might be following the same path as the much-talked about hosting job that Ricky Gervais took on for the Golden Globes this year. Despite offending a number of guests and viewers of the Golden Globes ceremony in 2011, Gervais was called back to do it all over again this year. And shortly before the ceremony took place, he also used his Twitter page to provide his own comic warm-up act, picturing himself outside a plastic surgery centre, with the message "Some last minute preparation so I don't look out of place at The Golden Globes." And today, Crystal posted another joke saying "Great news! Hosting Oscars counts five hours toward my community service!" possibly a joke aimed at the likes of Lindsay Lohan, who recently attended her penultimate probationary court hearing yesterday.

Billy Crystal was invited to return to host the Oscars after an eight year gap this year, after Eddie Murphy pulled out of the gig, Murphy had originally been scheduled to host the awards, with his friend Brett Ratner as director. However, Ratner was forced to resign from the position, after he was caught making homophobic comments. Murphy soon followed suit. The Oscars ceremony is the highlight of the movie industry's calendar and the success of the event can often hang of the success of the host. Billy Crystal has been out of the limelight for a good few years, but the eyes of the world will be on him this Sunday night (February 26, 2012)