Bad news for Ricky Gervais.
Billy Crystal, who kind of replaced Eddie Murphy as star of "Saturday Night Live" in the early 1980s, has replaced Murphy as next year's Oscar host.
This will be the ninth time hosting the Oscars for Crystal. He first hosted in 1989 and last hosted in 2003.
“Tower Heist” director Brett Ratner recruited Eddie Murphy to host the Oscars. Then Ratner quit the Oscars. And now Murphy will not host. Said Murphy:
"First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party's decision with regard to a change of producers for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job."
One wonders if the academy got a look at this:
