We have never watched awards shows for the right reasons: Since winners (and even nominees) are often predictably disappointing, it was always the red carpet we’ve looked forward to most. But in the past several years, stars and their stylists have killed even that guilty pleasure, avoiding the wrath of Joan Rivers and the Fug Girls by slipping into a variation of the same red or purple or green mermaid gown.
Thankfully, there’s a whole new reason to watch awards shows: The hosts.
This year, we were less excited about the Academy Awards’ Avatar vs. Hurt Locker showdown than Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin’s dual hosting gig (although we do wish they had created more memorable moments). We were overjoyed to hear that Aziz Ansari would be making our MTV Movie Awards viewing experience that much less painful. We’re also looking forward to seeing Ricky Gervais helm next year’s Golden Globes, even if the announcement came ridiculously early. And today, we’ve officially committed to watching August’s Primetime Emmy Awards, now that NBC has announced Jimmy Fallon will host.
As with Fallon’s show, it’s not so much the monologues we’ll look forward to. But we’re hopeful he and his writers will find a way to remake the stale Emmy formula… perhaps with an ’80s TV show reunion or timely Neil Young impersonation. And dare we dream that the Roots will follow him to primetime? Whatever happens, we’re just glad the network that screwed Conan isn’t continuing to rub our faces in it by forcing us to look at Jay Leno, whose show we are boycotting.