Finally, Billy Crystal says it ‘might be fun’ to host the Oscars again

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Billy Crystal has finally said that he’ll agree to host the Oscars again -- if changes are made.

The academy has been trying to lure the eight-time past emcee back to the job, but he’s resisted. However, he received such a warm reception making a guest appearance to salute another beloved Oscar host, Bob Hope, at the last ceremony that he thinks ‘it might be fun’ to return.

That is, if the academy will consider some overhauls.

‘I think the show needs to change,’ he told the Associated Press. ‘There’s too many awards and it has to sort of freshen itself up, and if I can be a part of that, that would be great.’

His reference to cutting back the number of awards doled out on the show might be the deal-breaker. Many others have tried to get the academy to scale back the 24 categories honored during the ceremony, but failed. It’s probably unrealistic to think that anyone can do that, given the organizational structure of the academy. It’s ruled by a Board of Governors who represent peer groups of enormous power. Whenever cut-backs get discussed, leaders of the crafts branches band together to make sure that none of the less-glamorous categories lose their prominence on the Oscarcast.

-- Tom O’Neil