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In 2023, Jimmy Kimmel will again serve as the 95th Oscars host, marking his third stint. He had yet to do it in the previous five years.
The Academy picked Kimmel as the show’s host to revive the show’s popularity. In addition, the Academy selected Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer as its lead presenters for 2022. The three years preceding that, from 2019 to 2021, saw no recognized host.
The Oscars and the show’s producers, Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, announced Kimmel’s comeback on Monday.
The “Jimmy Kimmel Live” host was responsible for the 2017 and 2018 performances. He committed the infamous error of awarding “La La Land” and “Moonlight” the best picture in 2017. Conrad Nagel, Steve Martin, David Niven, who has appeared on the program three times, and Jimmy Kimmel will now be seated next to each other.
The only people to have hosted over four times are Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Lemmon, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, and Bob Hope (11).
Kimmel’s return to the Oscars and the extension of his agreement with ABC for at least another three years go hand in hand. The new contract will keep him working for “Jimmy Kimmel Live” into its 23rd season. His prior contract with the network was set to end the following year.
It has never been confirmed who else may have been asked to perform at the Oscars until now. However, there were speculations that the producers invited Chris Rock, a former host who Will Smith smacked during last year’s performance and went on to win the best actor.
Oscars will recapture its former glory
The Oscars are attempting to revert to their 50 million viewer days. Therefore, they consider choosing Kimmel, a well-known personality who has done a great job presenting both the Oscars and the Emmys.
The 2020 Primetime Emmys served as Kimmel’s most recent significant awards ceremony. The edition held in a largely empty Staples Center amid a pandemic, which made this uncommon.
The Academy Awards have been scrambling to find a solution to make up for the poor viewership in 2021 and 2022. Only 10.4 million people watched TV in 2021, a record-low level. The following year was better, as only 15.4 million people watched live. On the other hand, the second time Kimmel hosted in 2018, attracted 26.6 million viewers.
The 2022 Oscars were presented by Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer. 16.6 million people watched on average, breaking the previous year’s record low. However, it was still one of the least-watched Oscars in history. The average viewership for Kimmel’s Oscars in 2018 was 26.5 million.
The Academy is making all effort
The Academy’s administrators are still considering how to “enliven” the live broadcast. Included the unpopular choice to cut the event in 2022 by ceasing to present “craft” honors live. The event organizers also appear to be moving toward implementing a “red carpet” similar to the Met Gala.
With nominees including “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The Academy has also nominated A-list artists like Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift for best original song. One of the Academy’s most well-liked nomination lists ever may be present. This might result in a significant increase in Oscars viewers.
Members will vote on the list of movies for this year from January 12 to January 17. Then, on January 24, the Academy will announce the formal nominations.
The Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood will host the 95th Academy Awards on March 12, 2023. More than 200 nations will watch the event on ABC around the world.
