The Oscar for Worst Ever Hosts of the Oscars Goes to Anne Hathaway and James Franco

The Oscars are over for another year, and in it’s 83rd outing this years ceremony may well be remembered for one reason: the awful hosting.

Anne Hathaway and the Oscar nominated James Franco were given hosting duties this year in a move the Academy pitched as reaching out to a younger generation. If giggling like a school girl and delivering painful and unfunny jokes reaches out to a younger generation, the job was done well.

Neither Hathaway nor Franco looked convincing on stage, with both instead looking uncomfortable and at times downright awkward. The jokes fell flat, with neither seeming to have the ability to deliver a good line.

Both are actors of some repute, but acting on the big screen does not always equate to an ability to present in front of a crowd of the world’s greatest actors. Hosts such as Billy Crystal and Hugh Jackman may have appealed to an older generation, but they took control of the show, delivering both laughs and serious moments around what is (lets face it) a pretty boring lineup of people thanking every man and his dog (and of course the Academy) for their awards. Hathaway just giggled away, dazed like a stunned mullet in the spot light. Franco was so desperate to please that he actually appeared on stage in drag…a fitting visual representation of how boring and bad a host he is.

Awards like the Oscars do need fresh hosting talent from time to time, but choosing age over talent is not the way to do it. Lets hope next year they get it right.