If you can get one really funny comedian to host the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, why not get nine?
That’s just what the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences figured. No doubt hoping the change-up will add a little spice to this year’s lackluster Emmys race, ATAS chairman Bryce Zabel, along with Gail Berman, Fox president of entertainment, and Don Mischer, executive producer of this year’s Emmy telecast, decided the 2003 Emmys should be hosted by a horde of talented comedians, many of whom have previously hosted the Emmys solo: Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Garrett, Darrell Hammond, George Lopez, Conan O’Brien, Garry Shandling, Martin Short, Jon Stewart and Wanda Sykes.
“We’ve searched high and low to find the funniest people in California who are NOT running for governor,” Zabel quipped in a press release.
Said Berman: “Fox is always looking for innovative ways to produce live television and we think that capitalizing on the talents of these fantastic comedians will make the broadcast more spontaneous and entertaining.”
Here’s a rundown of the 2003 host-o-rama.
Ellen DeGeneres
Irrepressible Ellen had the unenviable task of hosting the much-delayed 53rd Annual Emmy Awards after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks but handled things brilliantly. Now perhaps she’ll finish that amusing story about the Montana skyline she never got to finish.
Brad Garrett
Even though Garrett started out doing stand-up comedy, audiences mostly know him as Ray Romano’s jealous older brother on Everybody Loves Raymond. Yet, after the series won the ensemble award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards earlier this year, Garrett showed his comic flair by giving the acceptance speech. He admitted, “This is an exciting time for me because I’m going to be auditioning for the lead in The Sopranos next week,” referring to James Gandolfini’s contractual problems with HBO at the time. Then turning to his co-stars, Garrett nervously asked, “Is [Gandolfini] laughing?…This is why they never let me talk.” Well, he’s about to get his chance.
Darrell Hammond
Impressions, impressions, impressions! This Saturday Night Live regular, whose made a name for himself imitating the likes of former Pres. Bill Clinton and the irascible Sean Connery, should prove himself worthy. By mimicking the nominees and his co-hosts, no doubt.
George Lopez
Lopez spent a two-decade journey in the stand-up club circuit and appeared on some 70 shows, including numerous appearances on The Tonight Show. It may have taken awhile but by now he knows the ropes, and with a hit ABC show The George Lopez Show, he’s a household name.
Conan O’Brien
Maybe not the most bitingly clever Emmys host there ever was, O’Brien nonetheless handled the job admirably last year (no doubt we’ll hear more fantasies about co-host Garry Shandling this year). And with his show Late Night with Conan O’Brien nominated for best variety, music or comedy series for the first time, we expect he’ll strut his stuff a little more.
Garry Shandling
With his way of sending audiences into hysterics just by giving a pointed stare, Shandling’s deadpan humor strikes just the right note for Emmys. He hosted the 2000 show and has made an appearance at the show nearly every year since. Someone has got to get this man another television series, pronto.
Martin Short
We know his over-the-top, overeating, over-superficial, and waaay overweight alter ego Jiminy Glick will show up at any given moment during the program. Let’s see which celebrities he selects to embarrass by forgetting their names or telling them how “wonderful, wonderful” they are without really meaning it.
Jon Stewart
Nobody’s off limits to Stewart, who’s known for skewering politicians and celebrities alike with his biting social and political commentary on the satirical Comedy Central news program The Daily Show. Watch out, Arnold Schwarzenegger!
Wanda Sykes
The ghetto-fabulous Sykes is a one-woman steamroller right now–she not only acts as a correspondent for HBO’s sports show Inside the NFL and does regular stand-up gigs, but also has her own hit Fox show Wanda at Large. You go, girl!
