NEWSAcademy Awards Host Billy Crystal: "I Take It Really Seriously"
Feb. 23 2012, Published 7:45 a.m. ET
Billy Crystal is feeling a little pressure as the upcoming host of Sunday's Academy Awards. After last year's hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco were widely criticized, Billy knows he needs to do a good job.
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"It's really important that the show be good, and I take it really seriously," Billy tells Entertainment Weekly.
"There's a big responsibility to the job — I think more so this year because people were not happy last year," he adds. "I've got to deliver."
So, what will Billy do differently from Anne and James? Well, he wasn't happy watching last year when Melissa Leo dropped the F-bomb during her acceptance speech and Anne and James didn't react to it.
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"They didn't say a word!" he exclaims. "That's when I knew maybe I should come back. It's fun to be out there when moments like that happen."
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He won't, however, be like Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes.
"That whole concept of 'I want to really go after people' — I don't understand that," he says. "Is it a roast or is it an awards show?"
Do you think Billy will be able to find the perfect balance this Sunday?
