Ken Jeong has made it abundantly clear that he wants to host the Academy Awards next year after Kevin Hart, who was previously tabbed to do the emcee duties, was let go.
“In my opinion, if I don’t get the host of the Oscars — like divorce — I would consider myself a failure,” Jeong joked as a guest on The View on Tuesday. “It’s so important to me. I have to do this.”
I’m not sure if Jeong’s quest to host the movie industry’s most prestigious awards show is half in jest or it’s a serious lobbying effort, but it’s certainly earning the comedian/actor a lot of press. As one of stars of the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians, Jeong has been highly visible as the movie continues to receive accolades since its August premiere.
The View’s Whoopi Goldberg endorsed the idea and took Jeong’s dream to The Late Show later that day, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The Late Show host Stephen Colbert asked Goldberg if she had been asked to host the awards show.
“I want Ken to do it,” she said about Jeong. “He would be brilliant. He would also constitute the first Asian American to host the Oscars. It would be a whole series of firsts. And he also loves film, and I think that’s what you need in a host.
“You need somebody who actually gets why films are great and can tell you the ins and outs and the silliness of movies,” she continued.
Variety included Jeong as a possible replacement for Hart along with a list of other celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted the show once before. Jeong’s CRA costar Awkwafina was also on the list.
Striking while the iron was hot, Jeong repeated his quest as a guest on Late Night where he explained to host Seth Meyers why he wanted to pursue what some might consider a long shot.
“I was always taught when you set goals, make sure you keep them very high,” said Jeong. “If I do not become the host of the Oscars, I will consider not only my career, but my life, a failure.
“Any goal that’s out of your control, that doesn’t really make sense whether you do it or not, I want it so bad.”
Meyers asked Jeong if he’s worried that his public appeals to host the Oscars might be seen as desperate. “My whole career is desperate,” Jeong joked. “That is my brand. I came out of the womb as like, ‘Hello!'”
Ken Jeong is also currently getting a lot of attention for his holiday collaboration video with BuzzFeed, which just aired this Wednesday. Jeong explores various American Christmas traditions nationwide:
Hart was dropped as the host of the Oscars after a series of homophobic tweets from his past were dredged up. Now the Academy is even considering having no host at all for the ceremony, according to Esquire.
The 2019 Academy Awards will take place February 24th. Nominations will be announced January 22nd.
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