Why Are Top Comedians Turning Down the Oscars Hosting Gig?
Over 19 million people tuned in for the Oscars award ceremonies this year, giving entertainers great publicity. So why have top comedians and talk show hosts—including Steve Martin, Jimmy Kimmel, and John Mulaney—turned down the 2025 hosting gig?
Each of them has been suggested as hosts for the red-carpet affair but they all publicly rejected the job.
Show Jimmy Kimmel Live! “Suffers a Little Bit”
During the August 12 Politickin’ podcast, Kimmel shared that preparing for the event takes his focus away from his self-titled late-night talk show which airs five times a week. “It’s hard. It’s a lot of work and [Jimmy Kimmel Live!] suffers a little bit to be honest, your nightly show, because when I’m focused on the Oscars, I’m less focused on the show. I just decided I didn’t want to deal with that this year,” he explained.
Kimmel also mentioned that he’s hosted the show multiple times and feels it’s time for a breather. “I did two years, it went well. I did another two years, it went well. I figured I’d take a little break,” he added.
Mulaney: “I Have a Book Signing”
Mulaney was offered the gig after Kimmel but even he refused to RSVP. “This March, I have a book signing at Barnes & Noble at the Grove on one of the Sunday nights, so I won’t be able to attend that night,” he told Variety.
Martin: “I’m Not as Free”
Steve Martin hasn’t formally been offered the role but he proactively told the Los Angeles Times he wouldn’t be returning as host.
“That represents so much work for us. And we love our summers. When I hosted before, I started working months ahead of time. And now I have a completely different life. I’m not as free. It’s a lot of work and we’re working,” Martin said, adding that the organizers don’t pay its hosts.
Oscars Producer Weighs In
Molly McNearney is Kimmel’s wife and the producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the Oscars last March. According to her, it’s a thankless job that carries a lot of risk.
“They’re afraid to host that show because everyone seems ready to criticize it. It’s like everyone’s at home ready to jump in with their opinion on things. It’s a relatively thankless job,” she observed.
Historically, award show hosts have been placed under great scrutiny. Even greats like David Letterman, Alec Baldwin, and Chevy Chase haven’t escaped the notoriety of being a bad Oscars host.
“When people do it really well, you get a little pat on the back. ‘Hey, great work.’ If it doesn’t go well, the host gets blamed for failures in the show or ratings. It takes a strong person to be willing to go out there and take a beating… It’s a risky thing to do. If it doesn’t go well, you can hurt yourself and hurt your name,” McNearney concluded.
