One of the main aspects most of us ignored from the 2022 Oscars were the impressive ratings they got thanks to that Will Smith slap on Chris Rock. Compared to the previous year in which they celebrated the awar ceremony, the Oscars moved up a massive 60% in audience and a whopping 73% in key demo. They captured an impressive 16.6 million viewers.
Although these numbers are nowhere near what they were back in the ’90s or the early ‘2000s, that controversy was a major upgrade for them regardless. As such, ABC president Craig Erwich spoke to the folks at Dealine about an unsurprising possibility for the 2023 award show. Their intent will be to throw as much money as they can to a single host in order to try to capture that lost magic. But there’s a catch.
This is what Erwich said after admitting ABC would be open to Chris Rock hosting nextyear: “My assessment of the Oscars was that it was really a successful year for the show. Obviously there was a lot of controversy, which overshadowed a lot of the positive things about the show, but I was really happy with the program. Even before that very unfortunate moment, the show started off up year over year, and we came back in a big way. It was the biggest bounce back of any award show this season.
“If you look at what they were trying to do, which is really bring entertainment back to the program, they had three amazing hosts, clips, and incredible musical performances, I thought it was a great way for the show to reclaim its place on the mantle. There’s always things to learn and we’ll endeavor to do even better next year.”
ABC Entertainment President Craig Erwich says they are open to having Chris Rock host the 2023 Oscars.
: https://t.co/BzkthWiSBOpic.twitter.com/S5YTu9aqh0
? Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 17, 2022
Should Chris Rock host the 2023 Academy Awards?
Eventhough he would probably already have a special that dedicates exclusively to the slap, Chris Rock has a golden opportunity here. ABC already noticed their only strategy for a revival of this show is if they add a little bit of controversy to the mix. High collars and uptight demeanor doesn’t do it anymore for the audience, they want some scandal in order to watch. What better way to attract all those viewers and then some from this year than to offer the hosting gig to the one man who can continue that train going?
Chris Rock will not only talk about the slap and Will Smith, he will also roast all other celebrities in the room for the right price. Problem is that we have no idea if he’d be open to host this event one more time, especially after the way the Academy treated his good friend Kevin Hart. Should Chris Rock host the Oscars next year?
Erwich, who is President of Entertainment at ABC, told Deadline that despite the Will Smith slap on Chris Rock, he thought it was a “really successful year for the show.” He was also open to the idea of Rock hosting the awards https://t.co/bGfCYTKxPI
? Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 17, 2022
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