CNN
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No person sounded extra excited in regards to the Grammys than host Trevor Noah, whose extremely caffeinated opening monologue included going across the room and marveling on the stars in attendance, incessantly asking, “Are you kidding me?” It was tempting to say, “Dude, you’re the comedian, you’re presupposed to be kidding me.”
But Noah’s relentless positivity is perhaps onto one thing by way of recognizing the connection between the host and a shrinking award-show viewers that doesn’t essentially wish to be advised how uncool they’re for carving out a number of hours to look at.
Via the years, that’s change into a well-liked semi-ironic posture for award-show hosts, from Ricky Gervais’ acerbic, I-don’t-need-this-stinking-job stints on the Golden Globes to Jo Koy’s attempt to approximate a few of that snarkiness in his Globes outing final month, which fell about as flat as a stand-up act can and put Koy on the defensive in its aftermath.
Comics can garner applause and earn road cred for letting some air out of the pomposity of those occasions. If the folks contained in the room don’t snicker or seem uncomfortable, the idea in sure circles is “Hey, they’re privileged celebrities who can’t take a joke, that’s on them.”
The fact, although, is “The way it performs within the room” solely represents a part of the equation, and an equally vital one – definitely to the networks carrying these telecasts – is how the fabric performs to an viewers at house. That’s the place the disconnect in a indifferent, isn’t-this-silly, too-cool-for-school perspective is perhaps probably the most pronounced.
Noah has persistently provided a transparent counterpoint to that in his Grammy appearances, giving the impression of relishing his front-row seat. Anthony Anderson additionally performed the function of unabashed cheerleader and TV fan in internet hosting this yr’s strike-delayed Emmy Awards, which, not essentially due to his efforts, was extensively and rightfully deemed the most effective of these ceremonies in years. (It was additionally the lowest-rated Emmys ever, for varied causes, so the nice tidings didn’t translate into extra viewers, simply extra glad ones.)
None of this invalidates casting a jaundiced eye towards the absurd elements of award exhibits, or the thought of making an attempt to get music, pop or TV stars to snicker at themselves. What has modified is the character of the viewers, as the share of the inhabitants watching award exhibits has dwindled – a dynamic hastened by the pandemic, the streaming age, and an overflowing abundance of choices – forsaking a core constituency that doesn’t should be advised what they’re watching is silly, with the inherent implications of what which may say about them for tuning in. (Rankings for Sunday’s Grammys really elevated 34% from 2023, averaging 16.9 million viewers, in response to CBS.)
Notably, internet hosting award exhibits has change into one of many extra thankless duties in showbiz, a lot in order that the Globes – which admittedly suffered from its personal spotty historical past and previous scandals – basically needed to accept Koy after different comedians declined the gig. The truth that ABC will once more flip to its in-house late-night star, Jimmy Kimmel, to host the Oscars for the fourth time additionally displays that extra novel candidates aren’t salivating on the alternative.
Merely put, award exhibits have moved right into a extra defensive mode, much less about chasing elusive viewers than preserving those they entice.
On a rain-soaked evening in Los Angeles, Noah tried to inject a ray of sunshine into the Grammys, celebrating the music and the celebs. Even when his strategy sometimes felt slightly excessive, it at the very least strengthened why anyone would possibly wish to share in that.
No kidding.