What Ever Happened to Class?

Really, ABC, Really?

Last night the 83rd Annual Academy Awards aired on ABC. I watched it from beginning to end. I always do, even the years when I haven't seen any of the movies that are nominated. It's Hollywood's big night, and we, by the magic of television, get to attend the party. It's a fancy party! Everyone's dressed to the nines, and it's all very glamorous and elegant, and until last night, most years I have seen it, it had class. Enter ABC's "brilliant" idea to make the Oscars younger and hipper by picking two young actor's to host, Anne Hathaway, the Princess of Princess Diaries and James Franco, friend to Peter Parker/enemy of Spiderman. I should have known it would be a disaster the way ABC kept hyping both of them as the hosts of the telecast as soon as they were announced with cutesy little commercials of their witty repartee and adorable banter. However they fell painfully short during the live telecast as they were neither witty or adorable. James Franco was in one word, BORING! He never changed his expression, and he wasn't even that great to look at. The faded gray tuxedo they had him in about midway looked dirty. Maybe he was searching in the dusty archives for some personality from one of his Oscar host predecessors. Anne Hathaway looked beautiful. I will give her that, but as boring as James Franco was, she was way over the top acting like a giddy, starstruck schoolgirl. She would introduce a star, and then yell, "WHOO HOO!" like she was at some High School pep rally. After she introduced Steven Spielberg to present the "Best Picture" Oscar and yelled "Whoo Hoo," I half expected her to run over an high-five him. The lowest point of the evening was when they sent James Franco out in drag as Marilyn Monroe in her famous pink "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" ensemble. At this point I felt like I was watching a bad variety show that goes for cheap laughs. I still watched it because it's the Oscars, and I wanted to see who wins, but I was embarrassed for how incredibly bad it was. What ever happened to class, decorum, elegance? Whoever was in charge of last night's fiasco lost sight of all of those. I pray they find their way back before next year's telecast or we may hear the announcer saying, "Please welcome your hosts for the 84th Annual Academy Awards, Snooki and the cast of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey"