Why The Academy should go with the no-host option for this year's Oscars

Deadline

The last host-free Oscars, in 1989, was a disaster. But previous host-less Oscars -- in 1969, 1970 and 1971 -- "were actually pretty good," says Michael Cieply. They were "short, entertaining, and widely viewed. You could do worse," he says. "This year, eliminating the host would clean up a multitude of problems, all at once," says Cieply. "For starters, the painful search for a trouble-free emcee could be over as early as this evening, if the Academy’s Board of Governors were to sign on during their regularly scheduled gathering. No intrusive vetting. No preemptive apologies. No diversity debate. No one tagged as an unfortunate stop-gap. No host... Losing the host will do much to reduce the show’s political volatility, and might open the door to viewers who have been fleeing the barbed politics of past awards broadcasts in droves." ALSO: Public figures should learn from Kevin Hart's mistake: "Own up, and own up early."