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"Some people nervous on the front row all of a sudden ??" - he teased..." I feel like a little sex in the city" ( that let off Nicole, who was seated with sister Antonia and Deb)

I think Oscar hosting is difficult in the sense that it is really quite a dull program and one needs to make it very exciting. It also does not help that the large TV audience may not necessarily appreciate the few musical numbers accompanying the nominated songs or even just a lavish opening musical number ( I hope Baz is aware that the worst reception ever was for that lavish musical spectacle with Snow White and Rob Lowe and a cast of plenty some years back - they are still talking about how horrid and dull it was!)... It is also a static audience - no interaction with the host, unless one gets up the stage to make an acceptance speech. So the audience picks up the rather flat atmosphere of the show and sometimes many ( moi, included) try to derive excitement looking at what the actresses/actors are wearing when moving down to the podium or going up the stage... or how they might flub their lines ...or how the winners occasionally lose their poise

But Tony hosting, especially if one has to perform ( at least in the opening number) is more difficult, performance-wise, because many of the actors/actresses seated on the ground floor at RCMH are triple -threat talents themselves! You'd better be able to sing with a legit Broadway voice and dance like Bob Fosse! Plus deliver the Bruce Villanch ( also the Oscar gag writer in the past) lines with the finesse of a stand-up comedian ( many actors seated on the ground floor are skilled in comedy - one of the funniest actors I have seen is Denis O'Hare - funnier than the best movie comic, as far as I am concerned). But what makes it easy for someone with a theatre background is his experience performing in front of a live audience ( especially a Broadway audience)! And if you are used to breaking the fourth wall - it's somewhat easy picking.

Btw, Billy Crystal is often dubbed as the best Oscar host ever. In 2005, he was in a very successful one-man show on Broadway. Hugh was supposed to be hosting the evening ceremonies for the season's ending TONYs night...but when the program opened, the stage showed Billy Crystal being raised from below to stage level. So, he took over and was running some great gags...until he received a phone call from the neglected official MC...Enters Hugh and they do a protracted funny banter...Billy was tops but Hugh held his own! In that same night, Hugh sang the Bernstein/Sondheim song "Somewhere" with Aretha Franklin ( who was the only singer to sing at the recent presidential inauguration in the USA) - so he really can deliver some seemingly impossible tasks!

It looks like the issue of a new kind of Oscar host and the kind of change in the program is generating as strong a buzz as the nominees themselves, for the first time in many years. But it won't be easy sailing for Hugh! ... And there he was seen with son Oscar walking from a game of football ( soccer) at the park after returning from Vancouver... instead of perhaps being heavily involved in the preparations - how cool he seems to be

I did get very excited there

Okay --

The 2004 TONYs Opening Number - called ONE NIGHT ONLY ( based on a song from DREAMGIRLS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX2iwXDoHAw

Performing a number from TBFO ( which was a nominee for Best Musical), including the stage number with Sarah Jessica Parker ( Nicole is seated in front wearing glasses) - 2004

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POmD7Ovje2Y

Opening Number for host HJ - 2005 ( Note: This medley, conceived by famed choreographer Kathleen Marshall and famed director George Wolfe, was first performed by Hugh in a one-man concert at the opening of WynnLasVegas.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...2yJY8&feature=related

Hugh sings with Aretha Franklin - 2005 TONYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7fpScfGypo