hosted the 77th Academy Awards|alt=Photo of Chris Rock attending the premiere of the 2012 film
What to Expect When Your Expecting. Opting for a younger face in an attempt to increase viewership, while renewing interest with the nominated films, producer
Gil Cates selected actor and comedian
Chris Rock to host the 2005 ceremony. By virtue of his selection, Rock became the first
African American man to solo host the gala. Nearly a month before the ceremony Rock told Josh Wolk of
Entertainment Weekly, "Come on, it's a fashion show. No one performs; it's not like a music show. What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one." Political blogger
Matt Drudge later reported that several anonymous AMPAS members wanted Rock fired from his hosting job as a result of the comments. Nevertheless, producer Cates issued a statement defending the host saying, "Chris' comments are meant to be humorous digs at a show that some people, obviously including Chris himself, think may be a bit too stuffy." Furthermore, Wolk dismissed any controversy regarding Rock's comments and that Drudge exaggerated the host's comments.
GLAAD Executive Director Joan Garry also issue a statement in light of the controversy stating, "Chris Rock isn't making fun of gays – he's poking fun at the Oscars." Rock appeared on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the Monday before the ceremony to clarify his comments. When
Leno asked about the statement, Rock replied "I did not say that. I said only gay people watch the
Tonys." However, he reiterated, "I really don't know any straight men who aren't in show business that have ever watched the Oscars." Notable changes were made to give the ceremony a sleek, interactive look while shortening the length of the ceremony. Cates announced that in certain categories, all five nominees would be up onstage prior to the announcement of the award. In other instances, the actor or actress would present the award in the audience. In addition, production designer Roy Christopher designed a technologically ambitious stage for the telecast that both saluted the past while look toward the future. The set prominently featured 26
high-definition video monitors floating over the first twelve rows of the audience and a 40-foot
LED screen situated beneath a layer of plexiglass on the stage floor. Both screens were used display images of previous Oscar appearances as presenters took the stage or random film clips during several commercial breaks. A gold rod featuring 23 different life-sized Oscar statuettes spiraling upward was placed at center stage. Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Film composer and musician
Bill Conti served as musical director of the ceremony. AMPAS graphics designer Brett Davidson designed the official ceremony poster consisting of a profile of the Oscar statuette in front of four neon-colored squares. Freelance producer Cochise and media firm Dig and Media Island released a trailer shown in movie theaters nationwide promoting the ceremony featuring clips from past Oscar ceremonies against the four squares backdrop in the aforementioned poster. The trailer featured the song "
Hey Mama" by
The Black Eyed Peas. Two-time Oscar-winning actor
Dustin Hoffman narrated the opening montage highlighting the evolution of the movies.
Box office performance of nominated films When the nominations were announced on January 25, the field of Best Picture nominees did not include a bona fide blockbuster at the U.S.
box office. It was the first time since 1986 that none of the five films in that category were among the top ten releases in box office prior to the nominations announcement. Furthermore, before the ceremony, all five films sold the lowest cumulative number of tickets sold since 1984.
Ray was the highest-grossing film among the Best Picture nominees with $73 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by
The Aviator ($58.4 million),
Finding Neverland ($32.7 million),
Sideways ($32.4 million), and finally
Million Dollar Baby ($8.4 million). The combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees when the Oscars were announced was $205 million with an average gross of $41.3 million per film. The other top 50 box office hits that earned the nominations were
Spider-Man 2 (2nd),
The Passion of the Christ (3rd),
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (5th),
The Polar Express (10th),
I, Robot (12th),
Troy (13th), ''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
(18th), and The Village
(20th). Over a year later, Law expressed his anger toward Rock in The New York Times'' telling columnist Craig Modderno, "At first I laughed because I didn't think he knew who I was. Then I got angry as his remarks became personal. My friends were livid. It's unfortunate I had five or six films come out at the same time."
Scrapped Robin Williams song Robin Williams initially wanted to sing a humorous song written by
Marc Shaiman and
Scott Wittman during the presentation of the Best Animated Feature award satirizing the controversy regarding
Focus on the Family and a music video sponsored by
We Are Family Foundation featuring animated characters such as
SpongeBob SquarePants singing the song "
We Are Family". The song contained lyrics such as "
Pinocchio's had his nose done!
Sleeping Beauty is popping pills!/ The
Three Little Pigs ain't kosher!
Betty Boop works Beverly Hills!" However, Cates and ABC officials deemed the song overly vulgar and offensive for the telecast and was dropped altogether after writers Shaiman and Wittman had trouble rewriting more appropriate lyrics. Williams eventually presented the Best Animated Feature award as scheduled, but silently mocked the debacle by entering the stage with duct tape over his mouth before speaking.
Critical reviews The show received a mixed reception from media publications. Some media outlets were more critical of the show and Rock's performance as host.
USA Today television critic Robert Bianco wrote, "Loud, snide and dismissive, he wasn't just a disappointment; he ranks up there with the worst hosts ever." He also called the decision to have several nominees of several technical categories stand on stage embarrassing and disrespectful. Columnist Robert. P. Lawrence of the
San Diego Union Tribune commented, "It was a frustratingly average, three-hour-12-minute exhibition of mutual admiration in the inimitable Hollywood style." He later said that despite Rock's edgy and provocative opening, his humor and energy diminished as the night wore on. Vince Horiuchi of
The Salt Lake Tribune wrote of Rock's performance, "He was bound by stale jokes (none of the winners "tested positive for steroids"), a rigid opening monologue (he didn't even make reference to his prior controversial comments about the Oscars), and tired comedy bits (Rock playing like
Catherine Zeta-Jones with
Adam Sandler)." He also described the cast and production of the ceremony as "moribund" and "clumsy". Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Film critic
Roger Ebert noted that Rock "opened on a high-energy quick-talking note" He also added, "Chris Rock hit a home run with his opening monologue, which was surprisingly pointed, topical, and not shy of controversy." Television critic
Frazier Moore commented that Rock's performance was a "needed pick-me-up, presiding over the broadcast with saucy finesse." He added, "In sum, the broadcast felt brisk, though not rushed. It felt modern and refreshingly free of chronic self-importance." Brian Lowry of
Variety gave an average review of Rock but remarked, "For all the hand-wringing about the awards descending into the muck, the 77th Academy Awards proved a classy affair, with precious little red meat to satiate Hollywood bashers." The show also drew lower
Nielsen ratings compared to the two previous ceremonies with 25.4 of households watching over a 38 share. It also drew a lower 18–49 demo rating with a 15.1 rating over a 34 share among viewers in that demographic. =="In Memoriam"==