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Steve Martin Says the Oscars ‘Don’t Pay’ Hosts: It’s ‘A Lot of Work’ to Lead the Show
Steve Martin has hosted the Oscars three times throughout his career, but fans are hoping that the Only Murders in the Building actor decides to give it a fourth go around. However, he shared a shocking confession about why he is hesitant to front the annual event again.
During a Monday, August 19, interview with the Los Angeles Times, Steve, 79, was asked if he would ever consider hosting the Oscars with longtime friend and collaborator Martin Short. Steve and Martin, 74, have been friends for more than three decades and have appeared in a number of films together, including Three Amigos!, Father of the Bride, The Prince of Egypt and more.
“That represents so much work for us. And we love our summers,” he told the outlet. “When I hosted before, I started working months ahead of time. And now I have a completely different life. I’m not as free. It’s a lot of work and we’re working.”
The duo currently costar in Only Murders in the Building with Selena Gomez and are currently on their Dukes Of Funnytown Tour.
“I have a joke for the Oscars that I never used. But I always think it’s funny,” he shared. “I’ll come out and say, ‘I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, ‘Steve, how did you get to host the Oscars?’ It was easy. I just called my agent and I said, ‘Get me something thankless.’”
The Father of the Bride actor hosted the event in 2001, 2003 and cohosted with Alec Baldwin in 2010.
“I’ve hosted the Oscars three times. The first two times, I was very nervous,” Steve admitted. “But I overcame it because I’m a professional. And then the third time, I hosted with Alec Baldwin and I was not nervous at all. Looking back, I realized, “Oh, I had someone else out there with me.”
Steve went on to say that hosting the Oscars is a lot of work and they “don’t pay.”
“They don’t pay, either. The Golden Globes pay, so they get Tina Fey and Amy [Poehler]. And Ricky Gervais,” the comedian explained. “The Oscars should pay. When you consider the amount of work, it’s at least several months of mental churning.”
The interview came just after Jimmy Kimmel revealed that he turned down the Oscars hosting gig for 2025. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host has fronted the Oscars four times in the past seven years.
“It’s hard and it’s a lot of work and the show suffers a little bit to be honest,” he said, adding, “You wind up pushing everything off till after the Oscars, and then you have to do everything you promised to do after the Oscars, after the Oscars.”
“I’m not good at balancing. I’m really not. It’s not one of my strengths,” Jimmy shared. “I’m all in when it comes to something like the Oscars. I think about it in the morning and at night, and when I have ideas I want to work on them, and then my nightly show seems like a nuisance.”
Jimmy went on to say that the hosting role pays “nothing.”
