Nikki Finke is reporting that she “just learned that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has asked James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host the Academy Awards, and it ‘looks like’ both young stars have accepted the offer.

“There is always the chance that one or both of them might back out because of prior commitments and other concerns,” Finke adds, “But my sources say the host announcement could be made as soon as this week.”

Excuse me and due respect, but this is close to ridiculous. These guys would be great for hosting the MTV Awards, maybe, but they’re not skilled or funny or pizazzy enough to handle the Oscars. What are the producers thinking? Ratings, I know, but every good Oscar host needs a little Lenny Bruce running through his/her veins, and Franco and Hathaway, trust me, do not have that quality — it’s not in them.

Franco and Hathaway are cool and gifted and sensitive, certainly, but they don’t have that command-of-the-spotlight, look-at-me and then fucking-listen-to-me quality. This is the worst Oscar hosting idea since…when?