ScottFeinberg.com

By Carson Blackwelder
Television Contributor

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This Sunday, late-night anchor Jimmy Kimmel will step into the Emmy spotlight at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Making his Emmy host debut, Kimmel will move from the audience to the stage, as his ABC show Jimmy Kimmel Live! has won three Emmys and is nominated this year for Outstanding Variety Series.

Aside from his late-night series, Kimmel is most known being the  funny co-host of Comedy Central’s The Man Show with Adam Carolla from 1999 to 2003. In April, he hosted the prestigious White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Kimmel is joining the ranks of some of the most popular (and unpopular) hosts in Emmy history. Some of the more revered hosts include Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (1952), Johnny Carson (1971-74) and Neil Patrick Harris (2009). But let’s get real: As long as it’s better than the reality show hosts in 2008, featuring Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest, then it will be a hit. The last time ABC hosted the Emmys was in 2008, and it was terrible. Since then, Harris emceed for CBS, Jimmy Fallon hosted for NBC in 2010 and Jane Lynch led the ceremony  for Fox in 2011 — I’m positive Kimmel can live up to the last few years of hosts.

The show will air live from the Nokia Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, and it’s sure to be a jazzy show. With Kimmel as a host, here are five things to look out for:

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By Rachel Bennett
Television Editor & Columnist

Although the Academy Awards are still more than six months away, we’re about to find out our first winner – in the race for Oscar host. And, from what I can gather, the run-up to this selection has been as bizarre as any real awards season, if not more so.

The current controversy

Last week, Jimmy Fallon, the emcee of NBC’s late-night talk show, was approached to host the 85th Academy Awards, but he passed, telling the Today show, “No, I’m not doing the Oscars. It’s an honor to be asked, but it’s not my year.”

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Last night, thanks to a very kind gesture on the part of my editor, I was able to realize a lifelong dream and sit in the audience at the Academy Awards. I covered the Oscars from the backstage press room three years ago, which was a thrill in and of itself, but, as someone who has spent a huge chunk of my life researching, writing, and talking about the Oscars, you can imagine how much more excited I was to have the chance to watch the ceremony unfold with my own two eyes. And, I’m pleased to report, the experience did not disappoint.

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By Sean O’Connell

Tuesday of Oscar week, and it feels like we’re treading water until the main event. This is the part, right before the party, where you’ve done what you can to set everything up, and now you’re killing time as you wait for the guests to arrive.

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The 31st annual Oscar nominees luncheon took place this afternoon in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton. Hosted by the Academy’s Board of Governors, the event drew an impressive 150 of this year’s 188 nominees — including A-listers like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Meryl Streep — all of whom were assigned seats at one of 47 tables alongside nominees from categories other than their own, as well as a few journalists, including yours truly.

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By Sean O’Connell

Nominations for the 84th Academy Awards were revealed this morning, with nine films making it into the fluid Best Picture race.

Jennifer Lawrence and Academy President Tom Sherak revealed that “The Artist,” “The Descendants,” “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” “The Help,” “Hugo,” “Midnight In Paris,” “Moneyball,” “The Tree of Life” and “War Horse” will compete for Oscar’s top prize when Billy Crystal hosts this year’s ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

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By Sean O’Connell

And then there were nine.

That’s how many films will compete for the Best Picture Oscar at the 84th Academy Awards. “Winter’s Bone” Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence and Academy President Tom Sherak announced the nominees this morning, bringing to a close the lengthy first leg of the Oscar marathon (while simultaneously setting up Phase Two for the lucky nominees).

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By Sean O’Connell

It all (officially) begins with a Web site.

Oscar.com, the official online home of the 84th Academy Awards, launched its award-winning Oscar Digital Experience today with a first look at Billy Crystal’s return to Oscar’s stage. Now that the site’s up and running, it also features an interactive timeline and Oscar’s official Blog, which will feature daily content including red carpet fashion trends from stylists and tips from master chefs and lifestyle experts on hosting the best Oscar viewing party.

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By Josh Abraham

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has produced its trailer for the 84th Academy Awards in conjunction with Funny Or Die. The trailer features host Billy Crystal and celebrity cameo appearances by Robin Williams, Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox, William Fichtner and Vinnie Jones.

By Sean O’Connell

One choice borders on predictability. The other comes out of left field (though that doesn’t make it any less effective).

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