The 2022 Academy Awards ceremony was the first in four years to have an official host, and the Academy tripled the funny by enlisting Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes to share the gig.
In their joint opening monologue after Beyoncé’s remote performance of “Be Alive” from King Richard, the comedians landed laughs about everything from the Best Picture nominees to the scandal-ridden Golden Globes.
“I watched that movie three times, and I’m halfway through it,” Sykes deadpanned about 12-time nominee The Power of the Dog, before Schumer hilariously murdered that other awards show with, “Know what’s in the In Memoriam package this year? The Golden Globes.”
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Sykes also couldn’t resist a barbed shout-out to Florida amid the state’s ongoing efforts to pass the discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “For those of you in Florida, we’re going to have a gay night,” she announced, leading her co-hosts to chant “Gay! Gay! Gay!”
“And I’m representing unbearable white women who call the cops when you get a little too loud.” @amyschumer #Oscars Okay that was excellent. pic.twitter.com/aRm9kALHgg
— Reshma Gopaldas (@reshingbull) March 28, 2022
Later in the show, the Inside Amy Schumer alum turned an introductory package into a veritable solo stand-up set. “Don’t Look Up is nominated, yes! Yep, I guess the Academy members don’t look up reviews!” she quipped, before taking hilarious aim at one of the movie’s stars. “Leonardo DiCaprio, what can I even say about him? He’s done so much to fight climate change and leave behind a cleaner, greener planet for his girlfriends.”
Amy Schumer’s roast of Leo and “Don’t Look Up” 😬😂 #AcademyAwards #Oscars pic.twitter.com/ds3XtM3NCT
— Sure. No problem. (@OneGrumpyElf) March 28, 2022
Then it was Hall’s turn to ratchet up the, ahem, physical comedy when she announced that a few COVID tests had been lost. She announced that heartthrobs Bradley Cooper, Timotheé Chalamet, Tyler Perry, Simu Liuto, and Jacob Elordi needed to join her backstage for a strip search before also initiating an impromptu “COVID pat-down” on presenter Josh Brolin.
Regina Hall, a woman with TASTE. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/11Pjoq3Ldc
Advertisement— E! News (@enews) March 28, 2022
Sykes starred in one of the evening’s pre-recorded skits to promote the newly-opened Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. In the clip, the proud $15 membership tier donor got a private tour of the museum, mistaking Judy Garland’s famous ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz for the “kinky kitten heels” worn by Billy Porter in Broadway’s Kinky Boots, and joking about Harvey Weinstein’s resemblance to one of the orcs in The Lord of the Rings.
“Hey, Harvey Weinstein!” —Wanda Sykes at the Academy Museum pic.twitter.com/TLwWy2z62h
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) March 28, 2022