Eddie Murphy Promises He’ll Show Up to Host the Oscars

Will Leitch
·Editor

There's still a little part of us that thinks Eddie Murphy isn't really going to host the Oscars. Oh, sure, he'll do the rehearsals, and show up for the advertising, and he'll put on the tux. But this is Eddie Murphy, a guy who doesn't even like to leave his home. It is not outside the realm of possibility that, at the last minute, he just hides in one of his mansion's four panic rooms and refuses to come out. Or he sends Charlie Murphy in his place. (Which would be fine, actually.)

For now, though, Murphy says he'll be there. He had a press conference yesterday to confirm it, and vows, unlike the one Oscars he was nominated at, he'll stay to the end this time.

"I'm looking forward to doing it and I promise I'll stay there all night," Murphy cracked. "I don't really get nervous. "Oscars is a fun thing to do. I don't feel the pressure. I get to introduce people and stand up straight. Maybe I'll be in a couple silly sketches or something."

HitFix also helpfully reminds us that this is the first time Eddie Murphy has hosted an awards show since ... the 1985 Video Music Awards. We remember watching this, at the age of nine, though our mom made us leave the room when Eddie sneaked into the bathroom live, in the middle of the show. Oh, and check out this sweater:

"I don't know what to say? Hi!"

Also: He was so, so young. He was 24 when that was filmed. 24! Also, we LOVE that he shakes hands with Corey Hart ... who of course obligingly takes his sunglasses off.

Eddie Murphy jokes he won't leave the Oscars early this time [HitFix]