Speaking of rehearsed, can we talk hosts and presenters for a moment?

Without a doubt, Ben Stiller gets the Oscar for best presentation.  Irreverent, topical, wry, confident—and the best use of presentation costume since Whoopi as Queen Elizabeth. As much as I love heir-apparent Neil Patrick Harris jammed into a cruise-ship after-dinner show, it would be great to finally see a host who is simultaneously young (sorry, Steve and Alec); edgy (not Hugh Jackman); AND able to withstand choking under pressure (not Jon Stewart).

As for Steve and Alec, they were medium-funny. But the Road-movie allusions in their opening reel vastly oversold their comedic power as a twosome. I laughed harder at the short-film director Nicholas Schmerkin’s quip that he hopes to “be back with a feature-length film in 36 years” than I did at the Paranormal Activity spoof—roundly considered a highlight of their act.

Bring on Ben!  Who’s with me?