Actor and comedian Billy Crystal announced via Twitter that he is taking over the hosting duties for the 2012 Oscars.The move comes a day after Eddy Murphy quit as host of the 84th Academy Awards. Murphy left a day after show producer Brett Ratner stepped down after using a homophobic slur while promoting Tower Heist, which also stars Murphy.
“Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions,” Crystal says in his tweet. “Looking forward to the show.”
The Twitterverse was quick to pounce on Murphy’s departure with suggestions of its own for a replacement host. In fact, “Billy Crystal” started trending not long after Murphy announced his departure. It seems the fans will be getting what they asked for.
This will be Crystal’s ninth time hosting the Academy Awards. He last hosted the popular awards show in 2004.
Check out some of the Twitter reactions to Murphy’s departure in the gallery below. Clearly Billy Crystal didn’t listen to Jason Kaplan’s suggestion.
