Billy Crystal Won't Host Oscars

NEW YORK (AP) â€” It would be mahvelous, but Billy Crystal says he can't serve as host for the Academy Awards show in March because he's too busy. <br><br>``I can't do it, you have to understand,''

Wednesday, December 6th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) â€” It would be mahvelous, but Billy Crystal says he can't serve as host for the Academy Awards show in March because he's too busy.

``I can't do it, you have to understand,'' he told Fox News this week. ``If everything goes according to plan, I'll just be finishing a new movie on March 22.''

The 73rd annual Academy Awards ceremony is March 25.

The report Tuesday said Crystal, who has acted as host for the highly rated awards show seven times and is known for his funny sendups of the Best Picture nominees, is working on the comedy ``America's Sweethearts'' with Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

``He said no many months ago. It wasn't a surprise to us that he said it again. None of us expected Billy to do it again,'' said John Pavlik, spokesman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The next Oscars host hasn't been selected, he said. Award nominations are announced Feb. 13.

Another frequent host, Whoopi Goldberg, hasn't been contacted about taking the job, a spokesman said Wednesday. ``It's not fair to speculate whether she would or not,'' Brad Cafarelli said.

Goldberg had previously indicated she wouldn't do the Oscars again.

``They need someone associated with the movies,'' Crystal said. ``It should be Jim Carrey.''

Crystal said if Carrey isn't available, Jay Leno or David Letterman would be good emcees.

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On the Net:

Academy: http://www.oscars.org