Crystal turned down Oscars role

Comedian Billy Crystal has revealed he turned down the job of presenting this year’s Oscars, despite being begged to take it by producers.

He told the Los Angeles Daily News he passed on the job that went to satirist Jon Stewart because he wanted to focus on his one-man stage show 700 Sundays.

Academy Awards producer Gil Cates repeatedly asked, “please do the show", calling as late as just before Christmas, Crystal said.

“I’m so tired at the end of ‘700 Sundays',” he told the newspaper.

“I didn’t want to go from that into a meeting where I’m saying, ‘Give me “Brokeback Mountain” jokes.’ It seemed so not what I wanted to do.”

Crystal has hosted the annual Academy Awards eight times, most recently in 2004.

Last year the ceremony brought in Chris Rock, who drew younger viewers but managed to annoy some academy members with his jokes about stars including Jude Law and Tobey Maguire.

Stewart, the 43-year-old host of the satirical Daily Show said last week: “As a performer, I’m truly honoured to be hosting the show. Although, as an avid watcher of the Oscars, I can’t help but be a little disappointed with the choice. It appears to be another sad attempt to smoke out Billy Crystal.”