Well the verdict here at Celebitchy is that Jon Stewart did a fantastic job hosting the Oscars last night. His monologue was really funny. He seemed a little tense for the first minute or so, but then relaxed and fell into a very comfortable rhythm. His humor was right on the ball. He made a few strike jokes, but definitely didn’t overdo it at all. Overall, I felt his performance was very even, humorous, and well-written. He did a good job of lightly making fun of the awards. Producers had a long line of prepared montages ready in case the WGA strike didn’t end. Jon jokingly showed two of them, telling the audience, “Please enjoy Oscar’s salute to binoculars and periscopes,” which featured some fine clips of Jimmy Stewart in “Rear Window,” Buffalo Bill in “Silence of the Lambs,” and “Toy Story.” And it was a damn fine salute. That was followed by “Oscar’s salute to waking up from a bad dream,” featuring clips of people gasping while quickly sitting up in bed. What’s extra funny is the thought that they might really have had to use these (or similar) montages. Here’s one of Stewart’s best jokes of the night.

Oscar is 80 this year, which makes him now automatically the front runner for the Republican nomination. You have to admit, this is a huge election. An historic election. So much excitement. For the first time in so many years we don’t have an incumbent president or an incumbent vice-president. The field is wide open. Have you all had a chance to examine all the candidates, study their positions and pick the Democrat you’ll vote for? Democrats do have an historic race going. Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama. Normally, when you see a black man or a woman president an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty. How will we know it’s the future? Silver unitards, that can’t be all? You have to give Barack Obama credit, he’s overcome a great deal. Not just [that] he’s an African-American. Barack Hussein Obama is his name. His middle name is the last name of Iraq’s former tyrant. His last name rhymes with Osama. That’s not easy to overcome. I think we all remember the ill fated 1944 presidential campaign of Gaydolf Titler. It’s just a shame, Titler had so many good ideas. We just couldn’t get past the name. And the mustache.

[Transcribed From the Academy Awards]

Jon Stewart did a good job of keeping the show moving. He was very much likable and funny, but without being too safe or bland. Late on in the evening, he joked about Cate Blanchett’s performance as Bob Dylan in “I’m Not There.” He teased:

Cate Blanchett is the woman who can’t be stopped. She played Elizabeth. She played Bob Dylan. In No Country for Old Men she played the pit bull chasing Josh Brolin. Cate Blanchett, she is amazing. Right now, I Jon Stewart, am being played by Cate Blanchett.

[From the Academy Awards]

About three quarters of the way through the show, “There was a small technical glitch, so we’re going to have to restart the show.” It was a nice tease on the Oscar’s length. Overall Stewart did a great job hosting, and the show kept up a great pace. It was definitely the best Oscars in a very long time, and will be quite the show to top.

Here’s Stewart’s opening monologue: