To host, or not to host? That is the question. The 91st Academy Awards are right around the corner, and the show still doesn't have a host. That's rare, but not unprecedented. The Academy even waited until early January one year. But now that November is coming to an end, it is time to begin speculating as to who will receive the golden microphone and a global audience of tens of millions.

When I posed this question to most of my co-workers, many of them suggested Dwayne Johnson, but I just don't see him as a realistic choice. He's so busy with so many projects, and there's just no real upside for him to do it. Not at the height of his career. Others questioned the need for a host at all, and it's true, we've spent so much time worrying about who will host, that no one has considered whether the Academy should experiment with eliminating the position altogether. There should be more pre-taped packages. This is Hollywood... they're used to multiple takes and special effects and finding the magic in the editing room. By forcing them to put on a 100% live production, you're forcing everyone to be something that they're not. After all, the Oscars aren't the Tonys.

One very important clue as to the identity of who the host may be, unsurprisingly, is the identity of the producer. If I was Donna Gigliotti, I'd ask the people I've worked with in the past to gauge their interest, and there are two pairings that really intrigue me. One from Hidden Figures, the other from Silver Linings Playbook. There will be people or scenarios on the list below that you may feel contradict my earlier stance about The Rock, and I understand that, but just hear me out, because I guarantee this will be one of the more unique lists of Oscar host hopefuls that you'll read on the internet.

Keep in mind that I ruled a bunch of people out. So, apologies to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (perfect for the Globes), John Mulaney and Nick Kroll (perfect for the Indie Spirits), Amy Schumer (too divisive), Tiffany Haddish (she ain't ready yet, sorry), all the network late-night hosts (including the Jimmys), and singers Lin-Manuel Miranda and Justin Timberlake, who swear they aren't interested in the time-consuming and high-pressure gig.

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Image via NBC

Drake and Leslie Jones - When I ask people who should host the Oscars, many suggest actors and actresses who have little to no experience performing in front of a live audience, and it's important to remember that the Oscars are a live show. That kind of experience is invaluable. And both Drake and Jones have it. Jones is always funny on Saturday Night Live, particularly when she's directly addressing the camera on Weekend Update, and she's a strong woman of color who brought eyeballs to the Summer Olympics with her commentary. SNL may air on a rival network, but it's not like ABC is airing any competition in that time slot, and even though she's on the show, I don't think of her as NBC talent in the same way I associate Jimmy Fallon with the network. Meanwhile, Drake has also thrived on SNL, and the former Degrassi actor could bring in a younger audience to help boost the show's sagging ratings. These two would make a fun pairing, and I know at least one producer in the Oscar race this season who would love to see Jones get a chance, no matter who she's paired with.

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Image via Sony Pictures

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly - Put these guys in their Step Brothers tuxedos and imagine them trading barbs on the Dolby stage. If I was Tom Rothman, I'd encourage them to take the gig, then move Holmes & Watson out of a crowded Christmas corridor and release it in February or March, drafting off the publicity that the Oscars would bring. The Oscars could use some Shake N' Bake and these are the perfect guys to bring the laughs that the show so desperately needs each year.

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Images via Disney-Marvel/WB-DC

Chris Pine, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt - There would be little upside for one of the Hollywood Chrises to host on their own, but if they all did it together (three of the four would also suffice) it would instantly make the Oscars a must-see event. None of them really have a movie in strong contention outside of the VFX and sound categories, so there wouldn't be much of a problem in that regard. I just don't see how this idea could go wrong, especially if Pine or Evans (who have the most experience performing live on stage) took lead emcee duties. You could also just get the original Avengers to host in anticipation of the fourth film in that blockbuster franchise.

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Image via Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg - For the first time since 2009, Tom Cruise does not have a movie out next year. For Cruise superfans such as myself, that's a long wait. Cruise is still a Movie Star in a way that not even Dwayne Johnson is right now, but Cruise also has to know that his Q-score isn't as high as it used to be, and the Oscars might be the perfect opportunity to court an audience that wants to see him show a little versatility outside of the Mission: Impossible and Jack Reacher franchises. I mean, Tropic Thunder was 10 years ago. Maybe it's time for Cruise to tell some jokes again and show the world why he's still The Man.

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Image via Instagram/@NBCSNL

Bill Murray and Bill Hader - Who needs the Jimmys when you've got the Bills? Murray could totally host the Oscars on his own, obviously, but I like the idea of pairing him with a younger comedian, and it's hard for me to picture Eichner getting the gig paired with Julie Klausner even though they had great comic chemistry on Difficult People. Murray would be deadly alongside anyone, of course, but these two represent two different generations of comedy.

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Images via Netflix/Universal

Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann - To me, these two are Comedy royalty. Mann is coming off a genuine studio hit in Blockers ($93 million worldwide on a budget of $21 million), and Apatow delivered one of Netflix's funniest, most poignant standup specials of the year. Apatow could even figure out a way to incorporate his band of merrymen, though after his own hosting stint, James Franco may be banned from the Oscars stage until further notice. I'm just saying, it'd be fun to have an actual couple host the Oscars together, and Apatow and Mann would be a lot better than, say, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Jennifer Lawrence... and Robert De Niro - An unlikely pairing on paper, sure, but they shared the screen in both Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, and they appeal to two different audiences (and generations). People say De Niro is getting older and maybe not remembering his lines like he used to, but I don't buy it. He's one of the greatest actors ever, if not the greatest, and I bet he could rise to the occasion again. Lawrence could bring out the best in him, plus she needs to remind everyone why she was America's Sweetheart just a few short years ago. As for Bobby D, you corral some appearances from famous co-stars Al Pacino and Ben Stiller, and bada boom, he's got the twinkle in his eye again and delivers a magical evening. Plus, this is supposed to be The Year of Bradley Cooper, their Silver Linings co-star, so that would be a fitting coincidence.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer - Gigliotti's last movie was Hidden Figures, and the more I think about it, the more I think, why not these two? They'd be great! Taraji loves the limelight, and Octavia has the perfect attitude. You just know she could dish it out to her fellow celebs and they wouldn't hold it against her since she's such a sweet person in real life. I doubt they could get Janelle Monae onboard for this, but it's worth a shot, and even if she declined, Henson and Spencer have more than enough sparkle to make it work on their own. One woman of color would be wonderful, but two would be even better, particularly this year, given the Academy's well-publicized diversity push.

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Images via Warner Bros./Disney-Marvel

The two casts of Black Panther and/or Crazy Rich Asians - The Black Panther team might have better things to do on Oscar night, like win awards, but I think it'd be kind of awesome to see the cast of this cultural phenomenon come together once again in an effort to unite a divided country. Crazy Rich Asians didn't roar quite as loud as Black Panther at the box office, but it was a massive success and a major movie moment all the same. A combination of Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh and Jimmy O. Yang, among others, would result in a wholly unique and memorable show. America fell in love with that movie, and in the event it's shut out of the nominations, it'd be great to see that cast represented on Hollywood's biggest night of the year. Sure, this idea is a little out there, but the Academy can't be afraid to mix things up and try something new.

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Image via New Line

Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams - These two had fabulous comic chemistry in Game Night. I'm not sure either of them would go for this idea, but who would complain? There's no doubt in my mind that this would work out better than Franco and Hathaway.

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Image via Warner Bros.

Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis - If it is indeed The Year of Bradley Cooper, as I wrote above, then who better than his two Hangover co-stars to steer the show? Galifianakis' shtick can be a little grating, but Helms would be kind of perfect for the gig, and could play the straight man to Galifianakis' class clown. I always wondered what that dynamic would be like without Cooper. Maybe the Oscars is the perfect time to answer that once and for all.

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Images via FX/Lionsgate

Donald Glover and Emma Stone - These are just two of the most talented, universally beloved young creatives we have working today. I have no reason to think they wouldn't deliver the goods and have fabulous chemistry together while doing it. I think they'd do a great job together, and don't have much more to say about it beyond that. Just a gut feeling.

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Image via Instagram/@KristenAnnieBell

Kristen Bell and either Channing Tatum or Josh Gad - In the same mold as the Glover and Stone pairing, these are just three people who seem like they love to perform. They'd take it seriously and come to play. Singing, dancing, you name it, they're willing and able to do it. Tatum offers a certain sex appeal that would be hard to dismiss, but Gad is a Broadway veteran who starred opposite Bell in Frozen, which is only the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.

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Images via Universal/Hulu

John Cena and Billy Eichner - These are just two guys who I think would be hilarious together. That's all. I just love this pairing on paper, and imagine Eichner could get some big laughs with Cena playing the 'straight man,' for lack of a better term. Cena is an intimidating physical presence and I think his deadpan reactions would play great off of Eichner's manic energy. And this may get me in trouble in some conservative corners... but I think we need a gay host again. Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris crushed it, and frankly, the last three years just haven't had the same pizazz, so to speak.

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Images via HBO

Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae - The HBO stars are rumored to be working together on an indie movie called The Lovebirds, but even if that project doesn't ultimately come together, I think these two would make a great pairing and compliment each other really nicely, as they're both hilarious in their own ways. I could also see Kumail paired with an up-and-coming actress like Gina Rodriguez.

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Image via A24

Elsie Fisher and Bo Burnham - We get a lot of celebs at the Collider office, but I've gotta say, none have ever been more fun to have around than the duo behind Eighth Grade. These two were hilarious together, and if the show is truly trying to bring in teens, why not hire a teen to co-host the show. I mean, what a novel idea! Using someone from the same demographic you're trying to court. And not some teenybopper flash-in-the-pan star, but someone who has done something of substance, like Fisher did with her breakout turn in Burnham's film.

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Image via Instagram/@TrevorNoah

Trevor Noah, Hasan Minhaj and/or Jon Stewart - If we're ruling out the network late-night hosts, then the cable guys can't be off-limits. Noah hosts The Daily Show on Comedy Central, while Minhaj hosts a Netflix show, so yes, they work for ABC's competitors, but it's not like having the CBS Eye and the NBC Peacock hosting the show. These guys are smart, funny men of color, and frankly, I don't foresee a ton of diversity among the likely male acting nominees. The Academy may wish to get ahead of that conversation, because I fear it's coming. Meanwhile, Stewart has been sitting on the sidelines for too long, having been content to focus on his filmmaking career. But it sure would be great to see him lob a few shots at Trump while skewering Hollywood under the bright lights.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool - If anyone besides Bill Murray could host the Oscars alone, it'd be Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool. Reynolds is quick on his feet, pleasant to look at, and would have no problem busting the chops of his peers. I'm a bit exhausted by the character, but I have to admit, it would be kind of great. Certainly must-watch TV!

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Images via Disney-Marvel/Sony Pictures

Jack Black, Paul Rudd, and Danny McBride  - All three of these guys would be great together, though I'd be willing to settle for two of the three,  and honestly, Black and Rudd may be the best candidates, as McBride, to be fair, isn't everyone's cup of tea. Rudd needs something, anything, to work outside of the MCU, because his recent films have really fallen by the wayside. Why not boost your international profile? Black has a great role in the Jumanji franchise, but the same can be said about some of his recent efforts. The public likes these two guys -- they just have to be in the right thing, and the Oscars may just present the perfect opportunity. McBride I like just because the Oscars feel very American, and who's more American than Danny McBride? I love that guy.

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Images via 20th Century Fox/ABC

Tom Hanks and Oprah - This has to be Best Case Scenario for the Academy. A beloved two-time Oscar winner and a two-time Oscar nominee who won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2012. The Academy should be making an effort to recruit a woman of color, whether it's Lesley Jones or Issa Rae or Oprah. For Hanks, it'd be a chance to work with a fellow icon, and by doing the Academy a solid, perhaps they'd throw him a nomination every once in a while. He hasn't been recognized since Cast Away in 2001, which is a crime when you think about how good Hanks was in Captain Phillips and Sully. Did he say something wrong when Shakespeare In Love robbed Saving Private Ryan of the Best Picture statue? His recent snubbing is certainly confounding, so perhaps Hanks should consider putting the show on his back as a gesture of goodwill. Because apparently, it's not enough to act your ass off once you win two acting Oscars.

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Image via Flickr/Christopher Dumont

No Host - Ask yourselves this. Why do the Oscars even need a host? The host performs a monologue full of jokes and then appears sporadically throughout the evening to read a zinger or two off the teleprompter. This year, there are fewer awards being given out in an effort to keep the broadcast under three hours. Does that put more or less pressure on the host? Are the stakes too high, or, given the show's recent ratings, have they become... gulp... too low? It might just be nice for the Academy to mix it up and try something different, since what they've been doing of late hasn't been working. That said, this year's Best Picture nominees could feature blockbusters like A Star Is Born, Black Panther, A Quiet Place, and Mary Poppins Returns, so based on the expected presence of Lady Gaga alone, I anticipate the show's ratings will improve and possibly even impress. Either way, we'll see you back here on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019 — no matter who is hosting or why!

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Image via ABC