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Billy Crystal panned as Oscar host

By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY

The reviews are in.

So how did Billy Crystal do as Oscar host Sunday night, as he returned to host for the ninth time, stepping in after original host Eddie Murphy backed out?

More:  Crystal party chat

He's not earning raves from critics:

USA TODAY's Robert Bianco: "You can seldom go wrong by bringing back the best. Even if he wasn't exactly at his best."

The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman: "Somewhere, against all odds, James Franco is buying drinks for everybody. The colossal hosting disaster from last year is now forgotten by the safe, unfunny, retro-disaster that was Crystal making jokes that he laughed at repeatedly and overseeing an Oscars telecast that was as poorly paced as any in recent memory."

The New York Times' Alessandra Stanley: "The whole night looked like an AARP pep rally, starting with an introduction by Morgan Freeman, who was followed by Billy Crystal, returning to host his ninth Oscar ceremony."'s Caryn James: "Well don't James Franco and Anne Hathaway look better now? Last year's Oscar show may have been a headlong collision, but at least a crash has curiosity value. This year's show was as lively and colorful as cold oatmeal."

The Washington Post's Hank Stuever: "Billy Crystal, hosting his ninth Oscar show (his first was in 1990, his most recent was in 2004), seemed to be overseeing a cruise ship dinner show designed to appeal to the over-50 travel club. Early on, it hit the rocks and started to list. Almost everyone drowned."'s Ken Tucker: "It was a jolly good show, probably as good a show as any that lasts more than three hours and is obliged to run commercials for GCB and which bestowed its biggest awards upon a movie only a tiny percentage of the TV audience has seen."

New York's Daily News' David Hinckley: "Hosting his ninth Oscars, but his first in eight years, Crystal recaptured smartly the formula that worked for him in the past: a quick-hit opening montage, a song-and-dance number, then a sprinkling of jokes that had an edge but never drew blood."

Some stars weighed in and were more supportive:

Justin Bieber: "and a BIG SHOUTOUT to Billy Crystal. Thanks for letting me be a part of the show and you killed it tonight. #muchlove"

Marlee Matlin: "Billy Crystal hilarious and very well done opening! We've missed you! 9th time? We want 9 more...and more!"

Sandra Bernhard: "as they torture billy crystal we too are beaten into submission.

Angelina Jolie's right leg is a hit at the Oscars
Oprah gets physical on Kimmel's post-Oscar show