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NPH Talks Hosting His First Academy Awards

NPH Talks Hosting His First Academy Awards

Neil Patrick Harris

‘I’ll admit that I’m nervous to host, but it’s much less pressure than being a nominee.’

With his turn as Oscars host fast approaching-- the 87th Academy Awards air Feb. 22--Neil Patrick Harris has had a lot of time to reflect on his own personal relationship with show biz's biggest night.

"When I used to watch the Oscars at home with my family, we would print out ballots, write down our predictions and see who won," Harris told T magazine. "As I got older, our viewing parties had more of a gambling slant -- same ballot, different stakes. Now they just involve more drinking, and when it's at my house, there's a lot of Velveeta and Pace Picante."

Though this isn't Harris' first awards show, having hosted the Tonys four times before, emceeing the Oscars is a notoriously tough gig--ask Jon Stewart or James Franco and Anne Hathaway. So Neil, rightly, has some pre-opening night jitters.

"I'll admit that I'm nervous to host, but it's much less pressure than being a nominee, having to go down a red carpet filled with prognosticators saying, 'I think it's your night! I can smell it!' "

Then you're sitting in your chair, your heart's pounding and you have 15 names that you pray to God you don't forget -- and your name's not called. Or, even stranger,, your name is called, and you're blinded by adrenaline and panic. That's much more nerve-racking to me than going out and saying, 'Our next two presenters are the stars of this movie, please welcome Brad and Angelina.' "

The 87th annual Academy Awards takes place Feb. 22.

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