No need to worry about Oscars ... unless you’re Jon Stewart

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What about the Oscars?

With the Writers Guild of America poised to strike, Hollywood was bracing itself today for the myriad ways in which the labor stoppage would be felt. Viewers too were left wondering: No Leno, Letterman or Jon Stewart? What about ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Lost’ and ‘Heroes’?

But Gilbert Cates, for one, says he isn’t worried. Cates, who is producing the 80th Academy Awards show on Feb. 24 and must rely on a fleet of writers to get it done, says it’s too earlier to start fretting.

‘I’m going to wait until the new year to start getting nervous. It’s just like [presidential] politics. Four months is a very long time.’ Cates said it ususally isn’t until late January or early February that the writers of the show begin putting together material for the presenters. ‘It can’t be done until we really have presenters.’

He said he has not yet hired writing team for the show. ‘Obviously, the host in this case, Jon Stewart, I’m sure is preparing right now. Any hosts, whether it’s Billy Crystal or David Letterman, as soon as they get the gig, they start filing away jokes for the opening monologue.

‘It’ll be what it’ll be.’

-- Robert W. Welkos