Eddie Murphy, From Oscar nominee to Oscar host

Among the few (IIRC) SNL alumni who got a chance to host the Oscars such as Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, and multi-host Billy Crystal, rumors have been swirling around that another of the show's alumnus, Eddie Murphy, has been picked as a front runner to host next year's Oscars telecast on Feb. 26th on ABC.

Is Eddie Murphy the Next Oscars Host?
Sep 5, 2011 07:04 PM ET
by Kate Stanhope
Will Eddie Murphy's next role be Oscars host? It will be if ceremony producer Brett Ratner gets his way, Deadline reports.
Ratner is set to inform the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Tuesday that Murphy is his top choice for the gig, according to the report.
Murphy, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for Dreamgirls, is reportedly interested in hosting. But he probably will not get the gig alone. Eight-time Oscars host Billy Crystal is likely to be involved with the show in some capacity after he expressed interest in returning to host at a Los Angeles film screening last month. Crystal has previously hosted the show in 1990-1993, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2004.
This would be Murphy and Ratner's second collaboration. Murphy stars in Ratner's next film, Tower Heist, which hits theaters on Nov. 4.
The 84th Academy Awards telecast is set to air live on Sunday, Feb. 26 on ABC. Do you think Murphy would make a good Oscars host? Do you want Crystal to return?