Suddenly, there's hope for Billy Crystal to make it an even ten hosting gigs, because Jimmy Fallon isn't taking the job this year.

Late last week, we heard that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had selected the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon host and Saturday Night Live veteran to preside over the awards and talks were proceeding between the two parties.  The choice made perfect sense since the next Oscar show is produced by SNL creator and Late Night producer Lorne Michaels, as well as the fact that the ever-ingratiating Fallon has proven most adept at hosting awards shows.

In a televised interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show from the London Olympics, The Wrap points out that Fallon cleared up the Oscar discussions, saying simply, "I'm not gonna do the Oscars.  I was honored to be asked by the Academy, but it's not my year."

One imagine this was a ploy by Fallon to punish the Academy for snubbing his work in 2004's Taxi.  There was said to be some friction between the Academy and ABC over the selection of Fallon because his talk show airs on NBC, but the network has no say in who hosts the Oscars.  That apparently has nothing to do with the actual result.  Rather, talks were happening between Fallon, Michaels, and AMPAS president Tom Sherak, but those talks weren't wrapped up before Sherak's tenure ended.  Now, it's on new president Hawk Koch to find a host.