Los Angeles:
Billy Crystal has gotten the Academy Awards off to a lively start with a star-laden montage in which he hangs out with Justin Bieber and gets a nice wet kiss from George Clooney.
Back as Oscar host for the first time in eight years, Crystal also did his signature introduction of the best-picture nominees with a goofy song.
Before his monologue, Crystal appeared in a collection of clips inserting him in scenes from key nominees. The montage included re-creations from some 2011 films featuring Tom Cruise of Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol and Clooney's best-picture contender The Descendants, with the actor planting a kiss on Crystal.
Back as Oscar host for the first time in eight years, Crystal also did his signature introduction of the best-picture nominees with a goofy song.
Before his monologue, Crystal appeared in a collection of clips inserting him in scenes from key nominees. The montage included re-creations from some 2011 films featuring Tom Cruise of Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol and Clooney's best-picture contender The Descendants, with the actor planting a kiss on Crystal.