'Still a Big Deal' Turner Classic Movies' Dave Karger Talks Oscars

With the Oscars coming up on March 27, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) presents its annual programming of Oscar winners and nominees. Called "31 Days of Oscar," it was introduced 28 years ago on the streaming network that is dedicated to all things Hollywood (and beyond). This year's criteria is every film shown has won an Oscar and includes a number of TCM premieres, including Meryl Streep's Oscar-winning turn as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" (March 8), the late �Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain" (March 13), "Dangerous Liaisons" (March 26), "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," (March 27), and Sergei Bondarchuk's mammoth, 7-hour "War and Peace" (March 31).

But while some things – such as highlighting the Oscars – remain the same, the network has been going through some changes, including a new graphics and sets, and tagline "Where Then Meets Now." What won't change is showing feature films uncut and without commercial interruptions, as well as the authoritative commentary by hosts Ben Mankiewicz, Alicia Malone, Eddie Mueller, Jacqueline Stewart�and�Dave Karger. Stewart, the newest member of the team, hosts the weekly "Silent Sunday Nights," while Malone introduces the foreign film programming with "TCM Imports>" While Mueller hosts the popular "Noir Alley" series.

Karger joined TCM in 2016 and was made an official host two years later. He has reported on the film industry for NBC's Today Show and has hosted the Red Carpet at the Oscars for ABC. In 2015, Dave received the Publicists Guild Press Award honoring the year's outstanding entertainment journalist. In 2014, he was named one of OUT Magazine's "OUT 100," acknowledging the most influential people in the LGBT community. �

From�2012 to 2016, Dave�served as Chief Correspondent at Fandango, creating and hosting the original video series "The Frontrunners," which received a 2013 Webby Award nomination for Best Variety Series. Before that, Dave spent 17 years as a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly, where he wrote more than 50 cover stories on subjects including George Clooney, Angelina Jolie,�Elton John,�Taylor Swift, Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington and�Carrie Underwood.

In 2012 and 2013, Dave was the Academy's official red-carpet greeter on Oscar night and only the third person ever to hold that post. Dave graduated cum laude from Duke University.

EDGE spoke with Karger recently about TCM's Oscar programming, some of his favorite winners and some titles he thinks should have won.

EDGE: You are said to be one of the best-connected insiders in Hollywood. How did that happen?

Dave Karger: First off, that's a very nice compliment. I was lucky to start my career at Entertainment Weekly which gave me some credibility at a young age. And for the last 27 years, I've just tried to be prepared and enthusiastic and conduct myself with decency. It also helps that I'm a genuine fan of film and of great actors. I'm just in awe of what they're able to do.

EDGE: TCM had a facelift a few months ago. With the new look, what sort of additional programming changes would you like to see?

Dave Karger: The sweet spot of TCM has always been and will always be movies from the golden age of Hollywood, so from the 1930s to the 1950s. But as someone who was born in the early 1970s, I always like to see films from my lifetime on the air. As the years go by I personally think it's more than fair to consider certain movies from the 1980s to be classics as well.

EDGE: TCM's annual '31 Days of Oscars' is currently airing. What is different about this year's programming?

Dave Karger: This year we've organized the films by decade, so on Mondays we're showing winners from the 1930s, from the 40s on Tuesdays, and so on. I think it's really interesting to see what kinds of films and performances caught the Academy's attention over the decades as the industry evolved.

EDGE: What are some of the new titles in this year's series?

Dave Karger: We'll be showing "The Iron Lady" for the first time – of course that's the performance that earned Meryl Streep her third Oscar. We also have "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Cold Mountain" for the first time. And I love that we're featuring the TCM premiere of "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," which won for Best Costume Design.

EDGE: You are also introducing some films on the Classics Curated by TCM Hub on HBO Max that I believe features exclusive content available from The Academy. Can you elaborate on this?

Dave Karger: Yes, we will have a different Oscar-winning film showcased each day, and all of them will also feature special additional content like documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage. Plus, the Academy is providing us with some of the winners' acceptance speeches which are always so fun to watch.

EDGE: Can you share a few of your favorite Oscar winners and performers?

Dave Karger: From the classic era, I'm a huge fan of "All About Eve" and "My Fair Lady," both of which won Best Picture. And from my lifetime, I was thrilled when Hilary Swank won Best Actress for "Boys Don't Cry." And my favorite contemporary film is "Lost in Translation" which won Best Original Screenplay for Sofia Coppola.

EDGE: Groucho Marx once said that Judy Garland's loss for "A Star is Born" was the "biggest robbery since Bronx." Are there films and performances that you would have liked to see win?

Dave Karger: I think it's a shame that "Broadcast News" didn't win any of the seven Oscars for it was nominated. That film really stands the test of time and is just so smart. I also think it's surprising that "Singin' in the Rain" only earned two nominations and lost both of them. I can only imagine that's because another Gene Kelly musical, "An American in Paris," had dominated the Oscars just the previous year.

EDGE: The Oscars are making some drastic measures – such as cutting awards from the ceremony – to help bring back audiences. But why do you think the Oscars have lost their popularity in the past few years?

Dave Karger: I think that's largely a factor of the fractured TV audience in general. The days of the Oscar ceremony drawing 40 million viewers are over but it's still a very big deal. It seems like only big football games bring in the huge ratings anymore. Maybe if Tom Brady's upcoming movie gets nominated in 2024?

For more on Turner Classic Movies, visit its website.