"Hosting the Oscars is much like making love to a woman. It's something I only get to do when Billy Crystal is out of town"

This quote by Steve Martin is a funny comparison in between hosting the Oscars and making love to a female. Martin is suggesting that hosting the Oscars is an unique and distinct experience, and one that he just gets to do when Billy Crystal is not offered. This could be analyzed as an indication of regard for Crystal, as Martin is suggesting that Crystal is the preferred host of the Oscars. It could also be translated as a joke, as Martin is indicating that hosting the Oscars is a special and intimate experience, similar to making love to a lady. In either case, the quote is an amusing method of expressing the significance of hosting the Oscars.