14 DAY TRIAL // With Seth MacFarlane officially out of the picture early this year as Oscars host, because he said the 2013 gig was a one-time thing, the race to find a suitable replacement started immediately. As it turns out, producers were never looking to bring a new face up on stage for hosting duties.
Ellen DeGeneres, popular talk show host and comedienne, will return for the 2014 edition of the Academy Awards, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announce in a statement cited by E! News.
For those who watch the Oscars regularly, she is a familiar face, since she also hosted the 2007 edition and got warm reviews for it – unlike, say, MacFarlane.
“I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time. You know what they say – the third time's the charm,” Ellen says in a statement with her trademark sense of humor.
“As a longtime friend, we had always hoped to find a project for us to do together, and nothing could be more exciting than teaming up to do the Oscars. There are few stars today who have Ellen's gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity. She is beloved everywhere,” the producers add.
Indeed, not only is Ellen beloved everywhere but she’s also almost a safe bet as regards potentially offensive jokes during the Oscarcast. One of the complaints about MacFarlane, for instance, was the blatantly misogynistic song about breasts.