Seth MacFarlane Not Asked Back To Oscars, Reps Say

Seth MacFarlane has not been asked to host next year’s Oscars, representatives for the Family Guy creator said.

Just Jared reported Thursday that sources close to MacFarlane confirmed that the comedian was asked to return for next year’s telecast, along with producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, who defended MacFarlane’s controversial performance at this year’s awards ceremony. The duo said critics of MacFarlane’s performance, who particularly took issue with his “We Saw Your Boobs” opening song, “missed the joke, it was satire.” The 39-year-old, who made his directorial live-action debut with theOscar-nominated film Ted, was making fun of himself — not women — in the song.

“… the song was about him being a bad host and him being a juvenile, which was why he was a bad host,” Zadan said.

The sources said MacFarlane wasn’t sure if he would return as a host, but he was going to have to make a decision within the next couple of weeks.

The announcement was contrary to a statement by MacFarlane after the 2013 telecast in which he said he wouldn’t host again if asked, but he had fun doing it this year.

Zadan and Meron will, however, be returning next year for the 2014 Oscars. According to Deadline, the reason the two were asked back was because of “continuity.” Several other awards shows, such as the Grammys and Emmys, ask the same producers to come back for subsequent telecasts. However, a former Academy president said that producing chores have been done by “trial by fire” lately. There has been a new production team every year since 2008, and the Academy felt that it was important to have the same kind of continuity it had for the 14 years the late Gil Cates produced the telecast.

The issue of continuity was also a major part of the reason the Academy has already announced awards show dates for 2014 and 2015.

Are you relieved or disappointed that Seth MacFarlane won’t be returning for the Oscars next year?

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