Hollywood can breathe a sigh of relief: Seth MacFarlane has just confirmed that he won't return to host next year's Oscars.
MacFarlane, whose bawdy, politically incorrect performance as host of this year's telecast received mixed, mostly-negative reviews (two words: “Boobs Song”), announced on Twitter Monday that he simply didn't have the time to commit to the gig.
“Traumatized critics exhale: I'm unable to do the Oscars again,” MacFarlane wrote. “Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep.”
Indeed, by the time next year's ceremony rolls around, MacFarlane will be deep in post-production on his next directorial vehicle, the comedy-western “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” in which he will also star. Despite early reports that he had been invited back to host the Academy Awards telecast, MacFarlane's other commitments -- he also helms Fox's “Family Guy” -- were just too numerous.
“However, I highly recommend the job, as [Craig] Zadan and [Neil] Meron are two of the most talented producers in the business,” MacFarlane said of the pair, who produced this year's ceremony and are returning to the gig in 2014. Zadan and Meron came to MacFarlane's defense in the wake of negative reviews of his performance, accusing critics of not understanding the host's subversive humor.
With MacFarlane out of contention, it's someone else's turn to be subversive. But MacFarlane says he already has an idea of who might fit that bill.
“My suggestion for host is Joaquin Phoenix,” he wrote.
[via THR]
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