Seth MacFarlane Is Prepping For the Oscars With His Siamese Fighting Fish
This year, in a continuing quest by the Academy to make the Oscars “cool” (if you ignore last year), comedian and 'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane was chosen to don a tux and bow tie and host the star-studded event.
To drum up press for the upcoming ceremony, MacFarlane proved that the event coordinators may have finally done something right.
When asked how he planned to deal with the pressures of hosting, MacFarlane joked that he heard you should look for a “friendly face,” so he will search out Denzel Washington or Joaquin Phoenix.
“Actually, I am very fond of my (Siamese fighting) fish, and I’m going to take the tank and put it right in the front row," he said. "If I get nervous, I’ll look at the betta.”
Despite having to keep the programming family friendly, MacFarlane promised that he will still be roasting the audience, although not nearly in such an offensive way as Ricky Gervais: “The Oscars will still be something a family in 2013 can sit down and watch and be just fine with. A family in 1955 might have some issue with it."
"Then again, I’m not married and I don’t have kids. And my mother was saying [strong thoughts and words] out loud by the time I was 5," he joked. "So maybe I’m the wrong guy to ask.”
In addition to hosting, MacFarlane is also nominated in the Best Song category for a diddy from his film 'Ted,' but with Adele in the running against him, he doesn't have high hopes.
“We will lose to Adele. Don’t get me wrong, as cynical a guy as I sometimes appear to be, nothing would delight me more than to walk away with that [award], but I don’t think there’s a chance in hell that we will win,” he admitted.
Producers also plan for MacFarlane to perform an opening number and an additional closing number, where he will be joined by pint-sized Broadway belter Kristin Chenoweth.