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Arts & Entertainment

Seth MacFarlane to Host 2013 Academy Awards

The 85th Oscars ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 24

Seth MacFarlane, creator of the irreverent Fox animated hit Family Guy and director of the equally irreverent big-screen comedy Ted, will host the 85th Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday.

"We are thrilled to have Seth MacFarlane host the Oscars," telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a joint statement. "His performing skills blend perfectly with our ideas for making the show entertaining and fresh. He will be the consummate host, and we are so happy to be working with him."'

The choice of MacFarlane, who hosted the season premiere of Saturday Night Live last month and also created the animated series American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, continues an effort by the Academy to attract a younger audience to the Oscar telecast.

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Billy Crystal hosted this year's ceremony after original choice Eddie Murphy dropped out. The previous year, James Franco and Anne Hathaway co-hosted the event.

"It's truly an overwhelming privilege to be asked to host the Oscars," MacFarlane said. "My thoughts upon hearing the news were, one, I will do my utmost to live up to the high standards set forth by my predecessors; and two, I hope they don't find out I hosted the Charlie Sheen Roast."

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MacFarlane, an accomplished singer and aficionado of Hollywood musicals, earned a pair of Grammy nominations last year for his debut album "Music Is Better Than Words," which included his take on songs by composers Lerner & Loewe, Richard Rodgers, Sammy Cahn and others.

"Seth is unbelievably talented," Academy President Hawk Koch said. "We couldn't be happier with the creative team we've assembled. With Craig, Neil and now Seth, we're off to a great start."

The ceremony at the Dolby Theatre is scheduled for Feb. 24.

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