Culture

Ellen DeGeneres Is Hosting the Oscars Again

Ellen DeGeneres announced via Twitter this morning that she will be taking up the 2014 mantel of Oscar host. After Seth MacFarlane's controversial stint last year, producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have chosen a tamer star, one who's hosted the ceremony before and is widely liked. 

By Esther Zuckerman
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Ellen DeGeneres announced via Twitter this morning that she will be once again be taking on the unenviable task of hosting the Oscars. After Seth MacFarlane's controversial stint last year, producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have chosen a tamer star, one who's hosted the ceremony before and is widely liked.

DeGeneres tweeted:

Show producer Neil Meron tweeted: "welcome back to the oscar stage, ellen...we can't wait to start working with you!" In a press release, newly appointed Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said that "Ellen is the ideal host for this year's show."

DeGeneres last hosted the ceremony in 2007, when The Departed took home the Best Picture prize. If her previous performance is any indication, she's a fairly safe, noncontroversial choice. The decision is already earning kudos on Twitter. The question then remains whether she'll bring in the ratings. MacFarlane, despite eliciting many complaints, brought Oscar ratings up. DeGeneres has a dedicated bunch of daytime fans, but the Oscars notoriously want hosts that can trap the younger audience. That will be the true test of DeGeneres's assumed mainstream appeal. The ceremony is scheduled for March 2.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.