LOS ANGELES — Seth MacFarlane, the creator of the satirical animated show “Family Guy,” is not only hosting the 85th Academy Awards this Sunday, but he will show off his stupendous singing skills in a duo with actress and powerhouse vocalist Kristin Chenoweth.
“After the Best Picture award has been given, Seth and Kristin will perform a special number and we think it will be a 'can't miss' moment,” the producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a statement to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
However, not everyone is convinced that is a good idea.
“It's unusual for them to have a closing number since the climax of the show is usually the Best Picture winner acceptance speech. It'll be interesting to see if audiences at the Dolby [Theatre where the Oscars are held] will stay in their seats or start getting up, not to mention the poor tired viewers on the East Coast, who will likely see the sun come up as the show closes,” Angela Dawson, a veteran Hollywood journalist who has covered the Academy Awards for 13 years, told ARTINFO.
The Oscars will have an added element of musical and dance routines throughout the telecast, which is something we haven’t seen before, with big names scheduled to take the stage like Adele and Barbra Streisand, but it could be too over the top.
“The Academy can't seem to figure out whether less is more or more is too much when it comes to singing and dancing on the show. Obviously, the show becomes longer by adding dance numbers, and yet the audience feels kind of ripped off if they are eliminated or abbreviated,” Dawson said.
While it’s not clear yet as to whether people are excited for this new aspect of the show, Hollywood is fervent about one thing: Seth hosting.
“It's a smart move for the Academy to pick someone like Seth MacFarlane, who proved himself a good host on "SNL." He's well-spoken and can think on his feet. He's sort of the kinder, gentler version of Ricky Gervais (who has hosted the Golden Globes). He will poke fun at the stars but won't be cruel. The Anne Hathaway/ James Franco thing was a fiasco, but I think MacFarlane will appeal to younger viewers but not turn off older viewers,” Dawson added.
The Academy Awards will air live this Sunday February 24, on ABC.