‘Family Guy’ creator hosts awards darkly
If Seth MacFarlane was using Thursday’s Academy Awards nominations announcement as a test-run for his Oscar show hosting patter, he might consider changing directions. Fast.
Early reviews of MacFarlane’s jokes were strongly negative, with many critics saying the “Ted” and “Family Guy” maker favored insults over insights and belittled entire swaths of the creative community.
Rather than MacFarlane’s coming across as amiable, the naysayers found him arrogant and nasty. Twitter reaction was equally harsh.
“Wow, after seeing Seth MacFarlane’s smug, condescending presentation of the Oscar nominations this morning with Emma Stone, I can’t wait for him to host the show itself – it may be one for the ages,” wrote Ken Tucker on the Entertainment Weekly website.
On the Atlantic Wire, Esther Zuckerman said many of MacFarlane’s jokes landed with a thud, including remarks he made about the women nominated for supporting actress and a joke about Hitler: “I read ‘Amour’ was co-produced in Austria and Germany, right? The last time Austria got together and co-produced something it was Hitler, but this is much better,” was MacFarlane’s quip.
Forrest Wickman on Slate echoed much of the criticism. “MacFarlane seemed incapable of making quips that weren’t at the expense of the honorees or others in the room. After reading the best director candidates, he cracked, ‘These are five people who are the very best at sitting in a chair and watching other people make a movie.’ After the nominees for best adapted screenplay: ‘These are adapted screenplays, so that means that the writers basically copied stuff from Microsoft Word and pasted it into Final Draft.’ Edgy and biting can work at an awards show, but these one-liners were neither.”
Wood getting ready for first child
Evan Rachel Wood is going to be a mom.
Wood’s publicist, Amanda Silverman, said Friday the 25-year-old actress and her husband, Jamie Bell, are expecting their first child later this year. She said Wood and Bell are “thrilled.”
The couple married last year.
Wood’s breakout role was in 2003’s gritty film “Thirteen.” In 2011, she co-starred with Kate Winslet in the HBO miniseries “Mildred Pierce.” Both roles earned her Golden Globe nominations.
Bell, 26, is best known for his starring role in “Billy Elliott.” His film credits also include “King Kong” and “The Adventures of Tintin.”
The birthday bunch
Actress Kirstie Alley is 62. Rock musician Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) is 53. Rapper TBird (B-Rock and the Bizz) is 46. Rapper Raekwon (Wu Tang Clan) is 43. Singer Melanie Chisholm (Spice Girls) is 39. Contemporary Christian singer Jeremy Camp is 35. Actress Naya Rivera is 26.