Family Guy creator gets animated over Oscars opportunity
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy honcho and newly designated Oscars host, held court at a media event Tuesday offering his thoughts on presiding over the Academy Awards, the future of his flagship series Family Guy and who’s going to win the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
MacFarlane offered mixed thoughts on how long Family Guy, which premiered in 1999 and was resurrected after being cancelled a few years later, might continue.
One one hand, MacFarlane noted, Family Guy has the potential to have a run similar to that of The Simpsons, now in its 20th season.
“I think the show has the ability to continue as long as people want to see it,” he said. “I think that Family Guy certainly has it in it to maybe not go as long as The Simpsons but certainly in the ballpark.”
On the other hand, MacFarlane admitted that his restless creative nature pushes him into new territory, such as this year’s liveaction comedy Ted, a movie that MacFarlane wrote, directed and co-starred in, as the titular teddy bear. It became a surprise hit, taking $54 million in its opening weekend and $32 million in its opening overseas.
MacFarlane admitted that the idea of doing a big-screen feature project “scared the sh— out of me.” But his training in the workintensive field of animation helped him wear multiple hats while wearing the motion-capture suit that allowed him to play his fluffy character.
Another situation that’s sure to put him out of his comfort zone is his upcoming stint as the host of next year’s Academy Awards.
MacFarlane, who cited Johnny Carson as his alltime favourite host and Billy Crystal as his favourite modern host, said he’ll attempt to find a balance between cutting-edge presentation and Oscars tradition.
“I think that’s the challenge — it’s finding that balance between something that feels fresh and feels original, but at the same time staying true to the classy, Bob Hope-esque style that the Oscars demand,” MacFarlane said.
Before his Oscar stint, however, there’s another challenge America will focus on — electing the next leader of the Free World. Pressed to offer his predictions of who will take the White House using the voice of his beloved if homicidal infant Stewie Griffin, MacFarlane effortlessly busted out his flawless British accent to pick a winner.
“I think at this point Obama can walk out with his penis out on stage and he’d still be able to win,” MacFarlane said.