Oscars: host Seth MacFarlane rolls out his humour for Hollywood
Asked how he had prepared for the job he joked: "The same way I prep for SAT [exams]". He also said he would "rob the room" should the lights go out.
Seth's "acid wit" is the driving force behind hit US shows such Family Guy and American Dad, and on Sunday he will transform from script mastermind to Oscars MC.
Fans got a taste of what to expect when the 39-year-old announced the nominees alongside actress Emma Stone. Revealing the best supporting actress hopefuls he quipped: "You five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein".
And those behind the cameras also got a taste of his humour, when he described the best director nominees as "the five people who are the very best at sitting in a chair and watching other people make a movie".
By the time the curtain fell, Seth had raised more eyebrows than expectations, and left the world wondering what gems he had up his sleeve for the main ceremony.
The comedian himself was nominated in the best original song category for the theme from his box office hit Ted. "That’s kind of cool, I got nominated. I get to go to the Oscars now," he said.
Oscars 2013: Seth's one-liners
- On how he prepared for the show: "The same way I prep for SATs - research and get a good night's sleep beforehand."
- In case of an electricity malfunction: "I'll rob the room!"
- During his intro: "The quest to make Tommy Lee Jones laugh begins here."
- On Ben Affleck's lack of a Best Director nomination: "They know they messed up"
- On nine-year-old nominee Quvenzhané Wallis: "To give you an idea of how young she is, it'll be 16 years until she's too old for Clooney."
- On Zero Dark Thirty: "...an example of a woman's innate ability to never let anything go."
