Seth MacFarlane turned in a polarizing performance at the Oscars last night, with many critics saying he fell flat at the Dolby Theater. Here are some of the top moments that divided the viewing audience.
1) The awkward musical tribute to actresses who have bared their breasts on film.
The song-and-dance heavy telecast included routines from Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe, but MacFarlane drew ire for his song “We Saw Your Boobs,” in which he name-checked Theron, Kristen Stewart, Kate Winslet and other starlets who’ve taken off their tops for film roles. A “from the future” William Shatner wasn’t entirely joking when he called it an “incredibly offensive song that upsets a lot of actresses in the audience.” During a cutaway, Theron did not appear amused.
But other actresses thought the routine worked. Asked about the dirty ditty Jennifer Lawrence said backstage, “I do love the boob song. I thought he was great. He was hilarious.” Then again, she was the only actress cited as not having shown any on-screen flesh.
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2) A reference to Chris Brown’s 2009 assault on Rihanna draws gasps
MacFarlane called “Django Unchained,” “a story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who’s been subjected to unthinkable violence. Or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie.” The controversial pair have recently reconciled.
3) Joking about President Lincoln’s assassination is still too soon?
When joking about Daniel Day-Lewis embodying Abraham Lincoln in his Oscar-winning performance, MacFarlane deadpanned, “I would argue that the actor who really got inside Abraham Lincoln’s head was John Wilkes Booth.” Crickets.
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4) Offensive Jewish jokes from a teddy bear movie star
Mark Wahlberg reunited with his “Ted” co-star, a digitally rendered Teddy bear voiced by MacFarlane, in a feat of technological movie magic. But politically incorrect Ted wondered aloud where the post-Oscars orgy would be (“Jack Nicholson’s house,” Wahlberg replied), and professed that he was Jewish to ensure he would “work in this town.”
“I was born Theodore Shapiro and I would like to donate money to Israel and continue to work in Hollywood forever,” the bear said.
“You’re an idiot,” Wahlberg retorted.
WITH AP