Comedian Ellen DeGeneres picked to host 2014 Oscars

Ellen DeGeneres smiles as she talks to a reporter while arriving for the Mark Twain Prize ceremony in Washington, October 22, 2012.[Photo/Agencies]

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Comedian Ellen DeGeneres will make her second appearance as an Academy Awards host next year, organizers said on Friday, in a move widely seen as a less provocative choice for Hollywood's highest honors after a ribald performance by Seth MacFarlane.

DeGeneres, the star of her own daytime talk show "Ellen," first hosted the Oscars in 2007, becoming only the second woman to fill that exalted role alone, after Whoopi Goldberg.

"I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time," DeGeneres said in a statement. "You know what they say - the third time's the charm."

"I'd like to thank @TheAcademy, my wife Portia and, oh dear, there goes the orchestra," the comedian added on Twitter.

The Oscars, which are broadcast globally, often look to a host's star power to attract a larger TV audience. Recent shows have averaged 37 million to 40 million viewers domestically.

DeGeneres, 55, earned an Emmy nomination for her performance in 2007 in which she departed from traditional Oscar hosting decorum and ventured into the audience for spot gags, at one point handing director Martin Scorsese a script of her own.

"There are few stars today who have Ellen's gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity," said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced the 84th Academy Awards show last year.