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Why Ellen was chosen to host the Oscars – again

Posted at 12:53 PM, Aug 02, 2013
and last updated 2013-08-02 12:53:21-04

(CNN) — Ellen DeGeneres was so nice as an Oscars host the first time, the Academy has asked her to do it twice.

“It’s official: I’m hosting the #Oscars!” DeGeneres tweeted Friday. “I’d like to thank @TheAcademy, my wife Portia and, oh dear, there goes the orchestra.”

We’ll get to hear more of her quips when she leads the Oscars ceremony next March.

The producers of last year’s show, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, are returning to oversee the upcoming production. The duo said in a statement that they’re “thrilled” to have DeGeneres join the team.

“As a longtime friend, we had always hoped to find a project for us to do together, and nothing could be more exciting than teaming up to do the Oscars,” Zadan and Meron said. “There are few stars today who have Ellen’s gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity. She is beloved everywhere and we expect that the audience at the Dolby Theatre, and in homes around the globe, will be as excited by this news as we are.”

DeGeneres previously hosted the 79th Oscars in 2007, and snagged an Emmy nod for her work. The daytime talk show host follows Seth MacFarlane, whose hosting of the 2013 Academy Awards was divisive.

As for what we can expect from her this time around, DeGeneres is trying to adjust expectations.

“I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time,” DeGeneres said in the Academy’s announcement. “You know what they say — the third time’s the charm.”

The Oscars will air live on ABC March 2, 2014.

CNN’s Jack Hannah contributed to this report.

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