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09/09/06-09/11/06

Ellen DeGeneres to host 79th Academy Awards

Ellen DeGeneres to host 79th Academy Awards

Ellen DeGeneres has agreed to host the 79th Academy Awards telecast, producer Laura Ziskin announced Thursday. It will be DeGeneres's first time as Oscar host as well as her first appearance on an Academy Awards telecast.

"Ellen DeGeneres was born to host the Academy Awards," said Ziskin. "There is no more challenging hosting job in show business. It requires someone who can keep the show alive and fresh and moving as well as someone who is a flat-out great entertainer. Ellen completely fits the bill. I can already tell she is going to set the bar very high for herself and therefore for all of us involved in putting on the show. Now all we need is a lot of great movies."

"When Laura Ziskin called, I was thrilled," said DeGeneres. "There's two things I've always wanted to do in my life. One is to host the Oscars. The second is to get a call from Laura Ziskin. You can imagine that day's diary entry."

DeGeneres has twice hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast and cohosted the show in 1994.

"She just sparkles," said Academy president Sid Ganis. "She is such a pleasure to watch. Her wit cuts to the truth of things, but in a wonderfully warm-spirited way. I think she'll be a fantastic host for this show, and we're extremely pleased that she's agreed to do it."

The 79th Annual Academy Awards will be broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles by the ABC Television Network, beginning at 5 p.m. Pacific, with a half-hour arrivals segment. (The Advocate)

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