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Comedian Conan O'Brien to Host Oscars

(FILES) US television host and comedian Conan O'Brien visits the briefing room of the White House December 15, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
(FILES) US television host and comedian Conan O'Brien visits the briefing room of the White House December 15, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
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Comedian Conan O'Brien to Host Oscars

(FILES) US television host and comedian Conan O'Brien visits the briefing room of the White House December 15, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
(FILES) US television host and comedian Conan O'Brien visits the briefing room of the White House December 15, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

Comedian Conan O'Brien, a former late-night television host, will be the emcee for the Oscars for the first time, taking over from fellow funnyman Jimmy Kimmel, organizers said Friday.
O'Brien, 61, will preside over Hollywood's biggest night next March, hoping to maintain -- and even perhaps improve -- on an uptick in ratings seen earlier this year, AFP reported.
"America demanded it and now it's happening: Taco Bell's new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I'm hosting the Oscars," O'Brien quipped in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang called O'Brien "the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies and his live TV expertise."
"His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best -- honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year," they said in the statement.
Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan hailed O'Brien as "incredibly witty, charismatic and funny."
O'Brien, a five-time Emmy winner, hosted several late-night talk shows, including "The Tonight Show," and currently hosts the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend." He previously served as a writer for "Saturday Night Live."
Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018. He was then brought back in 2023 after the previous year's ceremony featured actor Will Smith's infamous on-stage slap of Chris Rock. Kimmel also hosted the gala this past March.
Almost 20 million tuned in for the last Oscars -- a welcome upward trend for organizers of live awards shows, which have been shedding viewers as they compete for viewers with streamers and social media highlight clips.
The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

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Quincy Jones Awarded Posthumous Oscar

Quincy Jones's daughter, the actress Rashida Jones, accepted the Oscar, telling the audience that the legendary hitmaker had been 'really excited to attend tonight'. Etienne LAURENT / AFP
Quincy Jones's daughter, the actress Rashida Jones, accepted the Oscar, telling the audience that the legendary hitmaker had been 'really excited to attend tonight'. Etienne LAURENT / AFP
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Quincy Jones Awarded Posthumous Oscar

Quincy Jones's daughter, the actress Rashida Jones, accepted the Oscar, telling the audience that the legendary hitmaker had been 'really excited to attend tonight'. Etienne LAURENT / AFP
Quincy Jones's daughter, the actress Rashida Jones, accepted the Oscar, telling the audience that the legendary hitmaker had been 'really excited to attend tonight'. Etienne LAURENT / AFP

The late Quincy Jones was posthumously awarded an honorary Oscar at an emotional and star-packed Hollywood gala on Sunday that also handed golden statuettes to the producers of the James Bond movie franchise.
US music industry titan Jones died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 91 just two weeks before he was set to receive one of the Academy's coveted lifetime achievement prizes at the Governors Awards, said AFP.
His daughter, the actress Rashida Jones, accepted the Oscar, telling the audience that the legendary hitmaker had been "really excited to attend tonight."
"He often said 'live every day like it's your last and one day you'll be right.' And he did that... the best, most beautiful life," she said, to a huge ovation.
Jones was best known for producing smash hit records for a who's who of music industry legends from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson.
"Truth is, the man had an equally powerful impact on the world of film," said actor Jamie Foxx, introducing his award.
Jones produced seminal Hollywood movies including "The Color Purple," and received multiple Oscar nominations for film songs and soundtracks including "In Cold Blood" and "The Wiz."
Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez and Zoe Saldana were among A-listers holding back tears in the audience as Jennifer Hudson sang a musical tribute.
Hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the swanky black-tie Governors Awards each year honor film industry veterans, many of whom are felt to have not received their dues at the regular Oscars.
The event also offers a chance for stars and studios to court Academy voters -- and size up their rivals -- as the next Oscars campaigns begin to take shape.
At Sunday's reception, "Succession" stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong -- campaigning for their news films "A Real Pain" and "The Apprentice" -- enjoyed a lengthy catch-up.
Acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar ("The Room Next Door") conversed with his exiled Iranian counterpart Mohammad Rasoulof ("The Seed of the Sacred Fig.")
Bond, James Bond
Daniel Craig -- who stars in this year's William S. Burroughs adaptation "Queer" -- chatted with friends by the bar, his lips firmly sealed about the identity of his successor as James Bond.
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the half-siblings who have controlled the beloved 007 espionage franchise since 1995's "Goldeneye," were among the honorees Sunday.
Passed the reins by Broccoli's film producer father Albert, the duo have overseen several of the Bond series' biggest-ever movies including the $1 billion-grossing "Skyfall" in 2012, in which Craig played the suave British spy with a license to kill.
Anticipation continues to swell for the announcement of who will next play the world's most famous fictional spy.
"Just to get something out the way, we came here this evening to find out who the next James Bond is," joked Craig, on stage introducing their award.
"Don't look at me. But he might be in the room," he added -- before insisting he was joking.
British writer and director Richard Curtis, 68, who created "Notting Hill,Bridget Jones's Diary, "Love Actually" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral," received the Jean Hersholt statuette, which is specifically for humanitarian work by a film industry figure.
Curtis co-founded Comic Relief, a British charity that has raised some $2.5 billion over four decades by bringing together comedy and entertainment stars for zany challenges and wildly popular fund-raising telecasts.
A fifth honorary Oscar went to Juliet Taylor, the acclaimed casting director behind "The Exorcist,Taxi Driver,Annie Hall,Sleepless in Seattle" and "Schindler's List."