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Jack Black Isn’t Sure About Seth MacFarlane Hosting the Oscars, Either

Actor Jack Black arrives at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2012 Installation Luncheon held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on August 9, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.
Jack Black. Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Yesterday, we learned that Seth MacFarlane is going to host the Oscars; yesterday, we had a lot of questions. And so, when we showed up to a cocktail party where Jack Black was stumping for his excellent movie Bernie (the first film this awards season to send out screeners), it seemed only right to get his thoughts on the matter. As expected, his thoughts were great.

What do you think of Seth MacFarlane hosting the Oscars?
Where did I see him? I saw him on Saturday Night Live. I thought he was serviceable. It might get tiring if he keeps on doing the voices from Family Guy. He might give that a rest. But I think he has legit comedy chops. The way you asked that question seems to suggest you are not a fan of his.

No, I was just trying to ask it provocatively.
Well, I should be against him. I should say he is going to fuck it up because he made fun of me one time on his show, and it made me really mad.

On what show? Where did he make fun of you?
I don’t remember exactly, but it was basically pigeonholing who I am as saying that I am just a guy that relies on being really loud.

But this film proves otherwise, right?
Yeah, fuck him. I still haven’t seen the fuzzy-bear movie. Have you?

No. What is your plan to get an Oscar?
I am shooting way lower. I am hoping for an Independent Spirit Award.

I don’t believe it. I think you have a master plan laid out in your bedroom on index cards.
It is true, I have been rehearsing my speech a lot. I guess just be really embarrassed, do a bunch more cocktail parties until I am really feeling the shame spiral and really feeling kind of dirty and cheap. Walking around at the endless dog and pony show, using a lot of extra conditioner.

It is working.
This is my thing. I want to be best in show. Remember that I am a little doggy and I am in it to win it. What else is there? I don’t have a plan, but I just want to do what they tell me. I have never been in this sort of situation before where there was ever any talk. There is talk that it has a chance for a lot of things. For direction and cinematography.

Have you ever campaigned for anything?
I might have run for something in high school, and I might have blocked it out because I lost the run for the presidency of my sixth-grade class in Culver City, at a little school called Betsy Ross that no longer exists. It is a painful memory.

What’s the difference between an Oscar campaign and a super-PAC?
Super-PAC, like the Steven Colbert super-PAC?

Or the Koch brothers.
I guess there is no difference. It is all about the money, am I wrong?

What is the next project?
Well, you know my band Tenacious D. We are still touring, because we haven’t played yet in Australia and Europe. And we have a new album we are releasing in November called Tenacious D Jazz. All Jazz. Look for that to drop in November. I have a couple of other things in development, but I am not at liberty to say.

King Fu Panda 3?
Yeah, it feels like it is going to happen.

Is Frank and Francis totally done?
I wish that it would fucking happen, but I think it is a little too expensive for how ambitious it is. It is a very surreal and dark look at Hollywood. I fucking love it. We are just about 10 million dollars shy of the cost to make it, so if anyone out there reading this can scrape together a cool 10 mil, this thing can happen.

Jack Black on Seth MacFarlane Hosting the Oscars