The Simpsons, Seth MacFarlane earn first Academy Award nominations

Seth MacFarlane isn’t just hosting this year’s Academy Awards; he’s also a first-time nominee!

MacFarlane earned an Oscar nomination this morning in the Best Original Song for writing the lyrics to “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from his live-action talking teddy bear buddy movie, Ted. That category historically has been kinder to comedy films because the songs are judged separately (see: multiple nominee Randy Newman; the South Park movie). This year, MacFarlane’s song (with music by Walter Murphy) is up against selections from Skyfall (by Adele), Chasing Ice, Life of Pi, and Les Miserables.

The Simpsons also earned an Oscar nomination — something the long-running animated hit TV franchise couldn’t pull off for 2007’s The Simpsons Movie (it did earn a Golden Globe nomination then, however). Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare is nominated in Best Short Film, Animated, after running in cinemas as prelude to screenings of Ice Age: Continental Drift. It’s up against Disney’s Paperman, which ran in front of screenings of Wreck-It Ralph; Fresh Guacamole; Adam and Dog; and Head over Heels.

The Simpsons writer/producer James L. Brooks wrote on Twitter upon hearing the news: “Simpsons short got nominated and no group had a better time than we did making an Oscar nominated work cept of course all who had affairs.”

Speaking of animated films, those usually do favor comedies. For the 2013 Oscars, the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film are:

  • Brave
  • Frankenweenie
  • ParaNorman
  • The Pirates! Band of Misfits
  • Wreck-It Ralph

Other Oscar nominations for movies that were more comedy than drama or roles of that nature included: Alan Arkin (Best Supporting Actor, Argo), Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (Best Original Screenplay, Moonrise Kingdom).

View the full list of 2013 Oscar nominees here. Seth MacFarlane hosts the 85th Academy Awards on Feb. 24, 2013, on ABC.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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