"There's been a desire on the part of the HFPA to get away from the more biting humor that Ricky Gervais brought over the last three years," he said. "Tina Fey and Amy Poehler can zing (the stars) without seeming as mean-spirited as it sometimes did with Ricky Gervais."

Fey and Poehler certainly make for a promising choice. The two longtime friends have proven chemistry as well as experience in live television, thanks to their work on "Saturday Night Live." They also appeared together on the big screen in the comedies "Mean Girls" and "Baby Mama".

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But Tom O'Neil of the awards prediction website GoldDerby.com cautions not to expect a more gentle show just because "a couple of chicks" are hosting it.

"Tina Fey is a devilish comic," he said. "She comes across as this smiley, sweet girl but remember, there's a 'Mean Girl' inside, which is the name of her (2004) breakout movie.

"I believe she's going to pull a Ricky Gervais, but without crossing the line," he said. "She's going to take it right up to the edge. The combination of Amy and Tina promises to be a memorable night."

"A LITTLE BIT DANGEROUS"

The Academy's pick of MacFarlane is a return to the tradition of having a comedian at the center of its show ? albeit a younger and more risque one.

MacFarlane, 38, whose hit Fox series "The Family Guy" has been on the air for 11 seasons, made his feature film debut this year with "Ted," which he directed, co-wrote and voiced. It became the highest-grossing R-rated film of 2012.

"He's accepted as being talented enough to be in the room (with the film crowd on Oscar night), but he is not of them," Feinberg said. "He has enough distance to go after it in a funny way."