Eddie Murphy has been picked to host the Academy Awards for the first time in his career.
The announcement makes Oscar organizers appear as if they are aiming for laughs in 2012, after this year's performance by co-hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco fell flat with critics and many viewers.
Murphy has been nominated for an Oscar in the past - he earned a nod for his supporting role in 2006's "Dreamgirls."
He can next be seen in the comedic film "Tower Heist," about two guys determined to rob 20 million dollars from one of New York's most protected - and hated - men. It hits theaters on November 04.
The Oscars will be held on February 26.
Lindsay Claiborn, Reuters.