Ricky Gervais Calls Oscars Hosting Gig ‘Very Tempting’

Is English funnyman Ricky Gervais our next Oscars host?

Gervais has been rumored as a front-runner for hosting the 2014 Oscars, but said that he’d only take the job if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agree to his terms.

“I doubt the job offer would come without some strings attached,” Gervais said of the potential for hosting the Oscars.

“The worst string being, handing in my credentials as a comedian in favor of a family entertainer. We have to be able to poke fun at society without favoring any part of it because we are beholden to someone. And it’s a fine line between feeling like you’ve sold your soul and feeling like you’re ruining someone’s party. It would be very temping though, I must admit.”

Still, if the invitation is officially extended, Gervais said that he would be “incredibly flattered.”

“It would be a thrill and an honor,” he said. So far, no official announcement on an Oscars 2014 host has been made, but we know that this year’s host, Seth MacFarlane, will not be returning.

“Traumatized critics exhale: I’m unable to do the Oscars again,” MacFarlane said. “Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep.”

Gervais has offered to host the Oscars before. “I’ll do it,” he said in 2011 after Eddie Murphy bowed out. “I’ll do that as well. I’ll be in town any way for the [Golden] Globes.”

Billy Crystal took up hosting duties in 2012 instead of Murphy.

Gervais also has some award show hosting experience, having emcee’d the Golden Globes twice already.

What do you think? Would Ricky Gervais be a good Oscar host, or would he be, to put it bluntly, just an English version of Seth MacFarlane? Sound off!

[Image via: Featureflash / Shutterstock]