Ellen DeGeneres given the task to remove the funny from next year’s Oscars.

The folks over at the Oscars have announced (via Defamer) that Ellen DeGeneres will be the host of next year’s award telecast to be aired on Sunday, February 25, 2007.

Ellen’s no stranger to awards hosting duties, having presided over the Primetime Emmy Awards shows several times, as well as picking up a few Emmy trophies of her own.

Academy President Sid Ganis is all smiles about the announcement, barely containing his formidable command of adjectives as he press releases:

“She just sparkles…She is such a pleasure to watch. Her wit cuts to the truth of things, but in a wonderfully warm-spirited way. I think she’ll be a fantastic host for this show and we’re extremely pleased that she’s agreed to do it.”

Interesting, carefully-chosen words: …a wonderfully warm-spirited way. Sounds like the Academy is distancing itself from any kind of comic sensibility that could be considered “edgy” or “sarcastic” or “funny”.

It’s too bad. Ellen’s only occasionally amusing and rarely entertaining for a prolonged period of time. Christopher over at Cinematical suggests that the Academy is angling for an older audience by choosing Ellen – that the movie choices are likely to appeal to an older fanbase, so perhaps the host should as well.

I think he makes a great point, but I also think the choice was made even more simply: 1) Ellen is incredibly, boringly safe and 2) celebrities can feel comfortable knowing that she’ll praise them instead of mock them (so dry your eyes, Jude Law!).

Oh, well. Nothing like taking a show like the Oscars that’s on the downward slide of tedium and giving it a firm, decisive shove over the edge.