Photo courtesy AP

SAN NARCISO, Calif. (Bennington Vale Evening Transcript) -- Sunday night marked the debut of multi-faceted animator, voice actor and crooner Seth MacFarlane as host of Hollywood's most prestigious event, the Academy Awards. In an evening that famously parades the elite of the film industry's winners and losers, MacFarlane was counted among the victors, according to Nielsen ratings for the Oscars telecast. An average of 40.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the ceremony. The figures represented a modest two-percent increase from last year, when Billy Crystal returned to host, but the highest numbers since 2010. Nielsen analysts attributed the bump to an 11-percent increase among viewers 18 to 49, the demographic most important to advertisers -- and most likely to consider themselves fans of MacFarlane's work. Despite the ratings, however, criticism of MacFarlane was widespread. His efforts were blasted as inappropriate, offensive, sexist and antagonistic. On Monday, a spokesperson for Academy President Hawk Koch apologized and told dejected fans, "We had no idea Seth MacFarlane would act like Seth MacFarlane. We are deeply sorry to all those offended by Mr. MacFarlane's inappropriate Seth MacFarlane humor."

SAN NARCISO, Calif. -- Attorneys representing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a cease and desist order today against the Fox Broadcasting Company and Seth MacFarlane, creator of the animated comedy “Family Guy.” The order follows last night’s Christmas special, where in one scene carnivorous reindeer feast on the flesh of Santa’s inbred elves. Later in the episode, the reindeer, deprived of elf flesh, soon turn to cannibalism and devour each other, leaving a bloody but cartoonish trail of carnage to litter the ground of the show’s fictional New England suburb.