Seth MacFarlane Insults Adele, Melissa McCarthy for Their Weight With Rex Reed Joke at the Oscars

USMagazine, Monday, February 25, 2013, 9:15am (PST)

This year's Oscars were something of a roller coaster -- and not just for the nominees. Adele's performance of "Skyfall," for example, was a definite high point, but it was followed immediately by one of the show's lowest moments: a sideways dig at the singer's weight by host Seth MacFarlane.

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The 24-year-old Best Original Song nominee had just finished a riveting rendition of her James Bond-inspired track -- to great applause -- when MacFarlane took the stage. Alluding to New York Observer movie critic Rex Reed's now-infamous Identity Thief write-up, in which he slammed actress Melissa McCarthy as a "female hippo," the Family Guy creator quipped, "Rex Reed will be out here to review Adele's performance of 'Skyfall.'"

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The joke was a thinly veiled and insensitive comment on the beloved diva's size, and few people in the crowd at the Dolby Theatre reacted favorably. What's worse, it was made with McCarthy in the audience. (Earlier in the night, the host introduced the Bridesmaids star and co-presenter Paul Rudd with the crack, "See if you can tell 'em apart!")

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Adele got the last laugh, though. She took home the Oscar for Best Original Song, beating out other nominees from Les Mis, Ted, and Life of Pi.

MacFarlane walked a thin line throughout the Feb. 24 broadcast, with comedy that sometimes bordered on sexist, racist, and homophobic. Among his other victims? Rihanna and Chris Brown, George Clooney, and Ben Affleck.

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This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Seth MacFarlane Insults Adele, Melissa McCarthy for Their Weight With Rex Reed Joke at the Oscars