Turns out SETH MACFARLANE was a pretty decent Oscar host.  He didn't trot out a single "Family Guy" voice . . . although he did do "Ted", when the animated movie bear presented some awards with his co-star MARK WAHLBERG.

His jokes were relatively harmless.  Although one of his first cracks was pretty edgy.  He said, quote, "'Django Unchained', now that was an intense film.

"This is the story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who's been subjected to unthinkable violence . . . or as CHRIS BROWN and RIHANNA call it, a date movie."

He also got a mixed reaction for this one:  "I would argue that the actor who got most inside Lincoln's head was John Wilkes Booth."  And he quickly made a crack about how it was 150 years ago, and it's still "too soon."

MacFarlane's opening segment seemed way too long, but it wasn't bad.  He actually had WILLIAM SHATNER as Captain Kirk break into the telecast from the future to keep MacFarlane from messing up the show.

He showed MacFarlane video of horrible bits he was going to do that ruined the Oscars . . . .like a musical number called "We Saw Your Boobs", which paid tribute to all the actresses who've showed their breasts onscreen. 

There was also a rendition of the DENZEL WASHINGTON movie "Flight" done with sock puppets . . . and a "Flying Nun" bit that ended with Seth making out with SALLY FIELD and taking her home in the "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans Am.

In between those bits, Seth introduced some CLASSY moments to save the show, like CHANNING TATUM and CHARLIZE THERON ballroom dancing, and Seth doing a soft-shoe with DANIEL RADCLIFFE and JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT.