And the countdown is on! Hilarious pictures of host Seth MacFarlane are released ahead of Sunday's Oscars

If he is nervous about hosting the biggest awards event in the world, Seth MacFarlane certainly is not letting it show.
In some hilarious new pictures released of the host, Seth revealed how he is preparing for the Sunday's big night in Hollywood - eating popcorn and pretending to be a life-sized Oscar.

Let the laughs begin: On Thursday promotional images of Academy Awards host Seth MacFarlane were released with the host pretending to be an Oscar statue

The promotional images of the writer and director were released on Thursday and features the Ted director in a classic black tux - a fashion requirement for movie's night of nights.
And if the highly stylised shots are anything to go by, audiences should expect lots of slapstick humor and physical comedy from the creator of animated series Family Guy.
But the 39-year-old - who is also nominated for an original song Oscar himself for his movie Ted - has confessed getting prepared for the Academy Awards has not been easy.

Getting some last minute viewing in? The Ted director has just a few days until Sunday's big film event

Still smiling: The 39-year-old says he is already exhausted from all the preparation he has had to do

He told AP in an interview this week that even before he is stepped on the stage Seth has decided he will not doing it again: 'I'm a little exhausted.'
'Even if it goes great, I just don't think that I could do this again. It's just too much with everything else that I have to do,' the host - who has continued to voice the characters of his shows Family Guy and American Dad while prepping for the Oscars - said.

Expectations: Seth said he hopes he will 'come out with something that is fresh and surprising ... but doesn't completely thumb its nose at the Oscars'

'I'm happy to be doing it and I will be thrilled to have done it, assuming I get out of there in one piece, but I really think this is a one-time thing for me.
'I just don't like working 150 hours a week. I do like to have some sort of recharge time. I think it makes everything better. If you're working around the clock, the work starts to suffer.'
With so many great actors and comedians coming before him, Seth - who is known for his bawdy and sometimes controversial comedy - says he is looking to make the evening his own but in keeping with history of the famous event.
'Certainly Billy Crystal, Johnny Carson and Bob Hope are the three that stand out as the paragons of class and effectiveness and comedic balance in the history of the Oscars.
'I'm going to go out there and certainly be mindful that that's what works but also try and inject some of what I do into the mix and hopefully come out with something that is fresh and surprising and has an edge but doesn't completely thumb its nose at the Oscars.'
Just this week nine time host Billy Crystal had some advice for the debutant MC on Katie Couric's show.
'Look like you really want to be there,' Billy suggested.
'Really love the job and have fun. The moments you can shine, shine, and then get out of the way.'
But MacFarlane won't host the Oscars for a second time.
He told Entertainment Weekly: 'It's the time commitment, I just don't think I could do it again. It will have been almost six months that I'm working on this. And I'm still going to get savaged in the press.'

Have some fun: Nine times host Billy Crystal encouraged Seth to enjoy the moment and shine when he can