Blessed with an uncanny ability to energize a crowd, to write rivetingly of his roots and his ideals, and to find common cause amid partisan strife, Senator Barack Obama is the face of a new generation of American leadership. Laurie Abraham accompanies him on an extraordinary journey through Africa to the land of his father.

With past hosts of the Academy Awards used the time on stage to play off the star audience, Ellen DeGeneres' approach to the gig has been labeled as "safe" by some critics.

While the comedienne and talk-show host did not go as risque as previous hosts such as Jon Stewart, Chris Rock and Steve Martin, DeGeneres says the experience was more nerve-wracking than she initially anticipated.