Thumbs Up For Hugh Jackman as Oscar Host

Hunky Hugh Jackman won an Emmy for hosting the Tonys, so maybe now he can get a Grammy for hosting the Oscars. The Aussie costar of Australia and X-Men was recently selected to M.C. the Academy Awards in February in a desperate attempt to get the telecast out of the ratings toilet bowl and attract some viewers who maybe didn't find Jon Stewart or Ellen DeGeneres quite sexy enough. And I think it's a great idea!

Getting a sardonic standup-comic-turned-TV-host for the job has become an Oscar cliche, and as clever as those people are, they're often forced to either be too politically restrained or to recite material where you can see the setup, buildup, and rimshot a mile away. But an actor like Jackman has movie credibility, plus he can be wickedly funny, he can belt into bouts of singing and dancing, and he's even willing to make fun of his own sexuality, whatever THAT is. This year, when once again the films will mostly be a dark bunch of smallish, little seen labors of love, they could certainly use Hugh's star wattage, not to mention his bare chest. Having been named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," this should be considered part of his titular duties.

Of course it wouldn't matter WHO hosts if they just served booze like the Golden Globes do. They don't even HAVE a host and will never need it, as long as they have a bartender!