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Hugh Jackman Gives New Oscar Hosts His Blessing

We like newly appointed Oscar hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin — but can they really follow Hugh Jackman’s heroic performance at last year’s ceremony? We’re still skeptical! One guy who isn’t, though, is the man himself. We ran into Jackman at last night’s Valentino: The Last Emperor DVD-release party at the Standard Hotel and asked him about the Academy’s decision. “I had no idea they were [hosting the Oscars]! You are breaking the news to me,” he told us. “They are both fantastic. Steve actually gave me a lot of funny hints last year … I rang him and he was really helpful. He is really funny and he knows what he’s doing. He’s done this before. Alec Baldwin is also a true genius. I think the both of them together have hosted Saturday Night Live like 100 times, so you know they must be funny.” It was only 29 times, we pointed out. Plus, Jackman, too, had hosted SNL before, hadn’t he? “Oh, just once,” he told us. “See!”

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Hugh Jackman Gives New Oscar Hosts His Blessing