Why Hugh Jackman is a perfect choice as Oscars host

From: The Envelope
"Gold Derby by Tom O'Neil"

Yikes, I'm late piping in about the crowning of Hugh Jackman as Oscars host. My response: Huzzah!

What makes the choice of Hugh Jackman such a royal treat is that he's teamed up with another reigning showman, producer Bill Condon, who adapted best picture "Chicago" to the screen from Broadway, directed the spectacular, but Oscars-gypped "Dreamgirls" (Bill will get his delicious revenge by saving the Oscarcast next February — ha!) and won a chunk of academy gold for writing the screenplay to "Gods and Monsters."

Finally, academy chiefs have put the ceremony back in the hands of folks who really know how to dazzle and wow on screen and stage. Let's hope the academy never again wastes our time by hauling in another rent-a-clown from New York who doesn't know the movie biz. Why have the Oscars recently thought Hollywood's holy of holies was a stand-up comedy riff? Just because some past, great Oscar hosts knew how to tell jokes? The greatest — Bob Hope, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg — were either movie insiders with a big heart and mischievous wink or else at least Hollywood royals (Johnny Carson). That's the secret recipe. There's good reason that David Letterman, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart flopped. Those New York jokers are aces at what they do, sure, but they were miscast presiding over Hollywood's family reunion.

Bill Condon and Hugh Jackman are perfectly cast. Bill's a crazed Oscar nut like you and me. He can tell you which film won the most Oscars without taking the best picture prize ("Cabaret" with eight) and where poor Judy Garland ("A Star Is Born") was when she got robbed by Grace Kelly ("The Country Girl") in the best actress shockeroo of 1954. (Judy was in the hospital having her son Joey — but, of course, you knew that too.) Bill knows the ceremonies intimately too: what worked (Billy Crystal's wacky film montages, Liza Minnelli crooning that socko Oscarcast intro) and what didn't (Rob Lowe warbling "Proud Mary" with Snow White).

Whatever Bill and his producing partner Laurence Mark plus brilliantly bonkers writers like Bruce Vilanch cook up, Jackman will know how to sell it with gusto on stage. That's what the "Sexiest Man Alive" knows how to do best.

Jackman hosted the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004 and 2005, garnering bravura reviews. He won an Emmy in 2005 for hosting the 2004 Tonycast. He was nominated again in 2006 for emceeing the 2005 Tonys show, but, alas, lost the prize for best individual performance in a variety, musical or comedy program to Barry Manilow. (Doesn't everyone? Right, Stephen Colbert?)

In the opening number of the 2004 Tonycast, Jackman no doubt got Condon and Mark's attention when he sang a special version of "One Night Only" from the 1982 Tony-nominated musical "Dreamgirls" — Ha!