Oscar gets Sexiest Man Alive

It's all starting to make sense now. That Oscar producer Bill Condon was cagey the other night during a spontaneous holiday party grilling by your resident Gold Rusher and some other reporter types didn't surprise any of us.

All we wanted to know was the name of the Oscar host. Come on, any of you would've done the same thing!

But now, a few things he'd said while invoking that confounding old "off the record" saw are now clicking in our brains. And by the way, since word is now out that it's Sexiest Man Alive Hugh Jackman who's hosting the Feb. 22 telecast, we feel like we've been freed from keeping our mouths shut (boy, that was a painful three days!).

Condon had said it was important to have someone as host who was thrilled all to pieces to do the job, not a celebrity who had to be arm-twisted into it. No matter how many comedian names we tossed out, he acted like we were way off base. Turns out, we were.

He did let on that the person had already been approached, and had accepted, when we interrupted his attempt at sharing some Christmas cheer at a cocktail gathering on Tuesday. So, everyone realized it was just a matter of time for the announcement.

Now that it's come, and now that "Australia" and "Wolverine" star and overall smokin' hot Jackman is the confirmed host, what can we all expect? A smooth and polished performer -- he did win an Emmy for hosting the Tonys -- who won't be insulting Hollywood's royalty from the stage. You know how they hate that!

We have to say we think this is an innocuous choice, not likely to offend anyone. But will it energize? Will it make anyone want to watch who isn't otherwise predisposed? Like Meryl Streep in her Golden Globe-nominated turn, we have doubts.