It’s being reported that Hugh Jackman will host this year’s Academy Awards.  They claim it’s a new look for the Oscars.  

I guess he’s “classy”, but I’m kind of partial to the idea that the host is funny and, well, entertaining?

Hugh Jackman fans:  feel free to defend him.

The New York Times ran a story this weekend on Angelina Jolie titled “The Mommy Track”.   The article discusses her menagerie of children, the “Brangelina” effect, her upcoming Clint Eastwood-directed movie “The Changeling”, but also her strange place in Hollywood.  Citing her ability to become an A-list female actor without doing any romantic comedies, the author wrote: “Nobody is ever likely to call her America’s Sweetheart”.  

When I’ve had discussions about Jolie with people I’ve been surprised at the vehemence of some of the reactions.  Mostly the argument seems to be whether she has created and manipulates the media machine around her, or whether it’s far beyond her control.  Personally, I think if she and Brad can auction off some pictures of their Bennetton-like family with proceeds going to a charity, then more power to them.  Of course, I don’t think you get to their status without some large egos helping you get there, but still, they seem relatively genuine about their various causes, and the article makes it sound like being a parent is more important to Jolie than being a movie star.  Or is it all just to sell movies?   Thoughts?

Well, after watching a pretty ho-hum Tony Awards the other night, there isn’t much to tell. Hooray for “In the Heights,” which seems to be loved by all. Boo for “The Little Mermaid,” which was made into a laughing stock at the awards show when the director of “August: Osage County” mocked it in her acceptance speech.

It was even worse when we had to watch an excerpt with Ariel on those sneaker-skate things that annoying kids wear at the mall on Saturdays.

But, the best and worst dressed list was as easy as 1-2…uh, just two.

BEST: Marisa Tomei in her rad red dress (see Christine Baranski in a hot red number too):

(photo - NYTimes.com)

WORST: Whoopi Goldberg in the Seinfeld puffy shirt (I had hoped that got tossed when the show ended, but apparently Whoopi somehow got dibs):

Doesn’t Rachel Weisz look totally like Kiera Knightley on the cover of Vogue’s Living special issue?

Poor Mr. Knut.

One of his keepers has revealed to a German tabloid that the bear has become a “publicity addicted psycho.” That seems like rather judgmental language, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not his fault. What is so sad is that his size now makes it dangerous for him to interact with humans, so it seems he has been placed in isolation and is not permitted contact with the handler who raised him. I think the fact that the zookeeper would call Knut a “psycho” at all speaks volumes about this situation. He was raised as a human and now, apparently, he suffers from human mental illnesses. Here we have evidence of our youth and beauty obsession destroying an animal’s mental health. If only he hadn’t been so cute! He was cursed by his irresistible good looks which, sadly, have faded with the onset of adolescence. Can you believe that it has even become dangerous for a bear to be famous? I just hope the Berlin Zoo uses some of those millions that they made off of him to send him to a place where he might have hope of forming bonds with his own kind.

He wants love and a normal life, just like Britney.