TVSquad

So Ricky Gervais has signed to host the Golden Globes, which means the pressure is on the Oscars to come up with a host or hosts equally as stellar. Or interesting. Or compelling.

One star who has removed himself from the running is last year's host, Hugh Jackman. He will not return as Oscar host when the show airs on ABC, March 7.

He's currently on Broadway in a play -- with 007 Daniel Craig -- and he "quietly turned down the job" according to sources. It's not because he was a bomb emceeing the proceedings either. He didn't do the "Oprah, Uma, Uma, Oprah" joke nor did he trip on his shoelaces in the opening number. Quite the contrary, in fact. Hugh Jackman was a perfectly fine host.

But he doesn't want to do it in 2010. Maybe he doesn't want to push his luck? Maybe he just doesn't want to work that hard.

The producers for the 82nd Annual Oscars are Adam Shankman, a director/choreographer, and Bill Mechanic, a producer. One rumor is that they're thinking about a bunch of stars to host the show with no single main person. Not the best idea, in my opinion. In year's past when they've done that, the show meandered.

It's like to meander anyway, because, after all, it is the Oscar telecast. The history of this award show is riddled with the corpses of hosts who failed, jokes that bombed and musical numbers best left buried.

Just for giggles, who would you like to see hosting the Oscars. My choice? Kathy Griffin. Sure, she doesn't have movie credentials, but then neither did Johnny Carson. Kathy would be edgy and the humor could hit below the belt, but wouldn't it be exciting to hear what she might say?