Source: People, ContactMusic, Daily Telegraph, GayWired, Daily Beast 
People Magazine grants its annual "Sexiest Man Alive" award this year to Australian actor Hugh Jackman. As the magazine puts it, the actor is "all scruff and biceps" who "looms large in the epic Australia." [ahem...]

The role kept the 6'2" actor "dirty 95 percent of the time," according to the magazine "and left people stammering, 'Oh ... my ... God!"

Who could ask for anything more? 

But, of course, for this issue People provides far more. The magazine's website, for instance offers a pop-quiz feature shirtless chests of eight hot guys. Can you identify them without the headshot? Do you care? [hint for 1 of 3 we missed: Mario Lopez is super-cut in a very hot shot. (Our news editor also does this site's photo gallery, but should get back to work on that.)]

Blair Underwood
 
Hugh Jackman

Michael Phelps

Mario Lopez

When asked which part of his body people like best, the married father of two responded: "My smile. Lately my pecs. I’m being honest!"

Recent beach shots with his family show why he's proud of what he's accomplished with those pecs.

But there's another tradition associated with People's SMA feature that People traditionally avoids dealing with except indirectly. Because the magazine doesn't deal with gay rumors, they must be handled by other celeb media. Since Jackman is what People calls a "triple threat" as a star "who can sing, dance, and wield a weapon," the requisite gay rumor/hope might have even more resonance than usual. As GayWired points out, "Hugh spent a year on the Broadway stage breathing life into The Boy From Oz as gay singer/songwriter Peter Allen."

In this case, ContactMusic handles the requisite, "But is he gay?" rumor supposedly surrounding the hunky star:

Australian movie star HUGH JACKMAN is infuriated and exhausted with the gay rumors that have plagued him throughout his career.

Speculation about the 40-year-old's sexuality reached a peak when he starred as gay entertainer Peter Allen in a Broadway production of The Boy from Oz - when his actress wife Deborra-Lee Furness took on the role of rumor-crusher.

Jackman says, "Debs saw the show about 50 times. She said the most infuriating times would be in the bathroom because all she'd hear is, 'Is he or isn't he gay?... I don't know, he's married... Oh, who cares, I'm sure he's gay.'

And she used to call out from the stall, 'He's not gay. I'm telling you he's not.' And there would be silence until someone said, 'I think that's his wife.'"

Great story, but who really cares?

Jackman and Furness have been married for 12 years and have two kids, Oscar, 8, and Ava, 3.

Hugh Jackman judged 'Sexiest Man' in People's annual hunkapalooza issue [contd.]

Furness told People that her husband's perfect form "the Body of Doom – but I like what's inside": a romantic who sings ballads at home and makes pancakes for the kids.

In his interview with People, Jackman reveals a bit more about the couple's romantic fantasies, "She loves the idea of me coming home in costume because it makes her feel like she's having an affair in a good way. When we met, I was cast as a prisoner with tattoos and she'd say, "Don't take your tattoos off tonight!" and I'd be like, "All right!" But what works best with her is the stockbroker look.

All of this is great publicity for Jackman's new movie, Australia. Daily Beast offers this summary of a review by David Stratton, film critic for The Australian. He says of the eagerly anticipated film that opened yesterday down under

The World War II story ranges from cattle drives to aborigines, but the film relies too heavily on Aussie stereotypes. There’s also a shower scene involving Hugh Jackman, which is probably someone’s idea of a good time. Stratton, the critic, adds that Australia may very well be a hit back in the States, where no Australian stereotype goes unrewarded.

People, meanwhile, offers anther 129 "Smokin' Hot Guys" in its annual beefcake extravaganza double-issue, including Mad Men's Paul Hamm, 007 Daniel Craig, Twilight's Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron, Michael Phelps, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar from TNT's law show.

Source: Hugh Jackman: The Sexiest Man Alive | People
Hugh Jackman is People Magazine Sexiest Man Alive | Daily Telegraph
HUGH JACKMAN - JACKMAN TIRED OF GAY RUMOURS | ContactMusic
Gay Icon Hugh Jackman Screams Sex… as in Sexiest Man Alive | GayWired
Luhrman's Australia Disappoints | Daily Beast