Martin, Baldwin to "ratchet up the funny" at Oscars2009-11-04

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were chosen as co-hosts of next year's Oscars to inject a fresh comedic twist into the ceremony while building on decades of tradition, new co-producer Adam Shankman said.

Actors Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr and comedian Tina Fey were among names "thrown around" as possible hosts, Shankman told Entertainment Weekly magazine in an interview published on Wednesday, one day after the choice of Martin and Baldwin was revealed.

But the choreographer and "Hairspray" director said there were scheduling conflicts and that Martin and Baldwin were picked to "ratchet up the funny" at the March 7 awards of the movie industry's highest honors.

Martin, has hosted the Oscar telecast twice before, but 2010 will be a first for Baldwin, the Emmy-award winning star of the satirical TV series "30 Rock".

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