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Sideshow: Chris Rock and Oscar: Perfect together - again!

Chris to Rock the Oscars Chris Rock, who wrote, directed, and starred in one of last year's best comedies, Top Five, has been tapped to serve a second time as host of the Academy Awards. He'll host the 88th annual Oscars on Feb. 28.

Chris to Rock the Oscars

Chris Rock, who wrote, directed, and starred in one of last year's best comedies, Top Five, has been tapped to serve a second time as host of the Academy Awards. He'll host the 88th annual Oscars on Feb. 28.

"Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry," kudosfest producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin said Wednesday. Rock had a witty comeback: "I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars."

Rock, 50, raised a few eyebrows with his cutting jabs as host of the 2005 Oscars.

He targeted younger actors.

"Clint Eastwood is a star, OK? Tobey Maguire is just a boy in tights," he said of the Spider-Man star.

He also targeted Jude Law: "You want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law? Wait. It's not the same thing. Who is Jude Law?" Oh boy.

Stace sells movie rights

Wesley Stace, local author, musician, and cultural polymath sometimes known as John Wesley Harding, has sold the movie rights to his acclaimed novel Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer to ent-mogul Isaac Mizrahi.

- John Timpane

Gossip petits fours

Jason Reitman's enjoyable grown-up relationship comedy, Casual, starring Michaela Watkins and Tommy Dewey as siblings who are single, has been renewed for a second season on Hulu. . . . That most Oz-tastick of thesps, Vincent D'Onofrio, has been cast as the Wizard of Oz in NBC's Emerald City, says Variety. The 10-episode mini-series will be directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and will star Adria Arjona (True Detective) as Dorothy. . . . Khloé Kardashian's attorney on Wednesday successfully petitioned a court to put a brake on her divorce from Lamar Odom, say TMZ and People. Khloé, 31, who wed the NBA player on TV in 2009, has been by his bedside since he was found unconscious last week in a Nevada brothel.

Adele announces new album

On Wednesday, Brit singer Adele announced the long-awaited follow-up to her 2011 album, 21, that 30-plus-million-selling behemoth. It will be called 25. "Turning 25 was a turning point for me," she explained on Facebook and Twitter. "25 is about getting to know who I've become without realising. And I'm sorry it took so long, but you know, life happened."

- John Timpane
tirdad@phillynews.com

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