Clooney welcomes Jackman to ‘Sexiest’ club

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updated 3:31 p.m. ET Nov. 25, 2008

NEW YORK - George Clooney has been crowned People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” two times, first in 1997 and then in 2006. But his words of wisdom for the current “Sexiest” guy came in a late-night phone call, saying, “Shut up, Jackman!’’

“George Clooney rang me at two in the morning,” Jackman told People magazine Monday at the “Australia” premiere in New York.

“I was half asleep and I said to him, ‘Ah, George sweetie, good to hear from you.’ He goes, ‘Shut up, Jackman!’’’ the Aussie actor recounted with a laugh.

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But Clooney apparently was not going to let Jackman off the hook before having a little fun with him.

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Jackman of all trades
Aussie actor Hugh Jackman, People magazine's 2008 Sexiest Man Alive, has made his mark in theater and film with a wide array of roles.
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”[He said,] ‘I know what you did! You started this big campaign that’s been going on and [you] took the title away from me,’” Jackman continued.

“I thought that was unnecessary,” he reportedly deadpanned.

And it’s not only Clooney who has had to adjust to Jackman’s new title — his dad has found his son’s “Sexiest” title difficult to deal with as well.

“My old man traveled over with me and we landed in America … and all of sudden we were stopped at the airport and saw the Sexiest Man Alive magazine and everyone is talking about it,” Jackman told the mag. “My father found it really uncomfortable.

”[My dad] said to me, ‘I can’t really talk to you about being sexy. It’s a little weird,’ " he added. “Mind you, I’m still waiting for the birds and the bees pitch from him. That hasn’t happened either!”