Michael Fassbender: Frontrunner

Beverly Hills, CA — Bowing to increased pressure from its members, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) today announced the addition of a new awards category recognizing actors and actresses for their outstanding achievement in full frontal nudity on film.

Academy president Tom Sherak made the official announcement in a statement circulated to the press. Calling the historic move "a long time coming," Sherak said it all began as a grassroots campaign started by Kevin Bacon shortly after the release of "Wild Things," the 1998 thriller in which Bacon showed his "crown jewels."

"It took us a while, but the Academy and all of its members are pleased to finally be able to acknowledge and honor our colleagues who go the distance by fully revealing their genitalia for the viewing pleasures of the movie-going public," Sherak said.

Sherak said the groundbreaking new category will be "gender-blind" and allow male, female, hermaphrodite and transsexual nominees.

The nominees for next year's Oscars are still weeks away from being revealed, but there is already strong speculation that Michael Fassbender, who unreluctantly showed his Irish-German genitals in this year's "Shame," will be a frontrunner nominee and has the lock on walking away with the inaugural award.

Another star that Academy insiders expect on the nominee list is comedienne Sarah Silverman, who bared it all in the Sarah Polley-directed "Take This Waltz."

Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards will be announced January 24, 2012. The ceremony will be held February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.

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