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Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Hi, and welcome to the annual tradition here at www.peterdavid.net of live-blogging the Oscars. It’s fun. It’s entertaining. It’s not limited to 140 characters a comment (or response for that matter). And best of all, it guarantees that I’ll stay awake.

I’ve been paying mild attention to the red carpet. Every year I come to the same two conclusions: Women will wear dámņëd near anything, and no man on the planet looks as good in a tux as Pierce Brosnan did in the Bond films. Also, good news: apparently Cirque du Soleil will be doing a performance at some point.

So…let’s all get ready and hope no one gets a paper cut opening an envelope.

8:30: No one back stage could have said to Morgan Freeman, “Hold still. Let me straighten your tie.” Really? That’s not anyone’s job?

8:31: Well, the montage is off to a good start.

8:32: Rick Santorum just shat himself when Clooney kissed Billy Crystal.

8:33: As the 18 to 24 year olds wonder not only who Billy Crystal is, but why he’s in blackface calling himself “Sammy.” What’s up with that?, they’ll be wondering. Isn’t blackface totally insulting?

8:34: More people saw “Tin Tin” just then than when the film was in the theaters.

8:35: Let’s see how long til there’s a Ricky Jervais joke.

8:36: Slam dunk on the line about millionaires accepting gold statues taking people’s minds off the economy. And yes, Billy, we wouldn’t have minded if you hadn’t done the song. Especially since they don’t seem to have the sound balanced and we have to fight to hear you over the orchestra.

8:39: Hearing Billy Crystal sing that Hawaiian-themed summary for “The Descendants” reminds me of how much fun Nathan Lane is at hosting stuff. Over all, not bad, although his voice flatted out toward the end.

8:42: My God, I wore a powder blue tux just like that when I went to my senior prom. I wonder if he rented it from the same place.

8:43: Cinematography was apparently won by Mike Grell’s Warlord.

8:44: Art direction: I’ll guess Hugo.

8:45: Bingo.

8:47: I had no idea Meryl Streep’s Oscar win history got off to a Rocky start.

8:51: Not the movie palaces of MY youth, Billy. Yours, maybe, but not mine.

8:51: I remember years ago when the entertainment on Oscar was nothing but montages. Nobody like it. I sure hope they don’t make that mistake again.

8:53: I like the recurring dream line.

8:54: Rooting for: Artist. Hugo will probably win.

8:55: Yea! Honestly, I’m rooting for “The Artist” for Best Picture. I’ve seen most of the others and they’re great, but “The Artist” was just incredible and unique.

8:56: Make-up. I’m guessing Albert Nobbs, but they’re all strong. For sheer size, Potter should.

8:58: I’ll be dámņëd. Now all you have to do is put make up on Meryl Streep and you win.

9:00: How about that. I saw “King Kong” when I was six and a half as well. It was cut up by commercials and they edited stuff out, but that’s how old I was when I saw it.

9:01: No, it’s not going to change; “Moneyball” is not going to win for best picture.

9:06: Wow. Sandra Bullock can actually make German sound really sexy. I didn’t think that was possible. As for foreign film, I’ve no clue. I’ll root for the Israeli one.

9:07: Okay, I don’t get it. If we Jews run show business, how the hëll did an Iranian film beat out Israel?

9:09: “And be careful, you’re in his eyeline.” Wow, genuine snark from Billy.

9:10: Best supporting actress. Rooting for Bejo. Help might split vote.

9:12: Nope. Oh well.

9:18: The very first focus groups. Uh huh.

9:19: On the one hand, I don’t understand why they’re doing what’s basically an SNL sketch during the Oscars. On the other hand, it has Eugene Levy and Fred Willard, two of the funniest men alive, in one place. And Larry from “Newhart.”

9:22: Film editing. Rooting for “Dragon Tattoo.” Will probably be Hugo.

9:24: Wow! Okay, they got it right.

9:25: Anyone want to start placing bets now as to which deceased individual will be egregiously ignored when they get to that part?

9:25: Sound editing. Took me too long to put up “Hugo,” but that’s what I thought.

9:26: If they do Sound Mixing next, that’ll probably be Hugo as well.

9:28: Okay, can’t say I didn’t call this one. Although really, from the brief clips they showed, it almost seems like Transformers should win, considering the hellacious amount of noise they have to deal with.

9:30: As long as Cirque doesn’t do an interpretative dance to “War Horse,” I’ll be happy.

9:34: Finally! The Muppets!

9:35: Yeah. When I go to the movies, there’s always guys swinging overhead. I hate those guys. They’re almost as bad as the people talking on their phones.

9:36: The poor director. He has no freaking idea where to point the camera. One of the performers just fell, but he seems okay.

9:37: Clooney looks fascinated. His girlfriend is sitting there looking like, “God, I hate Cirque. Maybe I should have gone to the bathroom.”

9:37: Jesus, lady! Down in front!

9:38: Caroline just said, “That’s how to do it, yo.” Who IS this child?

9:40: “The Flo-Max theater.” Like that he’s addressing the aging of the audience straight on, especially considering all the people who felt he was too old to host.

9:41: I never realized how much taller Paltrow is than he is. Or maybe she’s just wearing high heels. Love the documentary gag, though.

9:44: Ah, they’re trying to play them off. First time.

9:45: Animated. If they’re doing animated short, Fantastic Flying Books. For feature, I’d love to see Rango win just because it was borderline surreal. I also like that Puss in Boots is up against A Cat in Paris. When was the last time you saw a real cat fight at the Oscars.

9:47: Holy crap! Rango won! Nailed it! Booyah.

9:51: Okay, well that seemed kinda pointless.

9:53: My God, he barely comes up to her shoulder. And why does she look like a big Christmas present?

9:55: Will probably be Hugo. Love to see “Real Steel” take it. Wait, I take it back; it should be Planet of the Apes. Just to give Serkis his moment.

9:56: Ðámņ, I hate that I was right on this. It really SHOULD have been Apes. Bad enough that Serkis got screwed over. If they’d won, it would have been a chance to acknowledge him during the Oscarcast and get in their faces about it.

9:58: Oh, thank God, I thought they were about to do a Harry Potter sketch.

9:58: Man, best supporting. That’s brutal. I’d guess at Von Sydow, but it’s purely guess.

10:01: Well, Plummer was my second guess. But hey, Von Sydow still has a chance to set the record for oldest actor to win. Let’s see if they have the balls to play Plummer off.

10:03: They were playing off the documentary people by now. Man, what a gracious and witty speech. THIS is how it’s done. They were smart not to even TRY to play him off.

10:08: They’re thinking, “Oh God, not this schtick.”

10:09: If “The Artist” wins, you just KNOW they’ll bring the dog on with them. That alone is enough reason to root for them.

10:10: Who the hëll is this guy? He looks like a police captain. And why is he guarding his crotch so diligently?

10:11: Okay, Billy is really settling in nicely. “Thanks for whipping the crowd into a frenzy.”

10:12: Music. If it’s best original score, it’s criminal if “The Artist” doesn’t win.

10:14: Excellent. They’re now saying that the guy who won has no formal education in scoring. Meanwhile four other composes are now going, “Really? REALLY? Yeah, THAT was tuition money down the drain.”

10:15: The audience is filled with the greatest sound people in Hollywood. Is there ANYONE THERE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE GØÐÐÃMN FEEDBACK FROM THE MICROPHONE?!

10:16: Is it just me or does the giant music book look like two huge butt cheeks?

10:17: Well, obviously this has to be Man or Muppet.

10:18: Once Jim Parsons was in the mix, it was a sure thing. I feel sorry for the “Rio” guys. 50/50 chance and they lost out. You just don’t get better odds than that and they still came up short.

10:20: Good lord, for a moment I thought they’d revived “Pan Am.”

10:24: Screw that. Let them buy the Mets.

10:24: Sorry, Billy. Only Robin Williams can pull off the backward talking them.

10:25: For those who think the customer is always right, keep in mind that at some point Angelina Jolie thought that dress looked good.

10:26: Best adapted. Should be “Moneyball”; will be “Hugo.”

10:27: Hunh. Okay. I thought the script for “Descendants” was pretty good, but “Hugo” was better. And remember, kids: If you do a great movie adaptation of a book, you’re called an Oscar winner. If you do a great book adaptation of a movie, you’re called a talented hack.

10:28: Best original screenplay. Should be “Midnight in Paris.” Could be “Artist.” Be insane if it were Bridesmaids.

10:30: Has anyone ever considered the possibility that Woody Allen never attends because he figures he couldn’t do a good enough job hiding disappointment if he lost?

10:31: “It sticks to you. It becomes part of your existence.” Oddly, so does chewing gum if you swallow it.

10:33: Sooner or later, the Oscars are going to be like the Super Bowl: Fun to watch for the commercials.

10:36: Oh, thank God. After Jolie, I was worried that women had suddenly forgotten how to wear make-up or dress elegantly. Thank you, Mila.

10:38: Best live action short. No clue. Although time freak looks cute.

10:40: Oh well. A film that I never saw or heard of was beaten out by another film I never saw or heard of.

10:42: I dunno. The one with Elvis?

10:43: Kathleen just told me what “Saving Face” was about. I’m really glad it won. Yes, I believe that the GOP is waging a war against American women, but this movie is about Pakistani women who get acid thrown in their faces. Jesus.

10:44: Morgan Freeman is so bored he can’t even bring himself to applaud.

10:44: Flying Books?

10:45: Well, I had that one (wait for it…) covered.

10:46: I wonder if the women in the blue outfits are giving out No-Doze.

10:50: You’d think that Michael Douglas only made “Fatal Attraction.” A billion movie trailers feature “The American President” and whenever Douglas comes out at an award show it’s always Fatal Attraction.

10:51: C’mon, best director for “The Artist.” Probably Scorsese, though.

10:52: HOT ÐÃMN! One step closer to the dog on stage. I think he’s probably right about being the happiest director in the world right now. All the competition for the title of happiest director in the world are staring up at him and I doubt they’re happier than he is.

10:55: Meryl Streep is a dedicated Horta? What?

10:58: Yea! Three winners for huge awards who aren’t being allowed anywhere near a microphone! That’ll move things along.

11:03: My guess: Betty Garrett will be overlooked.

11:04: Are we doing this AGAIN? Wasting screen time on a singer and then they’ll claim that there wasn’t enough time?

11:07: Yup. Missed Betty Garrett.

11:11: If she sees herself on the screen, she knows she exists? Somewhere a psychiatrist is saying, “Oh, I could have a field day with her.”

11:12: Thank God Billy Crystal is puncturing the pretensions of these ridiculous montages.

11:13: Ah, Natalie Portman. The girl my daughter Shana couldn’t stand when they were both 10 years old at an acting camp in Long Island. “That stupid Natalie Portman acts like she’ll be a movie star! She’s so obnoxious!” Ah,the old days.

11:15: Best actor. Clooney is the one to beat, although obviously I’m rooting for Dujardin.

11:16: If Dujardin wins, will he speaks soundlessly into the mike? At least there won’t be any feedback.

11:17: Shocking to think Oldman’s never been nominated.

11:18: Yes!

11:20: Ah well. If he had spoken silently, people would have just thought his mike was cut.

11:24: Best actress. Wow, this is a tough one. For sheer fearlessness, I’m rooting for Mara. But it’d be nice if Close finally won instead of just coming, uhm…close. Wouldn’t surprise me if Viola Davis took it, though.

11:26: Just seeing that clip makes me think, “How do you NOT vote for Mara?”

11:30: Aw, come ON. DAMMIT. This is the first one I got wrong that I’m actually pìššëd øff about.

11:30: Yes, Meryl. As proven by this blog, that is indeed what America said. Like Obi-Wan, you heard the sound of millions of voices crying out, “COME ON!”

11:32: I wish Tom Cruise had come sliding out in his socks and jockey shorts and starting lip synching to “Old Time Rock and Roll.” That would have amused me.

11:33: So obviously I’m rooting for “The Artist.” But boy, the Oscars have been so spread around it’s impossible to predict.

11:34: I wonder how they do split screens of everybody for reactions without it looking like Hollywood Squares.

11:35: YES! YES YES YES! BRING THE DOG! BRING THE DOG!

11:36: Now let the dog upstage him!

11:38: Ah well, the dog didn’t upstage him. I was happy otherwise, though.

Good night, everyone. Hope your favorites won.

87 comments on “ll”

  1. “Especially since they don’t seem to have the sound balanced and we have to fight to hear you over the orchestra.”

    Oh, good, I thought it was just my TV. It’s driving me nuts.

    1. Yeah, what was the point of that? “Movies That a Lot of People Saw and Liked.” Here you go.

  5. Thought Harry Potter would win for makeup. But then I realized the other Potter films didn’t win, so why would this one?

      1. Oh, I couldn’t care less if it won or not. That was just my prediction when I looked at the list of nominees, until the last minute, when I realized my error in logic (i.e. why would they give the award to a movie that has makeup we’ve already seen in seven previous films… seven films that never even got a nomination in this category?).

  7. “9:07: Okay, I don’t get it. If we Jews run show business, how the hëll did an Iranian film beat out Israel?”
    By making a better filme, probably. A Separation is spetacularly good.

  8. “If we Jews run show business, how the hëll did an Iranian film beat out Israel?”

    Yeah, it beat the Israeli film AND the Holocaust film. But since it also got a Best Screenplay nomination, it was inevitable.

    1. I think this was Hollywood taking the opportunity to merrily extend a firm middle finger to conservatives in the USA.

      1. Well, if that’s so, you gotta hand it to Hollywood for their foresight, as Iran is a perennial contender for BFLF Oscar. This was not a fluke or unheard of nomination

  9. Every year I wonder why they show montages with the SAME EXACT SCENES in them. Dustin Hoffman hitting the car in Midnight Cowboy? Really? Really?

    I’m glad everyone else is mentioning the sound. It’s terrible. They had what, a whole year to plan this, right?

    Nice speech by the winner of the foreign film.

    At this point I’m watching just for the 10 second glimpse of Ðìçk Smith getting the honorary Oscar at the technical awards show and the Roll Call Of Death, which they will probably botch up like they did last year.

    1. I’m glad everyone else is mentioning the sound. It’s terrible. They had what, a whole year to plan this, right?
      .
      You’d think that, and most years you’d be right. But this year, there was a big turnover in the folks who produce the show. You’d think that wouldn’t impact something as basic as the sound quality – it’s been the same theater and the same network for years – but who knows?

  10. What I want to know is, how are Iranian filmmakers allowed to make the things they are making with that regime in place?

    1. Sometimes they’re not. Like Jafar Panahi, who was arrested and banned from making films (although he has a new one coming out this week, shot on his iPhone, which is awesome).

      1. Or Mohammad Rasoulof was sentenced to six years in prison for“assembly, collusion, and propagandizing against the regime”. I believe he fled the country. See his movie “The White Meadows”; it’s beautiful and fascinating. His latest, “Goodbye”, is pretty good as well.

        Or Granaz Moussavi who made “My Tehran for Sale” secretly. I didn’t care much for the movie, but found the story of making the movie pretty impressive.

  11. On the one hand, I love that they had the Christopher Guest gang do a short film. On the other hand, it wasn’t very funny. Seemed like a last-minute job.

    1. Well, they’ve got a movie-themed show running in that very same theater. Makes sense they’d make an appearance.

  13. I’m following the IMDb twitter feed while I’m at work in a video rental store. They just reported that “Undefeated” won best doc, which we don’t have at the store despite the fact it’s been out on DVD since the end of the summer. However, they do have a copy at one of our sister stores. A copy that has never rented once.

    1. It was only one of two songs nominated, so it had a 50-50 chance. I, for one, am glad to finally see a Muppet song get an Oscar.

  15. Angelina’s dress looks bad, but it’s not helped by the fact she needs to eat something… Getting too thin!

    1. She IS too thin. I miss the more voluptuous Angelina of yore. I guess her film work, humanitarian work, and domestic life leaves her little time to have a sandwich…

    2. Yeah, I was impressed with how skeletal she looked in “Salt”.
      .
      And count me as yet another male that will never understand why some women feel the need to starve themselves in the name of beauty. Almost all guys prefer a woman with some meat on her.

    3. It has been rumored for years that Ms. Jolie has an eating disorder. Which would be a shame if true. She is very beautiful but is far too thin too often.

  16. Holy crap, I may win the Oscar prediction contest I entered. Midnight in Paris is the one I was most second-guessing myself on, but it won.

    2. I just found the commercial. Yes, unquestionably, that’s Jane. I’ll never forget her voice on the set of B5 as she said to me, “Peter! It’s just been pointed out to me that Timov is ‘vomit’ spelled backwards. Were you aware of this?”

      PAD

  19. For the longest time, Woody Allen claimed his Monday night gig of playing clarinet in a jazz band at the Carlyle Hotel prevented him from attending. Now that the Oscars have switched to Sunday nights who knows what his excuse is now. It was nice to see him make an appearance during the 2002 Academy Awards as part of a tribute to New York…

  22. Ok, let me just say it–this is dull. I really expected better from Billy Crystal. Of course, I also expected to see Billy Crystal, not the botoxed hack they have up there. He’s stepping on his own jokes with the laughing. It’s not that funny. When Christopher Guest uncharacteristically bombs with a sketch that is only mildly amusing it kills it to come back and say “Hey, wasn’t that HILARIOUS?” No, it wasn’t and saying so makes it even less funny.

    And was George Clooney the ONLY star who showed? they keep going to him in the audience. Just make him the host if the camera loves him that much. Oh well, at least we get to see some more Stacy Kiebler.

  23. “Yea! Three winners for huge awards who aren’t being allowed anywhere near a microphone! That’ll move things along.”

    I’m really thankful for this. These are usually the parts of the show that drag the most.

  25. Peter, I agree with your sentiment of “wasting time on a singer”; but I would also argue the Cirque de Soleil number was largely pointless as well. Although I understand the POV of the Oscar producers who think home viewers need a shiny object or two to hold their collective interest over the course of four hours.

  28. My “OH COME ON” reaction was for Tom Cruise as Best Picture presenter. I’ve enjoyed several of his performances and his “star quality” is obvious – but I wish they would reach farther back for Best Pic presenter. Go old school.

  30. Only ten minuets over, not bad. As for the Best Actress Oscar, while Streep should have one it ten times over for past nominations; Viola Davis won every other major acting award. How does she loose the Oscar?

      1. Ditto. The only other one I missed was Best Adapted Screenplay. (I thought it would go to “Ides of March.”) But seeing Meryl win HURT!

      2. Wrong Clooney film. Screenplay awards almost always go to Best Picture nominees, which is how I knew The Descendants would win.

      3. Yeah, you’re right. It’s just that, when I realized Clooney wasn’t going to win Best Actor, I thought that, maybe, the Academy would give him the Screenplay prize as compensation

      4. Especially given the fact that Meryl Streep fell into self parody in that movie. It was the cinematic equivalent to reading “The Dark Knight Strikes Again”

      5. Especially given the fact that Meryl Streep fell into self parody in that movie. It was the cinematic equivalent to reading “The Dark Knight Strikes Again””
        .
        Self-parody how? It was a truly extraordinary performance and she has been screwed many times over the past three decades, specifically -most likely – so someone new would win. From “Silkwood” to “Doubt” Streep has given many Oscar-worthy performances and gotten snubbed. She has had a remarkable career and her total should reflect that. Why should she have one more Oscar than someone who may have been a one-film wonder. It diminishes the award to have so many people who have won. How many big-name, talented actresses HAVEN’T won an Oscar?

  31. Knew The Artist would win, wanted War Horse to win. I think The Artist was my fifth favorite of the nominees.

  32. Meryl making no mention of the Iron Lady that she played?
    I assumed that was required when you portray a real person. Although they have different politics, I’m surprised there was nothing.

    1. I don’t think Forrest Whittaker mentioned Idi Amin when Whittaker won for “The Last King of Scotland.”

  33. Watching the awards, I kept thinking: Am I the only one who would like to see someone make a movie about Jack Benny and have Billy Crystal in the role?

    1. I’d prefer Kelsey Grammer myself; he’s basically been playing the Benny character as an intellectual for a few decades as Fraisier.

  36. I agree with JWB that “Star-Spangled Man” should have been nominated. Considering that it was written by Alan Menken, I’m suprised it wasn’t. Since when have only two songs been nominated for a whole year?
    Also, I’ve always wondered why only historical dramas get nominated for costume design. You would think something like “Thor,” which had completely original designs, would be considered more creative than just recreating the clothes of an earlier time period.

    1. Much like the Academy is fixated in biographical performances for acting, they are also fixated on historical recreations for costume.

      How’s this for an incredible Oscars fact (courtesy of Wikipedia):
      “Since the merger into one singular category for color films in 1967, films set in modern times have won only twice, despite the majority of those nominated being contemporary.”

    2. “Thor” had completely original designs? Really? Funny. I think most women could find what Natalie Portman wore at pretty much any store, and, of course, all the soldiers were wearing “original designs.”

      Even what the Asgardians wore wasn’t that different from most historical fantasy films. And, um, Thor’s costume owes a great deal to what’s been in the comics over the last few years. (In fact, I seem to remember people *specifically* commenting that they thought the comic-book costume was changed so it would look better for a movie deal.)

  37. After some thought, i have concluded that the only thing i could care less about than the Oscars would be a tie between the MTV Awards and the People’s Choice Awards.

  39. I like PAD’s idea for having Robert Downey Jr host next year. He’s funny, an actual star, has a good redemptive story that will make them feel good about themselves…the downside is that the show will still probably blow for reason he can;t control and he may turn back to drugs as a result.

    Alternatively– Nick Nolte! Which would be the closet thing to Grandpa Simpson and/or Dutch Schultz on his deathbed that we will ever get. “I remember my first Oscar telecast. I needed a new heel for my shoe. So I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt. Which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on ’em. Gimme five bees for a quarter, you’d say. Now where was I… oh yeah.”

    On the red carpet some woman kept asking him things that required more than a simple yes or no and the poor guy looked baffled. “Is it true you have a pet crow?” and the Nick looked alarmed that a crazy woman was shouting random questions at him. Then he remembered that yes, he did indeed have a pet crow. “Is it true you have a pinball machine that predicts the grosses of your movies?” Same thing. They stopped at that point which is a shame because I could have watched that all night. “Is it true you once searched the Amazon in a bamboo canoe looking for a venomous duck?” “What??? Oh…wait. Yes. yes I did.”

  40. “Best live action short. No clue. Although time freak looks cute.”

    Time Freak is really good. I don’t think I saw any of the other Short Film nominees, but Time Freak is the best short I’ve seen in the last year or two. If you can find a way to see Time Freak, do so.

    Actually, I think there’s this theater in Florida that’s showing it …

  41. Random Thoughts on the 84th Annual Academy Awards:

    Clooney is style in piles. As for Brad, I kept staring at that dámņ mullet…dude was one brown bag away from Tobacco Road Warrior.

    Ellen’s JCP commercials were the comedy highlights of the show.

    I know I’m getting old; I remember when Billy Crystal was funny.

    And to continue ragging on Billy, it says something when Justin Bieber blows him out of the water.

    The Christopher Guest film wasn’t all that funny, but it’s always a pleasure to let Fred Willard loose on the public at large.

    You’d think Super 8 would have gotten some technical nominations.

    And couldn’t Captain America: The First Avenger gotten a Best Costume Design nomination?

    Not enough Muppets; too much Cirque de Soleil.

    Will Ferrell as Oscar presenter is always a treat, especially when he has an inspired partner in crime (than you, Zach Spartanburg).

    I’m glad Christopher Plummer won, but it would have been equally great if Max von Sydow won…Hail Ming Hail! Emperor of the Universe! Maybe next year.

    Meryl Streep has her finger on the pulse of the nation.

    1. “I’m glad Christopher Plummer won, but it would have been equally great if Max von Sydow won”

      That would have been kind of ridiculous, since he only had like one scene in which he was required to do any actual acting. For the rest of the movie, he literally had nothing to do but walk around and look at people. I suspect he was nominated just because he’s Max Von Sydow, he’s 82, and he’s never won an Oscar.

  42. Pingback: Around The Net 2/27/12 | Hey, Martha!

  43. Stop giving Oprah Oscars, just stop. She has been in maybe two movies and produced another few. She is a very big TV star, but compared to so many in Hollywood, her film footprint is invisible. I know everyone loves her, but stop acting like she is big part of the movie community. Enough already!

      1. I remember Tom Cruise giving her one a few years ago. And I thought she won for The Color Purple. Maybe I’m just having a Grandpa Simpson’s moment.

      2. She was nominated for The Color Purple (as was Margaret Avery) for Best Supporting Actress.

        Still, I find her getting a humanitarian award a little bizarre as well. Yes, she’s acted a little, and she’s become a bit of an executive producer in television.

        But they couldn’t find somebody who’s worked in the industry in any capacity on a regular basis over the last 25 years?

      3. But really, couldn’t they have found a real MOVIE star, or better yet, someone who has been in the industry and done a lot of humanitarian work behind the scenes and finally give THEM their due? No, we have to give Oprah an award to hopefully boost ratings.

      4. But, she HAS been in the industry (as both an actress and a producer), and she HAS done a lot of humanitarian work.

        I’m not a fan of Oprah, but I really don’t see what the problem is here.

        And if they did it to boost ratings, they would have actually let her speak. The Board of Governors aren’t the ones who are concerned about ratings. They’ll give the awards whether the ceremony is on TV or not.

  44. I was actually rooting for Meryl Streep. Despite years of extraordinary and extraordinarily diverse performances she won for the first time in 29 years! I was in sixth grade then:)
    .
    Really, this obsession over giving the Oscar to someone new diminishes the award, I think. Streep has rightfully been nominated for multiple awards and seen the gold statue go to far inferior actresses and performances since “Sophie’s Choice”.
    .
    It’s about time her remarkable talent was awarded again. Ironically, her fitsr Oscar for “Kramer vs. Kramer” was arguably for one of her weaker performances in what now would be Lifetime Movie of the Week territory. And the reason she hasn’t won in such a long time is precisely the ridiculous idea that “she wins all the time” when it’s been nearly three decades.

    1. Oh, no doubt. As would much of “Blazing Saddles,” and possibly several other things Richard Pryor had a hand in writing or otherwise creating.

      Pity, though — that sketch is, at least to me, one of the ten funniest things SNL has ever, EVER produced. I mean, dámņ.

  46. Semi-relevant to the Oscars, has anyone noticed that Leap Day William looks exactly like Benny the Snake?

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