By my dear friend Alex. I’m with her: “I loved every long, stretched out, egocentric minute of it. It is indeed, the Granddaddy of awards shows, and I look forward to it every year.” Ha. Yup. Lots of people think I’m a moron for that (judging from 3 of the emails I have received in the last 2 days) – and to quote Alex: “I couldn’t care less.” I’m in good company.
Also, Alex refers to Dakota Fanning as Dakota Darkside Fanning.
I usually watch it from beginning to end every year, but this year I just couldn’t. I don’t know why, but I think it was that they lumped all the acting awards towards the end, instead of spacing them out like they normally do. I mean, Best Supporting Actress used to be the very first award given! Then you’d have to sit through the other ones for just a while and then Best Supporting Actor! I just didn’t like the way they programmed it this year.
Plus those interpretive dancers? Freaked my shit out. I had to look away when they came on.
Yeah, I think it was a mistake to not put at least one of the acting awards at the beginning of the night.
I was not at ALL into the interpretive dancers. I was just glad that what they did was SHORT. I feared that they were the harbinger of some sort of Debbie Allen atrocity … thank goodness it was more localized.
I can’t stand people that announce they don’t watch the Oscars with a sort of snobbish pride, like that somehow sets them above everyone else who just tunes in for the fun and the clothes and the jokes. I know I get cynical about it from time to time, but that’s just a personal thing. I don’t put myself in a class above people who have a blast with the show. Those people sound like the idiots who declare that if they lower themselves to watch television, it’s only for PBS. Whatever. You want a medal or something?
I got an email from someone who informed me that “all actors suck” and the only awards that matter are the behind the scenes award because that’s “real work”.
I mean, that’s an ignorant statement first of all – but … also to take the time to email me that?
I also had someone take the time to email me that my “taste was crappy” – and then the last one had nothing to do with the Oscars – but I got an email from someone who was completely horrified, personally, that I like Christopher Hitchens. Like – this rocked his world view. This all happened in the last 3 days.
I have definitely reached my limit of tolerance for this crap. That’s why I kept the comments closed to that Oscars post. I didn’t want to hear from whining bitches. And whaddya know – the whiny bitches (all men) had to email me, because it was just so important that they let me know their contempt.
Sigh.
I’ve always thought that if I had gone to a party, or just had SOMEONE over to my house who enjoyed it too, it would be more enjoyable, even in the boring years.
I need someone to snark with, I guess.
Celine Dion is a genius. Just ask her.
Best. Celine Dion. Line. Ever.
Oops – But let’s not talk about the asswipes who continue to read me even though they hate my main topic. I’m seriously DONE with catering to and worrying about those people – and I’m even sick of talking about it.
I am boring mySELF.
Onto happier topics! I thought Maggie Gyllenhall looked GORGEOUS. And I think she rarely looks good. I love her as an actress – but her stylists just don’t know how to dress her. I thought her dress was the best dress of the night.
Lisa – yeah, I hear you. i watched the Oscars by myself one year and it was a distinctly bizarre experience. I love my ritual – going to this one pub that has an Oscar pool, and prizes to win – and it attracts a really fun rowdy crowd. It’s like going to a bar specifically to watch the super bowl – it attracts football fans and people who are into watching the game.
It’s a blast.
I thought Helen Mirren looked amazing, and was a sharp contrast to Sherry Lansing, who just proved the adage that your age doesn’t always show where you think it does. I mean, her face looked 40 and her arms looked 80. God. Crepey much?
And Nicole Kidman looked like the undead.
red – you’re right. So not WORTH the energy (even if I am laughing at the whole “actors don’t work” remark. I hear that A LOT. Right. Um, people, just because the movie only took you two hours to watch….).
Helen Mirren was the queen of the night for me. She looked PERFECT. I adore her to tears.
The Fug Girls agreed with you about Miss Maggie:
http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2007/02/well_played_mag.html
Helen did look great. I love her so much that I could conceivably become a stalker. I have to be very careful.
Lisa – yes!! I saw that! They are, in general, very hard on her – and I think that’s right. Maggie is a young beautiful girl but more often than not her stylists make her look either frumpy or old-world spinsterish – I don’t know what the issue is. I thought she looked gorgeous at the ceremony and that color looks great on her.
Hahaha. Stalking Helen Mirren. Totally. All I could think of when I saw her was “if that’s sixty, bring it, Father Time.”
I love the story about Helen going to see a psychic when she was in her early 20s, and just starting her career. Naturally she was ambitious, wanted to do well – and had already got some great parts. The psychic said to her, “You will be famous – world-famous – but not until you are in your 50s.” hahaha Poor Helen was like: But … but … no! I want it NOW!
I love that story because you just never ever know how it will happen. It ain’t over til it’s over.
Oh and that she got married so late. Her whole thing to Barbara Walters about how much she looooved saying the words “my husband” now – words she thought she’d never say – how much she loves saying it and what it means to her … I admit it. I teared up listening to her. Gives me hope.
I also loved how she (and he) freely admitted that their relationship began in lust. It was “only physical”. hahahaha I can so see that about her.
“So what attracted you to him?”
“Well, lust, really. Pure lust.”
Hmmm… I was wondering why my Oscars email got bounced back as “refused delivery”… ;)
Yeah, Oscar night is a great group activity. When there’s that much spectacle it’s better to share – the Super Bowl is really the same way. I enjoy a football game but the SB is such a dog-and-pony show now that I can’t watch it unless there are 15 other people riffing the telecast with me.
Nightfly – hahahahaha your “oscars email”.
Yeah, it’s definitely a good group event. But you need a group who feels the same way about the event. For example – you don’t want to watch the Red Sox and the Cardinals team up in Oct. 2004 and have someone there who keeps snorting, “It’s only a game.”
That’s grounds for justifiable homicide as far as I’m concerned.
Sheila,
That’s what’s so great about her – at least for me. She’s not just talented and beautiful; she’s outright inspiring. One of the best of this generation, I think. It’s been a real joy just watching her have all these honors piled on this year. She deserves them.
And since nobody else seems to have brought it up, can we talk for a minute about George Clooney’s hair? Remember that old joke Chevy Chase used to tell during “Weekend Update” back in the early days of SNL about guys who “comb their hair with buttered toast”? Yeah…George? What was going on THERE? I mean, this is a guy who actually has to make an extreme effort to look unattractive and he came kind of close Sunday night.
“comb their hair with buttered toast” – hahahahahaha I remember that.
So he was kind of greasy? I don’t remember, actually. The slicked look is good for him – I prefer it to him being tousled – but not drippy greasy slick. No.
He’s one of the few actors today who looks totally at home in a tuxedo. Like, whatever, here’s my tux, no biggie. I love that about him.
Here’s a picture. I really didn’t like that parted-and-slicked-to-the-side look on him. Plus that shiny, you-can-see-it-from-space grease just looks kind of unappealing. But you’re right about the tux. He’s like James Bond or Frank Sinatra – like, you could totally just see these guys hanging around their house in one.
Yeah, I can see that the hair is a bit clumped together – due to the Brilliantine, or whatever it is he used.
It’s not as helmety as this – but it’s close.
Maybe it was Dapper Dan?
I loved that little moment as George Clooney and Jennifer Hudson walked backstage after he had just presented her her Oscar. He handed her the card with her name on it — and I know that’s common — but it was the way he did it, the way he ushered her ahead of him, the way he smiled at her in the midst of her overwhelming moment. It was so gentlemanly somehow, so reassuring, and I swear I almost detected a wink.
yes, Helen Mirren. i agree about the stalking. everything about her is amazing and wonderful.
Tracey – that is sweet. And he looks killer in that tux. I also notice a little grey starting in the temples, but it looks good on him.
Sheila – agreed on the group thing: it has to be a group all together participating, though I think that if you have one friend in the group whose understood role is “friendly curmudgeon” it can bring something to the table. That’s the friend who keeps it from getting too overblown, and that bit of conflict produces some killer put-down lines. But yes, FRIENDLY curmudgeon is the key – if he isn’t enjoying himself why does he bother showing up to ruin it for everyone else?
tracey – I saw that, too! So sweet!! She was like: I don’t even know my NAME right now … and he gave her a helping hand. Beautiful.
I don’t mind curmudgeons – I’m often one myself – I was moaning about the horribleness of the cirque de soleil moments last night, etc. – but I ALWAYS mind snotty “it’s only a game” types.
Example: There was a guy at the bar on Sunday night who was being so loud and so AWFUL – he just thought the whole thing was ridiculous, kept demanding we change the channel to basketball, kept making fun of the people around him who “sh”ed him – kept making demeaning comments about every woman’s body on the red carpet. LOUD. Thank God he left.
Yeah, I get it, jagoff. I get it. You think we’re stupid for being into this. DULY noted. Now go the fuck away.
My annoyance, Nightfly, is exacerbated by the emails I’ve received since Sunday. Sorry. I know I’m boring. I’ll stop talking about it soon.
I have a whole theory about what is really going on. People get threatened by enthusiasm. They don’t get it, or they think it’s immature, or whatever. It’s like a high school energy … where you try to hold yourself back from jumping up and down and clapping your hands because you got cast in the play – If you show how excited you are, someone is BOUND to come and stomp on you, crush you, snicker at you. Open-faced enthusiasm makes certain types of people annoyed – especially if they do not share your particular enthusiasm. So instead of saying, “Wow. That person is REALLY into horse racing. I’m not – but he is – cool!” – they have to snicker and make a big deal about how THEY aren’t into horse racing and they think horse racing is stupid.
That’s the kind of crap I deal with on – well – almost a daily basis. Let’s say a WEEKLY basis – that would be more accurate.
I’ve even created my entire comment policy around this stupid thing.
Some people still don’t get it. Because they are still in high school mode – they see a person jumping up and down and clapping with excitement over something THEY think is irrelevant or silly – and so they make fun, they put down, they get loud, they try to dominate the room (like the guy in the bar).
I don’t find it boring at all. In fact, I hope you don’t think I’m egging you on or poking a stick in the anthill by asking, since it’s a sore spot for you. To me it’s interesting trying to understand the motivation and thinking of ways to deal with it (short of firearms). People don’t hit me up with hate mail, really, even when I’m expecting it.
Your theory on “stuck in high school” strikes me as sound. I think that when cynicism really starts to take hold, that’s all that a person has left. Other people (like kids) never lose their wonder at things, even if they’re familiar, and certain people find that to be almost a rebuke – they HAVE to fire back and dismiss the whole notion of enthusiasm or else the wall of lies they built for themselves will crumble. “You mean, I don’t HAVE to be like this? I can enjoy myself and be happy? Impossible.” They can’t simply live and let live because they don’t live to begin with, except to cut others down to their own stunted size. To quote a little Chesterton: “We have sinned and grown old, and Our Father is younger than we.”
I’m thinking a lot about it today because the Mighty Temps and I had a great discussion just this morning about people who enjoy things for their own sake, who often wind up being the ones who really change the world – pursuing things that only they think are cool until they spring it all on the rest of us, sometimes even by accident – and then their private hobby/avocation becomes a huge deal.
// “You mean, I don’t HAVE to be like this? I can enjoy myself and be happy? Impossible.” //
hahahahaha Exactly!!!!
And I think enjoying stuff for its own sake is one of the beauties of life. It’s difficult sometimes – especially as adults, because we have so many obligations and responsibilities, etc. – so those of us who ‘GO THERE’ into the obsessions are sometimes seen as eccentrics. I’m kinda fine with that, hahaha. I mean, I pay my bills, I do my laundry, I have real human relationships out in the world … and I am ALSO eccentric. Just want to make that clear. :)
I have a really good friend who feels weirdly guilty whenever she reads for pleasure. Like – she really SHOULD be doing something important or whatever. The laundry’s piling up, she needs to make phone calls, she needs to return emails, do all that grownup stuff … so she rarely does anything for pleasure, actually. I get that feeling, i really do – I have it all the time … but I encourage her to read for pleasure, even if it’s just 15 minutes a day (especially if she WANTS to) … just to clear her brain, and to let herself be passive and … like a kid again … for just a tiny moment! It’s good for you! I truly believe it is.
I would have totally marched up to Loud Bar Dude and been all “speaking of the Oscars, do you remember that scene in The Departed when Leonardo DiCaprio used a glass to smash in the face of that one guy after making fun of him for ordering cranberry juice? I’m just saying like…”
hahahaha I wish I had thought of that. I just smouldered with Allison and prayed he would leave. He did!
You know, I thought this year’s show was kinda boring, had a weird rhythm for me or something, but I still watched every damn and/or boring moment!
I think if you’re someome like the Loud Guy at the bar clinging so tightly to the cynicism that defines you or that you think makes you cool, there’s no room to embrace anything else. Anything that doesn’t fit into that narrow, tight space is shoved away, almost automatically. It’s sad to me.
Prayer works, too, Sheila. Prayer and the threat of violence just get shit done.
Prayer and the threat of violence just get shit done.
HAHAHAHAHAHA! I’m totally stealing that line.