80th Oscar finish
Another Oscar season is put to rest. And though I'm a little bleary-eyed while writing this I have to say I'm glad the writers' strike was settled in time for the ceremony to go on. However, I am officially giving up on all "countdown to Oscars" shows from the red carpet hours before the ceremony, particularly those hosted by people who make it all about themselves and can't be bothered to do their homework on the stars who will be attending.
But I want to know what you think? Did the Oscars live up to the hype? Did you like Jon Stewart as host - how about when he gave an Oscar moment back to one of the played off winners? Did you have a favorite Oscar moment? Gary Busey attacking Jennifer Garner on the red carpet perhaps? Post your thoughts below. I'm eager to hear.
Javier Bardem has a case of nerves
Javier Bardem, who took his mother as his date (though his girlfriend Penelope Cruz was a presenter), finally arrived backstage and told the gathered press that he had been nervous before his win as best supporting actor. He made everyone laugh when he confessed that his mother asked why he was nervous when the academy wasn't going to give him the award. He talked about working with the award-winning Coen brothers but did admit he is happy he no longer has the awful haircut of his character.
(photo ©A.M.P.A.S.)
February 24, 2008
Marion Cotillard sings for the press
Marion Cotillard, who won best actress over my favorite, Julie Christie, went backstage where our Jeanne got to ask her what actresses she admired over the years. She loves all actresses, but allowed as how she was so in love with Peter Sellers when she was a kid - she's still a kid! - that she wanted to marry him. One reporter asked her to sing a song from the movie and she accommodated with Padam Padam.
(photo ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Accessing Hollywood takes friends
Here's a shout out to our good friends at Access Hollywood - Nancy O'Dell, Billy Bush, and all the producers and directors. The Access team was incredibly hospitable to Kathy and me when we were in Los Angeles for the SAG Awards last month. Thanks to them, we got a great spot on the red carpet to see all the biggest stars. Check out the Access Hollywood Web site tonight.
Tilda Swinton meets the press
Tilda Swinton (at right) just finished up backstage with the press, telling reporters that no one was more surprised than she was that she won for best supporting actress. Who did she think would win? Anybody else. She said that when they called her name it was like everything was in slow motion. Swinton, 47, was as funny backstage as she was in front of the audience — told her dress was "interesting" she said that was a "euphemism" but that it was comfortable. She said she was surprised people didn't know she's funny. "I'm funny all the time," she says. "I'll have to work on that." Swinton was irked to be asked about her unconventional living arrangement, which reportedly includes her partner of 18 years and her boyfriend who is 20 years younger. The press room is still waiting for Javier Bardem to show up ...we'll keep you posted.
(photo ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Fashionably late
OK, we're already halfway into the show but here's a catch-up post. As always, there was a crush of the biggest names arriving on the red carpet at once — and with just enough time to do a quick TV interview or two and zip into the Kodak Theatre. Calista Flockhart with live-in love Harrison Ford (at left), Johnny Depp with live-in love Vanessa Paradis, Jessica Alba, Faye Dunaway, Cate Blanchett, John Travolta
and wife Kelly Preston (at right), McDream... I mean, Patrick Dempsey and wife Jillian Fink. As show time drew closer the actors would bypass, graciously in most cases, the masses of media, though Jeanne reports that a few celebs ignored the reporters as if they were homeless on the nearby streets.
(photos ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Tell us your favorite dress. Post below
One of our posters (Kelli) commented on the fabulousness of Helen Mirren's dress and it seems the Oscar-winning actress either got the red dress memo or was the catalyst for the evening's predominant color scheme. Our own Jeanne Wright saw Mirren's dress up close and tells us "it looked amazing and the top seemed to shimmer like diamonds."
Our Kathy Rowings, here with me in Washington, D.C., noted the similarities between Anne Hathaway (at left) and Katherine Heigl's gowns so we are wondering: with all the red dresses being worn tonight, which one is your favorite?
Here are our picks:
Lorrie: Katherine Heigl
Kathy: Anne Hathaway, above
And TJ Walter, also here in Washington with us: Anne Hathaway
Lisa Rinna could be worst interviewer
Worst interviewer of the evening award has to go to Lisa Rinna, who missed a wonderful opportunity to introduce George Clooney's girlfriend Sarah Larson (at right) to viewers. She then went on to embarrass herself by congratulating Amy Adams on being at the Oscars for the first time - forgetting that Adams had been a nominee two years ago. When Amy said that she had been there before Lisa tried to recover but flubbed even worse, congratulating her on her second nomination. She's not nominated, but her song from Enchanted is. Who's your pick for worst interviewer in a pre-show? Post below.
(photo ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Wolfgang Puck's chocolate treats
Chef to the stars Wolfgang Puck (at left) made an appearance on the red carpet early in the afternoon and he got whoops and yells, too, because he was tossing out to the crowd the little gold chocolate Oscars he'll be serving at the end of the supper he's prepared for the 1,600 stars and suits who will attend the Governors Ball. He's also serving Austrian chocolate in honor of one of the nominated foreign films, The Counterfeiters.
(photo by Todd Wawrychuk / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Lisa Rinna anchors TV GUIDE pre-show
Our Jeanne Wright reports that TV GUIDE pre-show host and former Dancing With the Stars competitor Lisa Rinna got a few whoops from the crowd when she walked the carpet. Lisa looks great, as well she should after the Botox, dieting and exercise regime she puts herself through to be ready for these events. I do wish she'd spend a little more time developing questions for the stars so her conversations could go a little beyond "what are you wearing?" What would you ask tonight's nominees if you had their attention for just a few moments? Post your questions below. I'll send them to Jeanne and you never know, she might get a chance to ask yours when the stars come backstage during the show.
Clooney does red carpet with girlfriend Sarah Larson
Well, if you're watching the pre-shows - I've got TV GUIDE's on — you'll see that George did indeed bring his beautiful girlfriend Sarah Larson as his date to tonight's Oscars. He's not a favorite to win, though he's always my favorite. He's got a great sense of humor and was quoted saying he feels a bit like Hillary Clinton must be feeling these days, "It's just not my year."
George Clooney arrives at Oscars
It's Oscar Sunday and the excitement on the red carpet is already palpable. Our Jeanne Wright is wedged in among the hundreds of reporters lining the walkway up to the Kodak Theatre but that doesn't make it any less fun. It's a little early for the crush of REALLY big stars — except for George Clooney, who never takes himself too seriously. He has arrived and Jeanne reports that the crowd went wild when they got a glimpse of the Oscar nominated star. In fact, they started shouting: "George, George, George." He's at the far end of the red carpet giving interviews now and spending quite a bit of time at it, says Jeanne. "I hope he spends that much time up (further on the carpet) here with us." We'll see. We'll also see if he brings his new girlfriend Sarah Larson. When George brings a date to the award show, you know it's serious. I'll never forget the day he arrived on the red carpet for the Emmys, back when he was still doing ER, with his then very new French girlfriend Celine Balitran. She looked a little shell-shocked when she saw the reception he was getting, as if she had not quite understood just how big a star she was dating. She definitely got the picture that night.
February 22, 2008
Oscar's theater is ready
It's the Friday before the Academy Awards so it's a bit of a mad house at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood where Sunday's ceremony will take place. Hordes of tourists were happy when rain gave way to sunshine this afternoon outside the theater where they waited to catch a glimpse of anything that might be Oscar-related. The gold-velvet curtain that drapes the front of the building and hides the fact that there are regular mall stores will do. Better yet are the giant golden Oscar replicas, standing like stern guards over the best block on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Our Jeanne Wright visited the site today to pick up the press credentials that will get her access to the red carpet and back stage on Sunday. Jeanne and I have been through a few Oscars together — on the red carpet, back stage, even sitting inside for the show the year that David Letterman hosted and did his Uma/Oprah routine — so she's no stranger to the craziness that can prevail in these pre-Oscar days. Security is tight already and will remain so through the weekend. Streets around the theater are blocked off and Jeanne's car was scanned for explosives with one of those under-the-car mirrors before she could even park it in the underground lot.
Below is a peek at of some of what goes into getting ready for Sunday night, from spray-painting Oscar to Jon Stewart's rehearsal.
February 21, 2008
Wolfgang Puck's post-Oscar party menu
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck (below, at right) is once again the man behind the menu for the Governors Ball following Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony. This is Puck's 14th year catering the ball, which has become a much bigger deal than it ever used to be. Twenty years ago, when I covered my first Oscars, the Governors Ball was barely a stop-by venue. The stars were more likely to take their limos straight from the Oscars to the late superagent Swifty Lazar's party, then held at Puck's restaurant Spago, on Sunset Boulevard.
This year, the Governors Ball is about the only place to party. Vanity Fair canceled its always-amazing Oscar-viewing dinner and post-party because it didn't seem "appropriate" to be celebrating after the writers strike. Dani Janssen, whose private dinner and post-party always gets top names, also won't be held. Elton John's annual party will go on - he makes it a fundraiser for AIDS research and has raised $15 million over the years. John and Mary J. Blige have promised to perform this year.
So, Oscar nominees and their entourages are even more likely to make the Governors Ball their first stop and then linger. They will be justifiably starving by the time they get there (around 9 p.m. Pacific) and they will be ready to chow down on favorites like Puck's mini-Kobe beef burgers on brioche. (To see the full menu, click here.) And nobody wants to leave without at least one of his gold-dusted chocolate Oscars, even if they claim they are for the kids.
(photo © A.M.P.A.S.)
February 20, 2008
Oscar movie marathon
How many more movies must you see before Sunday's Academy Awards show? This is movie marathon week for many of us who kept putting off some of the contenders. Our Kathy Rowings has a fix for that. Here's her plan for Saturday.
"Full disclosure: Most of the Oscar-nominated movies didn't interest me this year, so the only one I've seen thus far is Juno. That seemed wrong, though, considering that my job revolv
es around all things celebrity, so imagine my glee when I discovered that it isn't too late to see all five of the
Best Picture contenders in one day. Sure, 12-plus hours of movies may feel like more work than fun, but much like my exercise regimen, I need to go all out or I won't do it at all. Here's how it works: AMC Theaters will show the five films on Saturday at theaters across the country. (Click here to find the one closest to you.) The order and times are set beforehand, and your ticket allows you to come and go as you please. That's good news, since I'm already concerned about what I'll eat all day (although there are unlimited free popcorn refills...). My roommate John and I will definitely be sitting through Michael Clayton, There Will be Blood, Atonement and No Country for Old Men, but may have to skip Juno -- even though we both love it -- to stretch our legs and get some real food in our bellies. Aside from the whole sitting-still-for-12-hours aspect, I'm most concerned about There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men. I don't do well with violence, and I've had more than one movie-buff friend tell me point-blank I simply won't like them. What are your thoughts on those two movies, and the others? Do you think I'm crazy to try and sit through this movie marathon? Let me know in the comments!"
February 19, 2008
Jon Stewart's Oscar re-run
I watched Jon Stewart's The Daily Show last night. He was hilarious, as usual, crossing the boundaries of good taste several times and occasionally even cracking up himself. If only he could host the Oscars like that. Stewart (at right) and his team of writers (thank God the writers are back) will be madly working on the opening, the jokes, the possibilities this week as he gets ready to host Sunday night's big award show for the second time. We can only hope that he learned a few lessons from the first outing two years ago. Stewart is best when he's an unconstrained mischief-maker. It was clear the last time around that he didn't feel free to make mischief on the stage of the Kodak Theater before a house packed with 3,000 of Hollywood's most important. Some say Stewart's "brand" of humor is political and doesn't transfer to entertainment. I'm eager to hear what you think? Are you looking forward to Stewart as host of Sunday night's Oscar show? Post below to let me know.
(photo © A.M.P.A.S.)
