Superbowl Sunday

Last night was my version of the Superbowl: The Academy Awards. Oh yes-- Superbowl Sunday... of the hollywood - pop - culture - entertainment - sporting - event kind... the event of all events. The golden child of the awards season... the most anticipated event of the year. I, having grown up in Hollywood, do love a good celebrity love fest (even though I'd deny it if ever confronted with a real celebrity). Case and point: when faced with potentially missing the Oscars because Oscar Sunday fell on the opening night of an annual business event that I plan, I turned our opening reception into a full-fledged Oscar party, complete with cocktail attire, champagne, red carpet and yes, six foot Oscars flanking the entrance doors. And, being that we're the international division and I felt that I had to somehow incorporate cultural references into the theme, I blew up posters of foreign film winners for the last 25 years, which decorated the room. Most importantly, I live-streamed the broadcast of the awards on a 20' projection screen so I wouldn't miss a second... ummmm... perhaps a little obsessive, I must admit, but fantastic.

I have to say though, last night proved to be, well, a little predictable. Sure, I watched the all-day E! Entertainment pre-show of Oscar fashion past; oogled the stars during the arrival and watched as they dodged relationship, baby and other crazy questions. Sat with bated breath through Ellen's opening and the 72 minutes until they got to the "real" awards (nothing as funny as best screenplay acceptance speech last year). I was hoping for some unpredictability-- like Leo finally winning the big guy (he should have won for "The Aviator"), and maybe Kate Winslet-- the youngest actress (at 31-- my not-as-impressive age) to receive 5 nominations, finally getting the nod (she, like Judi Dench, always seem to be nominated, although Dame Judi usually wins... it's as though there's an empty spot every year and the Academy says, "let's throw in Dame Judi or that Titanic girl-- sure, no one's seen their movies, but they're British-- and talented; so they must deserve an Oscar"). "Sense and Sensibility" is still one of my favorite movies-- and Kate's first Oscar nod at the tender age of 19. Damn. Did I mention that I'm feeling a tad bit unaccomplished?

But, it was faves Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland) and Helen Mirren (The Queen) who took home the top prize. (Forest, well-deserved; and perhaps Helen too... although, I still can't get over the fact that "The Queen" was a t.v. movie that some studio exec said, "Let's just try it as a feature and see if it works.")

And though I loved "Little Miss Sunshine" I have to admit I was rooting for Mark Wahlberg to take home Best Supporting Actor... come on, peeps. Didn't a little part of you want to see Marky-Mark snub the Hollywood establishment by taking home a little gold, bald, naked guy? And while we all knew that Jennifer Hudson was going to take it, I would have loved to see little Abigail Breslin with the upset... and maybe even get a little "Superfreaky" on stage.

There were some definite high points of the evening-- Ellen Degeneres outdid herself and had me laughing outloud. But none so high as these beloved fellows. As you know, I do have a little love-fest of my own with my man John C. Reilly. And Marky-Mark is badass, indeed. Until next year... goodnight.