February 22, 2009

Live-blogging the Oscars.

Hang out and watch with me.

7:28: I'm loving Tim Gunn gushing over the lady actors.

7:28: Hugh Jackman, he can sing and run around desperately on the stage, and oh! that gorgeous white foam in the corners of his mouth.

7:43: Best Supporting Actress ... a stripper need never take off her dignity with her clothes... blah blah... bullshit. Ugh! this is boring. So so stilted. But yay! Penélope Cruz, won. I love her.

7:52: "They're making the announcing of the nominees into a religious ceremony," IMs Chris (my son). Yes. Indeed. Good lord, it's deadly. This may go down as the most embarrassingly bad Oscars show of all time.

7:58: "Milk" wins original screenplay, and we get some mawkish bilge about the gays.

9:02: Sorry, my interest flagged...

9:09: Heath Ledger wins Best Supporting Actor and everyone acts all sanctimonious and morosely glum. Seriously, folks: Don't encourage suicidal behavior. The man had some talent. He performed a role. And he threw it all away. How about rewarding the living? I'm taking a break. Carry on without me. I find tonight's Oscars insipid and sickly. I'd rather live than sit through this embalming.

9:45: I went off and lived the real life for over an hour. Came back to the TiVo and found Jerry Lewis maundering about himself.

10:11: The Parade of the Dead. Marching to the tune of Queen Latifah singing "I'll Be Seeing You." She doesn't have the pipes for this song. It's painful. But take heart. The dead can't hear her. The agonizing death of this song has me rethinking my beliefs about euthanasia. Finally, we get to Paul Newman. We hear the only spoken word in the death sequence. The big difference between people, Paul says, is between those who have had "pleasure in love" and those who haven't. True enough. So turn off the fucking television and love somebody.

10:18: Danny Boyle wins Best Director. Appropriate. I agree. He hops up and down. He says it's in "the spirit of Tigger."

10:30: Best Actress. It's torture listening to presenting actresses' leaden praise of the actresses who longingly ache for the little gold man. The presenters are hogging camera time by talking slow slow slow. Thank God the Oscar goes to Kate Winslet because we're all tired as hell of hearing about how Kate Winslet has not won the Oscar yet. She gives a cheeseball speech about how as a little girl she pretended to do her Oscar acceptance speech with a shampoo bottle.

10:40: Now, the religious ritual for the Best Actor. Oh! It's so slow and dumb. This is the worst Oscar show ever. I have some things to do, but I'm hanging on to the end (after fast-forwarding through the whole rotten (I presume) center. Come on, give Mickey or Sean the damned man. And it's Sean! I approve!

10:44: "You commie, homo-loving sons of guns," says Sean. I'm going to pack it in now. I'm going to assume "Slumdog Millionaire" gets the Best Picture, and if it doesn't, I'll find out in the morning. So carry on without me, my friends.

298 comments:

1 – 200 of 298   Newer›   Newest»
Sissy Willis said...

God help them.

blake said...

Mmm. I think I'll do my taxes.

Tibore said...

Woo Hoo! Professor Althouse comes through!!

... and most of the other live blogs are dead. Just dead. Save for the GoFugYourself gal's work for NYMag.

David said...

Is that poor doggie warmed up yet?

Jason (the commenter) said...

God help them.

Yeah, they barely nominated The Dark Knight and shut out Gran Tarino. Instead they have Milk, another sub-par gay movie; probably out of guilt for not picking Brokeback Mountain when they had the chance.

Tibore said...

Hey, professor, you missed a passel of Slumdog Millionaire kids being militantly unimpressed with Ryan Seacrest. T'was a hoot.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Why are the talking heads, etc pushing the meme that the Oscars are boring this year?

Anonymous said...

'Bout damn time, Althouse.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Btw I am watching that great flick Lake Placid II.

David said...

The doggie. What about the doggie?

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Jason: I can't think of quite a few movies better than The Dark Knight and Gran Torino.

blake said...

Jason: I can't think of quite a few movies better than The Dark Knight and Gran Torino.

Maybe you need to see more movies, then?

TitusFreezeFrame said...

Can I still contribute here? I am a little afraid after all the comments below. Has anyone ever been singled out much with so much disdain on here? Weird.

Love Sarah Jessica Parker's dress.

Curtiss said...

So many people who shouldn't need fashion help, but do.

Anonymous said...

If PIXAR doesn't win tonight, I'll be steamed.

Unknown said...

Has anyone ever been singled out much with so much disdain on here?

Does anyone else talk about their shits on a regular basis?

Same answer.

Awesome said...

I still like you Titus, though for a moment there I must admit I was feeling a little swayed against you.

Tibore said...

Well, unless you did watch the E! Red Carpet show and didn't post anything, count your lucky stars. Ryan Seacrest hit bottom and started digging. Vapid would've been an improvement for him.

And how short is that Zac Efron guy? Is he there just to make Tom Cruise feel tall? Good Lord...

Palladian said...

"Can I still contribute here?"

No.

Patm said...

Only watching to see J. Lewis get his award. And even then I'm only watching because the bitch in the NY Times who wrote about it came off like a 14 year old upper west side snotnose. I bet she's never done a days work volunteering with sick people. Good for Lewis.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Welcome fellow Republican!

Ron said...

Did I really need to see Hugh Jackman give Barbara Walters a lap dance?

What's next, Whoopi with stripper tassels?

Tibore said...

"... because the bitch in the NY Times who wrote about it came off like a 14 year old upper west side snotnose."

Aside from that age, does anyone else write for the NYTimes??

Palladian said...

Isn't it kind of unseemly watching the mega-rich parade around in extraordinarily expensive one-use garments at a ceremony celebrating their own overinflated opinions of themselves at a time when so many people are jobless and our economy (and the world's economy) is falling like an AirBus A380 with a missing wing?

Sorry, I love being the wet blanket.

Party on, film-fans. This might be your last chance for a while.

Tibore said...

Huh?? What's the drama-queening with Titus tonight? Since when has he given a damn what the rest of us thinks?

Palladian said...

"Aside from that age, does anyone else write for the NYTimes??"

Dowdiness is catching.

Deb said...

Oh, great. I don't have cable anymore.

Tibore said...

Dowdiness is an infection. Makes people irritating and unbearable. Something about rapid-onset narcisism being a prime symptom.

Patm said...

"Isn't it kind of unseemly watching the mega-rich parade around in extraordinarily expensive one-use garments at a ceremony celebrating their own overinflated opinions of themselves at a time when so many people are jobless and our economy (and the world's economy) is falling like an AirBus A380 with a missing wing?"

Yes. But since our president spends approx a million dollars flying AFOne to Chicago to take his wife to dinner and serves $100.00 a lb steak at the White House, really, why should we worry?

David said...

"Can I still contribute here? I am a little afraid after all the comments below. Has anyone ever been singled out much with so much disdain on here? Weird."

Titus, I did not read much of the last thread. Personally I am tired of hearing about your loaves.

Yes, you can contribute but your loaves are not a contribution.

You seem to have a good heart, Titus. Be kind and enough already with the loaves.

But don't leave--just stop repeating the same old s**t.

(A personal view, but perhaps I am not alone in the feeling.)

Jason (the commenter) said...

CAC : Jason: I can't think of quite a few movies better than The Dark Knight and Gran Torino.

You're subconscious even agrees with me.

Milk doesn't deserve a nomination for best picture. It wasn't a good film.

Gay movies better than Milk (off the top of my head):

Breakfast on Pluto
Tarnation
Tropical Malady
Talk To Her
Blue Citrus Hearts
Brokeback Mountain
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Nicholas Nickleby
The Opposite of Sex
Capote
Almadovar's last 5 or 6 movies

I'm Full of Soup said...

Jack Black has exceeded his fifteen minutes by about a gazillion.

Marisa Tomei is still a hottie!

Patm said...

Re Titus: Must admit, I just pass over your comments because it's all same-shit-different-day.

Why don't you talk about piss for a change?

I'm Full of Soup said...

Palladian you sounded like a libtard when they whined about Bush's 2004 inaugauration parties.

Tibore said...

Jack Black has indeed run over his 15. But he still managed to be funnier than just about everyone else so far.

"Wrap it up? There must be someone more famous next!"

Tibore said...

... and yes, I must marry Marisa Tomei. And take her on a loooong honeymoon.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Robin Roberts is a hottie! Looks much better than when she pitched for the Phillies in the 1950's.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Titus is perfect for this. There's so much poop nominated this year!

I'm Full of Soup said...

Is GEICO one of the last businesses in America that can still afford to buy TV ads?

If so, I wish they would do us all a favor and make some good ads for a change.

traditionalguy said...

Welcome back Titus. The Oscars are about performance art and good writing, so your skill in those areas alone make room for you. Who will get the Best Actor/Actress making a drama queen acceptance speech tonight?

Jason (the commenter) said...

Ha ha, the Oscars mentioned excrement. Excrement is in people!

Tibore said...

Ugh... Hollywood jokes about "the recession" don't quite reach the level of being funny, do they?

Tibore said...

Oh, great... Hugh Jackman not just said, but sung the word "excrement"... If that's not Titus-bait, I don't know what is.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Tim Gunn on the red carpet and now the host is singing show tunes. They sure are narrowing their audience aren't they?

Michael Haz said...

Titus, the only opinion that really matters here is Althouse's.

Carry on.

Tibore said...

Okay, Jason, with this number about The Reader, I'm forced to agree with you.

Tibore said...

Yep, the Academy's cut back... the numbnut on curtain duty pulled the damn rope the wrong way.

Smooth. Very smooth.

Jason (the commenter) said...

None of the big stars will come up on stage, so the host is forced to mention them so they get camera time.

Jason (the commenter) said...

"You reminded us that..."

Praising the nominations so profusely reminds me of stuff written in a high school year book.

Tibore said...

They want to keep the Oscar ceremony short, and they introduce the nominees that way?

We're goin' till midnight tonight folks. There's no way it'll make the 11:30 cutoff time. No way.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Oh, look, I haven't been paying attention. Yeah I meant I can think of quite a few movies better than The Dark Knight and Gran Torino.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The Oscars has a stimulus theme this year..

You know its not going to put people in the seats, but they got to do it anyway.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Penelope thanks Almodovar! I love her. Didn't like her praising the award though, hope all the winners don't do that.

Tibore said...

Jason, if all the winners do that, we're gonna be here till 1, not midnight.

I love her to death, but she just guaranteed that every other winner's going to get played off by the orchestra from here on out.

Jason (the commenter) said...

CAC,

Gus Van Sant hasn't done anything good since Elephant. Milk has that magic for the first ten minutes, then loses it.

J. Cricket said...

Hey Chris (Annie's son):

You having more of that popcorn you had on election night when YOU SHOWED THEM!!!!

HAHAHA

Tibore said...

Well, Milk just won Screenplay. Wonder if we're going to have a theme for the rest of the night, or if this is nothing more than the token award.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Tibore,

No, they're all going to talk really, really fast.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Yay, Milk won Original Screenplay!

Jason (the commenter) said...

Oh god, they're all going to be political! Everyone loves when actors get political.

Anonymous said...

So how does the Milk writer know that the Churches don't speak for God?

And how does he know that he does!?

And how does he know that churches don't love and hold value in each person that is Gay?

This guy lives in a dream world of his own making.

Tibore said...

SDM won Adapted Screenplay. Again, will this be a theme, or just the token award for another one of the most talked up movies this year?

Hard to say.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Slumdog got a writing award, but the bit of writing they showed us looked awful!

Tibore said...

Okay, what twisted producer thought to pair Jack Black with Jennifer Aniston?

And who would've loved to be a fly on the wall when she found out?

Tibore said...

I take it back... she seemed to interact with him fondly.

Heh... who would've guessed?

Tibore said...

If Presto doesn't win Best Animated Short, I'm boycotting next year.

Wall-E wins! Should've been a Best Picture nom, not just Best Animated Feature. Still, though, I'm happy with that.

XWL said...

Shouldn't they rename the Animated Feature Award the "Annual PIXAR Trophy"?

Patm said...

Aniston is not averse to slumming it, and I say that as a Jack Black fan.

The MILK writer thinks Churches don't speak for God and they don't love gays.

I wonder if he's aware of all Mother Theresa and other Catholic organizations did for AIDS patients when no one else would go near them.

Putz. Ignorant, too.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This guy lives in a dream world of his own making.

He cued the audience to applaude.. that was a turn off.

Tibore said...

Aw, dammit... looks like I'm gonna have to break my promise to boycott next year. :(

XWL said...

Best quoting of Styx lyrics at the Academy Awards, EVAH!!!

Tibore said...

Wait... I was flipping between windows. Did the Best Animated Short producer just thank Mr. Roboto??

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

That oriental guy that was just on kept thanking people saying waht sounded like sank you..

Yea.. like they need reminding.

Patm said...

you know what? I'm checking the live blogging threads here and at two other sites...and this show is so boring that even the COMMENTS are boring.

Come on, folks, lets liven it up!

Dumb Plumber said...

The Right Stuff

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I would really like some true spirit, accepting his Oscar tonight, to hold it up high, look at the audience and tell them that he was going out to find Clint Eastwood and give it to him.

TitusFreezeFrame said...

Loved the Milk screenwriter's speech.

Excellent, perfect, bravo.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Wall-E wins! Should've been a Best Picture nom, not just Best Animated Feature.

TRUE!

Tibore said...

Heh... Cinematical blog:

"Just for laughs, the "In Memoriam" montage will feature several people who are still alive.".

Yeah, that's a joke... but if only they'd really do that... it'd be hilarious!

AmPowerBlog said...

I was wondering when you were getting back from the snow!

I predicted Penelope Cruz's win for Best Supporting Actress!

Tibore said...

Professor, "mawkish" doesn't even begin to describe it.

Patm said...

I wish someone would win, then say, "and I have a message for President Obama; you're supposed to serve the nation, not destroy it. You're supposed to kiss up to the FRIENDS not the ENEMIES."

George M. Spencer said...

Jerry Lewis eats spaghetti.

Tibore said...

"Patm said...
you know what? I'm checking the live blogging threads here and at two other sites...and this show is so boring that even the COMMENTS are boring."


Patm, if you're over at the CNN liveblog, I think it's just because their commetariat is normally like that. It was painfully boring and stupid during the Golden Globes, and it's running true to form tonight.

I just wish the Go Fug Yourself gals were blogging the ceremony itself, not just the Red Carpet.

Wince said...

Most exotic dancers I know bristle at the term "stripper".

So much for Hollywood's shout-out to the "real working girls."

Jason (the commenter) said...

If anyone I work with ever wins an award, please do not thank me!

Tibore said...

Hey, the Best Makeup Winner just tried out his best impression of John Moschitta. :D

This might just finish at the right time after all.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

...the COMMENTS are boring.

I'm having some tea.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

And the award for Most Boring Speech goes to....

Greg Cannom, for Makeup, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!

George M. Spencer said...

Jerry Lewis types.

Palladian said...

Watching the Oscars is like watching the annual meeting of the Housewares Manufacturers of America and getting preached to by the owner of Northwest Bathroom Accessories about how immoral we are for our consumption of plastics.

joewxman said...

ROFL Palladian. You even got my wife to laugh.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Donald: I've accurately predicted all four of the ones that have been done so far that I made predictions for (Sup Actress, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, and Animated Film).

If Slumdog wins Picture and Director, and Mickey Rourke, Kate Winslet, and Heath Ledger all win, I'll be 9/9!

AmPowerBlog said...

Christopher Althouse Cohen: Mine was just a guess. I'm no pro at this stuff.

I'll check back for 9/9 ...

XWL said...

The Joaquin Phoenix joke was funnier at the Spirit Awards yesterday.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Ben Stiller is doing Joaquin Phoenix..

Tibore said...

Wow... Ben Stiller once again proves that he thinks "awkward" and "stiff" equals "funny".

George M. Spencer said...

De Duva

(The Dove)

1968
Sweden

john said...

EDH said -

Most exotic dancers I know bristle at the term "stripper".


Interestingly. I found the same thing, so I tried the following and it really turned the whole game around: 1. I switched from a rolled up dollar bill to a flattened five spot. 2. Of course I no longer put it in my mouth. 3. Instead of yelling (over the Rod Stewart music) "How long have you been stripping?", I just mention that it seems so many coeds seem to work their way through the university as exotic dancers.

You could try that.

Jason (the commenter) said...

I've accurately predicted all four of the ones that have been done so far

Hasn't everyone? There have been no surprises so far. Well, it's been even more dull than I could have imagined. And some of those men have the worst taste in clothes.

Wince said...

I couldn't tell whether Stiller was doing an impression of Alan Ginsberg or Cornel West.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Jessica Biel tells us about the importance of those "sci-tech thingamajigs." What, like her dress?

Tibore said...

Ah, a commercial for The Soloist. Is that a movie designed from the bottom-up to be Oscar bait, or what?

Some movie studios try too hard.

joewxman said...

She looks like she forgot to take off her towel after she got out of the shower..or perhaps it was a bib for her monthly salad.

Barry Dauphin said...

A standing ovation for the best supporting actress presenters? Oh God this is going to take forever. We love ourselves, don't we.

George M. Spencer said...

Les Sang des betes

France
1949

Wince said...

You could try that.

I meant outside the workplace.

Tibore said...

Yeah, Rogen, laugh at Franco... 'cause someone mangling someone else's name is always funny.  :-|

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

It took him 4 years to do an 18 min short?

Obama could use a labor secretary ;)

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

So what are these big surprises in the format that we're supposed to be getting? And where's Hugh Jackman? I can't tell if he's doing a good job cause all he did was sing a song.

Roberto said...

Tibore said..."Wow... Ben Stiller once again proves that he thinks "awkward" and "stiff" equals "funny"."

Joaquin Phoenix...duh.

john said...

I have no TV access right now. Are the Oscars being telecast on some website?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Is Hollywood Obama fatiged allready?

He's only been mentioned once.

Roberto said...

Is there ANYTHING on the fucking planet the people here don't whine and bitch about?

It's an awards show...and so far it been just fine.

I suggest most here...GET A FUCKING LIFE.

George M. Spencer said...

Buchse der Pandora

Germany
1929

Roberto said...

Lem said..."Is Hollywood Obama fatiged allready?"

And if they mentioned him more you'd be bitching about that.

Turn it off if you like it.

john said...

Well, no one was whining and bitching about you.

'Till now.

Jason (the commenter) said...

The musical is back because there was one musical this year that made money? Oh god, the host is singing again.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

And if they mentioned him more you'd be bitching about that.

Most def... what's your point?

joewxman said...

"Is there ANYTHING on the fucking planet the people here don't whine and bitch about?

It's an awards show...and so far it been just fine.

I suggest most here...GET A FUCKING LIFE."

i guess that we're all sitting around watching this suggests that we don't have real lives. But then again it is the oscars and you can't get more mindless entertainment then this.

Barry Dauphin said...

A musical number in the middle, wasting time. Hugh Jackman tanks. A talented guy but not a host.

Tibore said...

Inexplicable things about this year's Oscars:

1. Why Tilda Swinton's top is the same color as her skin. And furthermore, where they got the "Albino Pale" blush for her makeup.

2. How Miley Cyrus got invited.

3. How Hollywood managed to be even more insufferably preachy than the previous years.

4. Why for the first time in years we haven't got the obligatory Jack Nicholson beauty shot.

5. Why Hollywood producers don't seem to understand comedy anymore, as evidenced by their inability to tell when that Franco, Rogen, and cinematographer's dude's skit should've ended. It used to be their bread-and-butter, but all they seem to be able to "excel" at is mawkish drama nowadays.

6. If Jessica Biel had her hair done, then made the mistake of coming to the Oscars in a convertible. Sheesh.


Add your own to this list.

Joe said...

I just tuned in to see a singing number. It was embarrassingly bad. This is why I hate the Oscars. How about putting on a ninety minute show just giving out the damn awards? Drop the host and just have Peter Coyote narrate the thing.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

That number just made me wish the musical were not back.

Roberto said...

Other than getting a chance to once again bitch and whine...why are people here watching the show?

What a truly creepy crew.

Jason (the commenter) said...

i guess that we're all sitting around watching this suggests that we don't have real lives.

Are you kidding me? What do you think I'm going to talk to all my friends about tomorrow? This is research!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

But then again it is the oscars and you can't get more mindless entertainment then this.

Yea.. it's like the comments here are the supebowl commercials.

Some are good some are bad.. and bitching is easy.

George M. Spencer said...

Soljaris

Soviet Union
1972

Roberto said...

Jason (the commenter) said..."What do you think I'm going to talk to all my friends about tomorrow?"

You have friends?

C'mon...

traditionalguy said...

Is it just me, but does this parody of an awards show make any one feel entertained? They seem to be alternating between silliness and a religious reverence of themselves for being in the Movie Business. Hollywood used to put on a serious and professional presentation, with some good jokes too, and its skills made it work. This is not the real show is it?

Tibore said...

Hey, I liked the musical number. Given that 3 of the 5 Best Picture nominees are - here's that word again - mawkish dramas, this ceremony is in some serious need of some lightening-up material. I mean, if Milk or Frost/Nixon wins the big one, just how unbearable do you all think the "Thank You" speeches are going to be?

And I think Jackman's doing fine. He's bringing a sense of élan to the ceremony.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

That number just made me wish the musical were not back.

It was a horror show..

joewxman said...

okay we just got the obligatory jack nickolson in sunglasses shot. Now its the religous presentation for best supporting actor.

Tibore said...

Oh, come off it, people. As far as musical numbers go, that wasn't anywhere near as bad as you all are making it out to be.

And this from a guy who's normally cynical about that sort of thing. It's been done worse; anyone remember Robin William's "Blame Canada" number a few years back?

Anonymous said...

That musical number was tragically embarrassing, then they pointed out the perpetrator...Baz Luhrman, who gave us the wretched Moulin Rouge, as well as mega-flop Australia. Because, you know, nobody in Hollywood could apparently stage a tribute to Hollywood musicals. Everything about it was bad, the staging, dancing, orchestrations, and terrible lip-synching. Jackman's flop-sweat is showing.

john said...

Micheal,

Picture sitting around a livingroom with a bunch of your friends (I know, but it's a hypothetical), drinking beer and eating chips. When the Oscars come on, what do you do? You crack jokes, bitch, and above all, never compliment a musical number, because that would be gay.

So it's kind of the same thing here. Except that you're not drinking beer with friends.

Tibore said...

Good Lord... are these acting nominee introductions too long or what?

joewxman said...

And the winner is saint heath

George M. Spencer said...

Goldfinger

United Kingdom
1964

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Heath Ledger won?..

Wow, that came out of left field ;)

Anonymous said...

Hey, I AM gay, and I do a lot of musical theatre too, and that number was sub-community theatre quality!

Tibore said...

Right now, some producer's frantically telling the orchestra "These folks do NOT get played off!"

Roberto said...

john said..."So it's kind of the same thing here. Except that you're not drinking beer with friends."

No, I've watched the awards many times with friends and I've never heard or taken part in so much bitching and whining.

Show me all of the complimentary comments that appear here...about damn near anything.

A petty bunch.

Roberto said...

joewxman said..."Now its the religous presentation for best supporting actor."

What the hell does that mean?

Wince said...

Too bad we can't write with affected British acccents.

john said...

Michael said -

Show me all of the complimentary comments that appear here...about damn near anything.

Jees, I acknowledged your existence, didn't I? That counts for something.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Great, rabid atheism. That will draw in even MORE audience members.

blake said...

Oh, raaaah-ther, EDH.

George M. Spencer said...

The Miracle Worker

United States
1962

Unknown said...

Bill Maher is too self-promoting!

www.best-legal-aid.com

joewxman said...

Bill Maher needs to perhaps understand that people who believe in God do occasionally go to movies and spend money. But perhaps not to his.

Tibore said...

"Michael said...


Joaquin Phoenix...duh."


Yes, Michael, I know who he was parodying. You seem to miss the meta about how appropriate it was that Ben Stiller, he of the Meet the Parents, discomfort-as-supposed-comedy genre was the one who did it.

"Duh" yourself.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Man on Wire was too long and full of itself, just like this award ceremony!

Anonymous said...

Michael, I've been watching these for 40+ years, this really is poor.
Gad, now they managed to get in a shot of Bush followed by people carrying a "stop killing black people" banner, and now Bill Maher is on. We've now had about five shots of men kissing men, and that nauseating acceptance speech by Milk's writer (sorry Titus, that was sickening. He should have let his film speak for itself). If they had gotten a committee together to think of ways to intentionally alienate and bore the rest of the country, I don't think they could have done any better.

Wince said...

Bill Maher: no man who has instilled more faith and hope in me that there is a devine and vengeful God full of wrath.

Barry Dauphin said...

Bill effin' Maher? WTF. This has jumped...whatever there is left to jump.

And what's the deal with 5 past winners coming out and "talking" about the nominees? No clips of them. Oh the audience is too stupid to see for themselves.

traditionalguy said...

Heath Ledger did put his life into his work. Death is a cruel common enemy. Does everyone getting the awards tonight come from Great Britain? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Althouse says..

9:02: Sorry, my interest flagged... I'd rather live than sit through this embalming.

Anonymous said...

Tibore, Blame Canada was truly wretched, but Williams was winking at the audience, who knew full well that the song that SHOULD have been nominated from South Park was the inspiring "Uncle Fucker"!

Hey, at least they just played a little of Bernard Herrmann's great music for the original Day The Earth Stood Still!

joewxman said...

Our Ann can't handle tonights funeral procession. Really this show just absolutely sucks. I've never been so bored! i may have to go on an eating binge or something.

I'm Full of Soup said...

If they had balls, the Ledger family would have spoken out about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs.

Wince said...

Oh yea, Althouse. I was wondering where she was.

If only they'd show an actual embalming.

vbspurs said...

Guys, I'm also blogging/commenting about the Oscars.

Oscars Night

Anyone know about Inspiration Cafe? That was the best non-Awards Show moment so far.

Cheers,
Victoria

George M. Spencer said...

They Stooge to Conga

United States
1943

(Check out this Violent sequence!)

fboness said...

Heath Ledger won?..

I suppose voting for dead people is the logical complement to dead people voting.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that Greg Cannom won for special visual effects as well as makeup...I can't think of a film where the line between those two fields was so blurred, so good for him. And he's been at the top of his field for thrity years. But glad we didn't have to sit through an additional speech by him.

RLB_IV said...

Well.. when do get the Obama movie,
2010 or 2011?

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Only eight categories to go! And only four of those are not major categories.

Tibore said...

Is everyone seriously finding this year's Oscars that bad? Sure, I'm ripping on it - hell, I always drop into Go Fug Yourself mode for award ceremonies - but aside from the silly, overwrought introductions for the acting awards, I've actually found this year's ceremony to be better than the last two. There are moments that are more maudlin, but the participants feel more zippy this year.

Must be their joy at the "Yes We Can" administration.   ;)

Anyway, I haven't found this year's ceremony to be dragging at all.

john said...

Checking around, the MSN liveblog (Dave McCoy) is pretty funny too, and almost as dismissive of this dreck as the commenters here. Now I will check to see if Marginal Revolution is also liveblogging.

Palladian said...

Hey, you know how Althouse is thinking of doing a reading of Titus's comments? Well I have an idea for a supplemental CD: Michael's comments! I just made a sample of one of Michael's comments from this thread. This is the voice I place with his comments on the rare occasions when I actually read something he's written. Enjoy!

Tibore said...

Hey, John, stay away from the CNN liveblog. Oh my GOD, it is bad. It's like Twitter, except more shallow.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Eddie Murphy?

They must have been desperate.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Mommy.. is Jerry going to die ;)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Oh boy waht's he going to say?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

That was nice..

Tibore said...

"Lem said...
Eddie Murphy?

They must have been desperate."


Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, and Robert Pattinson's been on... and you're saying that Eddie Murphy demonstrates desperation?

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

They need to get rid of the honorary awards and give out the techie awards in quick succession. Boom boom boom, there, now on to the real awards.

The thing of describing in depth what's good about each performance is actually kinda nice. Those are the important categories, and in a long show they should allow extra time for the categories people care about. I'd still prefer Oscar clips. I hate that they got rid of those. I like to decide who should win based on the clips.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Mommy.. is Jerry going to die ;)

Is Jerry ever going to release the Holocaust comedy he made? (The Day the Clown Cried)

Tibore said...

Why was Jerry Lewis's speech so not-self-indulgently endless? Is he no longer big enough to not be told to keep it short?

Wow... either that, or he's one of the few who genuinely believe that short is dignified. That's awesome.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Eddie Murphy demonstrates desperation?

At least the've done something circa this decade.

Roberto said...

Lem said..."Mommy.. is Jerry going to die ;)"

Lem, are you really that much of a prick?

Tibore said...

I agree with Chris. I think the clips should've stayed.

But hey, who am I to know?...

Roberto said...

Tibore - Jerry has had many, many physical problems over the years.

George M. Spencer said...

|

Tibia : Mirv.

|

Roberto said...

Palladian - Whining and bitching about everything is ridiculous.

It's an awards show.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Lem, are you really that much of a prick?

Lifetime achievement?.. get it?

Roberto said...

Lem - "Lifetime achievement?.. get it?"

Yes.

A "lifetime" in the "entertainment" industry.

One needn't be dead to receive the award.

Get it?

Roberto said...

RLB_IV said..."Well.. when do get the Obama movie, 2010 or 2011?"

They won't even start on it until his second term is completed. I'd keep an eye out in 2020.

Anonymous said...

These are the best songs?
(Channeling Kyle): REALLY?
(you have to imagine the head-tilt)

joewxman said...

oh i can't bear much more of this. best original dreck is finally being announced.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Okay, we are now officially done with all the tech awards. All we have left are Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Foreign Language Film (which should be a major award, even though it kind of isn't).

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I'd keep an eye out..

Wellcome to Michael's freak show ;)

Roberto said...

Why are you people watching the show??

It's apparent most here have never seen any of the films, aren't movie fans and are just here to bitch about everything and anything.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Incidentally, I just tried, on a whim, buying a bottle of Trader Joe's $2-a-bottle Charles Shaw Shiraz. I would describe it as having flavors of plum and dark berry on the nose, and an aftertaste of funeral ashes.

joewxman said...

We've gone 3 hours and no one has even passed a line about how wonderful it is now that we've been liberated from the bush administration or something along those lines. But then again the night is still young.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Let the Right One In wasn't even nominated for best foreign language picture. Another oversight.

joewxman said...

Michael, i've not only watched award shows, been to movies, etc but i've been to awards shows (two emmys on my desk..right next to my pink slip they handed me with the last emmy!) This show really is awful. Granted award shows are what they are...but this one has got to be among the worst ever produced.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I just had a tilenol pm.. a small jesture in tribute to tonights winners ;)

(I know I'm going to get some flack for this one)

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Alright, here we go! The big four categories are all that's left. Go Kate Winslet! (Though I would actually be totally happy to see Meryl Streep or Melissa Leo win.)

Tibore said...

Hey Michael: The wet-blanket blog's over there, and the Feeling Superior blog's next door to it.

Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

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