My Night At The
Oscars 2005...
To say I am tired is an understatement. It was a pretty amazing experience.
Glamorous... yes it was. The thing that really struck me is how short and of
small stature most of the stars really are.
You don't realize this when you watch them on the big screen.
As I arrived and checked in, I was given an Oscar Survival Kit.It had all kinds of goodies in it, one thing that cracked me up was the
blister packs of Wake-Ups and beef jerky.
Also, you know when you're watching the red carpet you always see flashing
lights that you think its the photographers taking tons of pictures...Guess what
they are? Well, they're flashing lights made to look like camera flashes.
Strange huh?
Backstage there are some very intimate moments. While I spent most of it in the
Press Room I did get out a little. Right outside the room there's a bucket of
Energy Drinks. Of course I take one. I need all the energy I can get.
I noticed the hallway was where many of the presenters tracked down winners to
hand over the white envelope with the winner's name inside. I thought this was
really cool it was away from the spotlight and away from cameras.
In particular I saw Renee Zellweger running after Morgan Freeman calling to him,
"Mr. Freeman, I think you should keep this" and slid the envelope containing his
name into his hand and gave him a big hug.
When Morgan got to the crowded backstage hallway, he was greeted by a big round
applause from bystanders and high-fives from members of the American Boychoir,
waiting to take the stage with Beyonce.
When Morgan made his way back to the press room, someone asked him did he dream
of being a movie star back when he was "Easy Reader" on the PBS show, "The
Electric Company"?
You could almost see Morgan cringe at the question but he answered it with,
"This is the fight I've been fighting all my life."
A
very dazed Cate Blanchett, who won supporting actress for "The Aviator,"
wandered down the hall with a dazed look on her face. She asked presenter Tim
Robbins, "Was it really my name"
He laughed and assured her she had really won.
The big buzz in the room was that Martin Scorsese had lost. It did seem like
most of us were torn. Clint certainly is a favorite and was great to talk to,
but most of us were hoping that Martin would get finally get recognized.
The other thing everyone was talking about was the new format. It didn't go over
to well with the people I talked to.
I saw Mike Myers and he just looked strange. He was this weird orange color. It
looked like a bottled tan to me.
Some of the Questions Asked...
No, the Oscar-winning makeup artists for Lemony Snicket did not mind being
handed their trophies in their seats. "It was easier because I didn't have to
walk in these shoes," said Valli O'Reilly.
What went through Cate Blanchett's mind when her name was read from the
envelope? "Don't trip."
Asked whether the Oscar will turn her into a diva. "Absolutely, you a--hole!"
says Cate with perfect timing and the whole placejust erupted in laughter.
To Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor... will you celebrate with wine? (for their
Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay) Says Taylor: "We're having tequila."
To Sidney Lumet, Is it true you're next movie will be with Vin Diesel... Sidney
confirms this. (Good thing he got the trophy already, I have a feeling they
might want it back.)
Earlier, we'd been told hosts don't do press conferences. Of course Chris Rock
showed up, much to the delight of all of us.
He was much more subdued than I would've thought. It could be that he was just
tired. He was asked if he would host again, his response, "Who knows if they
would want me again?"
Musings... Did anyone notice the song
Bill Conti's orchestra played when Prince came onto the
stage. I didn't but the room was talking about how strange it was. It was
Kansas' "Carry On My Wayward Son" Seriously, that makes no sense at all.
With her
husband Chad Lowe by her side, a beaming
Hilary Swank did say she forgot to
thank someone -- the make-up artist for her film.
"She should have gotten
nominated," Swank said about Tania McComas. "She did such a great job, unless
people thought I really got black eyes and my neck broken."
One of the
more touching speeches was by Robert Richardson , Cinematography, "The
Aviator"... After giving an emotional speech on stage
about his mother in the hospital, Richardson said his mother was on the East
Coast and watching the show. "My mother is being kept awake, I'm hoping, but one
never knows."
Did you notice
when
Rock joked that Tobey Maguire was "just a boy in tights," they
flashed to his Spider-Man costar Kirsten Dunst cracking up?
What happened to Jeremy Irons? He was kind of scary looking
He could have done Jim Carrey's part in the Lemony Snicket movie with almost no
makeup. But Bill Corso one of the winners for make-up for
Lemony, (Valli O-Reilly and Bill Corso), told me backstage, "I
share this with Jim Carrey because he and I sepnt a good year playing around
with different ideas and different looks. If he could do his own makeup he
certainly would."
Thelma
Schoomaker won Best Film Editing, "The Aviator"...
The last time Schoonmaker won an Oscar, it was for "Raging Bull.""Scorsese did not win which was quite devastating for me. It kind of
ruined my night a bit. We have a lovely party afterwards, a very small one," the
editor says. "I'm not sure what we're doing tonight."
What was up
with Renee Zellweger? She looked awful... put her with Mike Myers and they were
a shocking looking couple.
Shut
up, Sean Penn. it was a JOKE... Jude Law's
probably at home going, "Please don't stick up for
me."
What's up with
Melanie Griffith's upper lip?
What's with Annette Bening's hair?
Well I had a great time... I think I enjoy watching it better at home. I think I
missed a bunch of what was going on. The press room is noisy so you can't really
catch what is going on during the telecast. I tivo'd the show, but haven't had a
chance to watch... I'm still trying to catch up with my sleep.
A
very dazed Cate Blanchett, who won supporting actress for "The Aviator,"
wandered down the hall with a dazed look on her face. She asked presenter Tim
Robbins, "Was it really my name"
