The Oscars open thread…or NASCAR open thread; Update: Sicko loses; Hollywood uses the troops, gives lukewarm reception, then bashes them; Update: A Gulf War vet responds
Scroll down for updates…video and anti-war babbling added below…plus: a Gulf War vet responds…
Who’ll stroll the red carpet in an Obama t-shirt? How long until the first outbreak of BDS is spotted? With Jon Stewart as the host of tonight’s Oscars, politicization of Hollyweird’s biggest night is certain.
A brief preview:
The “green” limos are ready and graceful gowns begged, borrowed and bought. Hollywood is ready for a glittering Oscar Sunday, but the films that will be honored are expected to be darkly pessimistic and the comedy sharply political.
Having hired America’s leading political satirist, Jon Stewart, as master of ceremonies during a presidential campaign, Oscar organizers hope to spice up Hollywood’s big night with jokes that will be repeated around the water cooler on Monday.
Oscar producer Gil Cates has promised an award ceremony filled with big stars such as George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Broadway songstress Kristin Chenoweth and teen idol Miley Cyrus to cheer the crowd. Yet, rainy weather may conspire against the festivities and dampen the red carpet that had been expected to burst with bold colors.
Hollywood can’t say it has been a happy camper this Oscar season as a three-month long screenwriters strike, which ended earlier this month, caused awards shows to be canceled or drastically curtailed.
Oscar watchers say this year’s best film nominees reflect the mood of the 5,800 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The two frontrunning movies for the best film honor are violent, a third nominee tells of corporate and legal greed, a fourth of family betrayal and the fifth teen pregnancy — that’s the funny one.
You could always skip the show and watch my favorite, wonderful John Wayne videoclip again.
***
Several commenters are watching the NASCAR race. Feel free to shoot the breeze about the Auto Club 500 instead!
***
Update: Speaking of dramatic performances, someone give Hillary Clinton an award for this rip-roaring, Obama-bashing monologue.
Update 8:41pm Eastern. Rather mild political humor from Jon Stewart in his opening monologue.
Re. Obama: “Normally, when you see a black man as president, an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty.”
Follows up with a weak joke about “Barack Hussein Obama…His middle name is the same as Saddam’s last name, his last name rhymes with Osama…remember that candidate from the 1940s? ‘Gaydolph Titler.’”
Update 11:54pm Eastern. I turned it off. Couldn’t stand the self-congratulatory orgy anymore. Anyway, commenters and e-mailers send word that 1) Michael Moore’s “Sicko” lost out to a BDS documentary, “Taxi to the Dark Side” and 2) The Academy Awards featured soldiers in Iraq introducing the short documentary category…followed by anti-war statements by the last presenter award-winner, according to readers who watched. Several commenters say the applause for the troops was lukewarm. Allah watched it, too, and reports that the reception for the troops was “middling.”
But, you know what they say: DON’T QUESTION THEIR PATRIOTISM!
Here’s the vid of our troops–God bless ‘em all:
The video was followed by these remarks:
Director Alex Gibney accepting his best documentary feature Oscar for the Iraq war-related “Taxi To the Dark Side”: “Lets hope we can turn this country around, move away from the dark side and turn back to the light.”
Update 1:00am Eastern. Gulf War I Vet Kyle Smith responds to Hollyweird’s “Axis of Chutzpah”…(hat tip: Libertas)
Given that the most recent statistics show that approximately 97.4 percent of all documentaries present America as a scary place and of those 97.4, most are meant to present the troops in Iraq as overmatched at best and as abusive, sadistic criminals at worst, it’s pretty cheeky of the Oscars to have troops serving overseas present the Oscar for best documentary short subject.
“Move away from the dark side and back to the light,” the director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” says. I doubt our troops agree that we are stuck in the dark side. I think they would argue that the vast majority of them abide by the law, by the rules of engagement and by their own moral compasses, yet they get little feeling of support from their country because those who work in the media are bent on presenting sordid, depraved and illegal acts committed by members of the military and intelligence services (which are of course elements in this war, as they are in every war) as the norm in order to undercut the war and defund the troops.
Allah’s got the vid of Gibney’s speech.
See what others have said
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Benito fleabrain Multo Linni, anyone?
I think the name thing is funny, BTA, I am a conservative.
His own followers call him “Osama” by mistake…
No thanks Hollywood. You don’t matter anymore.
Looks like another hour to go. I hope they can at least to lap 125.
NASCAR viewers awaiting for the race to restart may enjoy this (at least those of you who watch for the wrecks).
Portland drivers in the snow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMzeiMJQrvk
I can’t force myself to watch the Oscars. Awards given by the self absorbed to each other for playing make believe.
However, I noticed that the Oscars have generated a new business opportunity that I never thought about: Cleavage buffing. Given the use of plastics in Hollywood Cleavage these days, I suppose all one would need to get started would be a good car buffer and a decent supply of Turtle Wax….
I think they’ll go the distance. Looking at the radar (courtesy of Weather Underground) there doesn’t seem to be any more rain on the way.
NASCAR has already announced the Nationwide race has been moved to Monday. TV coverage is still to be determined.
Ok, that was nice, including the soldiers from Iraq on that announcement.
Hahahahahahhahahahahhahahhaha! SICKO loses!
Yes, I thought that was nice too Olympian, but I knew there was a catch coming and sure enough, they couldn’t resist going directly to bashing a minute later.
Given that, I’d kinda prefer they hadn’t done their “reach out” to the troops.
Forget Iraq, I have yet to see a positive film about the “moral war.” I guess that doesn’t fit into the agenda.
Yeah, I agree, that was pretty bad.
That was just some insurance against three anti-war documentaries. My God I hate Hollywood.
Taxi to the Dark Side won the best documentary which has a bunch of BDS, instead of Sicko.
Actually, what did yall think of the actors facial expressions as the troops were reading off the names? The nominees we’re looking at each other so snarkily…snickering. I think they were embarassed by it, made uncomfortable…maybe they felt their nominations were tainted… Anyone else get that same vibe?
Yup, Schweggie, got that same vibe — the most muted acknowledgement of being nominated of the night.
Just to briefly expand on my earlier post, it’s not that I didn’t expect the bashing, but found it in extremely poor taste to be tagged on directly after their faux honoring of our troops.
On February 24th, 2008 at 11:30 pm, Schweggie
I sure did get the vibe, almost like they were looking around to see if it was ok to applaud.
Hey troops, I love you guys, but you just got PUNK’d!!
Been to two races; both in Loudon. The second was rained out a little over halfway through. Total bummer.
Thought the Oscars were great. No totally heinous dresses. That limits what I’ll talk to my Mom about tomorrow.
Good ceremony. Bad race. Should have waited for a Monday green flag.
NASCAR update – track drying continues. They will resume the race in about 45 minutes.
Latest update… race resumes in one hour… woo hoo! I’ll be up all night if it goes that long.
One of the drivers in tonight’s race is…
California dreamin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wI6uAOHzvo
I’ll be up all night if I have to.
While we’re waiting, I’ve got a rain delay story for you.
In 1984, a couple of friends and I had tickets for the fall race at North Wilkesboro. On the day of the race, it was pouring down rain. But, we optimistically made the 175 mile drive anyway. On the way up there, it rained so much that when we saw a dead dog on the side of the road, we assumed he had drowned.
As we walked toward the gate, a crowd of people coming out said the race was postponed.
NASCAR rescheduled the race for 2 weeks later. Darrell Waltrip’s crew took his car back to the shop and tore the motor down. They found a cracked wrist pin. The motor would have blown up in 50 laps.
They rebuilt the motor, and DW won the rescheduled race–which made my friends and I very happy.
Cool story.
1984 – was he driving a Buick?
I think Waltrip drove a Chevy Monte Carlo in 1984.
I just couldn’t stomach watching the self-indulgent, phony, hypocritical, two-faced wimps and airheads congratulate themselves. So I didn’t.
Racing to resume at 1 am ET
Thanks Michelle for the Nascar plug
and a Hi 5 from the Nascar at FR pit crew.
The event credited by many with bringing NASCAR to mainstream America -
The Infamous Fistfight – Daytona 500 – 1979
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXbHQtZH8dE
Classic NASCAR. Like I said, those were the days.
Waltrip drove Buick Regals in 1981 and 1982 before switching over to Chevrolets in 1983.
And I remember watching the famous fistfight on TV.
In 1984, DW was joined on the Junior Johnson team by Neil Bonnett. Both cars were sponsored by Budweiser. When asked before the season started how he would tell the two cars apart, Junior Johnson replied, “One’s going to be red and white and the other is going to be white and red.”
Junior Johnson was never one to mince words.
Another hour – I’m starting to think they should have postponed the race and waited until the morning.
I never watch the Oscars Mier Weiners, because it’s mystery meat mostly.
I will miss Bryan @ HA.
When NASCAR interrupts Sunday night Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad and all my favorite cartoons, then they have my ire like the Oscar Mier Weiners.
They’ve called the race. Rescheduled for 1:00 PM ET tomorrow.
I used to watch the oscars every year. Those were in the days when politics wasn’t governing the awards and show. I think when Brando sent out that Indian girl to give a speech and accept his award, was when I left it. Today, it’s all nonsense unless you worship actors/actresses and want to see them compete in clothes, state of drunkeness, and who can give the best political speech. Auto500 is much better. Besides, my wife and I (she much more) are Nascar fans. I guess my laptop will be on nascar.com today using the leaderboard to keep up with the racing.
Amen.
But I have an intense dislike for all those strange people at the Award ceremony. Most of them seemed mentally ill to me. What is the medical term for those who suffer from constant, unrelenting hatred of one’s country?
Fortunately, “The Magnificent Seven” was on.
I refuse to torture myself by watching a bunch of selfish, self aggrandizing monkey butts with way too much money, congratulate each other on how beautiful and smart they are.
Can’t stand NASCAR either. If I want to watch car racing I’ll just stand out on the freeway overpass.
Sorry that the hollyweird scum feels obligated to smear the military. Hopefully, what’s going around will eventually be coming around for the “beautiful” monkey butts!!!
“Liberals” – I think that might be the word for which you are searching, zorro.
I hate to see Bryan leave at HA. But, one of the commentors at HA probably summed things up quite well – He doesn’t need “Good luck” wishes cast upon him but a hearty “Well done”. He has worked with Michelle and is now going to work with Laura. Sounds like he has it going on.
I’m glad I didn’t stick around for the race! I was really beginning to wonder if it would ever happen. Guess I’ll have to keep nascar.com running at work this morning
What do you guys think of the race we’ve seen so far? I’m sticking to my guns – I think the Rousch boys will be there at the end.
Director Alex Gibney should turn his Oscar statue over to the producers of the short documentaries produced in Fallujah. After all these fine film makers were teaching those people living and operating on “the dark side” some strong lessons about behavior change. These low budget films feature closeups of dull knife neck slicing, minimal cue card throat screams with gurgling blood sound graphics, and even shouts of Allah Akbar as life ebbs from the evil dark side people. Let Hollywood applaud that! Losers!
I think Jeff Gordon is the man to beat. Some of the other guys are starting to catch up to him, but he’s still the dominant car so far.
If NASCAR officials can restrain themselves from throwing yellow flags for “debris” everytime a grain of sand blows on the track–I think Mr. Gordon will run away with it. He was doing it last night.
Gordon/Johnson, either one, could win. But then again, Anyone could get a lucky break and come out ahead. I suspect Tony Stewart will be there at the end. Don’t discount Kyle or Truex either. But, bad luck for one driver could be good luck for another. That’s what makes it interesting. Watch the team strategies today. It should be quite interesting with the delay yesterday and only one hour of practice.
Michelle,
I never could stomach the Oscars. I watched the year that Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won for Best Picture and that’s the last time I was even remotely interested.
Why can’t Oscars just FedEx the statues to their recipients and save all the money spent wearing their guilded costumes once and contributing to the increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere? Look at it this way, they’re saving money and the the environment at the same time, right?
You guys are nuts! Biffle is my man this weekend
self-edit- one less “the” for everyone.
May I recommend “Balls of Fury”, we rented it this weekend to protest the oscars and found it was a delightful hoot.
Emjem, the purpose of the Oscars is to show off clothes, opinions, and be noticed, in front of the world. Global warming is just a front to them; something we “little people” need to be concerned with, not them. Their SUVs and private jets are exempt. The Awards are nice, but much better to be seen and heard. Almost race time…
Lucky for us way over here in Germany, the “I love me’s” were on pretty darn late at night. Go ahead and think I bothered to watch… go ‘head. I come from Los Angeles, and couldn’t wait for those award shows to come on, mostly so I could have a great excuse to turn off the TV and do anything else. It surely seems this year’s tripe lived down to the hype.
Kenseth is running 5th! I knew he’d show up eventually!
Gordon’s having some handling problems today, but I expect his team will have the adjustments figured out before it’s over.
Gray:
I know, I know but I think they should still have to make it a little bit more fun for the viewer. There used to be this great kid’s show on t.v. where the kids would run through various obstacles. In the midst of said obstacles was lots of green, goopey slime. Half the fun was just seing the kids get in the muck and navigate through it. Would love something similar done for the Oscars…. it’s for the fans, you know, and these pissant Hollywood gliterati love their devotees, don’t they?
As to Nascar… can somebody just fast forward the race and tell me which car makes it past the finish line unscathed and unwrecked first?
Well, they thought about changing the rules so whoever could get through the most races without getting run into by Kurt Busch would be the champion. But then they realized that would make Kurt Busch the champion, so they had to forget that.
Yeah A Beautiful Mind and the Jayson Blair Times, which one doesn’t belong and we all know why?
http://getoffmyphone.blogspot.com/2008/02/id-like-to-thank-academy.html
That’s a tall order these days.
Edwards up with a 5-second lead on the field!
I don’t understand why the military would allow to have our brave men and women take part in this artificial, pompous, self-righteous, indignant, liberal celebration when the uppers must have known they would be greeted at the most with a mild reception in fantasy land. What was the purpose of this..part of “the new tone” crap? Let me bend over and kick me harder…what a bunch BS!!!!.
Michelle, Thanks for the Duke clip. My favorite though is when the duke did the Pledge of Allegiance and described our country. Those were the days though when Hollywood liked America.
Edwards takes the lead again. With 10 to go, my money is on him
Guess we’ll be seeing a backflip today.
Jeff Gordon was lucky to get third. I was monitoring his in-car radio and heard him say his motor blew up. He coasted across the finish line.
Did Edwards win? I had to step away.
He did. Johnson 2nd, Gordon 3rd.
Rousch is always strong at CA.