Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Oscar follow-up

There’s always the second day autopsy on the Oscars after the first day’s initial reactions.

As expected (certainly by me), the ratings were among the lowest ever. I think the combination of Trump supporters not wanting to hear about tolerance and acceptance and diversity and a lackluster slate of movies that no one saw or gave a shit about caused that rating slide. Don’t blame Jimmy Kimmel.  Or the Starline Tours.

I wonder how many people on the east coast actually saw the trainwreck ending live. Lost in all the hoopla about the snafu was that the Oscarcast was way over time.

They could have dropped Mean Tweets (that’s a TV bit not an Oscar bit), cut the tour bus schtick in half, lost the tweet to Trump (it took forever and had no great payoff), and not parachuted in donuts. Or played walk-off music halfway through Viola Davis' speech.  That would have saved half an hour.

Thanks to those who listened to my review on my podcast. If you haven’t heard it yet you can go right here. And please subscribe. Subscriptions are vital in the podcasting world. I know some people prefer just the written version, but a lot of you are saying it added another dimension to actually hear me say the jokes the way they were intended. It was fun to do although I got to bed at 4:30 in the morning. I won’t be doing this with the ESPY’s.

I felt bad for Jimmy during the finale clusterfuck. He clearly was overwhelmed. This is where a seasoned pro is needed. Hope, Carson, even Letterman might have been more in control. It’s like when Al Michaels was calling the 1989 World Series and there was a major earthquake. He instantly turned into a news anchor and handled that emergency with complete assurance and grace. Give Jimmy a few years to really settle into that role and he’ll be that guy too. Remember, when you’re hosting a live event, you have to be ready for the unexpected.

Considering the money that studios pour into Oscar campaigns, when the producer of one film says he happily gives the award to another, behind the scenes the studios are freaking out! Lots of money changed hands as a result of that blunder.

Mixed reaction from commenters on Viola Davis’ speech. Also, some real nasty comments overall, some I just rejected. Again, this is a humor blog. If you want to poke a little fun at something, fine, but several times over the last few days I’ve had to put a halt to threads that were getting out of hand. Play nice, kids.

I'm sorry but I thought Jennifer Aniston's choking up during the IN MEMORIUM intro was over-the-top and fake.  

There weren’t any real fashion disasters this year, at least none that I saw.

HELL OR HIGH WATER picked the wrong year to be in Oscar contention.

Nicole Kidman is taking some internet flack. Everyone has that fine line between deciding whether an actress is still glamorous or scary. For many, that line has been crossed. I thought she is still a procedure away. 

And finally, my friend Earl had a fascinating observation. What if the snafu were reversed? What if MOONLIGHT originally won and then were told that the lily-white LA LA LAND beat them instead? I can’t even imagine the brouhaha that would have caused.

32 comments :

Ben said...

No fashion snafus? Did you see Dakota Johnson? Pretty sure she's now married to Warren Jeffs.

tavm said...

Follow the line on that last paragraph, what if back in '52, either A Place in the Sun or A Streetcar Named Desire had won BP instead of An American in Paris? Would a columnist have demanded a recount, as Entertainment Weekly revealed recently in an article about the latter?

Jamie said...

Thank You Ken. So you did read my comment and go to net and see Nicole Kidman's long alien like fingers.

Michael said...

Thank God I wasn't the only one who thought Jennifer Aniston's choking up was fake. No other reader commented on it after I did. Thanks Ken.

Apart from you, me and a few in comments, no news outlet or reviewer has lampooned Viola Davis's speech..... Why?

Cassandra said...

Just wondering why Denzel was so happy when the decision was reversed. He was rude too. He was nastily gesticulating to Jimmy to move away from the mike, which Jimmy was doing, so that Barry could give a speech.

Denzel snubbing Casey was maybe his personal hatred for the molester.

Did anyone notice a young black actor's over the top reaction on stage with the moonlight cast. What's with that?

But Barry and many were very graciuos and took the mistake in their stride.

Andrew said...

" I think the combination of Trump supporters not wanting to hear about tolerance and acceptance and diversity..."

>Sigh< Ken, I so wish that you could come out to where I live in Ohio, and meet some Trump supporters. Perhaps you could even tolerate them, and accept them, and be exposed to their diversity. I can introduce you to African-Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims who voted for Trump. These are real, flesh and blood people, with legitimate reasons for their decision. Not to mention many white working class people that the Democrats used to speak for. But they're all bigots now.

This is your blog, and I'll understand if you don't post the comment. But could I please, humbly, suggest to you, that when many Americans hear about "tolerance and acceptance and diversity" they don't give it any credit, because they know they are being held in contempt by the tolerant people?

Terrence Moss said...

No, no. Viola Davis can have two hours if she wants.

The Bumble Bee Pendant said...

It's really a shame the theater doesn't allow the audience to have a bottle of water, etc. They have nerves and thirst... kinda of silly.

Terrence Moss said...

Was that young black actor supposed to mourn?

See how you react when a movie you're in wind the Oscar for Best Picture under any circumstances. That's what was up with that.

And leave Denzel alone. He should have won.

Terrence Moss said...

What's there to lampoon? You must not know her story.

Terrence Moss said...

Winners should never be played off, but brevity should always be encouraged. It's their moment. I'd rather sit through that than a silly gag or pointless clip package.

Anonymous said...

34 year anniversary of last episode of MASH, one of the most watched TV programs in history.

Terrence Moss said...

Since the comment was posted, I have to wonder how can you ask for tolerance and acceptance for support of a man who embodies everything but that?

Cassandra said...

Terrence Moss, go watch again - he was not pumped about the movie winning, he was showing fists and behaving as though he had won a war. Teeth gritting, fists clenched and all. No one took away the award. See how dignified Barry and others were. But he was just showing off with hyped emotions, knowing he was on TV-cheap publicity seeker.

Denzel should have won I thought so too, but no excuse for his later behavior. And don't tell me who I can comment on and who I can't. This isn't your blog.

First time I leave a comment at the blog, I have scums snapping at my heels.

Brian said...

Terence Moss stop trolling everyone. Ken has said play nice, so play nice. And while you are at it, go out and get a life.

YEKIMI said...

So after all the hull-a-baloo the explanation is they have two envelopes with the winners names in them. Why? In case the guy holding the briefcase containing them gets hungry and snacks on one? Fine, if you're going to have TWO envelopes containing the exact same thing.....then you make one a different color [i.e. original one red, backup one green] and let all the presenters know, under penalty of banishment from the SAG-AFTRA union, that if they get a GREEN envelope they need to double-check with someone to make sure that the original hasn't already been presented. Or once the original has been presented that the backup envelope goes into the 2nd "accountants" briefcase never to be removed [unless the presenter holding the envelope spontaneously bursts into flames on the way to the microphone or a crazed actor/actress that had been nominated but knows there's no way in hell they'll win snatches the envelope from the presenter's hand and flees the theater with it all while cackling maniacally]. How they could fuck up something that could have easily been prevented is beyond me. Or maybe it really was Matt Damon's fault.

YEKIMI said...

By the way, I enjoy listening to the podcasts. But as my body ages, I am now in the process of losing my hearing [hearing aids by the end of this year my ENT doc says...but they may not help]. But I was thinking the same thing as one of the commenters who's deaf.....what am I going to do if someone tells me "Sorry, I'm not writing anything about whatever this year....you have to listen to it." Do I file a complaint about a violation of the Americans With Disabilities act? (And what if you're a disabled foreigner? "Sorry, you're not an American so screw you and your disability!") I'm sure there's software out there somewhere that can translate audio into text but I have a feeling if it's anything like the "closed captioning" they have on TV shows --which actually should be called "closed craptioning"--it is going to most likely sound like a baby babbling.

blinky said...

Ken, you went to bed at 4:30 after posting the Podcast and I got up at 4:30 and listened to it on the train ride to San Francisco. Now that is FRESH comedy gold! Thanks for the good work.

Eric J said...

Sorry, Ken. I skip the podcasts. I enjoy 5 minutes or so during my morning coffee reading your blog every day. However, I don't really have 30-45 minutes for basically the same kind of thing read to me. Thanks for all the insights over the years.

Jeffrey Graebner said...

Jennifer Aniston getting choked up actually seemed genuine to me and specifically related to the mention of Bill Paxton. Perhaps they had a friendship of some sort, although I can't think of anything they both appeared in publicly.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Ken

Great podcast.

I have a 2+ hour round trip to/from work and thus I have plenty of time to listen to the show.

I passed on watching the Oscars. No real films of interest for me and the thought of the program being turned into a DAPL/Trump/Illegal Immigrant protest turned me off.

I voted with my TV tuned to another station for the evening.

Unknown said...

It's not a back up system. They have two full cases and are supposed to hand off the envelopes from each side of the stage, depending on which side the presenters enter from. I'm not sure this was a snafu. Could have been arranged to create buzz...because these shows are dull dull dull...just my opinion. And Jennifer Aniston (I tuned in for the memorium) looked ill. Like on cortisone puffy ill.

Brian said...

Ken, I enjoyed listening to you make the comments about the Oscars. Thanks for that. I have been downloading the podcasts manually and playing them, but I went ahead and subscribed in iTunes to make it official.

Jahn Ghalt said...

They could have dropped Mean Tweets

Amen to that.

It's ironic to my old-school self, that in a world of on-campus snowflakes melting without benefit of repeated
trigger warnings" (and boycotted as humorless by the likes of Rock, Maher, and Seinfeld) we get (and they actually repeat on national television) that unkind tweet about Emma Stone.

(look it up)

She's supposed to be "tough" and let such an insult "slide"?!!?

WTF??


RIP BILL PAXTON
On a mroe positive note: Terry Gross on Fresh Air replayed her 2002 interview of Bill Paxton - who seemed like a great guy and was a great interview, to boot. The 27FEB2017 broadcast is undoubtedly archived.

Sherin said...

Hi Ken, podcast was good. I read your reviews every year. Miss it badly this year. Not a regular reader though.

Going through a lot a reviews, I came across a snarkier one than yours.

https://thefederalist.com/2017/02/27/5-ways-oscars-can-become-great-emulating-donald-trump/


Thanks,
Sherin.

Phil said...

Great podcast Ken. Loved it.

You may not remember my comment but I had wished - "Hope Kevin O'Connell wins this time after being snubbed 20 times." - on 24th Jan.

http://kenlevine.blogspot.in/2017/01/my-thoughts-on-todays-oscar-nominations.html

It happened he won. Surprised you didn't notice that someone won on the 21st attempt.

My other wish came true too - Emma won.

John said...

Ha Ha Ha......... Just when you thought that Oscar botch-ups were over.

That bus-tourist Gary from Chicago is a sex offender. Was at the right place - Hollywood. Came to meet his idols Woody Allen, Bryan Singer, Casey Affleck. Ha Ha Ha.......

Liggie said...

Didn't watch the Super Bowl because I dislike the Patriots. Didn't watch the Oscars because I dislike Jimmy Kimmel. Looks like I missed out on two historic television moments.

Since I didn't witness this, I'll refrain from comments about this specific Oscars (other than to repeat someone's joke that "the La La Land people gave the best runner-up speech in Oscars history") and offer two Academy questions

1) I'd like a system where the members nominate candidates for the categories, and then once the top five are determined, then vote among the finalists, like in political elections (primaries, then the November ballot). Is this a fairer system, or too cumbersome?

2) Do you think we'll see an animated film win Best Picture someday? For example, I thought "Zootopia" would've been a worthy nominee for Best Picture, not just Best Animated Feature. Besides being entertaining and boasting great voice performances, it also contained a very detailed mystery / police procedural plot, and it made some sharp commentary on prejudice, race relations and the like.

MikeK.Pa. said...

I was watching my son's dog this weekend and it had me up at 4 a.m. Sat. and Sun. morning. So, when the Oscars came on, I knew I wouldn't make it past the first Best Supporting award. However, I did wake up in time to see Best Actor and Best Actress and then clicked off the TV, figuring LA LA LAND was a shoo-in.

Just listened to your podcast on the Oscars and it cracked up as does the blog. Loved the line about going home to yell at the help. So Hollywood. Courageous and selfless on stage and surly and selfish when the cameras are gone. Curious how many of the comic lines came to you as you're watching and how many after the broadcast?

Ron Rettig said...

Ken, Not sure if you and readers saw this item about the "groom" he just got out of the slammer.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4266554/Oscars-Gary-Chicago-served-20-years-prison.html

Anthony Hoffman said...

How was the "young black actor" supposed to react? And somebody had to tell Kimmel not to be a hacky dupe in that situation.

Anthony Hoffman said...

You sound like a lovely person. And by lovely I mean miserable. Yikes!