oscar

It was a good night for Oscar. I laughed, I cried, I saw Johnny wearing the teeth of Captail Jack Sparrow on the red carpet. Cate Blanchet was stunning in her butter yellow gown with maroon waiste scarf. And Natalie Portman appeared all grown up, wearing a mature couture piece to match her mature role in Sideways. Chris Rock did a fantastic job of "not" talking about politics, using the Gap and Banana Republic as a suiting metaphore for the catastropy that is the Bush administration. Of all audience members, Alan Alda wins the award for most enthusiastic. He appeared genuinely pleased for each and every nominee and winner and he was truly delighted "just to be nominated". And then there's Oprah. I became, once again, keenly aware of the power that is Oprah - with her front section seat and many mentions, despite her non-direct invovlement in film.

Oscar certanly had its weak points. Like, what was the deal with Beyonce? Beyonce wearing obnoxious green dress with matching eyeshadow singing with many young boys; Beyonce wearing too much gown, too much hair, too much makeup and a necklace that was the chandellier from the Phantom of the Opera, with cameo appearance by the phantom himself; Beyonce wearing sparkly blue mermaid gown singing next to that young hotty with mop-top hair and puppy-dog eyes. Far too much of Beyonce this evening. And I also give a big thumbs down to the unusual means of award delivery - from the stage to the isleway to the balcony. It didn't work for me.

And then there's the best part of the night: Clint Eastwood on the red carpet. He introduced Flat Stanley, who is part of a project for his daughter's school. My guess is that there's a real Stanley out there who is going to be pretty excited to find that Flat Stanley travelled to the Oscars. What a score!*

*if you don't understand the Flat Stanley thing, ask me or Spice. we'll fill you in.