Monday, February 23, 2015

Hang Up the Host

The Oscars have come and gone.  At 8:30pm EST, Neil Patrick Harris took the challenging mantel as host and kicked off the show with a huge production number.  It set the tone for mediocrity and very questionable humor.  There's no doubt that Neil Patrick Harris (NPH) is extraordinarily talented.  He has now spanned decades in this business and he's only 41 years old, but, and, this is a serious but, it is time for him to take a vacation.  I have been feeling since his previous hosting gig, that he is believing his own press.  The once seemingly humble and adorable man, seems cockier and cockier.  

Last night's hosting gig, may go down as the classless hosting of all.  The writing was way below par. The jokes were far too much toilet humor, literally.  He spoke about peeing multiple times to Octavia Spencer.  I felt sorry for her.  I guess she knew that he would harangue her about his dumb prediction bit, but I really felt her discomfort as the evening went on.  NPH also spoke to someone (and I can't remember who) about pooping.  Ugh!  Hated that he came out in his underwear.  Really took the show down, down, down.  It felt far too narcissistic a routine.  Look at me and how great I look and my big package.  Me, me, me.  It's supposed to be about them, them, them.  (Even Michael Strahan asked him this morning if he was stuffed).  Really?  That's the focus on the Oscars?  

Highlights  of the show were some of the great acceptance speeches.  First up, JK Simmons winning for Whiplash, best supporting actor.  Loved his speech. Love him.  Thrilled for him.  Patricia Arquette's acceptance speech (about two hours later)  was extraordinary.  She took the moment to say something.  Did you hear it? It is worth YouTubing.  Meryl Streep almost jumped out of her seat.  Patricia Arquette declared that it was time for women's rights and equal pay for women*.  Fantastic moment.  Common and John Legend singing Glory from Selma was stunning.  A great meaningful moment.  Their acceptance speeches for Best Song were stellar.  Lady Gaga singing the tribute to The 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music took many by surprise.  Many had no idea that she was really a singer's singer. Juilliard trained.  She sounded glorious.  Shondra Rimes, creator of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder, needs to get educated.  For some inexplicable reason tweeted something nasty, such as, didn't anyone see Idina Menzel there?  Why wouldn't she be singing and not Gaga.  Idina can't sing that, Shondra. (I will save my rant about Shondra for another time).  

The producers that put together the In Memoriam segment slighted two of the most beloved New York icons that we lost this past year.  No Joan Rivers and no Elaine Stritch. Shocking omissions.  They both deserve to be honored and remembered.  I always look forward to the In Memoriam segment.  I am always surprised by someone that I didn't know died or I didn't remember.  Take your pick.  This year's segment left me cold. I didn't like the artful drawings of the people and not photos.  Robin Williams didn't even look like Robin Williams and was just stuck somewhere in the middle.  They gave the last spot to Mike Nichols.  The producers of In Memoriam should be ashamed of themselves.  How hard is it to go through the obits for the year so no one is left out?  Was it intentional?  Explain, please.

The 87th Academy Awards are behind us.  If they can't get Ellen DeGeneres for the 88th, then rethink things. Neil Patrick Harris was a big fail.  Seriously, one of the most classless hosting jobs.  The Oscars are the ultimate awards show.  It can't go down the toilet.  

So for the few of you who raised the bar last night, I thank you.  If it hadn't been for you, I would've gone to bed.

*Here's part of Patricia Arquette's speech: “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights,” shouted a fiery Arquette. “It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America!”

Sidebars:  The Bachelor tonight.  Hometown dates for the three women left.  Always revealing, but ultimately, no one will ever marry Chris and live in that no horse town.  I have never seen a duller place, ever.  He lives in the middle of nowheresville, Iowa.  No movie theatre, no lunch counter, nothing.  When they showed the town, everything was locked in the middle of the day, including the church.  Wow!  The Voice returns tonight.  Christina Aguilera is back judging.  She has big shoes to fill.  Night Shift begins its second season right after The Voice.  The Oscar winning documentary, CitizenFour, airs on HBO tonight.  We are back in the deep freeze after a taste of Spring yesterday here.  Happy Monday!

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@DianaPodolsky

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