home

Golden Globes Night

Photos of the red carpet here. Truly some big misses tonight.

The Nominations list here.

Maggie Smith wins best supporting actress for Downton Abbey Season 2. Game Change won best tv movies or miniseries. Juliane Moore wins best actree in TV miniseries or movie for Game Change.

Damian Lewis wins best actor for Homeland. He lists a slew of people he wants to share the award with, and thanks everyone under the sun, but never mentions Claire Danes. An oversight? Homeland also won best tv series.

Adele hypventilates as she wins best song. I think Bon Jovi should have won for Not Running Anymore. [More...]

Bill Clinton is on. He looks good. He's introducing Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln. Amy Poehler quips: Wow, Hillary Clinton's husband.

The audience is loving Will Ferrell's presentation for best actress. (I didn't catch the name of his co-presenter but they had great timing.)

Jennifer Lawrence beats Meryl Streep, how about that? Taylor Swift is so excited she jumps up out of her seat. Merly's home with a cold or the flu. Hope Springs was nothing special. I thought Steve Carrell, who I'm normally not a fan of, was a better actor in it than Meryl or Tommy Lee Jones. I did really like Marigold Hotel, and there were a lot of good performances, including Judi Dench.

< Saturday Open Thread | MIT to Conduct Internal Probe on its Role in Aaron Swartz Case >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    Maybe my sense of humor just isn't edgy (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 07:48:38 PM EST
    enough, but I find Tina and Amy much funnier than I ever found Ricky Gervais.

    They were! And just as edgy as (none / 0) (#18)
    by ruffian on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:26:19 PM EST
    Gervais, just funnier. I say that as a big Ricky Gervais fan. They were just better for this job.

    Parent
    The best awards show hosts I've seen in the (none / 0) (#19)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:37:30 PM EST
    last few years are Tina and Amy and Neil Patrick Harris. Maybe Neil and the Tina/Amy duo could switch off for every awards broadcast.  Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, Golden Globes. Not the Grammys, I guess, or the Country Music Awards, but all the rest.

    Parent
    Nice touch having Bill Clinton introduce (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:00:19 PM EST
    Lincoln. That was unexpected.

    And thank you for putting him in present (5.00 / 2) (#6)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:01:49 PM EST
    day perspective/ Because, as Amy said, he is "Hillary Clinton's husband."

    Parent
    Lincoln was good for Daniel Day Lewis (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Dadler on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 11:11:11 PM EST
    Great for him because he is such a physically and emotionally committed actor. But the more I think about it, the actual larger movie was a weird hunk of cr*p.  (Notwithstanding the few scenes I appreciated on their own.) But as for the larger story and message, think about it: it had nothing actually to do with the glorious beauty of compromise...it was a love-letter to political corruption. Very odd the more I ponder it. The movie doesn't present any comment on compromise at all, it's about bribery and patronage and all those things we detest in politics -- which is even MORE odd if you think about.  It's a film that, based on its chosen plot and storytelling, seems content to raise political corruption to almost religious levels, and makes genuine reformists (you know those ugly abolitionists who really did the hard work of changing the country's attitude about slavery) seem like annoying fools. Very bizarre that Tony Kushner wrote it, and he has even said writing it gave him a Lincoln POV on the Obama years. I'll never take him as seriously as a writer again.  Now Obama is Lincoln, too? Egad.

    Parent
    Abe Lincoln was a flesh-and-blood ... (5.00 / 3) (#57)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 03:59:08 PM EST
    ... politician. He was not a saint, and he was not above engaging in ruthlessness when it suited or served his purposes.

    President Lincoln suspended civil liberties in Union-held territories during the Civil War, which ultimately resulted in the incarceration of more than 13,000 political prisoners in Northern prisons.

    The president also signed an order authorizing the mass execution of 38 Santee Sioux who had participated in a large-scale 1862 uprising by that tribe in Minnesota, which stands today as the largest single execution in U.S. history, while commuting the death sentences of nearly 200 other Sioux who also engaged in that same uprising.

    And Lincoln authorized the arrest of Ohio Congressman Clement Vallandigham for sedition in May 1863. Following the congressman's conviction in a military tribunal in May 1863, Lincoln had him expelled shortly thereafter to Confederate-held territory, whereupon Vallandigham encouraged rebel officials in Richmond to consider an invasion of Pennsylvania, which ultimately culminated in the Confederate disaster that was Gettysburg.

    The idea that President Lincoln's administration would freely engage in bribery and coersion of congressional representatives to achieve its political goals is actually much more probable than not. If you're repelled by the thought of "bribery and patronage and all those things we detest in politics," I'd offer that you'd have been thoroughly apoplectic had you lived in Lijncoln's times, when such practices were much more the norm rather than the exception to the rule.

    I point out such things, not to denigrate the reputation of a man whom many Americans revere today to the point of idolatry and worship, but to underscore the point that Lincoln's various unconstitutional and even illegal actions as president actually reflected the sordid and chaotic times during which he was compelled to govern.

    Lincoln proved perfectly willing to get his hands dirty and do whatever he had to do to save and preserve the Union, and if that meant setting aside constitutional principles and myriad legalities for the duration of armed conflict and ignoring proper political etiquette when dealing with Congress, then so be it. Surely, because of his many efforts, both legal and otherwise, we are indeed a far better country and people today for it.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    as my number one son used to say (none / 0) (#80)
    by TeresaInPa on Wed Jan 16, 2013 at 05:44:29 PM EST
    word

    Parent
    I have a ticket to see "Angels (none / 0) (#25)
    by oculus on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 11:16:10 PM EST
    In America," a new opera by a Hungarian composer. Kushner declined the opportunity to to write a libretto for his seven hour play.

    Parent
    I did not see (none / 0) (#41)
    by Zorba on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:12:18 PM EST
    the original play, but I did see the HBO TV mini-series, and it was outstanding.  Let us know what you think of the opera.  
    I'm just sorry that Kushner didn't write the libretto.

    Parent
    I recently saw a local production of (none / 0) (#43)
    by oculus on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:25:06 PM EST
    the play, after reading the script.  Then I saw the HBO film.  

    Parent
    Out of curiosity, (none / 0) (#45)
    by Zorba on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:42:01 PM EST
    which one were you more impressed with, the play or the HBO production?
    And I'm still trying to wrap my mind around making this into an opera, but it could be very interesting.    ;-)

    Parent
    I am not ruffian, but I have seen both the play (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by caseyOR on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:55:15 PM EST
    and the HBO movie. Both were excellent pieces of their respective art forms.

    I saw the play many years ago when it first toured. AIDS was still a crisis situation at the time. So, it had a huge emotional impact on me. Stepping back from the urgency of the topic to consider the craft, well, Tony Kushner wrote one of the great American plays when he wrote Angels in America.It is a brilliant piece of writing. And it is hard to beat the emotional immediacy of live theatre.

    The HBO piece was directed by Mike Nichols and featured some of the very best acting talent we have. Nichols adhered as closely as is possible to the stage play. He got excellent performances from Emma Thompson, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino( his Roy Cohn was amazing), Jeffrey Wright, Patrick Wilson, Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Shenkman and all the others whose names I cannot remember.

    All of this to say that both productions were, IMO, brilliant.

    Parent

    Thank you, Casey (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by Zorba on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:00:02 PM EST
    Yes, HIV-AIDS is still a topic that is very close to my heart.  I have a very dear relative, and more than one very close friend, who suffered and died of this.
    I cried throughout much of the HBO production.  I did think it was brilliant, but because I am so close to it, I appreciate other peoples' perspectives.  Thank you.  

    Parent
    HBO will be producing the adaptation of (5.00 / 2) (#53)
    by caseyOR on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:55:10 PM EST
    another powerful play about AIDS. Ryan Murphy (of Glee fame) is directing the HBO version of Larry Kramer's play Normal Heart. The cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts, Jim Parsons (who starred in the stage revival of the play) and Matt Bomer.

    Normal Heart was the first major play about the AIDS crisis to be produced. It takes place in NYC in the very early days of the dawning of AIDS.

    HBO has also produced the Liberace bio-pic Behind the Candelabra . Directed by Steven Soderberg and starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as his younger lover, HBO took on the production after every Hollywood studio Soderberg approached turned it because because it was "too gay." Seriously, in this day and age "to gay?"

    So, big props to HBO for not falling prey to outdated prejudices and not shying away from such excellent material.

    Parent

    My daughter was the stage mgr. (5.00 / 2) (#66)
    by oculus on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 06:25:18 PM EST
    for a local theatre which staged "The Normal Heart," "Falsettos," and "Bent" in the '80s. Audience was primarily gay men. .

    Parent
    I saw Falsettos on Broadway, loved it. (none / 0) (#70)
    by Angel on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 09:50:04 PM EST
    Emma Thompson was also in the HBO (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by oculus on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:24:58 PM EST
    film.

    I saw the original touring production also.  For the first part, we had great seats and I was really impressed with the play.  Second part:  lousy seats.  Too remote.

    When I recently saw the play, it was a rather bare bones production with excellent acting and I was in the front row and "up" on the script so I thought it was terrific, as, of course, was the HBO production with the superb acting and special effects.  


    Parent

    I loved the HBO film (none / 0) (#73)
    by ruffian on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 11:04:06 AM EST
    but have never seen a stage presentation.

    Must give a shout out for Justin Kirk among the actors...he was great. I think he did it the theater also.

    Parent

    Tarantino got it over Tony Kushner? (none / 0) (#40)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:08:08 PM EST
    As James Brown said, please, please, please.

    Parent
    Some thoughts on the red carpet (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by sj on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:03:45 PM EST
    1.  Saw all the mermaid dresses and thought of Capt Howdy.
    2.  Jennifer Lawrence has lovely shoulders but she needed a necklace.
    3.  Amy Adams' Marchesa dress was decidedly unspectacular, not when I expect from that house.  And I hated the non-color.
    4.  I never paid any attention to designer Zac Posen but there is something about that dress that Lena Dunham is wearing...
    5.  Mayim Bialik really shouldn't take inspiration from Amy Farah Fowler
    6.  Ariel Winter looked adorably age appropriate.
    7.  I've been watching waayyyy too much Project Runway.


    Jennifer Lawrence does have lovely (none / 0) (#8)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:09:09 PM EST
    shoulders. And that is a great color on her. You know, I don't think she does need a necklace with that dress. I like the simplicity.

    Parent
    I loved Anne Hathaway's look, Kate Hudson looked (none / 0) (#23)
    by Angel on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 11:09:35 PM EST
    lovely, as did Emily Blunt, Hayden Panttierre, Jodie Foster (can't believe she's 50!), Jennifer Lawrence, Claire Danes and Julianne Hough.   Helen Mirren looked fabulous as always, and Connie Britton looked great.  Lots of misses with the mermaid dresses, and that blousy plunging neckline that Jessica Chastain wore was strange.  Taylor Swift was a miss in that gown, too old for her.  She was stunning in the white dress last week.  

    Parent
    I dunno... (none / 0) (#44)
    by sj on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:33:25 PM EST
    ... that white dress of Taylor's was pretty "mature" although she did look stunning. But I liked her look last night, too.

    Actually I agree about Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson (and KH bugs the crap out of me, but she looked great) and everything else in this post except for Connie Britton.  I didn't think her dress flattered her at all.

    Parent

    This best supporting category is one I (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:15:07 PM EST
    do not understand. Putting Eric Stonestreet, who is in a sitcom, in the same category as Ed Harris, in an HBO  TV movie, strikes me as well, wrong. They are in such different venues.

    I don't get it.

    Make up for being snubbed by Oscars (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by MKS on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 09:47:28 PM EST
    Ben Afleck wins best Director for Argo.

    Best director of: himself! (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 09:52:19 PM EST
    Surprise--best picture too (none / 0) (#14)
    by MKS on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:06:14 PM EST
    I agree.  Lincoln had a great performance by Daniel Day Lewis. The film was very good but it could be dry in places when it foused on the minutia of law making.

    Argo was a joy and suspenseful from beginning to end.

    George Clooney as producer of Argo looked very pleased, and one could almost sense the satisfaction of his having beat Spielberg head-to-head.  Although the other Argo producers etc and Ben Afleck seemed genuinely surprised they won.  

    Parent

    I thought Argo was very good (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by ruffian on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:22:47 PM EST
    It was the only one of the nominees that I saw that I completely enjoyed start to finish, so I'm glad it won. The others were all good too, but in the absence of one that was truly outstanding, it is hard to argue with that choice.

    Parent
    I only saw three of the five (none / 0) (#22)
    by CoralGables on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:51:00 PM EST
    Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Zero Dark Thirty.

    Not much interest in Django Unchained, but if Argo ever reappears at my cheap matinee spot I'll check it out. Not sure a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama is enough to bump Texas Chainsaw 3D off a screen. Argo may need an Oscar to get back into my little dive spot.

    Parent

    I've seen Argo, Life of Pi, and Lincoln (none / 0) (#31)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 11:56:45 AM EST
    Argo was the only one that exceeded my expectations. I was left a little flat by the others, though they both had wonderful moments.

    Parent
    Actually, I thought "Lincoln (none / 0) (#15)
    by oculus on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:12:33 PM EST
    Was immensely better than "Argo.

    Parent
    I liked them both. (none / 0) (#28)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:12:06 AM EST
    They're two entirely different films, and yet both were superior works in their own respective rights. That's why I think that the nominations themselves should be viewed as the primary honor, as professional recognition from your peers for your work that year, rather than the actual award itself.

    Parent
    Not one shout out for Victor Hugo (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:59:55 PM EST
    that I heard.. I mean, what has he done for anyone in the business lately?

    No wonder they say writers don't get no respect in Hollywood.

    "Writers? Fink, if you threw a rock in here you'd hit one. Do me a favor Fink, throw it hard."

    Loved Tina Fey's dress in the first part of the (none / 0) (#1)
    by ruffian on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 07:28:58 PM EST
    show. Not so much her red carpet dress.

    She is soooo funny.

    I loved her crack about ... (none / 0) (#62)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 04:43:25 PM EST
    ... Robert Downey, Jr. being so versatile an actor that he could play the same role in three different "Ironman" films.

    Parent
    No way to choose between Damian Lewis, Johm Hamm (none / 0) (#2)
    by ruffian on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 07:33:50 PM EST
    And Bryan Cranston. I think a dart board or multiple coin tosses must have been involved.

    Jennifer Lopez (none / 0) (#4)
    by CoralGables on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 07:52:20 PM EST
    Not many people can wear that dress. She can.

    Will Ferrell's co-presenter was Kristin Wiig, (none / 0) (#10)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 08:22:46 PM EST
    another SNL alum. She wrote and starred in the movie Bridesmaids.

    "Hope Springs" induced (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 09:53:37 PM EST
    Unstoppable tears. Unresolved issues????

    From you? (none / 0) (#16)
    by ruffian on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:15:38 PM EST
    It was a pretty bad movie....maybe that's why.

    Parent
    Yeah, not even Streep, who can make most (none / 0) (#20)
    by caseyOR on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:39:16 PM EST
    any movie better, could elevate Hope Springs to anything more than a "I got it from the library when I was sick" DVD selection.

    Parent
    From moi. Despite (none / 0) (#21)
    by oculus on Sun Jan 13, 2013 at 10:44:22 PM EST
    the  passage of time. My friend, who sat next to me, said she could have plugged in the marriage counsellor she and her ex went to. And the effect would have been equally reality based.

    Parent
    Sorry about that. The situation did ring true (none / 0) (#32)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 11:59:13 AM EST
    but Tommy Lee Jones' miraculously fast change of heart and even character just did not seem true to me.

    Parent
    I absolutely agree the (none / 0) (#35)
    by oculus on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:07:43 PM EST
    ending really pissed me off.

    Parent
    I was dissappointed in the acting, (none / 0) (#42)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:16:25 PM EST
    and considering the actors I blame the director.

    Parent
    It made me sad too, oculus, (none / 0) (#72)
    by Dr Molly on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 09:50:01 AM EST
    and probably a lot of others in our scenario.

    But I also thought the movie was pretty shallow and stupid.

    The premise (the eviscerated relationship and emotional disappointments) was heartbreakingly real, but the solution (just have more sex!) was amazingly superficial and disappointing.

    Parent

    Excellent review. Thanks. (none / 0) (#75)
    by oculus on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 12:01:00 PM EST
    Ya, I agree. An embarassingly lame movie. (none / 0) (#29)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 09:27:07 AM EST
    You want embarrassingly lame, then ... (none / 0) (#63)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 04:53:50 PM EST
    ... go see "Gangster Squad" -- a hopelessly violent pile of schlock masquerading as stylish noir, which seemed to channel Warren Beatty's "Dick Tracy," rather than draw its inspiration from real-life events, or even Curtis Hansen's "L.A. Confidential."

    Trust me, not even Sean Penn's ferocious characterization of gangster Mickey Cohen can save this mess.

    Parent

    Foster's speech was interesting. (none / 0) (#26)
    by EL seattle on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:22:28 AM EST
    And rather mysterious, for me anyway. It was almost like hearing an account from a correspondent or witness to a war that you were never aware of.

    Ms. Foster's revelation that she's gay ... (5.00 / 3) (#27)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:00:14 AM EST
    "Femme fatales emerged from shadows to watch this creature fair.
    Boys stood upon their chairs to make their point of view.
    I smiled sadly for a love I could not obey.
    Lady Stardust sangs her songs of darkness and dismay."
    -- David Bowie, "Lady Stardust," The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars (1972)

    ... only further underscores my lifelong terminal attraction to lesbians. She and I are the same age, and I had the absolutely biggest crush on her when I was an adolescent. And as I grew into young adulthood, I quite obviously still gravitated hopelessly -- and cluelessly -- to gay women like her.

    Now that I'm older and (ahem!) a little more worldly than I was back then, I can only admire her greatly for the remarkable and accomplished human being that she is.

    But seeing Jodie Foster onstage tonight receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award makes me somewhat saddened -- not for the unrequited teenaged love I once had for her, which I now knew could never have been reciprocated, but for the sudden realization that I was actually watching someone my own age being honored with a lifetime achievement award. We are now officially the old guard. Ouch.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    she came across as a bit of a kook, to me. (2.00 / 2) (#47)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:56:45 PM EST
    late response (2.00 / 1) (#81)
    by TeresaInPa on Wed Jan 16, 2013 at 06:07:02 PM EST
    I know, but I wanted to say that she is a bit of a kook.  She is a very very smart woman, mensa material.  She is also one of the few child actors who made the transition to adult and was very successful doing so.  think back to some of the work she has done and then if you are familiar with her family life you know it is amazing that she is even half sane.  She was not only the family bread winner but the only adult in her own life from a very young age.
    Mostly she is just one of those super smart people who can never quite dumb themselves down enough to seem normal to the rest of us......

    Parent
    She seemed jangly and wired.. (none / 0) (#49)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:07:53 PM EST
    and trying to verbally encompass her entire life in three minutes..

    She seems like a really nice person, but I don't see how her body of work warrants a lifetime achievement award. Yet.

    But, I think maybe we've all been mesmerized by the glitz into assuming that because they make alot of money in Hollywood, that " people in the business" somehow have more of a grip on reality than the average person.

    Parent

    If you had to get up onstage and ad lib, ... (none / 0) (#61)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 04:40:25 PM EST
    ... you'd probably not come across as much different. While we all like to think that we'll be calm, composed and collected when the moment comes for us to speak or make that presentation before a large audience, human nature will often dictate otherwise.

    Public speaking is really not as effortless an endeavor as some actors, politicians, etc. can make it appear to be while they're doing it. I make work-related presentations to seminar audiences all the time, and also engage in public speaking as a party official, and I still get nervous every time I stand up to speak.

    Parent

    for months that she was receiving, well, I don't know what to say. Yes, I also do my fair share of public speaking...

    Parent
    Since the subject of public speaking (5.00 / 2) (#65)
    by NYShooter on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 06:23:12 PM EST
    is in play here, I just gotta toss my two cents in.

    Years ago, when I was a young corporate trainee at a Dow 30 company I was attending one of my first 6-week indoctrination (brainwashing) seminars. They worked us like dogs, 24/7, and the training school was located way out in the boondocks so as not to have any bad outside influences.

    So, one day, after lunch, as we were filing back into our classroom we were surprised, and curious, at seeing all the video cameras and other assorted audio/visual equipment that had been set up there.

    So, there we were, nervously fidgeting in our seats, wondering what we were going to be involved in, when the instructor got up to the podium and said: "Today, you're going to be introduced to the art of public speaking. Each of you will have a turn at the podium, and you will give a talk, or speech, and the event will be recorded. Afterwards, we will play back the videos and critique your performances."

    Well, talk about gut busting, pee your pants, panic setting in. I don't care who you were, the biggest, toughest, linebacker type, or Mr. Macho Man, you were reduced to a quivering, sniveling bowl of Jello.  And, to make matters worse, there would be no script, you were going to talk, ad lib style. And, to complete the torture, you weren't going to be given the topic to speak about until you got to the podium and a second before the cameras started rolling.
    The rules were that you would give a timed, 5-minute speech, on the topic they gave you. You had to use the whole 5 minutes.

    Well, let me tell you, you will never see a more hilarious, inept, bunch of spastic monkeys make bigger fools of themselves than we did that day. Some just froze, and stared at the camera for the whole 5 minutes, never uttering a word. Others, were so nervous, pounding the sides of the podium, shuffling their feet, while what came out of their mouths was a stream of, "Uh, Uh, you know, you know, uh, uh." And, trust me, if you don't believe that 5 minutes can last 5 hours, you've never given an ad lib speech before an audience.

    Anyway, finally, when it was all over, and all of us were trying to recuperate from this ordeal, the instructor got up to the podium and said to us: "Ladies and gentlemen, you've just gone through the hardest thing you'll ever have to go through in your business careers. Nothing you'll ever do will be as difficult as what you've experienced today. No one passed, or failed. No one was good, or bad. You were only there to "experience." From this  day forward there's only one direction to go..........up.

    Lol, and I bet many of you have your own stories to tell.


    Parent

    LOL! That's classic. (none / 0) (#68)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 09:14:28 PM EST
    I bet it was probably easier for the first person at the podium that day, than it was for everyone who subsequently followed.

    That's been my one recurring nightmare since I can remember, being called upon to perform -- in sports, work, school, etc. -- but failing to rise to the occasion because I was totally unprepared. And to think that you guys were forced to actually live that moment.

    Parent

    By all accounts, Jodie Foster is one of (5.00 / 2) (#71)
    by Anne on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 09:20:18 AM EST
    the most private people in the movie business, so for her to have brought her children to the event, to have spoken so eloquently, lovingly and openly of them, of her long-time partner and of her mother, took her way outside her comfort zone, to that place where nerves and adrenaline can kind of run away with a person.

    There are people who have no trouble being someone else, playing a role, in front of cameras and live audiences, but Foster wasn't playing a role in that moment - she was standing up there being herself, in a way that few people have seen, and if she seemed jumbled and a little incoherent, well, to me she just seemed human.  It made me think she was teaching her children something about herself and about life, not that she wasn't giving a good enough "performance."


    Parent

    Ok, much of that I can buy. (none / 0) (#74)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 11:17:11 AM EST
    Question: Was part of her speech her announcing her retirement? ("I'll never be on this or any other stage again. I'll be holding a different talking stick." etc.) If not, what was it?

    Parent
    That's sure what it sounded like... (none / 0) (#78)
    by EL seattle on Tue Jan 15, 2013 at 11:03:42 PM EST
    So much so that she apparently had to walk it back a bit on Monday.

    I expect that she'll still make movies, but maybe she won't go to awards shows. (Unless she's able to sneak in unnoticed and sit with the genuinely cool people at Table 222.)

    The LA Times posted a transcript of Jodie Foster's speech, if anyone's interested.

    Parent

    Thanks for the link. (none / 0) (#79)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Jan 16, 2013 at 01:35:11 PM EST
    I forgot about the Trader Vic's reference. What do you suppose that was about?

    Parent
    So what's your point? (none / 0) (#67)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 09:02:07 PM EST
    That when it comes to public speaking, you're a stud and the rest of us are wimps?

    Jodie Foster spoke from the heart last night, and even if she was speaking from prepared remarks, it was pretty obvious that she set them aside several times to ad lib. Why can't you just accept that in the spirit in which it was offered, without somehow implying that you could do better?

    Parent

    You have got to be kidding me. (none / 0) (#69)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 09:32:49 PM EST
    You are going off the deep end.

    Parent
    And I thought I was younger than you (none / 0) (#30)
    by MKS on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 11:54:02 AM EST
    You think you are sad...I wonder how (none / 0) (#33)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:01:39 PM EST
    John Hinckley Jr. is taking it.

    Parent
    Oh my gawd. What a comment. (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by oculus on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:06:02 PM EST
    I'm horrible, I know (none / 0) (#36)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:41:30 PM EST
    No, you're not (none / 0) (#37)
    by Zorba on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 12:44:18 PM EST
    I was sort of thinking the same thing.     ;-)

    Parent
    You said it, not me. (none / 0) (#58)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 04:03:51 PM EST
    But I'd be less than honest, were I to claim that I wasn't also thinking along similar lines when I first wrote my comment.

    Parent
    She got one (none / 0) (#39)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 01:01:34 PM EST
    and Arthur Penn never did.

    So much for lifetime achievment awards.

    Parent

    As a Person Who... (none / 0) (#51)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 02:30:25 PM EST
    ...hasn't seen any of these movies nor do I really watch that many movies in general, I have a question.  Why so many awards ?

    Correct me if I am wrong, but there's the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the awards by the Screen Actors Guild, and the People Choice awards.  And if you do something on television, the Emmy's.

    Seems to me like they lose their effect, if you get nominated for one and don't win, hang in there someone will will give you an award.  And what differentiates the GG from the Oscars ?  And I just remembered, what are the Tony's, Critics Choice, or Film Institute.

    I don't have problem with it, just seems like every time I turn around there is a red-carpet and some awards and everyone is making a big deal about it.

    And lastly, when did Danie Day-Lewis start looking like Billy Bob Thorton ?  I guess I remember him from that movie where he played an American Indian and when I saw a picture of him today, he hardly looks recognizable and a little crazy.

    organizations, and all are easily googled for more info. And it's nice compliment to be recognized for your work, among various other reasons. If you have no interest there are plenty of other TV channels to watch.

    Parent
    I Do Other Stuff, Obviously (none / 0) (#56)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 03:51:21 PM EST
    I wasn't complaining, just seems like every time I turn around actors are getting awards, something no other profession does with such frequency and such flare.

    Imagine the NFL having 4 major, and many minor award ceremonies every year, if you weren't into sports, you would probably wonder the same things I am.  Especially if the same people were being voted for the same categories, but rarely winning the same award throughout all the ceremonies.

    Parent

    and it's often, but not always, not the same people nominated for the different awards.

    And, of course, as jondee points out, there is a certain "circularity" to the whole concept. But hey, they help in some small way to keep the economy going.

    Parent

    It's maybe just me (none / 0) (#54)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 03:00:21 PM EST
    but, all these self-massaging awards shows make me think of the Decameron, or Masque of the Red Death in which, with plague ravaging the countryside, all the nobles retreat to the fastness of a remote, opulent chateau to hold balls..

    Parent
    as long as no one squeezes too hard (none / 0) (#55)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 03:08:34 PM EST
    Most of these awards have to do ... (none / 0) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jan 14, 2013 at 04:28:29 PM EST
    ... with public relations, i.e., the marketing and promotion of their product. Nominations and awards can actually trigger millions of dollars in additional revenue to a film's bottom line.

    For example, Kathryn Bidelow's "The Hurt Locker" only entered the box office black after receiving multiple Golden Globe and Oscar nominations and hitting paydirt with the 2009 Academy Award for Best Picture. In fact, it's one of the only two Best Picture winners on record -- last year's winner "The Artist" being the other -- to have never entered the weekend box office top 10 at any time during its period of theatrical release.

    Relatively few people ever saw or even heard of "The Hurt Locker" prior to awards season, which is reflected in the film's initially paltry $12 million gross in the late summer and early fall of 2008 (it cost $15 million to make). But after the film received its surprising Best Picture Oscar nomination, the studio quickly re-released it back into theatres nationwide, whereupon it subsequently grossed another $37 million in only a few weeks.

    Parent