The 79th Annual Academy Awards had a distinct international flavor but I bet folks in many of those foreign countries were just as bored as I was.
The problem wasn’t with host Ellen DeGeneres (even though she could have done more shtick) or Pilobolus turning into a bunch of screen icons, but with all those unnecessary film clips and tributes to people who most people don’t know. Some of the awards should be saved for the Governors’ Ball. Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award? Governors Ball. Special Oscar? Governors Ball. Best Sound Editing? Technical Awards Banquet. If you whittled the things down to a good 10 or 15 prizes, you could be done with the show in two or three hours, still have time for entertainment and you wouldn’t have to feel like you were sitting through some boring company awards banquet.
Luckily, “The Departed” got Best Picture and three others. While “Little Miss Sunshine” made a last-minute press, it really didn’t have the heft of a Best Picture winner. Giving it two prizes was enough.
Surprisingly, one of them went to Alan Arkin. Eddie Murphy (from “Dreamgirls”) was considered the frontrunner but that tacky “Norbit” came out right during the voting and it did hurt his chances. Interestingly, supporting actor Oscars often go to veteran actors (Jack Palance, John Houseman, Michael Caine, John Gielgud, among them) while supporting actress Oscars go to ingenues (Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Connelly, Marisa Tomei). That Jennifer Hudson won fit the trend.
If there were surprises they were in odd categories. “Happy Feet,” for example, beat “Cars,” considered the leader in the Animated Film category. “Pan’s Labyrinth” got three awards but didn’t get Best Foreign Film, the one most thought it would. And “An Inconvenient Truth” got Best Song — even though “Dreamgirls” had three numbers in the running. That excess might have hurt the film. And when we heard the things Sunday night it was clear, they were all pretty similar.
Some trends: Long straight hair, one-strap dresses, blue tuxedos.
Best Dressed: Penelope Cruz, Kate Winslet.
Worst Dressed: Ellen. (She didn’t even wear her swan dress.)
Worst Hair: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jodie Foster, who both had a bad case of bed head.
Jack Nicholson looked like he was going to play Lex Luthor in another “Superman” film and Al Gore looked like he spent too much time in the buffet line.
Best Speech: Jennifer Hudson and Martin Scorsese (A winner! At last!)

When you watch the Oscars Sunday night, just know there’s a whole other world that exists off stage.
The Kodak Theatre, for example, is right in the heart of a tourist area in Hollywood. During the day, unemployed actors dress up as various film characters (Superman, Batman, Yoda, Frankenstein…you name ‘em) and pose for pictures with vacationers. Surrounding the theater is a shopping mall. So, if Sharon Stone doesn’t have anything to wear, she can slip into the Gap and get a turtleneck. There’s a duty-free shop, too, in case Judi Dench needed to do a little shopping. And if you don’t win an Oscar, you can always cart home a “build-a-Bear” from a second-floor store. That build-a-bear place, by the way, has the best window to do a little star-gazing. It looks right out onto the entrance of the theater. Among the stars on the sidewalk — one for Nicole Kidman who just happened to win an Oscar for “The Hours” in the building it fronts.
The red carpet, by the way, is pretty long. It snakes down the better part of a block (past some tacky gift shops) and into the Hollywood and Highland complex. In addition to all those stores (and a pretty neat arch that frames the Hollywood sign beautifully) there’s the Renaissance Hotel (where guests of “Dr. Phil” stay), some decent restaurants and the Chinese Theatre, home to some of the biggest movie premieres EVER.
When you get inside the Kodak, you’ll note there are many levels. There are also screening stations at every door, which means you can’t go mingle with Helen Mirren on the first floor if your ticket says “balcony.” The theater, oddly enough, isn’t as gorgeous in person as it is on camera. The floors are basically concrete. The higher up you get the more perilous the view. (Look down from the top balcony and you’ll swear you’re going to fall over.) Upstairs, though, no one really cares where you go, just as long as it’s not down. Try to move down to the first floor and you’ll be stopped by guards. BUT! There are bars on every level and, depending on who’s sitting in your section, plenty of opportunity to chat. The men’s rest rooms (sorry ladies, I can’t vouch for the women’s) have urinals in a semi-circle that’s conducive to talking. I’ve been in them during the Espy Awards and watched as grown men get like little kids when pro athletes turn up with trophies in their hands. You’d think the place was a sports show and this was the room to get autographs.
In the lobby, there are plenty of flat screen TVs to watch the action — in case you don’t want to sit in the theater. At the end of the evening, the security laxes (a bit) and the great unwashed do get to mingle with the stars. The best place to see “names”? On the red carpet, waiting for their cars. Eventually, they all wait for a limo.
Since the Governors Ball is held nearby, the wait could be long but, trust me, you’ll see those winners sometime Sunday…or Monday.

The finalists for this year’s “American Idol” have been named and I’m going out on a limb. I say Lakisha Jones — the single mother with the whoppingly good voice — is going to make it to the finals — or at least win an Oscar five years from now. During her auditions, she had one of the best stories, the best voices, the best personalities. Once that makeover team kicks into gear, she’s going to be unstoppable.
Still, others bear watching. Among them:
The beatbox guy; the curly haired guy who looks like Jack Osborne; the pair of backup singers; the girl with the red streak in her hair who didn’t make last year’s cut; and the little kid who probably will be flushed out in the first three weeks.
Based on the auditions we saw, I’m not high on Antonella Barba, a pretty woman who made it but her best friend didn’t. When it was down to two, a better singer was ousted and she got the golden ticket. Hmmm. Are we being set up for something?
Also, it’s time Randy, Paula and Simon to quit the “we’ve got some bad news for you…you’re going to have to put up with us. You’ve been chosen” way of delivering the news. It’s as cruel as Simon laughing at the weakest links.
Still, “American Idol” is highly watchable. The series is a masterpiece of editing and, really, it should win the Best Reality Series Emmy sometime soon. Maybe this is the year.
Meanwhile, go Lakisha!

I was talking to Vince Gill today (how’s that for namedropping?) and he said some of the best stuff never gets on the Grammy broadcast. For about three hours before the television show begins, other awards (including his this year for Best County Vocal Performance, Male) are given out and lesser-known artists get to perform. He said it’s always inspiring and it gives him a chance to see what other kind of work is being done. Perhaps someone should consider broadcasting those first three hours (VH1, perhaps?) so that we can see ALL the winners and enjoy those nontraditional performances (Polka? Hawaiian music?).
While the actual broadcast was mildly entertaining, it did bring to mind several thoughts:
1. Why are all the women wearing such long, fake eyelashes?
2. Did Mary J. Blige have her own room at the arena so that she could change after every award?
3. And, while we’re at it, why did she say she hadn’t won a Grammy before? She had three before Sunday’s event.
4. If the Dixie Chicks are going to be known for Freedom of Speech, why don’t they write one? It was embarrassing to watch them stumble around each time their name was called. So much that could have been said wasn’t.
5. Who is T.I. and why haven’t we heard of him before?
6. Justin Timberlake worked like a dog and never got to say thanks for the two trophies he won.
7. Explain that Honorary Award thing one more time. It looked like a lot of people were getting it but no one held anything. Poor Ornette Coleman even read his name off the TelePrompter.
8. Why are non-music folks invited to give out awards when there are so many industry folks who could…and should?
9. Make it a rule: You must sing a song that’s nominated. Beyonce did that screed from “Dreamgirls” that should have been saved for next year.
10. Hire someone to serve as a moderator. Like a sporting event, we should be brought up to date before the show begins. (”Coming in to tonight’s Broadcast, the Dixie Chicks have already won two awards…they could win five in all.”) That listing that was run at the bottom of the screen went too quickly. If we knew who had an edge going in, it might have made guessing the things more fun.
And, lastly, why didn’t someone at “American Idol” school teach Carrie Underwood something about holding a microphone. Sure, she was nervous. But she traded off hands so much I couldn’t listen to her sing. I was too busy watching the Restless Hand Syndrome.

If you’ve been arranging your furniture for Sunday’s big Grammy Awards show, get ready to be wowed.
In addition to the Police reunion (what have the other two been doing?), you’ve got the person who gets to be Justin Timberlake’s duet partner, a James Brown tribute and more rappers than a shopping mall in Detroit.
What shouldn’t be surprising is the winners. The Grammys have enough categories to give just about everyone a prize. Sure, Mary J. Blige has the most nominations, but I wouldn’t look for her to pull a Michael Jackson and sweep. She’ll get something (probably in the R&B categories) but she won’t get the big three (Album, Record, Single). Look for the Dixie Chicks to make a strong run for those and don’t discount my boy, Justin Timberlake, from nosing in. I think J.T. has his best shot in the Pop Album category. He’ll probably get two awards. John Mayer could land a couple, too, and Carrie Underwood is almost assured of Best New Artist and Best Country Female trophies.
Expect the Red Hot Chili Peppers to land a pair and don’t discount Gnarls Barkley from any of the categories. Gnarls, in fact, could be holding one of the big three.
I’m going to say the Chicks will land at least four prizes.
Now, don’t hold me to any of this. The Grammy folks aren’t predictable (except when Tony Bennett is in the mix). But they do like to reward people others have shunned. Thus, it’s a Chicks kinda thing.

Students at Western Iowa Tech Community College may remember Harry Lennix. The actor spoke there several years ago, detailing his work in such films as “The Matrix.” More recently, Lennix has been a part of “Commander in Chief” and “24″ and, now, there’s word he’s going to star in “Radio Golf” on Broadway. The show, which begins previews in April, was the last drama written by Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson. Lennix will play a successful middle class entrepreneur trying to reconcile the past with the present. It’s a great showcase and, considering Wilson’s track record, one that could crack things wide open for the actor.

Just remember — you saw him here first.

I may be the only one who thinks this way, but I loved the rain at the Super Bowl. Sure, it seemed like Prince had commissioned someone to open the heavens when he sang “Purple Rain.” But it also gave a relatively lackluster game something to consider. Would the players fall because the field was too wet? Would the winners forget to douse their coach in Gatorade because it’d sorta be redundant? Would Jim Nantz’s combover give way during the trophy presentation? Would anyone think of wearing a rain poncho?
While someone might have wiped off a camera every once in a while, it was comforting to sit in a warm house and feel that, somehow, I hadn’t made the wrong decision. Imagine spending all that money on tickets only to be soaked. Wet seats? Nope, I got to sit in a big chair without a single drip on my head. I also got to switch over to “Grease: You’re the One That I Want” and make fun of people who obviously are in over their heads.
If there’s a real criticism to level against the S.B., it’s this: Talk to those players after they win. Sure, they wanted to be off the air by 9 p.m., but “Criminal Minds” could have waited long enough for the champs to weigh in. If one of them had said, “I’m going to Disney World,” then CBS could have pulled the plug. But, for my money (in the warm seat at home), I wanted to hear what it meant to more than two people.