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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Cintra, normally I agree with your eviscerations whole-heartedly, but I've gotta agree with the other comments here--Jon did a fine job. A little nervous at the outset, sure, but I really do think he helped instill the (still overly-long) ceremony with a bit more wit and light-heartedness. The cracks about Crowe, Scorcese, Theron, etc. were all spot-on without being cheap or cruel, the cowboy montage and attack ads were delightful, and in general it seemed like all the recipients and presenters felt a bit more license to joke and have a good time (the Penguin guys, the Wallace & Gromit guys, Ben Stiller, etc.). And Jon's comment about the unabashed joy of Three 6 Mafia highlighted the very real problem that the Oscars always face--everyone seems to feel pressure to be much more dignified than they are naturally inclined to be, which is why the whole evening so often seems to suffocate under its own stiffness and pomposity. The Oscars need to become a bit more like a high school graduation, where attendees celebrate honors and milestones, but still feel free to be a bit goofy and enjoy themselves.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
