Nicholson Starts Britney Spears Solidarity Movement

Well, the Ape Culture oscar party was way more fun than the Governor's Ball, I'm sure. As usual, we dressed up in everything from recycled bridesmaid dresses, to a prom dress with a hoop, to Little Miss Sunshine workout gear. The Edgar Winter Dog wore his "The Dogfather" t-shirt in tribute to classic 70s cinema. Theme food included Brains from The Departed (red jello with licorice imbedded), Dinah's Fried Chicken (as seen in Little Miss Sunshine), Letters from Iwo Jima Wasabi Shrimp Cheese Grenade, and Babeloney Sandwiches.

And the show was almost as good as the party. I have to hand it to Ellen -she actually cracked me up a few times. She kept her opening monologue pretty short, and her forays into the crowd were hilarious - especially getting Spielberg to take a photo of her and Clint for her myspace page.

My 20-year crush on Jack Nicholson almost came to a sudden end when I saw his Mr. Clean look. Was he finally admitting defeat to the male-pattern baldness that began in his 20s? Was he simply showing solidarity with Britney? As it turns out, he was bald for his art. He's filming The Bucket List in which he and Morgan Freeman play cancer patients who escape the hospital for a wild roadtrip to do all the things they want to do before they die. Rob Reiner is directing, and my expectations are quite low. Still, it's a relief.

I was disappointed that Peter O'Toole didn't win, and Forrest Whitaker's speech, while moving, struck me as a bit over-rehearsed. I guess I miss the goofy spontaneity of a Sally Field "You like me! You like me!". Glad to see Helen Mirren win, and she looked incredible.

Highlights for me were the live animated short victory for the romantic and thought-provoking The Danish Poet, the interpretive dances for the nominated films, the "comedians get no love" number by Jack Black, Will Ferrell, and John C. Reilly, and Jennifer Hudson's "I Am Telling You, Simon, That I'm Not Out of My League" victory. Lowlights were too many montages - the writers one and the Michael Mann one were uninspired and brought the show to a grinding halt.

While I don't feel it's Scorsese's best work, I was relieved to see him finally get the Oscar, and his speech was good. Glad The Departed won best picture too, even if my favorite newly bald actor was left off the Best Supporting Actor nominee list. Yes, I'm still not over it.