Weeks before the 2011 Academy Awards hit the air, the producers warned everyone in pre-show interviews that their young hosts weren’t comedians, so we shouldn’t expect jokes.
Anne and James weren’t bringing the funny.
And they were right. They didn’t.
Anne did bring an overly energetic brightness to the stage that became grating. Her big number went well, but I’m sure Hugh Jackman is even happier today that he dodged that bullet.
James, on the other hand, was quiet and appeared stoned. He even had trouble reading the teleprompter. (Hey, it’s a skill not all people can master.) I think he regretted taking job #1,714 as soon as he stepped on stage, and his partnership with perky Anne even more so.
Oil and water, those two.
It made me even more grateful for the moments to come in the Oscar acceptance speeches.
Moments of wonderful self-deprecation from Best Actor winner Colin Firth:
“I have a feeling my career’s just peaked.”
…and NYU student Luke Matheny, upon winning the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film God of Love:
“Oh, I should have got a haircut!”
Entertaining shout-outs to family members, including Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network:
“Roxy Sorkin, your father just won the Academy Award, I’m going to insist on some respect from your guinea pig.”
…and Tom Hooper, giving credit to his mother for finding The King’s Speech during his Best Director Oscar acceptance:
“The moral of the story is, listen to your mother.”
And perhaps most inspiring of all — especially for Sticky Eggs like me — were David Seidler’s words upon receiving his Best Screenplay Oscar for “Speech.”
“My father always said to me I would be a late bloomer. I believe I am the oldest person to win this particular award. I hope that record is broken quickly and often.”
Now, that’s what we needed to hear.
During her four days in Manhattan, we saw two Broadway shows, a taping of Anderson, a movie on a rainy day, shopping, holiday lights, more shopping, and lots and lots of food, drink and wonderful conversation.
Shining stars
The lights on Broadway are a bit darker today…
…and not just because it’s Monday.
Hugh Jackman, Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette all completed their highly successful runs in Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying respectively.
Living down the street, I was fortunate to see both shows multiple times. They deserved all the critical and audience acclaim that was heaped upon them (much by me right here on The Egg).
While he earned over $14.6 million dollars during his 10-week run at the Broadhurst — setting records for that theatre alone — he also raised a record $1.8 million for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
I saw him raise $60,000 in one evening alone, auctioning simple meet-and-greets after the show.
The 2012 Broadway season has a hard act to follow!
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Posted in Broadway, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Life, New Years
Tagged audience acclaim, Broadhurst theater, Broadway, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS., Broadway run, celebrities, commentary, critical acclaim, Daniel Radcliffe, entertainment, Great White Way, How to Succeed Without Really Trying, Hugh Jackman, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, John Larroquette, life, Manhattan, New York City