Jon Stewart lived up to the expectations of his loyal fans and silenced skeptics Sunday night, helping to create a memorable awards show that most Americans probably didn’t see.
Stewart, who may be the funniest man on TV in the absence of Dave Chappelle, demonstrated his political wit, lampooning Dick Cheney and Hollywood’s Democratic bent, as well as coming up with some original laugh lines for “Brokeback Mountain” and “Capote.” While his performance is unlikely to make anyone forget legendary hosts Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal, fears that his hip, acerbic East Coast wit would flop seemed unfounded.
The evening opened with a self-deprecating video montage in which previous Oscar hosts Crystal, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg say no thanks to hosting duties.
The tone continued as Stewart took the stage: “Tonight we celebrate excellence in film with me, the fourth male lead in ‘Death to Smoochy.”‘
Stewart lived up to his reputation for political humor with a quick jab at the vice president: Noting that singer Bjork, famous for her swan outfit at the 2001 awards, couldn’t make it, he joked: “She was trying on her Oscar dress, and Dick Cheney shot her.”
Stewart managed some gay-themed jokes that didn’t sound tired despite the plethora of them in recent weeks. Referring to “Capote,” he said, “It showed America that not all gay people are cowboys. Some are actually effete New York intellectuals.”
Later, Stewart introduced a montage of clips from cowboy films saying, “There’s nothing remotely gay about the classic Hollywood Western.” The video that followed, of course, emphasized what you might call the close bond among cowboys.
He also managed to take jabs at Scientology, Hollywood’s reputation for sexual excess, Steven Spielberg and journalists.
However, the combination of a little-known host – Stewart’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central draws about 1.4 million viewers – and largely serious films that were not box office blockbusters made it likely that ABC would see a drop in viewers from last year’s 41.1 million.
Although the Academy Awards show is one of the few mega-events left on TV, second only to the Super Bowl, history shows that it’s the movies, not the host, that draws viewers. When “Titanic” – the all-time box office champ at $1.8 billion worldwide – won in 1998, the show drew 55 million viewers, its biggest audience in two decades.
The awards opened with the best supporting actor award to George Clooney, setting off a series of bits throughout the night about Clooney’s sex appeal and wide-ranging talents.
Clooney managed a classy acceptance speech and a snappy riposte to criticism that Hollywood is out of step with the rest of America. Pointing to movies about AIDS and race and other controversial topics made before it was popular, he said: “I’m proud to be out of touch.”
The producers poked a bit of fun at themselves in a video skit with Tom Hanks being pummeled as he goes on too long with his acceptance speech. It was a reference to a DVD sent to nominees, narrated by Hanks, providing helpful hints on how to gracefully accept an award in 60 seconds or less.
Award for the lamest presentation of the night had to go to Ben Stiller, who leaped around the stage in a green jumpsuit to present the best visual effects Oscar to “King Kong.” Possibly the best was Will Ferrell and Steve Carell in hideous makeup, including false eyelashes, presenting the award for best makeup.
Despite the show’s popularity – this year’s 30-second spots average $1.7 million – Oscar ads rarely are memorable. This year the emphasis was on interactivity. MasterCard is trying to drive people to its priceless.com website, where you fill in the blanks and win prizes if your ad is selected.
Staff writer Edward P. Smith can be reached at 303-820-1767 or esmith@denverpost.com.
This item has been corrected in this online archive. Due to a reporting error, it originally mis-identified a performer in the Oscar ceremony as Bjork. In fact, the performer of “In the Deep” was Kathleen “Bird” York.
NOTES
The swag that makes ’em brag
More nominees walked away without Oscars, but that doesn’t mean they were losers. That’s what the goodie bags were for.
Sure, the winners got a gold statuette, a custom-made tiger’s-eye necklace from Abraham DuPont and Backtrack crystal wine glasses. But there were plenty of treats for the nominees and the award presenters.
Among the gifts: skin-care products from Estée Lauder, Michael Kors aviator sunglasses and a pair of Manolo Blahnik sandals. The more lavish treats include a $25,000 luxury three-day stay at Honolulu’s Halekulani Hotel, an “Unlimited Card” (worth $2,500) from the Cornelia Day Resort on New York’s Fifth Avenue, two nights in a large suite at New York’s famed Carlyle Hotel, and a leather-trimmed cashmere travel blanket from the famed Italian linen house, Frette, valued at $1,495.
The overall value of this year’s gift bag was estimated to be more than $100,000.
Mizrahi is a good boy
Isaac Mizrahi kept his hands to himself on the red carpet at Sunday night’s Academy Awards.
The flamboyant fashion designer created a stir at January’s Golden Globes when he groped Scarlett Johansson’s breast, asked Eva Longoria about her pubic hair, and peeked down Teri Hatcher’s dress as he conducted interviews for the E! cable channel.
Mizrahi told E! channel host Ryan Seacrest as the red-carpet show began, “I’m going to be so good I’m going to have a halo by the end of the night.”
Mizrahi was good to his word, not even looking down Dolly Parton’s ample cleavage as he asked about her hair and earrings.
Tilly sticks to poker
Jennifer Tilly traded the red carpet of the Oscars for the green felt of the poker table.
Tilly joined 63 other poker stars, including boyfriend, poker professional Phil “Unabomber” Laak, for the 2006 National Heads Up Poker Championship in Las Vegas.
Tilly was knocked out Saturday in the first round of the single-elimination, one-on-one tournament, which has $1.5 million in prize money up for grabs. The winner will be crowned Monday.
Curses, “Crash” wins
“Crash” has won one award – the most curse words in a film nominated for best picture.
FamilyMediaGuide.com, which tracks incidents of profanity, sex, violence and tobacco use in films, reported “Crash” had 182 expletives, including 99 utterances of the F-word.
“Brokeback Mountain” ranked second among best-picture nominees with 92 curse words, followed by “Munich” with 22, according to FamilyMediaGuide.com.
The record for most profanities in a film to win the best picture Oscar is held by the Vietnam War drama “Platoon,” with 329.
– Denver Post wire services
This item has been corrected in this online archive. Due to a reporting error, it originally mis-identified a performer in the Oscar ceremony as Bjork. In fact, the performer of “In the Deep” was Kathleen “Bird” York.
