Now that all of the awards have been handed out, let’s take a look at the memorable moments from the 2013 Academy Awards Ceremony.
Self-Deprecating Journey To The Final Frontier
In a clever way of making fun of himself and the criticism he has received thus far, Seth MacFarlane interfaced with William Shatner in the opening segment. The joke being that Captain Kirk was calling from the future to stop MacFarlane from making an ass out of himself, it provided a nice opportunity for MacFarlane to put his literal song-and-dance talents on display in the hopes of being considered a passable host.
We Saw Your Boobs
In perhaps his most controversial attempt at humor on the night, Seth MacFarlane performed a song called “We Saw Your Boobs”, whereby he listed out some of Hollywood’s A-List actresses and made mention of movies in which they appear topless. To end the 90-second song, he brought out the Gay Mens Chorus Of Los Angeles. Two actresses mentioned in the song were likely willing participants in the joke. When MacFarlane mentions that nominee Jennifer Lawrence hasn’t appeared topless, the camera cuts to her to show her in a quick, seated celebration which was timed so well that it was almost certainly staged. There could be some debate as to whether Charlize Theron’s cowering, ashamed look in reaction to her topless scene being referenced in the song was staged or not. Given the timing of the reaction and the fact that Charlize was a willing participant in a dance number means that she was likely to have been consulted on involvement prior to the show.
Argo’s Secretive Director
Another fun moment from Seth MacFarlane which might not have been as enjoyable for those he targeted, was when he referenced the omission of Ben Affleck from the Best Director nominees list for ARGO. After stating that the film’s covert source material lead to the Academy somehow not noticing its director, MacFarlane went on to say that the Academy realizes it messed up. (Note: Affleck won the Best Director award at the Golden Globes). Affleck later mentioned prior to the announcement of nominees in a different category that the evening was going well, but that MacFarlane clearly had plenty of time to mess it up.
Bond, James Gone
There was a video package introduced by Halle Berry and two separate songs performed, all in tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the James Bond franchise. They had Shirley Bassey perform “Goldfinger” to a standing ovation, and Adele gave a great rendition of “Skyfall”… but the men who made the character famous – Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig – were notably absent.
JAWS And The Death Of Rhythm & Hues
The Oscar for Visual Effects went to individuals from Rhythm & Hues for their work on LIFE OF PI, but as they were addressing the fact that the company filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month and made considerable layoffs, they were played off the stage by the “Jaws” theme.
Harry Potter and Twilight Collide
In something of a surreal moment, the worlds of Harry Potter and Twilight collided as Daniel Radcliffe and Kristen Stewart presented an award together. Disappointingly enough, there was no banter between the two to acknowledge the fact that they represent the main characters in two of the highest grossing franchises in movie history and that the source material for each are contemporaries.
Even More Music
In addition to the James Bond related music performances, we also got a tribute to the movie CHICAGO, the film which was considerably lauded ten years ago when it was in theaters, DREAM GIRLS, and then seemingly all the dozen or so key members of the LES MISERABLES cast. To my dismay, when Sacha Baron Cohen showed up on stage with Helena Bonham Carter to join in on the singing, they weren’t given the opportunity to stand out on their own like those who showed up prior to their arrival… almost none of whom did I care to hear sing.
Howdy Neighbor
In a moment which served as a fun reminder that not only are these members of Hollywood all peers in the same business, but actual PEOPLE, Charlize Theron presented an award to Quentin Tarantino – who mentioned in his acceptance speech that he and Charlize Theron are neighbors. I’m sure she’ll give more thought to what might be going on the next time she hears weird noises through her window…
Stumbling Silver Linings And The Gentleman
As she went to ascend the steps to accept her award for Best Actress, Jennifer Lawrence stumbled to a knee. Certainly not a situation I would make light of, and I only mention it because Hugh Jackman valiantly hopped out of his front-row seat to lend a hand. There have been reports that Jackman is one of the nicer guys in Hollywood, and this gives that reputation a bit more credence.
No Introduction Needed
Prior to the awarding of Best Actor, Seth MacFarlane left the stage after quickly stating that the presenter didn’t need an introduction, a common phrase thrown about for individuals who are significantly well known. The only problem for me was that I didn’t have my glasses on, so I had to ask my wife who was walking out onto the stage because I couldn’t tell it was Meryl Streep.
Role Reversal
During his acceptance speech, there was a funny moment from Daniel Day-Lewis. He joked that he had originally been slated to play Margaret Thatcher, for whom Streep won Best Actress last year for portraying, and that it was Meryl Streep who was originally set to portray Abraham Lincoln – and that he was still hoping to see her version materialize.
The First Lady And The Best Picture
To introduce the award for Best Picture, Jack Nicholson took the stage and said that the Academy wanted to pair him up with someone, but in an effort to keep him from making small talk or having him pay too many compliments about their fashion, his co-presenter was via satellite… First Lady Michelle Obama.
Line Of The Night
The best line of the night, in my estimation, came at the start of the Best Picture award acceptance by the Argo producers. Grant Heslov, who got to speak before his fellow producers Ben Affleck and George Clooney, started off by joking that the audience were watching the “three sexiest producers alive”.
The Director And His Socks
As a native of Washington D.C. it’s perhaps more interesting to me than just about anyone reading this, but RGIII Socks made an appearance as part of the wardrobe of an Oscar winner. Sean Fine, who won the Best Documentary Short award for directing INOCENTE (with his wife Andrea Nix Fine), is also a DC-area native with ties to the Washington Redskins. a third-generation Washingtonian with deep ties to the Redskins. His grandfather worked as a photographer for the Washington Redskins for 51 years until his passing in 1988. Robert Griffin III, who was drafted for the 2012 season and ultimately won Rookie Of The Year honors, is known for wearing socks containing words of inspiration on them, including the ones worn by Sean Fine pictured below.
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Sources:
USA Today, Washington Post, and the fact that I actually watched the awards ceremony broadcast…
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