Posted on 03/06/2006 6:20:02 AM PST by pissant
Despite all the predictions of huge success for the gay cowboy film, Brokeback Mountain, it was the rather less-hyped Crash - a comment on race relations in the United States - which picked up the most significant Oscar, best movie.
The 78th Academy Awards at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre featured the usual array of 'A' list stars in designer outfits along with 300 fans who'd won tickets for a place along the red carpet.
McCarthy witch-hunts George Clooney was expected to be one of the biggest winners, after his film Good Night and Good Luck was nominated for six Oscars. The film is about the US TV journalist Ed Murrow who exposed the 1950s political witch-hunts of right-wing senator Joseph McCarthy. Interviewed by reporters as he arrived for the ceremony, the star joked about his lack of previous gongs:
"It's funny because we've been rather unburdened by success most of these award shows, so we're pretty good at losing, […] I'm sort of not concerned with winning so much - I'll be the drunk at the back!"
George Clooney
And in the end, Good Night and Good Luck failed to win any prizes, but George Clooney himself picked up the best supporting actor Oscar for his part in Syriana.
The show was hosted by Jon Stewart, presenter of a satirical news programme on American cable television. Referring to an outfit worn by the singer Bjork for the Oscars a few years ago, which commentators said looked like a swan costume, he made a dig at US Vice-President Dick Cheney:
"I do have some sad news to report - Bjork couldn't be here tonight - she was trying on her Oscar dress and Dick Cheney shot her."
The other big winners of the night were Philip Seymour Hoffman, named best actor for his portrayal of the American writer Truman Capote; Reese Witherspoon picked up best actress for playing the wife of Johnny Cash in Walk the Line; British star Rachel Weisz won best supporting actress for The Constant Gardener and Ang Lee was named best director for his film Brokeback Mountain.
Foreign film
There had been controversy surrounding one of the nominations for best foreign film, Paradise Now a movie about two suicide bombers directed by Dutch-Palestinian Hany Abu-Assad. In the end the film lost out to a South African movie Tsotsi about street children in Johannesburg.
Too bad. So many of the little poofters already had a "special place" they'd hoped to put their Oscars.
They'll always have the Tony Awards.
So oscar snubbed "Bareback Mountin'"? Good.
Elton John's post Oscar party must have been a letdown.
Gay ranch hands.
Renewed my faith in the Academy.
Is anyone else bothered by Reese's chin?
My wife watched it. I got sporadic updates from her, but I refuse to look at idiots like Clooney and Hoffman and the rest of the traitors.
Not I. I think she is very cute.
LOL. And his career is floundering. No one saw his attempt at heterosexualism - Casanova. Talk about being cast over your head. He better stick to sensitive, gay cowboys.
Yeah, a chin like that may not age well.
Reminds me of Jay Leno's.
Well, that may be true. But a lying traitor is a traitor, regardless of how charming he is.
Alternative Headline:
Gay Cowboys Take It In The Rear
Clooney's best performance was as the voice of Stan's gay dog on South Park.
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