80th Oscars a Dud, Preliminary Ratings Show 14 Percent Lower Than Least-Watched Ceremony

Fox News ^ | February 25, 2008

[Zakeet]

LOS ANGELES — The Oscars were a ratings dud. More so than usual, even.

Preliminary ratings for the 80th annual Academy Awards telecast were 14 percent lower than the least-watched ceremony ever, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Nielsen said Monday that overnight ratings were also 21 percent lower than last year, when "The Departed" was named best picture.

The least-watched Oscars ceremony ever was in 2003, when there were 33 million viewers.

[Snip]

Nielsen has no estimate yet on how many people watched Sunday night, but based on ratings from the nation's biggest markets, the Oscars will be hard-pressed to avoid an ignominious record.

[ridesthemiles]

The NASCAR race from Fontana, east of Los Angeles got delayed by rain. It finally was suspended at 87 laps and finished today. But- all night long, they kept saying the rain had stopped and they were drying the track and going to run the race. I about wore out my remote control switching back and forth.
Had the race come back on, I would have given it priority.
The people in the stands held fast. Before the rain delays, they were headed for a 2-fer. The 300 mile event on Sat eve got rained out and was scheduled to follow the 500 mile event. That’s alot of entertainment for your ticket.

[InterceptPoint]

She’s a good-looking French gal but who’s seen the movie or ever heard of her before? I mean much outside of Paris.

I've seen it and it was better than 99% of what comes out of Hollywood. It helps if you like Edit Piaf but it is great by any measure. Tremendous performance by the beautiful Marion.

Click HERE to read a positive review of La Vie En Rose by a guy who predicted Marion Cotillard would win the Academy Award for Best Actress - and this was before the nominations were set.

[netmilsmom]

He has had a reputation for losing the lady.

X-men, The Notebook, and a few more (so as not to give endings away) See “27 Dresses” if you get the chance. He is darling.

Zac is actually pretty clean for Hollywood. Of all the articles I’ve read about him and the interviews I was subjected to on YouTube, he is just a nice guy. He loves his fanbase and doesn’t disregard those little girls.

[llmc1]

You’re right. That was funny.

[nicksaunt]

Marion Cotillard was wonderful in La Vie En Rose. Her performance was the only one I saw of those nominated. Given the fact that there was very little hype for the movie, (it was in French), I was surprised that she won. Her performance was of Oscar winning caliber.

[Howdy there]

Thanks!

[Blind Eye Jones]

I love both of them from from the 60s.

[puroresu]

I'm building a library of classic films from the silent era through the mid-sixties. I've now got a ton of them. It's the one thing I waste money on! That, and, of course, Asian films!

Last night I plopped down and watched Night And The City. I've seen it before, but so many scenes are so great. The look on everyone's face when Herbert Lom sends out orders to kill Richard Widmark. And when Widmark's employer tells him he's a dead man and smacks those cymbals on the nightclub bandstand. And the Greco-Roman wrestling match featuring two real old-time wrestlers. Love it! LOL!

[puroresu]

They’ve copied some Asian films, too.

[puroresu]

The Lives of Others is excellent!

[ichabod1]

I said that because of Dr. Zhivago... I know she was Lara, wasn’t he Dr. Zhivago?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Every so often, there is a list of the “top 100” or “top 10” movies. The Best Years of our Lives and Dial Northside 777 are on my list.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I think Dr. Zhivago was Omar Sheriff.

[ichabod1]

Oh, OK. Peter O’Toole was Lawrence of Arabia. I get them confused.