"It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar"

And what a Wonderful Night it was!

Not that I did that great in my predictions (see previous post), but in the first year I can remember, more of my Wants won than my Thinks! I honestly have no complaints with the Academy this year. Lest you think this will make for a boring post, keep reading--I'm bound to strike a nerve with my unbridled enthusiasm.

First, Jon Stewart made a strong case for being named permanent host. Sure, the writer's strike gave the proceedings a thrown-together quality, but the key to a good host is not his material, but how he handles the ad-libs. And Jon Stewart did something no host has ever had the cojones to do: he brought a winner back out onstage so she could give her speech without interruption by that idiot conductor with the itchy baton-hand (it's the same guy every year).

I'm sure the director or producer will try to take credit for this impromptu act of generosity, but the fact that it has never been done before is proof that somebody with great instincts has wrestled the telecast away from the heartless hacks who have run it for the past decades (Gil Cates, I'm callin' you out!) Since the courtesy was extended to the Czech singer from my favorite Irish musical "Once," I am doubly pleased.

The awards were spread-out nicely among the deserving nominees, except I would have liked for "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly" to get a statue. "La Vie en Rose" won two, however--who predicted that? Best Actress Marion Cotillard was a charming, gracious winner ... which leads to the second-half of my annual Oscar Recap: my totally-biased, unscientific ...

Best Dressed / Best-Looking List!
I'll say this right at the start: all those people who cannot bring themselves to say anything nice about Renee Zellweger (you know who you are) -- get over it! That talented Texas gal has a 'smoking-hot bod' -- smokin' hot!
6. Kelly Preston - wife of John Travolta
5. Anne Hathaway - red dress, porcelain skin
4. (tie) Penelope Cruz / Jennifer Garner - because these two carried-off the black (and because I'm running out of spots)
3. Amy Adams - green dress, porcelain skin, red hair (great combo!)
2. Katherine Heigl - I cannot deny her old-Hollywood glam!
1. (tie) Keri 'Felicity' Russell & (you guessed it!) Renee Zellweger!
(both wore silver).

This may not be the right time to air this gripe, but I am so sick of hearing (from media types) that the Oscar telecast is "the Super Bowl for women ... and gay men." Where, pray tell, do I fit in to that equation??