Harold Witkov
And the best picture Oscar goes to...
By Harold Witkov
Remember the dance contest in the John Travolta movie, Saturday Night Fever? Up first is an African-American couple and they do a nice job. Then it is Tony and Stephanie's turn, and they are good, very good. Finally, a Puerto Rican couple performs a dance number, and they are stellar. Despite the assurances of his friends, in his heart, Tony knows the Puerto Rican couple's performance was best. The decision is in. The first place trophy is awarded to Tony and Stephanie. Appalled by the hypocrisy of the moment, Tony, in an act of true character, hands the trophy to the Puerto Rican dancers, then storms out of the disco, taking Stephanie with him.
Remember this past Sunday night at the 87th Academy Awards ceremony when Sean Penn announced Birdman to be Best Picture? First to the stage was director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and, with Oscar in hand and surrounded by a "Birdman who's who entourage," he jokes of being selected to speak for everyone because he is the worst English speaking guy there, then provides the usual one-two punch combination of thank yous and political commentary.
Now imagine Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu on the stage, Oscar in hand, standing before the same audience of celebrity peers and millions of TV viewers. He has a not so small problem. Despite all the congratulatory smiles and hugs onstage, in his heart, he believes American Sniper is better than Birdman. Seeing the hypocrisy of the moment, in a courageous act of character, he calls Clint Eastwood up to rightfully claim Oscar, and then leaves the Dolby Theatre while taking all his bewildered "Birdman people" with him.
Too bad it did not happen exactly that way. I would have really enjoyed the moment. I guess that kind of stuff only happens in the movies.
© Harold Witkov
February 25, 2015
Remember the dance contest in the John Travolta movie, Saturday Night Fever? Up first is an African-American couple and they do a nice job. Then it is Tony and Stephanie's turn, and they are good, very good. Finally, a Puerto Rican couple performs a dance number, and they are stellar. Despite the assurances of his friends, in his heart, Tony knows the Puerto Rican couple's performance was best. The decision is in. The first place trophy is awarded to Tony and Stephanie. Appalled by the hypocrisy of the moment, Tony, in an act of true character, hands the trophy to the Puerto Rican dancers, then storms out of the disco, taking Stephanie with him.
Remember this past Sunday night at the 87th Academy Awards ceremony when Sean Penn announced Birdman to be Best Picture? First to the stage was director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and, with Oscar in hand and surrounded by a "Birdman who's who entourage," he jokes of being selected to speak for everyone because he is the worst English speaking guy there, then provides the usual one-two punch combination of thank yous and political commentary.
Now imagine Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu on the stage, Oscar in hand, standing before the same audience of celebrity peers and millions of TV viewers. He has a not so small problem. Despite all the congratulatory smiles and hugs onstage, in his heart, he believes American Sniper is better than Birdman. Seeing the hypocrisy of the moment, in a courageous act of character, he calls Clint Eastwood up to rightfully claim Oscar, and then leaves the Dolby Theatre while taking all his bewildered "Birdman people" with him.
Too bad it did not happen exactly that way. I would have really enjoyed the moment. I guess that kind of stuff only happens in the movies.
© Harold Witkov
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