OSCAR 2012 Wrap-Up

THE RED CARPET

Ya'll know I love her.  Now that Oprah is no longer hosting her Post Oscar show, my girl Kelly has taken over.

Who allows her to judge what others wear on the Red Carpet?  She put the blue in "blue hair" and that dress is Miss America circa 1988.

It’s part business suit, part geometric, part mermaid, all ugly.  I don’t know who she is but I hate her dress.

Who is this you might ask?  Virginia Madsen I answer then follow up with, how does she get invited to this party every year?  She's the T. Swizzle of the Oscars, but even I have to admit, far less talented.  

I love Melissa McCarthey, but let's have a moment, you're a beautiful full-figured girl, embrace it.  Rather than add tons of extra fabric, get something that is made for you and works.  Octavia Spencer owns it and is gorgeous.

 Good as a scarf, not as a dress.  Jewels are totally out of place with this print.

Dr. Quinn you need some medicine stat.  Something is very wrong.

Remember when she was the IT girl and hot in Legends?

My Eyes.  My Eyes.  My eyes are seeing things in that dress that they don't want to.  FUPA!  Also, do you think her carpal tunnel would be ok for the night if she didn't wear her brace?

Do you remember Howard The Duck?  Man that was a horribly fun movie.

Strange combination of tux jacket and evening gown.

There is just a lot going on here.  Remember "shock and awe"?

Just take a moment for yourself.

Do you think they hate each other?

You know those monkeys who smile in ads?

I didn’t know Steve Martin was scheduled to appear this year.

"This is our most desperate hour.  Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You’re my only hope."

BEST DRESSED(Top 4 could be interchangeable.)

1.  Michelle Williams

2.  Jessica Chastain

3.  Octavia Spencer

4.  Gwyneth Paltrow(sans cape, LOVE the cuff!!)

5.  Tina Fey

6.  Emma Stone

7.  Mila Jovovich

8.  Viola Davis

9.  J. Lo

10.  Cameran Diaz

WORST DRESSED

*I’m taking Meryl Streep out of contention because we all know she will continue to land on this list for years to come.

1.  Missi Pyle-I hate this.  There are so many different styles, swoops, extras, zig-a-zig-ahs...too much!

2.  Shailene Woodley

3.  Rooney Mara-I just don't even know what is going on here.  Origami?

4.  Melissa Leo

5.  Kristen Wigg

THE SHOW

It’s just comforting to know that Billy Crystal is at the helm.

Carl Swaybo!  Seat filler at the Oscars for 59 years.  I think he’s still wearing the same tux that he was back then.

There is some mad reverb on the mics.  Let’s get that taken care of gentlemen.  Thanks!

I love that the winner for Art Direction for Hugo brought his own statue holder girl….oh wait, she helped on the movie too?

Sheila E!  rockin’ it in the balcony YO!

Did you see the clip of the first time Meryl won?  I think Meryl is channeling that first time look in a very similar gold dress.  Both atrocious.  I mean, she gets nominated every other year so she might want to just hire a stylist.  It just makes good sense.

I LOVED the movie tribute, especially Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall.  He’s, er, it was beautiful. 

What just happened with J. Lo and Cameron?  You know what I’m talking about.

Don’t play coy J. Lo, you know you want him to look.

It’s pretty great that the guy won Best Makeup for making Meryl Streep look like a man in The Iron Lady.  What?  Oh, that was Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs?

Sandy Bullock is just the best.  Just the best!

Standing ovation for Octavia.  Well deserved.  Brought tears to my eyes.

Cirque makes things look so difficult.  I do that in my sleep.

Emma Stone Drives. Me. Nuts.  There, I feel better.

One year later, no longer nominated and totally not on anyone’s radar, Melissa Leo could really use a stylist.  Really.

Whoa, Nick Nolte?  As in the Nick Nolte from Prince of Tides?  No, can’t be.  When did he turn into Old Saint Nick?

I love the obligatory ovation Angelina Jolie gave for Christopher Plummer.  Look woman, that’s Captain Von Trapp, clap with a purpose. 

Billy Crystal spot on:

Brad Pitt, “This thing better not go too late I have six parent teacher conferences in the morning.”

To present the Screenwriting Awards, please welcome Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie and the newest edition of the Jolie-Pitt's, her right leg.

The screenwriters from The Descendents-BRAVO!  BRAVO!

This gag doesn't get old.

Snore, I’m falling asleep.

Who didn’t know the guy from The Artist was going to win?

Was rooting for Viola, but Meryl Streep is brilliant and really charmed my pants off in her speech. BRAVO, "really, because I will never be up here again" she is one of the best actresses we know.

(My friend Amanda is going nuts right now and not because she loves Meryl actually the total opposite!)

Classic Meryl

Tom Cruise, albeit bat **** crazy, still looks like he did in Top Gun.

Shocker!!  Just like last year's winner, The King's Speech, The Artist won.  BORING Academy.

As awards shows go, there were very few surprises this year and very few standout moments(minus Meryl).  We really need Sharon Stone to make a movie again.  I loved that Captain Von Trapp won his first Oscar at age 82.  I loved having Billy Crystal back as the host.  I loved when Angelina tried to make another baby with Brad from the stage(no I didn't) and for the love of god, eat a sandwich.  I loved Meryl, yes I did. All in all, a good night for an ok year in movies.  May this year be a bit better.  And for the record, did you see that commercial for Titanic 3D?  I can confirm that I will be going to see that!  

My broken heart

Whitney is finally at peace.  I'm still in a bit of shock over this news, however, in a certain way I knew it was coming.  Who didn't expect this end to her storied career?  The actual events of my life since hearing last night have played out in pretty much the way I thought they would.  When Michael Jackson died two years ago I thought, "One day this will be Whitney" but I imagined me being more like a 65 year old man, not a 35 year old man.  Watching the news coverage last night and all day today is something that I feel like I knew how it would be, yet it is so surreal.  "Whitney Houston dead at 48."  Although I never really imagined that in my head, I feel like I have seen that title.  It is such a sad ending to someone whose life has had such a profound effect on my life.

The first time I had heard of Whitney was back in the summer of 1986 when my family was on vacation up north.  My aunt arrived late and came through the doors of our cottage and said, “I just heard the most amazing singer, Whitney Houston, on the radio.  She is going to be a huge star.”  That summer I got the Whitney Houston Whitney Houston tape for my birthday along with the Janet Control album.  It was Whitney however who stole my heart, namely the song I have attached to this email, my favorite of all, a duet with Jermaine Jackson called, “Nobody Loves Me Like You Do.” 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41RorsJdgaY&feature=related

I will never forget January 26, 1987 when at the American Music Awards I watched Whitney win 5 awards, to standing ovations and bringing down the house with "All At Once."  She wore a black and white striped sequin jacket and a similar skirt, only polka dots.  

That night started my fascination with Whitney.  I taped those awards, and there after I taped all live performances, concerts, videos, interviews, etc. that I could with Whitney from 1987 until probably 1999(The My Love Is Your Love era).  The secret to me knowing every inflection of her voice in live performances is that I would watch those videotapes over and over and over again as a kid and teen, even college student.  It’s crazy that on Facebook people as far back as elementary school, who I haven’t spoken to in years, sent condolences stating that the first person they thought of was me because they remembered how much I loved Whitney.  Even friends of friends I barely know and old neighborhood people sent FB condolences and said I was the first person who came to mind.  My love of her is legendary I guess. 

So I don’t have a profound reason as to why she touched my heart so deeply.  She didn’t help me through a tragedy or a difficult time in my life.  I guess more than anything liking her and admitting it wasn’t something I was ever embarrassed about, well except once.

When My Love Is Your Love came out my friend Cary and I headed over to Tower Records across from MSU’s campus to wait in line for Super Tuesday(in November) when Mariah’s #1’s, Jewel’s Christmas album, Garth Brook’s box set, and some hard hitting rapper’s latest albums were coming out. Whitney’s album was coming out too.  As we were in line the girl in front of us was reading off a sign of who had cds coming out.  When she got to Whitney Houston she said, "lame."  I about killed her.  We waited in line and as we approached people would hit the counter and tell the sales rep what they wanted.  Cary got to the counter before me, “Mariah Carey’s #1s and Jewel’s Christmas cd please” he said with confidence. “Anything else” the sales rep asked.  “Nope, just those.”  Now it was my turn.  I approached the counter having not heard one person ask for Whitney.  I quietly, under my breath said, “Whitney Houst……”  “Who?” the sales clerk responded.  “Whitney Hou…”  I said again.  “Whitney Houston?” as he looked back at the roll away shelves stacked with all the cds behind the counter.  He glanced.  “Do we even HAVE that cd?”  “Hey Mike” he screamed to the manager down the way, “Do we have Whitney Houston?”  I sunk into myself.  As he crawled under the counter  to find one lonely box of about 20 cds in it, I became the owner of “My Love Is Your Love.”  No one else that night was apparently there to buy Whitney but I sure was.  I remember racing home to my house, closing my door, and listening to the cd all the way through for the first time.  It was one of the last times I had that "first listen" feeling because we don't get cds that way any longer.  I loved what I heard on that cd that night in November 1999.

Other fond memories include closing my eyes while driving(not safe)during “I Will Always Love You” until the boom and opening them like in the video, “I’m Your Baby Tonight” in the grocery getting with my college friends as Leanne drove us home from the bar, going to her Bodyguard tour concert with my aunt and cousin, “I Wanna Dance” performance at the 1988 Grammy Awards, singing “When You Believe” in a gazebo up north with Cary while Kristin and Becky watched, and the clips I’m attaching below.  Take a look if you want.  Mariah and Celine are good, but there is only one Whitney Houston.

She had troubled times for sure, that can’t be denied, but I will remember her for the megawatt smile, all of her over 400 awards (most awarded female in history), her songs, her voice, her performances and most of all, the night of January 26, 1987, when as a 10 year old boy, I fell in love with her.  My heart is heavy, but I am grateful that she has left us with 25 years of music that will last forever.  Be at peace now Whitney.

Whitney at her best:

Isolated vocal tracks of "How Will I Know"-absolutely stunning!

http://jakefogelnest.com/post/17460767716#notes

Loverman/My Man/All The Man That I Need-1991 Billboard Music Awards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydJSoxW1ji0

The Voice during a rehearsal in 1993 singing "This Day."  What she did best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5UM5RiUqnY

One Moment In Time performed at the 1989 Grammy Awards-Arguably her best performance ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m46nvic8VIA

The fun times.  How 80's is this performance of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FcdnriZR3U

Whitney singing "Wonderful Counselor" with her mother and brother at the 1988 American Music Awards.  Gorgeous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z_EsWkcs5w

Whitney singing a gorgeous love medley.  One of my all time favorite performances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEPcWOEdLOQ

Bringing down the house at the 1994 America Music Awards (she won 7 awards this night).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF-8yCwNLEc

Whitney's best performance of all time!  Only person in history to make the National Anthem a Billboard Chart hit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS-R7SM_-M4

Time to close another crazy adventure

Well, I'm back in the States after a month over in Europe.  I love to travel, but it is always nice to get home.  However, I already feel the stress of what I need to accomplish this summer-ah!

All in all, it is very different to travel with people rather than solo, let alone with family.  I think we did pretty good all over Italy.  Then to be able to meet up with 5 of my best friends in Paris for a week is icing on the cake.  Here are some of my favorite moments:

My mother's fan supply(4 total), especially the one attached to a bottle of water for misting, in Italy.

Aunt Karen calling people "Madame"-Isn't that French?

Getting lost in Rome and ending up in a suburb at 1 in the morning and Aunt Karen saying to the bus driver, "I'm not getting off this bus."  She eventually gave in and got off.

Morning breakfast on our terrace in Positano.

"No Soup For You"-Sheila being waved away from the counter, "Too complicated" he said,  for asking too many questions while she was trying to order.

The Traveling Wilbury's minibus.

Aunt Karen looking for the World Cup games, "Futbol?"

Nyle keeping calm while driving the Wilbury's around the countryside of Tuscany with two backseat drivers trying their hardest to keep their mouths shut.

Running through the streets of Paris, in the rain with Lesley and going over a grate blowing up air, "My shirt, my skirt" she yelled as she tossed me her umbrella that was now inside out.

Becky giving some of her sandwich to a gypsy.  Later, "I'm hungry, I shouldn't have given the gypsy my sandwich."

"GW" which stands for "gypsy watch"-we would say it when we put our bags down to take a photo.

"Oui Oui Magnifique"-I will never forget our call out to make sure we had our entire group.

The look on Becky's face after climbing 200+ stairs up the Arc de Triumph. 

Lesley nearly losing her skirt, "Lesley your skirt is falling down."  Lesley, "Oh no" as she calmly pulled it up.

The Parisians enjoy walking around naked and being "active" and the 6 Americans couldn't believe their eyes, watching a show out of the bedroom window like it was a movie.

Walking around the Louvre at night, after Becky insisted it was a university.

Any and all gypsy jokes.  "Do you think I could pay a gypsy to carry my bags?  Do you think I could pay a gypsy to carry me?"

Charlie's "The Paris You'll Never See" all-inclusive tour-a la, we got lost and Charlie said, "Well it's the Paris you'll never see."  

"Double Trouble" Lesley and Becky in the same dress at Versailles.

Being "punked" at the store in Paris with only Extra Small and Small sizes.  That boy worker was so pleasant when I came into the store but now I know he was thinking, "Oh you Americans don't fit in our clothes but enjoy looking, hahahahaha-fattie."

Me having a pee emergency-friends surrounding me at a tree on the Champs Elysee while I peed in a bottle, then Charlie yelling, "Police."  

Charlie figuring out at the Arc de Triumph that the tube of the urinal was not connected, "I'm peeing on myself."  hahahaha

Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical-end is story.  Brilliant!

Big Mama I and II-oh the night train.  I might be over that experience in my life.  Some things come with age and I think the couchette night train experience has officially been retired.

What an amazing adventure I just had for the last month.  My credit card and checking account balance prove that I had a great time, or at least spent enough money to have had a great time.  But it is all worth it to spend two weeks with my family in Italy and two weeks with friends in Paris and London.  Who gets to do that?  How lucky am I?   Very, I will say, because it is hard to find a family willing to travel together or 6 friends who get along so well that they can travel together and experience different cultures.  What a wonderful feeling.  Everything from the Italian pasta to the Parisian cheese and pane au chocolates with wine, wine, and more wine tossed in there made for an incredible month in Europe.

What is next, I don't know, but I know it will be an adventure.  Stay tuned....

London

It has come to the end of my trip.  As wonderful as it is to travel and be gone, I do enjoy getting home and have a month, I'm ready.

I forgot to write about our high tea yesterday.  It was Alice in Wonderland themed and so fun.

Today we did a whirlwind tour of some of the sights in London to get some photos.  Although we had already been to these places, it just wouldn't seem right to not see them.

We continued on to Harrod's, where you can't afford anything, and then to Notting Hill-so cute.

I finished my time in London at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.  It is a ring with swirling water that shows her inclusive spirit.  People were all around enjoying the day.

For our last night in London we had the best Indian meal I have ever had.  It was delicious!