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Hollywood & Vine
OSCAR SPECIAL
Hosted by Sharon Waxman
Post Style Correspondent
Tuesday, March 27, 2001; 2 p.m. EST
The Oscar talk continues and Washington Post Style correspondent Sharon Waxman opens up Hollywood & Vine to discuss the winners, the losers, the reaction, who wore what and all the party "poop" from the post-Academy Awards shindigs. Joining Sharon will be William Booth, L.A. bureau chief for The Washington Post, who's equally versed on all the goings-on in Hollywood and who has contributed to the coverage.
Hollywood & Vine is a weekly discussion about the inner workings of the movie industry. There is a whole political universe behind how the movies happen, the tug and pull of egos, financial imperatives, a pecking order for privileges as well as genuine creative impulses.
Sharon Waxman is online Tuesday, March 27, at 2 p.m. EST to answer your questions and field your comments on the industry personalities she has met; the movies that are causing a stir and why; trends in the industry and the culture of moviemaking in general.
Below is a transcript.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Sharon Waxman: Welcome movie fans! It seems that your lovely and talent hollywood and vine host, the stopless Sharon Waxman, is running just a taaadddd late. She is probably debriefing some hungover producer. Anyway, I'm William Booth, her guest and the bureau chief of the washington post in los angeles, who accompanies sharon on some of her adventures, like oscar parties. So fire away until la wax arrives.
Silver Spring, Md.:
Sharon, WHAT is Russell Crowe's problem? He was without a doubt the most sullen, unappreciative boor at the party -- even at the post-Oscar party, according to reports. What's with him?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: I'm here! I'm here! Julia couldn't wait to tell me all the poop from her private party (she had one), so I agreed to meet her for a quick double-non-fat-latte. Russell Crowe also had his own private do, at the Bel Air Hotel, which is why I"m sure we missed him at Vanity Fair.
Russell Crowe is the most humorless, pathetically unappreciative boor. I know you all think he's sexy, but he's Bill is now saying he's got a phony macho New Zealand, Aussie thing. That was BIll, not me. I think he's authentically macho, but still sullen and unappreciative. Also backstage he was positively bitchy to the press, saying something like - to a question about how he felt when they called his name - "Just keep your questions to yes and no answers and we'll get on fine."
BB: Ditto. He's very full of himself. With good reason. But still... a bit of a bore.
Bored with The Fashion Statements:
Hello Sharon! Most anxious to hear all about the awards.
Please, folks.....enough already about Jennifer's Nipples, Bjork's Swan and Tom's non-tux. Been done to DEATH. Thank you.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: WB: Enuff about J. Lo's nipples... Never!
Annapolis, Md.:
I just wanted to say that I think Julia's speech was fantastic and showed that she is a real person with real emotions, not like some of the other Hollywood droids that stood up. She was lively and vivacious and seemed genuinely happy. I also agree that more should have thanked their fellow nominees, but I guess when you only have 45 seconds, its hard to remember everyone! I though the show wasn't as dramatic as it was in years past, but I think Steve did a great job considering he was under the microscope and being compared to someone who has had -- how many years? -- to perfect his shtick. I bet Billy wasn't perfect his first time out either. I would like to see Steve in future years -- maybe a Steve and Billy duo!
Tom Hanks was great in his response to Steve ribbing about the Russell Crowe plot -- one of the highlights of the evening! And two questions, Russell needs to get the chip off his shoulder, though Steve did seem to focus on him a lot -- any known reason why? Did the sound nominees/winners make any comments about Mike Myers complete diss of tehir industry or did they relish the spotlight that it gave them?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: No. No sound people, came backstage. Thanks for the memories.
Fairfax:
Are there any catty comments on Jennifer Lopez's tacky dress circulating LA post-Oscars?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Ok, let's tackle the nipple question. Bill and I had words on this. He says, Nipples are In. I say, Were they ever out? But I think he means they're in, as in, visible with no outer covering whatsoever.
BB: Uh, yeah, thats what I meant. Thank you for clarifying my muddled thinking. I have to stick to the facts, ma'am, and the facts are I saw a lot of nipples. Whether they're "in" or "out", I leave that to the experts.
Dupont Circle:
I'm not a big conspiracy theorist, but the lack of African-American faces at the Oscars has gotten so noticeable as to be embarassing. Only two presenters? Only one nominee? (And in a little-known category, to boot.) Other minorities aren't doing much better overall, but at least they had Benicio Del Toro and "Crouching Tiger" to represent them.
What's worse, people I see on TV talking about this are always passing the buck: Oscar people say it's the studios' fault, studios blame writers, writers point the finger someplace else. Nobody wants to admit that in this test-screening, lowest-common-denominator marketing environment, everybody is at fault.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: Dupont, you speak the truth. It is not just these annual silly awards shows.. its the roles. Sometimes I get the feeling that at anyone time, tinseltown can handle like two black actors. So they give a lot of work to Sam Jackson and Will Smith and say they're done. But I think you are correct.
Washington, D.C.:
Can't say I've ever been a big Dylan fan, but I thought his haunting performance and articulate acceptance speech were definite highlights. The larger than life image, with the close-ups of Dylan's (to put it kindly) weathered mug, really worked. What did you think of this segment and do you think we'll be seeing more appearances via satellite in the future?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: Though reporters covering the oscars dont actually have time to watch the oscars, we did both freeze at our keyboards and agree that bob has chops. It was great for a big audience to see him, especially back now, after getting a little weird for a few years (excessive disguises, unintelligle mumble, etc).. He was way cool.
SW: I think the satellite thing is rather gimmicky myself - what with the Odyssey 2001 guy and everything. I liked Dylan and love the song - though I've become curious about the lyrics since he said in his speech that the Academy was brave to embrace such an edgy song, or somesuch - but still, I must say that Bjork blew me away. Gives me shivers every time I hear her sing that song.
Reston, 20190:
Re: Nipples in or out
Is that like innies and outies for belly buttons? Is there some weird cosmetic surgery in H'wood? (God! What an image!) Should I drink less coffee now?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Yes.
Arl., Va.:
Okay, Bjork's costume was a tad over the top but isn't that what the Oscars are all about? I'm tired of stars being "dressed" by designers. So boring, predictable and shows no personality. Bjork's swan screamed Bjork. Sort of a throwback to Cher's glorious Bob Mackie days.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Amen to that.
Detroit:
So CNN's entertainment guy (Paul Clinton) claims that Hollywooders did not like Steve Martin's brand of humor, suggesting most of the audience, was not amused and that Martin probably won't be invited back. I may be going further than he did. But do you think that Hollywood is that humorless? He was funny for the most part and not vulgar like Whoopi and unfunny like Dave Letterman. Also, why were all the nominated songs so drecky? Even the CT,HD nominated song was dreck. While reading the film credits, I kept thinking that the theatre had pumped in this lugubrious 1960s song.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: I will be frank: I thought the Oscars this year lacked excitement. They were speedy, thankfully, but pretty lackluster. Let's give Steve Martin his due for a first time out; there's something to be said for showing class at the Oscars, which he did. But Billy, I miss you man! I can't remember laughing so hard at an awards ANYTHING than in this opening montages of the last two years.
BB: Well, re: steve martin. His humor was wry, sauve, dare we use the word "classy" in same sentence as "oscars?" But Detroit, i think you hit on something. Big hollywood heavies can be a humorless self-involved bunch. But maybe Billy Crystal's stuff works better for a show because he tries to be the Entertainer -- song, dance, skits. But if it were me, I'd rather watch Martin.
Windowless Office:
Okay La Wax- break it down for us. How fab was the VF Party? It seems like it's one of those things that is so hyped it would be a disappointment to actually attend. And the O's themself seem boring as well. Is it really more fun to sit at home yelling at the TV? Also, who did you wear? Vera W, Valentino, Armani, Dolce/Gabbana? And- Choo's or Blahnik's?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: La Wax enjoyed the VF party most heartily. While yours truly was busy working, I espied La Wax dancing salsa with Jon Voight. I mean, Voights not Willem Dafoe, but ... not too shabby!
SW: Sure, and here's the Boothman cozying up to VF editor Graydon Carter. Carter, draped over a tall, busty (no nipples) blonde, blurts to me, "Take care of that guy! He's good!" And overwhelmed by emotion, I promise to.
Who else. We hung out with Cameron Crowe for a while - gotta love this guy. Our Arts Editor John Pancake was with us - don't ask about getting him in, the whole thing was a nightmare - and he chatted with Cameron and the woman who won for bset documentary short. She's from Washington and let us hold her Oscar for about 15 minutes. Damn that thing must weight 20 pounds.
Bangor, Maine:
Hey Sharon-
U partied out?? What did u think of tHE mARCIA Gay Hardin win? Have u seen the flick?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: yOu ON druGz AGAin this morning?
Fact: Marcia Gay Harden deserved to win. Her performance was fierce and moving. Another little fact: Everybody thought Kate Hudson would win it, including Kate Hudson. Poor thing had to stumble out on stage and present an award anyway, and so did her mother. That's gotta hurt. Even Cameron said so.
Arlington, 22207:
Sharon,
Where do you and the reporters hang during the Oscars? Are you backstage? Is it utter chaos? Set the scene for us, if you please.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: We are kept during the performance in super overcrowded tentlike structure, and given like four inches of work space, and everyone is screaming into their cellfones telling editors in ten different languages that they do not know who won best actor because it had not yet been announced.
Also: there is food.
Mt. Rainier Md.:
Ain't this Internet great!
I picked up the Saturday edition of your competitor(the Washington Times) and I found a large insert/pullout poster of the upcoming "PEARL HARBOR." These posters are pretty nice and I was lucky enough to get two of them in one paper; well worth that $0.25. I plan on checking the war movie out when it's released. I've never seen posters of this size and quality, advertising a new movie, put into a major paper. Is it customary in papers elsewhere? Why doesn't The Post (your employer) get around to promoting movies with big posters?
And also do you think Amazon.com will fold and take it's great cousin Imdb.com with it?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: I'm sorry. Did you say the Washington Times? Net czar, we have a security breach.
Northwest Washington:
Re: lack of African-American faces. Ms. Waxman, Tinseltown may be "able to handle only two black actors," but there seems to be no limit on Holocaust documentaries. I heard that five of the last six "Best Documentary" awards have gone to Holocaust themed-works. It makes you wonder whether Spike Lee and others who complain about Jewish domination of the industry have a point.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: I haven't checked, but I wouldn't doubt it. There is no doubt that there are a lot of Jewish people in Hollywood, many are in the Academy and many people - me included - wish they would consider a non-Holocaust-themed documentary for the Oscar. It's about the average advanced age of the Oscar voter and the heavy Jewish skew, for sure. The Academy, like the industry, needs to integrate more. But that's not news to anybody. (PS all the docus are usually quite awesome.)
Seattle, Wash.:
A lot of big names were missing from The Red Carpet - Pitt, Cruise (Kidman?), Hunt, etc. I read that it was because they were primping for the VF party. True? Has this party eclipsed the Oscars itself? Or do only the nominees get to come?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: No the VF party has not eclipsed the Oscars itself. Not yet, anyway. Yes, it's an insane scene over there, but it's not close to as insane as the red carpet at the Shrine. There were lots of big names on the red carpet, but Tom Cruise probably didn't feel like giving the photogs an opportunity to get him at a glamorous event sans Nicole, so he must have snuck in the back. Hunt and Pitt had no reason to be there, and there's nothing more pathetic than a movie star plumping for attention when they have no real reason to be.
Downtown D.C.:
I watched a take-home double feature last night, Gladiator and American Psycho. (Talk about blood!) Now, I like Russell Crowe well enough, but a Best Actor Oscar for Gladiator? C'mon! All he did was look pained. Now, I know, you know, everybody knows he really won for last year's The Insider, and that there's no way Christian Bale could have been nominated for American Psycho, even as brilliant as he was. But still, what must be going through these guys' heads today?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: Downtown, you witnessed an oscar phenomenon, which is crowe winning for this year's work, when he should have won for last year's work. The academy members, enmasse, are like in their 90s, so it takes a while for the buzz to reach them.
University Heights, Ohio:
So Sharon,
What did YOU end up wearing? Did you make Mom proud??
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: ohmigod.. is this sharon's mother? Your little girl looked like a princess, in a flaming powder blue chiffon with sequinned ducks on the front and a train made from boa feathers.
SW: the boy is sick. he needs his medication, stat. sharon was a crazed maniac in the week before the oscars. she did not shop, she did not have her nails done. she stopped for stockings on the way downtown, since there were none in her drawers. were stockings even necessary? she wore an ivory ralph laurent pantsuit (very fabulous, handstitching on the front, on sale at an outlet store, bought on the way home from sonny bono's funeral in palm springs -- one must shop while one can in this life, for in the next who knows?) and a black sheer, shirred thing underneath.
And Univ. Hts, whoever you are, we're on to you, we are canvassing the neighborhood to determine your identity...
20036:
Did Jennifer Lopez change dresses before she went to the Vanity Fair party? Something I read led me to believe that she knew her dress was out of line and changed before she had to stand eye-to-eye (so to speak; I doubt if anybody would have looked her in the eye) with people.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Bill got a full gander both during and after. So no, we think she did not change. Did we not love 'the Puffy moment'? Is he not an ace reporter?
Arlington, Va.:
Sharon,
I enjoyed your column today re: the Oscars. But, I was a bit disturbed to read your description of two of the most unhealthy looking woman at the Oscars- Lara Flynn Boyle and the woman who won best documentary. You just sounded as if you were heartily endorsing their super reduced size. (I could be wrong- maybe it was Robin Givhan who wrote about Boyle so I apologize if that's the case). It's just really hard to try to have a healthy body image when you keep seeing these twigs and thinking something is wrong with you. Sorry to vent.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Vent away. the Lara Flynn Boyle remark was mine; I believe in the first version I called her 'glamorously anorexic,' and I think that was rightfully edited to become 'matchstick-thin'. She does look glamorous, she is positively gorgeous, but her body type is nothing close to normal. But we call 'em like we see 'em - should I say she doesn't look glamorous when she does? Anyway, the point was she was kind of erotically stroking Benicio's Oscar for minutes on end. (We changed it in our copy to make it 'like stroking a cat.' Family newspaper.) Sorta scary.
Cameron? :
Is he your new best friend? It was wonderful to see him win. He really is a nice as he appears, right?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: We love Cameron. He is smart. He answers your questions. He is polite. He is a former journalist, and we are trying to convince him to do a three-picture deal with us.
Downtown Again:
And what did Bill wear? In fact, what do most Mere Mortals, like the wife of the Best Sound man wear?
By the way, tell Robin Givhan we love her.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: Thank you for giving a damn. I was wearing a rental tuxedo that i purchased two years ago from Freddy's Grab and Go Formal Wear on La Brea. It has shiny lapels and in it, I look ridiculous. But i did splurge on some tux slippers, which i wear around the house when im feeling special.
Tranquilized suburban housewife:
How did it feel to brush elbows with Hollywood's stars and live the fantasy of so many movie fans across the globe? Are they really people? Also, I heard that the VF shindig was just like that party in Eyes Wide Shut. Any comments?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: Rent Traffic and please, help is just a phone call away. RE: are movie stars real people. The short answer is: no. But the big party is pretty incredible. Its like these teeming petting zoo filled people you see in movies and magazine, and suddenly, you are copping a ... I mean, engaging them in deep and meaningful dialog.
SW: Ditto that, and the party is not really like the one in Eyes Wide Shut, which was this vast, glittering space filled with glittering people. (Or are you referring to the orgy? I'm suddenly confused.) No, the VF party is more like Up Close and Personal. Flesh to flesh, elbow to elbow, armpit to armpit sorta thing. Everybody's looks slightly unscrewed by 1 am, which is about the time I usually show up, but that makes it fun. The best part about it, which is why it's become such an event, is everybody mixes - no VIP area, no cordoned off area with some large bouncer glowering at you. It's just a big, soup, sweaty, celebrity glamourfest.
Arlington, Va.:
Can you tell us about Pam Anderson and Liz Hurley hanging together at the Vanity party? Must have been quite a sight!
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: BB: You know, i saw that! One minute, Liz is sitting at a table and the next, the Pamster squeezes in and there they are! Liz looked, I have to say, somewhat momentarily uncomfortable, as Anderson was really showing, and Hurley is trying not to be the vamp so much anymore.
(SW: incredulous snort.)
Arlington, Va.:
Trying to resubmit - first time server timed out. With regards to the comment about "at least Asians had CTHD" or words to that effect, Asians have always been overlooked at the Academy Awards. The fact that CTHD was recognized only proves that Asians must do that much more for even a little recognition. Yes, CTHD was nominated for a number of awards - yet Michele Yeoh and Chow Young Fat were not nominated for their stunning performances. Why not? I'm afraid the U.S. will always treat Asians as outsiders subject to a higher standard, even those born and raised here for several generations.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Thanks for writing.
Russell:
Who was that blonde lady with Russell Crowe at the Oscars? She seemed to really want to join in with his celebration but he pretty much ignored her. Was she just a date?
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: She was probably his publicist.
Sharon Waxman and William Booth: SW: Folks, it's been fun as usual. Bill, thanks for coming; we will return to our usual serious and considered discussions of the entertainment culture next week. But for the moment - it was a blast. Bill over to you -
BB: Always a pleasure.
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