Award Shows

I remember back when I used to watch all the Award shows; Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, etc but then in 1977 when a certain movie that was years ahead of it's time in Special Effects, etc got only an award for effects (you know the one I'm talking about....it was the second film by some guy named Lucas.....something about a Death Star and a Villan named Vader???) and then when the Grammys would ignore your record if it wasn't "Top 40" or if your name wasn't Michael Jackson, it was then I realized that these shows really didn't award things that should have been awarded. Take this year for example. Slumdog Millionaire apparently won Best Picture, but until it had been announced that it was nominated for Best Picture, myself and everyone I know hadn't heard about this movie, but yet it was nominated for Best Picture. Huh??? Heath Ledger won an Acting award, and as the Joker he was brillant. Something tells me though if he hadn't died he wouldn't have won it. Alot of the awards are given as "hey sorry we've snubbed your ass for so long but you are an Icon now and we'd look like real assholes if we didn't give you something". Clint Eastwood got one for "Unforgiven"...it was a good movie, but not his best. When "Return of the King" won for Best Picture I was pleased, but honestly the Academy gave it that because you can only ignore box office performance to a certain extent. Back to my earlier example, Star Wars. I believe Out of Africa or something like that won, yet Star Wars box office was off the chart!! I know I saw it multiple times as did most of my friends at the time (I think my Dad got tired of sitting through it with me) but yet it wasn't considered Best Picture. These award shows are also way too long and have all kinds of useless musical numbers, etc (okay except for the Grammys which is about music, yet then again some of those performances are stupid and lame). Oh, apparently God and Jesus are Agents because most of the acceptance speeches usually have "I'd like to thank God/Jesus because withouth you I wouldn't have won this.." Uhhhhhh, no...don't think so. Neither God nor Jesus had anything to do with you winning. Speaking of the acceptance speeches.....give me a break with some of these....."I'd like to thank blah blah, and blah blah, oh and blah blah....." why not just thank everyone involved by saying "Thanks to all the great cast and crew I worked with.....you helped make this moment". There, simple and sincere. No one gets their panties in a bunch because you forgot them, and no one gets their panties in a bunch because you mentioned so and so first......here is the perfect speech: "Thank you for (insert name of award here). I'd like to thank my Parents for letting me follow my dream of becomming (insert what you did to win this award; ie actor, singer, etc), [this section for actor only] I'd like to thank the cast and crew that I worked with on this project; it's because of your assitance I'm standing here. [for musician only] I'd like to thank my Producer(s) and the production staff and the rest of the gang (fellow band members/session musicians)...I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. [next part is for both] I'd also like to thank the fans out there who, saw the film/watch the TV Show/bought the CD, if you didn't like it, I wouldn't be here." There see? Honest and to the point. Honest because if your parents didn't encourage your creative side then you'd be a cubicle jockey like me. So yeah, they deserve thanks. It takes a great Cast and Crew plus a good script to make a great movie. Hell you can take a lame script and make the movie great as long as Cast and Crew are top notch. The actors are only as good as the director. Look at the new Star Wars movies. Lucas stopped trying, said he'd rather direct in the editing room than waste time and money trying to get the "perfect take". Thus the wooden performances by some great actors in all of those movies. So yeah, they deserve their props. Same with Producers and the production staff when it comes to making a record. Puddle of Mudd is one of those bands that has one deceptive song that is pretty much not what the rest of their album sounds like. Same with Soul Asylum. One song gets over-produced and sounds perfect; eveyone loves it and you buy their album. The rest of the album sounds like a different band took over. Thus Singers/Bands owe alot to their Producers. Movies and Records and TV shows become popular because people watch/buy them. Most of the Authors that I read get this, and are very friendly and considerate of their Fans. Yes Fans can get a bit crazy, but these Authors get it. George R. R. Martin attends a certain Con each year. He usually invited everyone along that wants to come on a Pizza/Pub crawl. Now you might not get to sit by him, and he's sure not buying, but you are invited to join him; and he will usually say "hey" to you. E.E. Knight himself sent me a few PMs on his Ning fan site...basically saying Hi and thanking me for reading his stuff. I was a bit shocked, but pleased. The guy gets it. I think it's easier for Authors to get it because their industry is often in danger of going away. Amazon and others are trying to push digital readers on us, and one day they make catch on, but for now we still like our actual books. Actors get so pampered and spoiled that they treat their fans like crap (not all, but a good lot of them do). This makes me not want to help further your career by seeing your movies. Tom Cruise is one of those that does this. I pretty much refuse to see any movie he's in no matter how good it is, just because he's in it. Him and his crazy Cult Religion and arrogant manner can go die in a corner for all I care. I understand some fans can get out of hand, but there are those of us that just want to shake your hand and say "I love your work..thanks". I remember running into Robin Williams coming out of a sword shop at Ren Faire once. I held out my hand and said "I just want to say it's great to meet you and you have always made me laugh". He shook my hand, said thanks, then said "I have to catch up with my son but thanks again" and left. He took the time at least to acknowledge a fan. Heck Claudia Christian took fencing lessons from us and had a few beers with the gang at the Cardiff Rose at Faire one year. Now that was fun, and she appreciated being treated like a person and not a celebrity. All I have to say is thank God the Oscars weren't on CBS.....I'd be pissed if I had to miss the Amazing Race for that drek.