Oscar Weekend, The Final Chapter

Now that I am back in Sacramento, and trying to clean out my bursting DVR, this post will wrap up my last big weekend, unless I get an unexpected offer to move to Hollywood..and I do mean unexpected. I've already been asked to do a report on a Star Trek special from Fathom Events in April. I'm sure to think of other story ideas by then.

First off, this was an unexpected part of my overnight trip to KABC in Glendale to attend the post-Oscars edition of Good Morning America...



Rodney Allen Rippy, the cute kid from the Jack In The Box ads from the 70s, is now a businessman and mayoral hopeful in Compton. He asked for my business card, and I gave it to him.

When I tried to get a ticket to Jimmy Kimmel Live After the Oscars, I lost out. I even promised I'd kiss Kimmel's star on the Walk of Fame to get a ticket. If nothing else, I know where it is....



It's under the show's sign just outside the studio...



By the way, it's in better shape than Matt Damon's star.



Hollywood High School honored the show, but you'd think they'd get "O"'s that would match the rest of the letters on the sign.

On my way to Hollywood and Highland to get almost at the Red Carpet, I found this on the Walk of Fame...



Hopefully someone will fix this. After all, his name is on a very important Academy Award. Respect must be paid.

Hammer Improv, a comedy group that includes Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh, performed the night before the Oscars. This is a picture that I took. Sadly Sandeep is blocked here...



It was broadcast on Ustream, but it wasn't saved. In case it is, it will be added.



...and more posters from Jimmy Kimmel's Movie: The Movie 2V.

I am hoping that after this trip, there will be more trips to big events that I can cover. That only depends on the future.

I'm Gonna Pop Some Tags, Only Got $20 In My Pocket

If you listen to the radio, the title of this blog may be familiar, and you may know the next two lines. This is how, when I visit L-A, I'm a hunter, looking for a come-up, and eventually find something f-ing awesome.

I always go to Goodwill shops and In The Closet stores, looking for bargains that are mainly eBay bait. Sometimes I keep an item or two that can be a collectible.
Last weekend was a bit different. There was a prop sale at a warehouse a half mile from Burbank Airport. It was mainly a garage sale for One Life To Live. It was wall-to-wall stuff used for the show at one time or another. There was other stuff, too...



This is the back of a cast member's chair for a pilot called The Guilded Lilys. It was ABC's attempt to copy Downton Abbey. It didn't work out, which is a shame. It would have meant bringing John Barrowman to TV. Arrow wound up doing that, but still...
If I knew the name of his character, I would have picked it up, but I got this instead..



I thought this was Sarah Bolger's role. She was, of course, Princess Mary in The Tudors. Still, a nice piece of TV history that never was. I hear the prime stuff arrives in the summer. If I get lucky, I might try that again. There was also swag from Samantha Who, plus furniture, fake diplomas from OLTL characters, and even an ABC studio spotlight. Naturally, I couldn't get that because it would be too heavy to carry to my flight.

There's also a shop at the Farmer's Market near Television City called the Shine Gallery. This is one incredible vintage shop. There's very expensive stuff, of course, including old Disneyland stuff and Phillips 66 and Coca Cola uniforms. However, you can also get souvenirs of Apollo 11, political conventions from 1960, and the Rose Bowl for very affordable prices. In fact, you order this stuff online. This is what I got:



This was back in the days when we'd get a lot of stuff made in Japan. We still do, but it usually involves driving it or getting anime on DVD.



...and this was a piece of NFL history, a 1957 playoff game that ruined the 49ers for decades

The biggest find, though, was at the Goodwill on Vine Street:



A Homer Simpson doll. Big deal, right? Look at the back...



Not bad, eh? Four bucks, baby! That is Phil Ortiz with Maggie's head, and Bill Morrison, co-creator of Bongo Comics and illustrator for The Simpsons. Both signatures on Homer's head. May not be worth hundreds, but it's cool.

Who knows what I'll find next time?

2013 Oscars: Will They Be As Good As Nominations Show?

OK, since when have the nominations show for any awards show been just as entertaining as the awards themselves?
Answer: the Grammys these days. They're smart  to mix the nominations with good music.

Now, the decision to let Seth Macfarlane host the Oscars next month has apparently paid off. He and Emma Stone were entertaining, although one joke after the Foreign Film nominations may have been too early to tell. Seth even suggested having the nominations at 9 PM, instead of 5:38 AM to help out the AM shows back East. Well, mix in some movie clips, and you got a deal.

Now, as to the nominations themselves:

Kathryn Bigelow snubbed for Best Director for Zero Dark 30: apparently enough Oscar voters are just as sexist as the CIA agents Maya has to fight to find Osama Bin Laden.
Except for this: no Ben Affleck for Argo either.
WHAT??????

The acting and screenplay nominations were as I expected, and most of the Best Picture choices. I was surprised by the love for Amour (not in Sacramento yet) and Django Unchained. I never thought Django would make Best Picture, but expected Waltz's nomination and original screenplay.

The Best Director race is the one big WTF part of this show. Bigelow had to deal with a sudden rewrite in the script when we did get Bin Laden. The movie was originally about how he got away. It would have also been almost patriotic to include her. I expect her to get awards from the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and Directors Guild, while she crosses her fingers for the film and Jessica Chastain. It wouldn't be the first time a director was honored by that person's peers, but ignored by the Academy. This may wind up to be the most unfortunate, especially if Zero Dark 30 gets Best Picture.

I'd like to blame this on the problems with the Oscar online voting. Apparently most would have preferred paper ballots, and maybe that would have changed things.

While The Avengers got a spot in Visual Effects, other sci-fi movies didn't exist in the eyes of the Academy. Naturally, this always happens. If you're funny or far out...in space..forget it. Granted, Dark Knight Rises wasn't quite as good as Dark Knight (except for Anne Hathaway), but sound and visual effects were incredible. Maybe it would have gotten in, but Life of Pi may have gotten favor because it was able to recreate a CGI tiger so convincing it could almost eat Pi. Sorry, Batman.

So, my choices?

Hathaway and Lewis. Period!! After that....

Supporting Actor is a bit tough. I'd give it to Hoffman, but Waltz is VERY close behind
Chastain should have tied for Supporting Actress last year in The Help, but she'll have a tough battle with Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress. Chastain will win.

Director seems to be a lock for Spielberg because the real competition is not there, but David O. Russell or Ang Lee could surprise.

Screenplay should go to Lincoln and Zero Dark 30.

Best Picture.........will be a movie. It'll be Lincoln, but should be Zero Dark 30.

My Space Classics: Recalling the Browncoats Backup Bash

Somewhere in the Internet, I had a blog in MySpace. It's still barely active, thanks to my tweets and Facebook posts. It's about time I featured the best of that old blog, including some pre-Whedonopolis stuff. Enjoy!

From December 2006:

OK, this is a little late, but it turned out to be a pretty good weekend for Browncoats.
The Browncoats Backup Bash wound up Sunday. A lot of people left quite satisfied, even though their wallets may be a little lighter. They had a great time enjoying their favorite show, and seeing some of their favorite stars up close and personal. The organizers from the California Browncoats community really came though, and I wish to thank them all. I was determined to have a great vacation with the Flan That Never Was, and I will admit I should have stayed a little closer to the hotel last Friday. That way, I would have seen Nathan and Alan. Sure, I got a free Mary J. Blige CD by going to Jimmy Kimmel's show, but still.....

I did see Nathan briefly at the party at a Mexican restaurant at Hollywood and Whitley that wasn't even open yet. I will say...lots of people and booze, not much room. I still shook Richard "Niska" Fairman's hand and saw Morena and Christina Hendricks. Never got a chance to talk to them, but it was wall to wall people. Couldn't be helped. I will say this...if the Museum of Radio and TV board does the right thing and sets aside a panel on Buffy's 10th anniversary next March, I will be there, and I'll drop by that restaurant when there's more room to eat. I heard one of the owners is the Glorious One, Claire Kramer. That's reason enough.
So, where did the good stuff take place? An entertainment center known as the Pickwick in Burbank. If you want to bowl, skate or have a wedding reception, or even get some fresh air, that's the best place to go. We had special appearances by Greg Edmonson, the Bedlam Bards (a real hit in and out of the hotel), Tim Minear (giving us seven minutes of "Drive" which will probably be quite different by the time it hits the screens in March), Camden Toy (a real Gentleman) and Johnathan Woodward, who was a BIG hit, especially with the Bards. Let's just say they did things that are immortalized by the digital camera. I will only present publicly the more dignified moments, except when he held up a pair of briefs with Nathan's picture on the front....and that's the beginning.
He also advised the Browncoats not to be too angry at Booster Events. He sympathized with a lot of the problems they had to face. He also said the group will be facing problems for the next seven years, which probably means they are close to bankrupcy. That's still hard to believe, considering the event was sold out. I just hope some of my cash will be re-imbursed somehow. It's a cinch we can kiss Booster Bash 2 goodbye.

At the hotel, fun was still to be had. Adam Baldwin was there Thursday, when the fate of the event was in serious doubt. Friday had Nathan and Alan (who was supposed to be in a film shoot), Christina Hendricks, Mark A. Sheppard (Badger, and now part of Battlestar Galactica), and Woodward. Jewel never got her ticket, but sent her apologies that she couldn't make it.
Next year, Flan 3 could likely be a cruise. I may not be there, but I'll be there in spirit.

My only regret, aside from missing Nathan and Alan...not having enough time to visit either of the big theaters (Grauman's Chinese and the Arclight Dome), only because I spent much of my time in Burbank. Well, if the Paley Festival has the right lineup of shows, and yeah that will include Heroes because of Ali Larter and Masi Oka, I'll be back...and stay at the Motel 6 at Whitley and Hollywood Boulevard. In the meantime, I'll check out the other Best Picture nominees chosen by the Golden Globes..once they open (I'm looking at you, Dreamgirls because everyone should if Beyonce's there). Too bad Volver isn't coming until January in Sacramento, but I can see it thanks to my ticket book. The other event...what's left at Tower Records as the Going Out of Business sale winds down.

Note: I have two Flickr albums on the BBB. This is part one, and this is part two. 

How To See A Broadway Musical For $25

I spent Sunday shopping like mad, mainly at the Fairfax Trading Post. I got an MTV All Access Pass...that was 12 years old...for 50 cents. I also got some pieces of TV history: a KRON TV button from the early 1970's and a Price Is Right ticket from 1980. I even have staitonary from a Disney film, The Rescuers.

Still, there was one dream I had to try...



It's possible to get a ticket to Book of Mormon for 25 bucks. They just have a handful before each performance at the Pantages, but about a hundred people tried their luck including these two...



You just fill out a form, and hope your name gets called. Mine didn't but I might try again.

Right now, I just hope that I get close enough to the red carpet Monday night for the Wreck-It Ralph event. Naturally, I'll have to wait until next weekend to see it, but it will be worth it. It'll help me forget that someone thought a sequel of the Smurfs should be made...and it has. That scared me more than Franenweenie, personally.

It's been a while

As summer turns into fall, although the thermometer may argue otherwise, I am having a good time in Los Angeles this week, especially today.

I spent much of yesterday cramming a lot from my list of things to do. I went to the Arclight Dome to see The Master (no, not Torgo's boss) in 70mm. Although the story wasn't as good as There Will Be Blood, I was blown away by the dynamic duo of Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. They really made this movie in a unique relationship with a man with a unique belief system and a man who hopes it will save him (but is he really trying?). I won't get into the story, but the film tells its story almost like There Will Be Blood, and it shows Phoenix as Eddie, the protagonit whoo's trying to find himself, or let Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) do that for him. It's interesting that while Dodd keeps telling Ediie to reject his animalistic ways, Dodd's a bit of an animal himself. That's especially true when he meets with followers in Philadelphia.

Amy Adams is also great as Peggy Dodd, who seems to be more devoted to The Cause, Dodd's religion, than he is. It's clear this movie is the front-runner for the Oscar race, but that's only because its competitors haven't arrived yet. The chellenge will be coming, from the trailers I've seen, from Silver Linings Playbook, Killing Them Softly and Argo.

Now for some pictures....



Now matter how good the San Francisco production of The Book of Mormon will be, it won't compete with the marquee at the Pantages. Since I'll be back in a month, I will try to get a ticket in its daily lottery sometime.

It's Emmy weekend, so here's as close as I'm going to get to the awards...





If Jimmy Kimmel scores big tonight, maybe Jimmy Kimmel Live will be actually live when he takes over 11:35 in February, or at least on a 30-minute delay. He still has the freshest show every night. Tonight will be the freshest of all.

Since Monday will be a free day, more pictures will be coming Tuesday, so stay tuned

Oscar Weekend, Epilogue

As I am typing this, I am hearing Seth Rogan doing his opening monologue at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica. If I am dumb enough to try to be in L-A during Oscar weekend, I'd go to Santa Monica first because there's a better chance to see stars than at Hollywood and Highland.

Here's the difference between the Oscars and Independent Spirit Awards: you wish whoever was hosting the ISAs was hosting the Oscars. If it aired live again as it used to be, it would be perfect. Rogan's monologue was really biting, especially commenting about how Brett Ratner lost his Oscar producing gig, and how it wouldn't have happened if he produced the Grammys. This led to a Chris Brown joke that Rogan admitted didn't work with everyone. He also praised that classic silent move....Drive (there were words in that movie, not necessarily from Ryan Gosling). I say in 2018,  the Academy should call Rogan.

Oh, and I'll see your Billy Crystal Oscar movie song, and raise you Garfunkel and Oates' musical tribute to the ISA nominees for Best Picture. It would make Billy quietly leave the stage...and it's an original song, made by goofy musical chicks who were one of the few good things from Jay Leno's 10 PM show! By the way, how come they haven't been invited back?

Anyway, here's when you know the party's over....



Hey, where are the bleachers? The Red Carpet? That dictator guy?
Yes, they work fast once the show is over. This is about 12 hours after the end of the Governor's Ball, or when Sean Young tried to get in without a ticket.
This, though, really says it all...



Sleep tight, Giant Oscars. You'll be surprised how quickly a year can pass...and how quickly we forget who won the year before.

Another sign: Ryan Seacrest's ultimate nightmare....



This will be all over L-A until The Dictator is released in a couple of months. Until then, expect Ryan to wear two jackets, dress shirts, whatever until then. You know why.

Now, a few other things...



I met Dee Thompson at Hollywood and Highland, and he had a book about how he got to see the Oscars without a ticket. It was back in 1997, and could never happen now. Still, it's a great story, and here's a link to his book.



Had to add this one: the former Pacific Theater, which is now used as a church, usually doesn't have its sign lit. However, on Oscar Sunday, it did.



Meltdown Comics on Sunset is one of the new places that has a sometime comedy club in the back. This was my first stop to see Doug Benson try out new jokes for a CD he's supposed to make.

Finally, a billboard we may not see for long...



This promotes Albert Pujols as the reason why the Angels could be back in the World Series, but they may not use the "el Hombre" slogan for long. It was located on Sunset.

So, next stop in two weeks is Wondercon in Anaheim this year, because the Moscone Center in San Francisco is under construction. I'll have a LOT to say about this soon. I am only going because Joss has a lot of stuff coming, and I'm hoping he'll be there to talk about it. We may even hear about a sequel to Husbands, too.

Oscar weekend, day 2

I will never go to Hollywood during Oscar weekend again unless I have a ticket to the bleachers in my hand well before the event. Of course, getting such a ticket is tougher to get than a winning Super Lotto Plus Ticket worth $5 million. I'll stick to the local Oscar Night America event because at least I can get the program.

How tight was security? The cops stopped people in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard since dawn, and there was a big fence keeping people away, which gave me this view of the event.....



So while my pictures may not have been the best, they were OK considering I had to shove the lens through the fence links. We also had E! use us as the background to one of their pre-game stories...



Then again, I shouldn't complain about traveling 400 miles to not get anywhere near the Oscars. Check out these guys from Finland and Wales who came so far to see a glimpse of Brangelina, if they're lucky...





However, people should know it takes a lot of work to get a Red Carpet read for celebrities and those who are just lucky to get a ticket. Check out these carpet installers, and a guy who is vacuuming the carpet...





Despite all of this, I managed to get two decent pictures. In this one, I sort of get Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the way far left....



The grey edge is from the part of the fence I tried to shoot around. I was much luckier getting Jennifer Lopez....



Now a few words about the event: Billy Crystal made a good comeback as a host, but the Oscars should prepare for the future. Steve Martin, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway should be on the eternal short list. Maybe add Meryl Streep, too, because she has been a hoot for years, and ought to try hosting one of these suckers.
While I picked the big awards, I screwed up again on the minor awards, especially documentary, shorts and a couple of tech nominations. I knew Hugo would clean up in the tech awards, but not as much as it did. If nothing else, it'll be good news for its DVD sales starting Tuesday. I didn't see Sasha Baron Cohen as Aladeen, but I saw what happened thanks to YouTube. That has got to be the best thing ever according to those who has had enough of Seacrest. Cohen did appear in one of the short films about movies. While he has played weird characters, acting as a guy who's like himself should be tried once in a while. I still can't wait to see him in Les Miserables, though.

Now some commentary through film....
Kodak is taking its name off the theater which has been the home for Oscar for a decade, yet what did we see at Hollywood and Highland?



It's a nice ad for Kodak...ten years ago. Now it's headed for bankruptcy while filmmakers, big and small, are switching to digital in droves. Just an interesting image.

The Goodyear Blimp was flying above the show, just like it's doing overhead overage at the Super Bowl. I managed to make some surreal pictures, like this one that combines Goodyear with the Golden Arches....



and this one near the big Oscar ad...



So, it wasn't too bad, but I really prefer being in the bleachers, if not inside. Next year, I stay home.

Oscar weekend, day one

One thing I have learned from the first day of my Oscar weekend: go as soon as you can, or you'll find out the admission price is slightly less than what you have to pay when the DVD arrives. 16 bucks for a 2-D movie? Nah!

I did get to see comedian Doug Benson at Meltdown Comics. He's trying out some of his new material for a CD he had to make before April 20, or 4/20 (basically Marijuana Day).

The main event, of course, is the Academy Awards, in its final year at the Kodak Theater. No, it's not going to the Nokia just like every other awards show. The Kodak has to change its name because the naming rights have evaporated along with Kodak's financial viability. For a change, I decided to take pictures at night...





Also a picture of the Oscar statue next to the entrance..





Even though the area is protected by a steel fence, it';s still possible to get a picture or two of what is on the Red carpet, such as bleachers and signs...



I was hoping 1iota could get me on the bleachers, cameras or no cameras. However, I didn't make the grade for some reason. I'm just glad that I didn't need a tux this time. I doubt they'll decide to let me in at literally the last second, but at least I want to be somewhat close to the action, fence or no fence. One thing is for sure, I will not do this again unless I get a guaranteed spot in the Oscar Red Carpet bleachers, and even getting that far is tougher than winning Super Lotto Plus.

I will try to be as Oscar-y as possible, and I'll show everyone how Sunday night.

Just Like Going To The Super Bowl Without a Ticket

This morning I was looking at an article from the Associated Press news feed about the Oscars on Sunday. It says that movie fans are treating it like their own Super Bowl of movies. They have their own version of tailgating at home, with champagne and fancy snacks instead of buffalo wings and beer. Then again, there's got to be at least one guy organizing an Oscar Party with Super Bowl-type snacks, plus beer to boot.
Ironically, fans of NASCAR and the NBA will do the same thing on Sunday, as the NBA All-Star Game and Daytona 500 are also scheduled for that day. Sunday will be more action-packed than Super Bowl XLVI was, because there's important stuff for more than 10 hours, 12 if you count The Walking Dead, 15 if you count Jimmy Kimmel's post-Oscar show.

In an attempt to attract younger views, despite the fact the age of the average Oscar voter is close to the average life expectancy, there's been some attempt to treat it like a Super Bowl, or March Madness. We already have several pre-game shows otherwise known as Hollywood's best coming down the Red Carpet. Is it that much different than the two teams in the Super Bowl gathering on the field while 75,000 people wait with baited breath for the game to start? Remember, it used to be that E! had the Red Carpet show. Now there's at least three, including ABC's "pre-game" show.

Keeping that in mind, there must also be examples of people who decide to go to a Super Bowl even if they can't possibly afford tickets. They just want to be part of it somehow. Since that's the case, it's the same for the Academy Awards, especially as it's the first one in a decade that is not from the Kodak Theater, but a facility at the Hollywood and Highland Center that used to be called the Kodak Theater. Thanks loads, digital cameras.
There's bound to be a big group close to the theater, hoping to get a look at George Clooney, Meryl Streep or Christopher Plummer, even if it's from 300 yards away, if that close.

And, through taking a risk that sadly didn't pay off, I'm going to be one of those people. The only upside is that getting a cheap flight and cheap hotel wasn't that tough, and it may help me get really close to flying to Comic-Con for free in July, thanks to Rapid Rewards.

1iota, my usual source for Jimmy Kimmel tickets, had a contest where 100 people would be in a special bleacher section on the Oscar Red Carpet. Sadly, no cameras and phones are allowed, but that's expected. It's a high-class version of a talk show taping. I entered it early, and my request was "pending" for more than a week. However, there were also thousands of other "pending" requests. All but 100, my guess people in their 20s-30s who were locals, were turned down. I was planning to cancel my plane ticket, but found out my hotel reservation could not be cancelled.
So, what the heck? Maybe I'll bump into Jessica Chastain at a Pinkberry's. At least I'll still have time afterwards for a bit of swag-hunting.

My only concern is where am I going to see the main show after the Red Carpet antics are done. I hope there's a friendly hotel where I can snack on happy hour stuff and free wi-fi. That's more than enough.

I'll bring as much Oscar swag as I can get, from the crew passes from 1988 to a hat and Governor's Ball pin. I could bring my ad mock-ups from New York, New York, and hope I meet Scorsese, but that's too delusional. I just hope I can go home with a piece of Oscar, the spirit if not the statue.

Some Other Cool Things I Saw in L-A

First off, I finally hopped aboard that Starline Tour Bus where you can hop on and off whenever you want. Next time, I will devote the whole day to this, not half. Still here's some of the best shots I got....
First, the typical view of L-A on Sunset Boulevard, complete with droopy palm tree:



Then something new at the Burbank Airport: trailers to TV shows and movies:



The Pantages Theatre sign, in the cold light of day. It needs moisturizer...



But looks better at night...



The Cirque du Soliel camps out at Santa Monica beach while they do "Iris" at the Kodak Theater. That's why Santa Monica has its own big top...



Looks even better at sunset...



Still really competes with this street of palm trees...



Also, the Universal Citywalk looks really cool at night, especially the Hard Rock Cafe...



I'll have more later...

Broken Stars On The Walk of Fame

This isn't exactly news but more of a tourist observing that one of Hollywood's most popular attractions isn't perfect.
It started when I looked for Neil Patrick Harris' new star on the Walk of Fame.



It's between the Frolic Room and the Pantages Theater.
While walking around, I noticed not all the stars are shining as bright as they should be. I know the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce knows about this, and it takes big bucks to make sure all of the stars are in good shape. Still, it's a sad sight to see broken stars, like Michael Landon...



I'm guessing construction work caused this problem, but what about this star of Rodney Dangerfield? No respect, after all these years? Not cool...



or the star of The Three Stooges...



This is the star for Arthur Kennedy. You can barely see which category his star was from. This is probably due to millions of people walking over it over the years.



Still, there is hope: I saw this guy making sure the star of actress Hillary Brooke stays shiny. She may not have been as well-known as the others, but she's important enough for this guy...



In fact, she takes care of a lot of stars every day. I saw him the next monting hard at work near Hollywood and Vine.

There's also a piece of game show heaven: Allen Ludden and Betty White's stars, side by side.



For the most part, the Walk of Fame is in good shape, honoring the best in entertainment properly. A little more maintenance would be great, but I am sure that is being planned. Meanwhile, there is the sign of a coming attraction, like this one at Hollywood and Highland



For the record, Melissa Etheridge will be on that spot. let's hoe a fan will keep her star shiny in the future.