The eagerly-awaited Respectful Dress Oscars didn’t quite happen last night, and the ceremony featured the usual displays of designer fabu-wear and barely-contained celebrity pulchritude.
Amongst all the dressing up, however, were one or two notable dressing-downs: Much will be made, on both sides, of Michael Moore’s “fictitious President” speech. It was the sort of punk rock over-the-top grandstanding that we Americans understand. What we don’t understand is elegant, rational discourse, which is what Best Screenplay winner Pedro Almodóvar had to offer. Here’s how E! online reported the speech:
“I want to dedicate this award to all the people who are raising their voices in favor of peace,” says Almodóvar, thankfully making his political statement a brief one.
Thankfully. Although E! (and everyone else) overlooked it, Almodóvar didn’t end his sentence with “peace;” there were a couple of other items on the list, which culminated with “international legality.” The import of this statement passed over the glittering audience’s heads with an audible whoosh! Everyone applauded politely (”Awww, ‘peace.’ The foreign guy likes peace, just like us…”), apparently grateful that Almodóvar didn’t get all controversial like that fat yelling guy.
By the time he got backstage, Pedro realized that he’d failed to make an impression with what he’d thought were strong words. So he made it a little clearer for anyone who’d listen: He said he was was embarrassed that Spanish leaders had chosen to support President Bush and the war in Iraq and that he was dedicating his award to those people who were choosing to speak out against the conflict.
But hardly anyone was listening at that point. Everyone was busy reliving the golden moments; Adrian Brody smooching Halle Berry, Catherine Zeta Jones singing while fabulously pregnant, and Nicole Kidman justifying the sparkling broadcast by saying that “art is important,” while having the good taste not to mention why.
[Dignity and restraint(s): Nominated actress
Salma Hayek thrusts forth her vision of a
peaceful planet (or two).]
Fanny Roborat
11 comments
Melissa
March 24, 2003 at 3:09 pm
1‘’Ninety percent of Spanish people are against the war, but that doesn’t mean there is any anti-American sentiment,'’ he said, adding that he was dedicating his award to those people who were choosing to speak out against the conflict. Maybe he could just share his trophy with Michael Moore.
A little bit snide there at the end perhaps?
Jason
March 24, 2003 at 5:27 pm
2love the pic caption.
Good job
Anonymous
March 24, 2003 at 5:51 pm
3great caption…where’s the pic?
adam
March 24, 2003 at 6:16 pm
4yipes! Sorry - there’s the pic.
Susie
March 24, 2003 at 9:05 pm
5To further the debate, I loved the toned-down Hollywood hommage to the war — namely vats and vats of beige lipstick and a truckload of ostrich-feather-optional oatmeal colored dresses.
This was how they accomplished “fabulous sans festive.”
And maybe this is not for this forum, but anyone else notice how Meryl Streep was wearing the necklace that went with Julianne’s earings?
Yeah, this isn’t the place. I’ll go away.
Miel
March 24, 2003 at 9:17 pm
6Hey–don’t pick on Salma! She can’t help looking like that.
paul
March 24, 2003 at 11:20 pm
7let’s see if i’ve got this straight. . .the “industry” applauds roman polanski, a man, to put it gently, of questionable morals, and boos mike moore, for advocating peace . . .yup, hollywood’s made its priorities very clear.
Raya
March 25, 2003 at 9:37 am
8Of course, beige was all the rage at LAST year’s Academy Awards too, along with lank, ironed-on hair and black eyeliner. Is it the grimness of the times? Or just a side effect of the Atkins Diet?
We need to sic Michael Moore on Rush Limbaugh directly.
Anonymous
March 25, 2003 at 10:52 am
9Thanks for fixing the pic. But now I can’t stop staring. I’ll never get any work done today
ishmael
March 25, 2003 at 11:29 pm
10I like Michael Moore, more, now that I found out about this incident. (Thanks for the info, Adam.)
It may have seemed like grandstanding to some (even to you, Adam), but in my humble opinion, not enough could possibly have been said, loud enough, to have been in bad taste, compared to the monstrousness of the attack on Iraq.
If only there were more like Moore.
(Those Hollywoodies make me gag.)
ishmael
March 25, 2003 at 11:31 pm
11By the way Susie, I think you should be cautious when mentioning “ostrich feathers” around Adam.