Meet your new cast of "Dancing With The Stars", headlined by Kate Gosselin! Yes, the mother of eight will be showing the world if she have what it takes on the dance floor, and Kate's not alone. Joining her will be ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews (who had her share of drama last year with the peephole scandal), "Baywatch" beauty Pamela Anderson, "90210" bad girl Shannen Doherty, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, comedienne Niecy Nash, "All My Children" hunk Aiden Turner, Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals, and "The Bachelor" Jake Pavelka.
But before the cast of characters was revealed, producers were in the middle of a cattle call for Tom Bergeron's new co-host to replace Samantha Harris. Brooke Burke and Mel B. reportedly auditioned, but there were 20 others including Stacy Keibler, who said on her Twitter she tried out as well.
By the way...whatever happened to Jann Carl and Ananda Lewis? They haven't been on TV in months and months, so they may have auditioned as well. The new season of "Dancing With The Stars" is March 22 on ABC, and by then, we'll have the answer as to who'll be grasping the bedazzled microphone. As for who'll grasp the mirrored ball trophy? My money's on Evan Lysacek; Buzz or Niecy will be the first to go.
But on Sunday, the whole world will be finding out who'll grasp that 8 lb. sculpted piece of 24-karat gold that is Oscar at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.
Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman are the men in charge of this year's show, and they have tweaked things up a bit. First, Louis J. Horvitz was unavailable (again) and Bruce Gowers and Glenn Weiss were too busy (the former with "American Idol"), so they hired an unlikely director: Hamish Hamilton, known for directing concert videos featuring Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and U2, as well as the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and several MTV Video/Europe Music Awards. But one thing you won't be seeing for the first time in 82 years: a live orchestra; they have done away with it.
And after last year, the list of presenters is made public once again; along with last year's winners, you'll also see Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, Kathy Bates, Matt Damon, Robin Williams (all of them past winners), Queen Latifah, "Twilight's" Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart, Tina Fey, Jennifer Lopez, Tyler Perry, Miley Cyrus, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and many more.
"Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" are coming in as the front-runners; both are up for nine awards including Best Picture. The other eight films vying for that big prize are "The Blind Side", "District 9", "An Education", "Inglourious Basterds", "Precious", "A Serious Man", "Up", and "Up In The Air." Yes, for the first time in decades, we've got ten films up for Best Picture of 2009!
"Up" is also up for Animated Feature, and it could make Oscar history by taking both that and Best Picture. "Beauty And The Beast" was the last animated film nominated for Best Picture in 1992, but "Silence Of The Lambs" cleaned house that year.
Jeff Bridges is expected to take Best Actor for "Crazy Heart", despite weak competition from Supporting Actor winners George Clooney and Morgan Freeman, Colin Firth, and Jeremy Renner. As for Best Actress, Sandra Bullock is in a showdown with 16-time nominee and double winner Meryl Streep, leaving past winner Helen Mirren and first timers Carey Mulligan and Gabourey Sidibe in the dust.
And now comes the moment you've been waiting a few paragraphs for: Whose homes will be adorned with the most famous piece of hardware in the world after Sunday night? Here are my predictions:
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (no contest)
Supporting Actress: Well, Mo'nique with Golden Globes and SAG honors may have got this in the bag, but looking back at my picks history, I'm always wrong. In 2007 I said that Eddie Murphy will take Supporting Actor for "Dreamgirls", but that ended up in the hands of Alan Arkin. However...we haven't had a black Supporting Actress winner since Whoopi Goldberg in "Ghost", and I think that 20 years is long enough; Mo'Nique should end that drought! And if not her, then Anna Kendrick or Maggie Gyllenhaal in an upset, but my pick is final.
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (who else?)
Best Actress: Like I said, it's all about Sandra vs. Meryl; last year it was Kate Winslet vs. Meryl, and Kate won. Streep, being a great talent she is, may be the most-nominated actress ever, but Bullock has had a phenomenal 2009 headlined by "The Proposal" and "The Blind Side" raking in the bucks with the latter finally giving the honors she deserves. So in the end, I'd really love to hear Sean Penn say those life-changing words: "And the Oscar goes to...Sandra Bullock!"
Director: Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker")
Best Picture: "Avatar" as first was the early favorite with a Golden Globe win, but not anymore. In 2006 I was rooting for "Brokeback Mountain" to take the big prize; but in the end, "Crash" crashed the gay cowboys' party. James Cameron may keep his trophy for "Titanic", but once again I'm playing it safe and say...war movies have traditionally taken Best Picture before; see "The Deer Hunter", "The Bridge On The River Kwai", "Patton", "Platoon", and most recently, "The English Patient." "The Hurt Locker" should continue that Oscar tradition.
Supporting Actress: Well, Mo'nique with Golden Globes and SAG honors may have got this in the bag, but looking back at my picks history, I'm always wrong. In 2007 I said that Eddie Murphy will take Supporting Actor for "Dreamgirls", but that ended up in the hands of Alan Arkin. However...we haven't had a black Supporting Actress winner since Whoopi Goldberg in "Ghost", and I think that 20 years is long enough; Mo'Nique should end that drought! And if not her, then Anna Kendrick or Maggie Gyllenhaal in an upset, but my pick is final.
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (who else?)
Best Actress: Like I said, it's all about Sandra vs. Meryl; last year it was Kate Winslet vs. Meryl, and Kate won. Streep, being a great talent she is, may be the most-nominated actress ever, but Bullock has had a phenomenal 2009 headlined by "The Proposal" and "The Blind Side" raking in the bucks with the latter finally giving the honors she deserves. So in the end, I'd really love to hear Sean Penn say those life-changing words: "And the Oscar goes to...Sandra Bullock!"
Director: Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker")
Best Picture: "Avatar" as first was the early favorite with a Golden Globe win, but not anymore. In 2006 I was rooting for "Brokeback Mountain" to take the big prize; but in the end, "Crash" crashed the gay cowboys' party. James Cameron may keep his trophy for "Titanic", but once again I'm playing it safe and say...war movies have traditionally taken Best Picture before; see "The Deer Hunter", "The Bridge On The River Kwai", "Patton", "Platoon", and most recently, "The English Patient." "The Hurt Locker" should continue that Oscar tradition.
Last year I swept the board, will I do it for a third time? We'll find out on Sunday when Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin host the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. And despite the show still being on tape delay at 7:00 pm here in Alaska (come on, you think there's no way for me to race home from work at 4:00?), it still wouldn't hurt spoiling ourselves while watching the show on who already won.
And like I've been doing for the last 11 years, I'll recap it all on Monday (the show, the fashions, and the stories behind the big wins) in what will no doubt be one blog that's filled to the brim! Along with the Oscars, I'll have my second Celebrity Twitter Wishlist as well as why do so many of the soft-core porn we see late nights on Cinemax are never out on DVD. That's all on Monday, so so long and stay strong!
(CORRECTION (3/22): The last black Supporting Actress winner after Whoopi Goldberg and now Mo'Nique was Jennifer Hudson for "Dreamgirls" in 2007)
And like I've been doing for the last 11 years, I'll recap it all on Monday (the show, the fashions, and the stories behind the big wins) in what will no doubt be one blog that's filled to the brim! Along with the Oscars, I'll have my second Celebrity Twitter Wishlist as well as why do so many of the soft-core porn we see late nights on Cinemax are never out on DVD. That's all on Monday, so so long and stay strong!
(CORRECTION (3/22): The last black Supporting Actress winner after Whoopi Goldberg and now Mo'Nique was Jennifer Hudson for "Dreamgirls" in 2007)
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