A Taste of Hollywood

When I left Nashville a few years ago, I wasn't the only one. There were a few people at my old place of work at the same time and with that a natural changing of the guard. One of those who came in as I left actually moved to SoCal a month or two ago. We had mutual friends and a mutual place of work and had met before, but hadn't really hung out. 

Until last night. She and her boyfriend were gracious enough to come up to Hollywood from their place in Orange County. She called me a little before we were supposed to meet and said they got tapped on the street to come to a Jimmy Kimmel Live taping and did I want to join them? My office is only a block away from the studio so I made good time and we were able to go.

It was fun. I had never been to a talk show taping. The guests were Hugh Jackman, Carson Daly and some guy from the show Happy Endings, which I'd never seen. He was actually the most entertaining of the three. Here's what I learned from the experience:

• People will do almost anything for a $150 gift card.
• There are a lot of people who will gladly laugh at anything.
• I am not one of those people.
• It's hard and oddly tiring to clap and cheer for what felt like an hour of the two hour taping. 
• I may not be as in shape as I think since it hurt my upper arms to move my arms that much.

I had a great time and was super happy to have dinner and some drinks with my new friends afterward. I love how an ordinary-seeming day can turn into a memory if you just go with it. 

Oscar Schmoscar

I tried as best as I could to ignore the Oscars. There's just something about a bunch of rich people wearing expensive clothes to give out awards for who can pretend the best that doesn't really do it for me. The catty pre-show red carpet comments and post mortem fashion reports I totally dig (and by the way, Miley, that dress was done better without the sparkles by Oscar de La Renta).

I'm biased, I admit it. I'm not a big Hugh Jackman fan and prefer Jon Stewart to, well just about anyone in the world--except Tina Fey. But if you want a nice, safe Oscar ceremony with only one or two jabs at those in the room, then Jackman is your man.

It was nice to see the 5 presenters, but instead of an awkward reason why they love the nominee, how about a little more about the movie or role that was nominated. Let's be honest: most of those nominated roles haven't been the biggest box office draws.

And lastly, I was disappointed in Heath Ledger's family. I know they aren't actors, and it's rude for me to criticize, but I expected some tears. The people in the crowd (yes, mostly actors) were more touched by his win than his family seemed. My mom has been gone for 9 years and if I won a local award that was even slightly connected to her, I think I would crumble in tears. Squeeze one out and you would've had me. But they didn't. They just read their nice speeches and gave Matilda a shout out.

Can anyone tell me why Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer were there in the second row? I know she's an actress, but was she in a movie in 2008? Or was this just a cruel joke from the Oscar planners to have her so near Brad and Angelina?

So many questions, so little time.