First of all, Ellen DeGeneres is an amazing performer.\u00a0 She is relaxed (or appears to be), self-effacing, and playful–not mean, like some of the previous hosts of the Academy Awards.\u00a0 And instead of joking about things going on “in the industry”, she joked about what was going on in the minds of her listeners–their anxiety<\/strong> and hope.\u00a0 She actually dug into what was happening then and there–she named it and claimed it–and got people to laugh at themselves.\u00a0 Give me some of what she’s having.\u00a0 That goofy smile masks a clever mind.<\/p>\n

It was great that the camera kept cutting to Will Smith howling with delight\u00a0at the front of the auditorium.<\/p>\n

Pilobolus,<\/strong> the dance company behind the scrim, was incredible, and so was the sound-effects<\/strong> choir.\u00a0 Off-Broadway, alternative theater at the corporate show-biz bonanza!<\/p>\n

Ari Sandel, who won for best short film, was masterful.\u00a0 Well-prepared, to the point, and relevant.\u00a0 He asked the question on the mind of the audience:\u00a0 “What is a short film?”\u00a0 And he answered that question very clearly: It’s a form for up-and-coming directors without access to the studios.\u00a0 Then, at the end, he got to his thanks.\u00a0 He didn’t start with the predictable.<\/p>\n

God, the sound guys were boring.<\/p>\n

Alan Arkin was surprisingly genuine and simple, and even though he was reading, I got the feeling that he wasn’t trying to impress anyone, he just wanted to make sure that he said the right things.\u00a0 (Please notice that I don’t really remember what he said.\u00a0 I only remember him–the person, and how he made me feel.\u00a0 Big lesson there.\u00a0 I had a large religious organization as a client, and one of their leaders dropped in on a workshop to encourage the young preachers, and told them, “Nobody really remembers what you say.\u00a0 They remember how you make them feel.”)<\/p>\n

Al Gore was fat and funny.\u00a0 Too bad he didn’t announce he’s running for President.\u00a0 That would really make things interesting.<\/p>\n

Sherry Lansing, in a\u00a0striking gown,\u00a0stood like a statue of grace and stillness, spoke with impeccable diction, and … and then I had to go to bed.<\/p>\n

I was hoping that Peter O’Toole would win.\u00a0 Glad to see Helen Mirren did.\u00a0 The Queen<\/strong> was my favorite of the year.<\/p>\n