During last night’s special, Oprah Winfrey didn’t conduct the interviews. She just set up taped bits, introducing a series of stars interviewing each other about Oscar night. Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz exchanged compliments. (Berry, re Cruz in Nine: “I thought you were sexy from the inside out.”)
James Cameron, who was interviewed by his Avatar star Sigourney Weaver, was gracious about being nominated in the same categories as his ex-wife, Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow. Did you expect him to bad-mouth her?
Glenn Close and Michael Douglas looked at clips and talked — “for the first time,” said Oprah in her intro — about Fatal Attraction. Close allowed as how she thought the famous boiled-rabbit scene was “over the top.” They discussed the re-shooting of Fatal‘s final scene. The original, in which Close’s character committed suicide, didn’t go over well with preview audiences. “The audience wanted you to be killed,” said Douglas.
Close said changing the ending (having Anne Archer’s character shoot her) was “a profound problem for me… I was so mad.”
They hugged and said they were grateful to be friends after all these years.
A charming Ben Affleck interviewed Hurt Locker‘s Jeremy Renner, occasionally reading off, as some of the other stars did, cards. He asked Renner questions such as “You grew up in Modesto, California… what was that like?” and “Do you have women throwing themselves at you since being nominated?”
The format for this show was silly. You can’t blame the actors, though. They’re not interviewers; they’re not trying to tease out anything that might make a colleague uncomfortable.
What else is there to say? Good luck to those who are nominated this year.
I turned off the sound during the Berry-Cruz love-fest, and then turned off the TV during the self-congratulatory “Avatar” segment.
Yeah, I totally turned it off during the smug “Avatar” segment too. The whole special was just awful.
wow – sounds like a mess…..glad I didn’t even know it was on L)
i watched this last night but sadly didn’t tivo it. but did anyone else notice, during the “fatal attraction” segment, that michael douglas appeared to be sporting some noticeable “excitement” in his slacks? i paused it to make sure and it was definitely there when they were talking about the elevator scene…
Oh good! So it wasn’t just my overactive imagination!
I am totally brniung the episode onto DVD to have as a pick me up when I fail to listen to the whispers (love that!). Such an encouragement-I feel like now I definitely have to subscribe to O Magazine!!!
I saw that too. Hope Catherine doesn’t get mad!
also noticed that out, what that catherine will find all the excitement of michael.
It was awful beyond belief.
And Hallie Berry saying the one movie she can watch over and over is Fatal Attraction? Wow, what a coincidence.
Glenn & Michael have talked since FA was filmed, I saw an interview with them.
This makes the Barbara Walter Oscar special look like Meet The Press.
Barf!
Sounds like tripe. Blegh. Glad I missed this one.
Methinks Oprah had this particular set up to avoid stepping on Barbara Walters last hurrah. I would be shocked if Winfrey doesn’t take over for Babs next year.
What I didn’t like about it was the fact that she didn’t have Gaby or Monique or Lee Daniels in the special..especially since she pushed for Precious..kind of ridiculous..and Glenn and Michael was total bs..they aren’t even nominated this year..what a waste of time..altho Hally and Penelope were gorgeous..
More celebrity culture for the brain dead.
Grief. Sounds appalling. Oprah’s Oscar specials are never anything special. 40 minutes of vacuous fawning takes its toll.
There are no words to decsrbie how bodacious this is.
I loved the interview with Michael Douglas and Glenn Close
The Halle Berry interview made the old SNL skit the Chris Farley Show (remeber this, that was awesome) seem like a hard hitting in depth well researched interview.
The only interview on the show that came across with any sincerity was between Glenn Close and Michael Douglas.
The rest were a mess.
Well I loved the Ben and Jeremy
interview …I thought it was
very funny..like they really do
care about each other.. showing
Halle doing the sex scene with
Billy Bob and that is the one she
won the Oscar for..Lets hope that
Pen wins not Monique and her hairy
legs.Precious sucked big time only
Monique will win again.. Gabby is
up against Sandra Bullock ..
BTW BARBARA HAS MONIQUE ON INSTEAD
OF GABBY THE STAR OF THE MOVIE
AND SANDRA BULLOCK AS HER LAST SHOW
BORRRING.. OR WHAT AND 29 YEARS OF
INTERVIEWS.. WHICH IS BETTER
I noticed too!Skocka.But not surprised.Didn’t he go to sex rehab like Tiger?I bet he wanted that scene to be real.LOL.
The only sincere and good interview were between Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner.Because they’re good friends in real life.