... God, My Mom, and the Academy ...
Posted at 6:00 AM on February 2, 2010
by Dale Connelly
(28 Comments)
Radio Heartland has tickets to see Mavis Staples at the Dakota in Minneapolis tomorrow night at 7 pm.
We'll keep the door open until 1pm today.
Enter the drawing.
Obey the rules.
Good luck! .
Yesterday we talked about thank you speeches on the day after the Grammy Awards Show. Today, the Oscar nominees are announced.
The movie awards will be given away on March 7th.
Although he didn't post it as a comment on the blog, idea man Spin Williams texted me from The Meeting That Never Ends with what he calls A Big Concept for the Oscars - something he wanted to share with everyone.
Gratitude!It's going to be EPIC in the more frugal and friend-focused world of 2010 and the awards show producers are totally not getting it!
How else can you explain our impatience with televised expressions of thankfulness? As soon as a winner gets to the microphone, the clock is running and the more they say about their dependence on others, the more we are made to feel it is boring, boring, boring! We're being trained to turn our backs on grateful people so we can get to the commercials and re-fill the popcorn bowl.
And these are our most creative citizens - fantasy makers who open our eyes to the beauty of the world. Surely they could turn their gratitude into something amazing if given the chance. But all they get is the sudden shock of winning and then fifteen seconds to say what is in their hearts! No wonder they look stunned and seem a little dull witted.
Here at The Meeting That Never Ends, we're writing a proposal to re-structure the awards show sequence, making it a combination of election night, inauguration day and American Idol.
After the Oscar nominations are announced, the contestants should campaign for their awards, not with full page ads in Variety, but town-to-town across America! If George Clooney came to your Rotary meeting to ask for your vote, you'd give it to him, but what's more, you'd have a great story to tell. And you'd be invested in the process! So the voting should not rest with the Academy, it should be nationwide, and live, and it should happen on ONE BIG NIGHT! Critics and famous expert blowhards could offer their opinions as the tally progresses, culminating in a clear identification of the winners in every category by the end of the evening. But there are no thank you speeches - not yet.
One month later, the Live Oscars Thank You Show gives those winners a chance to express their feelings using their chosen art form. Whether they sing, dance, act, design costumes, write scripts, or work as gaffers, best boys and movie set caterers, they'll have a chance to show their stuff and prove once and for all that they deserve the prize they were given.This does three things - celebrates gratitude, honors sincerity, and creates a multitude of cascading events - an original and at least two sequels, just like the movies themselves. That means more revenue for everybody, and with luck, higher ratings.
I think people will go for it, because greed is unpopular right now and gratitude is HOT. And who knows, if we can get them ramped up every February and March for Oscar voting, maybe they'll show some interest in the other kind of voting that happens in November!
We're working on some vehicles to move this idea to the next stage, but I thought you'd want a heads up! Run it by your people and get back to my people, who will get back to me!
Your friend,
Spin
Actually, I think Spin's idea is nutty. It couldn't possibly work.
Could it?
Comments (28)
If everyone cares as much about the film industry as I do, it won't work at all. I almost never go to the movies, doubt that I will have seen ANY of the movies up for awards this year, unless Harry Potter or the Chimpmunks are up for something. So, even if George Clooney did show up someplace, I doubt I would vote and I know I wouldn't watch. Sure sounds like I'm just an old curmudgeon!
On a completely different note, Barb in B, what did your comment yesterday mean "50 days until you leave the farm". Have I missed something? I checked your blog yesterday even for a clue!!!
Can you help me, Heartlanders? I don't want to hijack Dale's thread, but hope this topic would appeal.
Years ago I would walk around in my bungalow holding my baby girl, singing lullabies to her. In the next four days or so, that little girl will give birth to a little boy. And now we'll have a new generation needing good lullaby music.
Can you make recommendations for a compilation disk of great, intelligent, modern lullabies? The Dixie Chicks have a great one on their last CD. I used to sing along with Stevie Nicks on "Beautiful Baby." Allison Krauss does a lovely version of "Baby of Mine" from Dumbo.
Any suggestions? Thanks, and I apologize Dale if this is improper.
No apologies Steve... what a wonderful week for you. And I have a completely predictable song for your CD... Little Potato. And one of my other favorites... Child of Mine, by Bill Staines. Congratulations!!!!!
This approach to the Oscars would only appeal to me if Johnny Depp would visit my community. The other contender would never have (and never really had) a chance of getting my vote, however, so the plan might be essentially flawed if others have biases as strong as mine. ;-)
Steve - congratulations! i'm sure this group will come up with good suggestions. just thought of one i like: how about "Dream" by the Everly Bros??
Sherrilee - in 50 days (49 now) the kids will be born and i WON'T leave the farm. Alba is due March 23 and Dodger March 24. so i was saying i had to get all of the off-farm stuff done before that. if i REALLY left the farm any time soon, it'd be feet first.
ooops - forgot the topic! if spin got his way (i like the concept) i wouldn't watch with any more malice than i don't watch now. although, Joanne, i DID watch last year w/ my BFF and she and i had a blast.
Barb... phew! I was really worried that I had missed some major news/milestone. I really want to come learn to milk a goat this summer and I was thinking my opportunity was leaving!! Glad tidings!
Only God knows, Spin. It sounds like a saga and if its format is anything like a reality show, it might take off. Elinor - great insight RE Johnny Depp!
I missed out on who I would mention yesterday should I ever be awarded anything and after watching bits and pieces of the Grammys, I'll thank all the people in my formative yeas who taught me it's unladylike to grab your crotch and wear super excessive low riders.
Steve - Congratulations! Last summer I heard Neal Hagberg tell Dale that Leandra was coming out with a record of lullabies.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the post. We're all perfectly capable of thinking about two things at once. Probably.
Two of my favorite lullaby collections in the MPR library are "Daddies Sing Goodnight"
from Sugar Hill Records with tunes by Michael Doucet, Doc Watson, The Red Clay Ramblers and Townes Van Zandt, to name a few.
And Priscilla Herdman's "Stardreamer - Nightsongs and Lullabies"
is a classic, in my opinion. And yes, it includes "Waltzing With Bears".
Thanks Dale & others.
Great suggestions. If I turn up more gems, I might post them.
Hi...I'm so not-Oscar/movie oriented that I am going to skip right to Steve's question. Dale, doesn't Prudence Johnson have a cd of lullabies? Or, am I just thinking she should.
Steve--for when they are a little older: our two kids wore out several vinyl and tape copies of Peter, Paul, and Mommie. It is also a tradition in our family to always play classical music when the small children were sleeping. Resulted in five of my mother's gradnkids are very serious fans of MPR.
Don't fans vote for one of the movie etc awards--Golden Globes? Some sports have let the fans vote for all-stars, so that aging old stars get in (in the NBA this year, I think, fans voted on some people who have hardly even played) and the big market teams dominate.
Dale--any chance for Foggy Foggy Dew, Foggy Day in , , , ah . .. place in England . . .foggy mountain breakdown (is that its name?)
Greetings! Spin's idea may sound nutty, but it might actually be more appealing to younger folks who are already accustomed to voting using texting on cell phones. Unfortunately, you would lose the integrity of the Oscars by having the unwashed masses voting for stuff they don't know anything about. But then, that's already happening anyway in the real general elections.
If Johnny Depp or George Clooney came to Big Lake, I could easily be swayed to vote for them.
Prudence Johnson does have a CD of lullabies - it's lovely. I played it for my daughter (it didn't always put her to sleep though - she was too intrigued by the music...still, the music is beautiful). The disc includes a fabulous Nature Boy and John o' Dreams.
As for Spin and his idea - he would have to include some cash in the deal somehow so those of us who don't care to spend $8+ for a movie could still see a few before we vote. I don't like being an uninformed voter (but family budget won't stretch far enough for me to see every movie I'd like to see).
thanks Anna, glad to know my mind is still sound...or, at least the memories intact...for the most part.
John O'Dreams by bok, trickett and muir also is lovely...as well as their Isle Au Haut...soft, swinging feeling of being in a boat on a calm sea...makes me sleepy!
To Who Am I -- I think you're referring to The People's Choice Awards, which I don't bother watching. I believe that's where the unwashed masses get to vote for their favorite stars, etc. The Golden Globes would never allow such voting, I would think.
And sports awards -- well, who cares anyway? Certainly, not me. The Oscars certainly aren't perfect and sometimes resemble a popularity contest, but artistic integrity does count for something. So excuse me while I take off my snooty persona now ...
Good Morning All,
Spin has an interesting idea. I think he should go for it. However, I'm not sure how it would turn out. Greed might not be as popular as it was, but we still see people that like to line their own pockets at other peoples' expense.
I'm afraid we would see the same problems with campaigns for Oscars that we see with elections. I'm thinking of all the money spent by big business and others to influence the results of elections.
There are people in my family who I think would agree with Donna on welcoming a visit from Johnny Depp. I don't know what my reaction would be to having a chance to see some of the very atractive female stars in person. My eyes would probably fall out of my head.
my Dad sang to us, but i don't remember lullabies. now that i think of it, a nice, song would have made it easier to go to sleep after, at age 4, i had been taught to pray "if i should die before i wake" holy cow.
i like the James Taylor/(Carly Simon??) version of "mocking bird" - they sound like they are enjoying that song so much. who says all lullabies need to be calm? rock out, baby!
Johnny Depp, yes.
how about the Oscars on Netflix?? (or maybe they are on already and Steve hasn't told me)
Maybe Spin Williams could start a new award for best lullaby-perhaps "The Dreamies>" Winners are the ones who put the most babies to sleep. Acceptance awards would also induce somnolence. Except that the winners wouldn't wear tuxes and gowns but instead would don long johns and low-cut negligees.
Gor the dreamies I would nominate Connie Caldor's "I've Got You" and "Stay Awake" from MAry Poppins.
Steve- Shawn Colvin has a lovely recording of lullaby and Christmas songs. I have never understood Groundhog's day-I have almost always lived in places where, if told that we would have 6 more weeks of winter, I would rejoice, as the alternative would usually be 12 more weeks of winter. Barb-I got a little concerned yesterday as well, but I thought you meant want you meant after I reread your post a couple of times.
Thanks, Dale. I don't remember Foggy Day as that lovely a song.
My obscure point about all-stars is that they used to be voted on by sports writers and the players, which has shown to be a much better form than the unwashed masses. So I would leave the Oscars as peer-voted. Oh, and thanks on People's Choice awads, duh, of course, thgat's the one.
Barb, I got a little worred there too yesterday.
Maybe we should develop a new award--the Trial Balloons, or "the Pengras," obviously looking like the logo for this blog. We would vote for these 5 or 10 years later. When you look back, the choices seem weak, especially for best movie. An extreme example of that are the book awards of variouis kinds, except may for kids books. So often great books are completely missed and weaker books win. We could also give out boobie prizes, for which the statuette would be a deflate balloon.
sorry for alarming folks - but you figured out my obscure prose. i am busy getting off-farm things done so that i can stay here and dedicate my time to the expectant mothers in the near future....
someone is coming today to put a deposit on a buck from Dodger - this person just loves Dodger. so, knowing Dodger, i think she will have all does this spring. if she does consent to having a nice, healthy buck, he will remain a buck, move to another farm and will be named Dodger's Mischief ("Chief") - i know, self-fulfilling prophecy and all that, but we're talking Dodger here. her kids are all clones of her and all have that naughty attitude (and all are as beautiful as she, she says). we just want healthy kids for Alba this year and we're doing all we can to make that happen.
barb--we used to have a Holstein cow, Elsie, who always, when it was time for me to get the cows, was to be found in a thick stand of brush, from which it was difficult to extract her. And because she was a pain to milk for my mother, Mom and I had a private celebration when she was sold. But she produced a line of complacent milkers.
All-this is related to nothing at all, except my enduring fog: my half-Russian son, the street dog fancier, sent me a online article about the street dogs of Moscow. Street dogs there are not only tolerated but treasured. There have dogs that have lived this way for many generations. The facinating part is that many of the dogs live on the Metro subway stations and a few have learned how to ride the trains and come back to their "home" station.
ok, i'm soooo sorry but this awards topic just was too tempting not to share our awards. and i apologize, yet and again, for monopolizing the blog with goat stuff. but i gave out the MeadowWild Farm Awards a couple weeks ago (i had vowed not to post these to you poor, suffering, captive readers - but then i have no resolve)
2009 MeadowWild Awards:
Most helpful non-goat - Steve
Most valuable milker (MVM)- Dream
Best Dam Dam - Dodger
Best Dam Sire - Majority
Most tolerant, long suffering wether - Niblet
Most loveable kid - Spot
Most beautiful doe - Alba (and most difficult milker :-)
Most beautiful doelings – Tammy Waynette and Desiree
Most beautiful bucklings – Artful and Opie
Closest clone of parent – Tammy Waynette (dam is Dodger)
Biggest Noodle** – Dodger
and the most prestigious award:
2009 All around Best Goat – Dream yaaaaaaaaaay!!!
**Noodle : difficult, mischievous, troublesome, disruptive, annoying, engaging, and loves her Goatmom.
The Boys celebrated with a double round of kelp in their mineral dishes and the Girls celebrated with their beloved "A mix" - vit A,D,E and some other tasty items. i hummed "Pomp and Circumstance" and march around a bit but that freaked them out, so i just congratulated them and gave them their treats and left them to their warm nesting places.
Bows and kudos all around to the lovely Goats of Blackhoof! Were their thank you speeches short and to the point? How about rounds of all night parties for them to attend in their glamorous orange blaze RH scarves? And gift bags -- they must have gift bags of outrageously priced designer goodies!
So sorry we missed all the excitement! Of course, we enjoy your sharing of these MeadowWild Farm Awards. 'Tis Awards season ...
Award Season
Smiles orthodontic
And grins moronic
Bulging body parts
Crafted by plastic arts
Expensive dresses
Hair coifed in messes
Jewels that are rented
Faces cemented
With layers of makeup
With whom will they take up
When this spouse
Is determined a louse
To the awards they come out
When they lose will not pout
We are at home laid on our coaches
But unlike them we have fat pouches
Our faces have dropped
With our noses unlopped
Our hair has turned gray, if not fallen out
Our bodies have turned into homes for the gout
We are weathered by life
And coping with strife
Beauty we assign to the famous and young
But I find more in those who are strong
To those whose faces are proof they are lovers
That they have given to families and others
How they have been good fathers and mothers
Who made each place they visited better
And sat down and wrote the hard letter
To friends wrapped up in pain and in grieve
Who lived a life that claimed a belief
By actions taken
And duties unforsaken
Beauty is seldom found by TV reporters
Of the rich the famous they are sure courters.
Think how the world would improve
If they would get out of this grove
And show real people doing their best
To help everyone pass all of life’s tests.
Obviously my fibrofog has passed.
Please read the above poem, or don't read it all if you prefer, but if you read it, read it as a gentle nudge, not a rant. I assume I will end up watching the Oscars because of those with whom I share a life. Biggest problem for me is that I have only seen 3 of the movies nominated, my lowest total ever.
And here's one for you. Michael Medved has a column on CNN in which he says that nominating 10 movies is splintering our culture. He says cable TV is doing the same; that we should all be watching I Love Lucy and we would all be one, and thus, apparently getting along. The Madison avenue/Holloywood/politcal party homogenous cultre point of view to the extreme is it not?
Now there I ranted.
Good day all.
On Topic 1: I would only be interested if Robert Downey Jr.(tho' I really have only seen him on Ally McBeal) came to our community with Johnny Depp. I'm mostly like Sherilee, and concur with Anna - it's really hard to get excited about spending $8, or 10 for 3-D even with matinee pricing.
On Topic 2: Steve - I just ordered, and actually received) a lovely reissue of: The Simon Sisters Sing Songs for Children, by Carly & Lucy Simon. Not all lullabies, but Sleep Baby Sleep is one of the most beautiful, haunting melodies, and there's a great rendition of Wynken Blynken and Nod.
Wow, Clyde, you nailed it.
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