"Fifty million dollars down the drain and for that money we could have made five good movies, which is what tonight is all about" (regarding the Starr investigation).

"I thought the blacklist was me and Hattie McDaniel" (regarding the Kazan controversy).

"You missin' Billy just about now?"

Beige Rage: What was with all the tan dresses? Anne Heche, Liv Tyler, Gina Davis...Yuck. I hate beige; it makes everyone looked so washed out.

Other Random Thoughts on the Oscars:

Helen Hunt's eye makeup was ghastly. It looked like one of her set of false eyelashes had come loose and was sliding off.

It's a good thing Whoopie had Frank Langella in the audience so that they could cut to a shot of him smiling and laughing whenever her jokes bombed with everyone else.

Oscar Mania

11:15 a.m. I can't believe how long the Oscars ran last night. Even more unbelievable: I watched it until the bitter end. And bitter it was, too, for Tab. His first disappointment was when Roberto Begnini won the best actor award instead of Tom Hanks. I was surprised, too. I didn't think Hanks would win since he's already won twice, but I was expecting Nick Nolte to get it (based on the reviews I've seen of Affliction). But when Shakespeare in Love won instead of Saving Private Ryan, Tab was livid. "It dishonors the memory of my father and all those who fought in WWII!" he fumed. "In twenty years, no one will remember, Shakespeare in Love, but everyone will still remember Private Ryan."

Which is true and, as I pointed out, more meaningful than the Academy Awards themselves. Hey, it won't even take twenty years. Who can name the Best Picture Oscar winners from 1990, 1991, 1992? I remember Titanic won just about everything last year, but I can't remember any of the award winners from the year before that.

My only personal disappointment: Cate Blanchett should have won instead of Gwyneth Paltrow, much though I enjoyed her performance in Shakespeare. But, again, it seems clear to me that vigorous campaigning on the part of Miramax paid off for Shakespeare, which renders the award virtually meaningless.

Anyway, the Academy Awards aren't really about the "best" anymore. It's about who is popular, who is currently in, and how much money and effort are spent by the studios for nominations and awards. I remember when I used to make it a point to see every movie nominated for Best Picture. These days I am lucky if I've seen three out of the five as I managed to do this year.

So why do I watch the Oscars at all? Like most of the audience, I guess, I'm a sucker for movies. I enjoy watching all those celebrities filing into the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion like a large herd of expensively-clad and bejeweled sheep. I like to rate the dresses--"Yikes! How could she wear that?"--and to try to spot the seat-holders in the occasional shots of the audience. And I revel in those those silly clip fests. The only thing I do not like are the musical routines. Please. Debbie Allen has got to go.

With the approval of his boss Tab's been working flex time for the past year, 9:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., so that we could drop Daniel off at school by 9 before we take Tab to work. Today his boss rather capriciously decreed that Tab needs to be in earlier. So we will have to start getting up at least a half hour earlier in order to leave the house at 8. We'll take Tab to work first, and then the twins and I will drop Daniel off at school. It means less sleep and a more hectic start to our day; on the other hand, it will give me more time after dropping Daniel off to get things done and we will have Tab home earlier in the evening, which we will all appreciate.

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