As I was saying, funnier, more sophisticated, more crystalline than that. More Nick and Nora than Adam Sandler. The comic production piece When Martin does his first set piece, his performance really starts to click. Instead of showing a film inserting himself into Oscar-nominated movies, a la Billy Crystal in years past, he inserts himself into Billy Crystal's seat in the auditorium. And sits there.
Martin dances away from it, half a beat before the crowd begins to find it tedious.
Hey, everybody, Roberto Benigni is running up on the stage. After the excitement, Kate Hudson takes the stage to accept best supporting actress for playing a super groupie in Almost Famous. Two stars came out and, obviously reading from cue cards, took turns saying how much they admired one another. The next award Now is the time to mention an important innovation in Oscar awards. Instead of saying to whom the Oscar goes, the perfect telecast will stop pretending this is not a competition.