Watching the Academy Awards has always been a big deal for my Bradley, even when he was pretty young. He would stretch out on the floor with his chin in his hands and watch with wide eyes as award after award was given out. I can remember more than a few times when he would fall asleep under the glow of the television and I would carry him upstairs to his room, tuck the covers around his sleeping little body and kiss him good night. I also remember how mad he would be at himself the next morning because he fell asleep. It's funny how the tables turned ... when Brad was a teenager, I was the one who would fall asleep as we watched the Oscars and he would wake me when the show was over and tell me to go to bed. Many, many years Brad and I watched the Academy Awards together, and last night as I sat on my couch watching the show with my canine companions, Julie and Ollie, I missed Brad ... I missed him a whole, whole, whole lot.
I must say that I thought last night's Academy Awards show was one of the best I've seen in several years ... come on ... Ellen as the host will always score big in my book. And if Ellen weren't enough, Pink sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and Bette Midler ... yep, the divine Miss M herself ... sang "Wind Beneath My Wings." Seriously ... Ellen and Pink and Bette ... it just doesn't get any better than that. I was deeply moved by the appearance of Sidney Poitier, just as I also was by the participation of so many older generation actors. Perhaps it's due in part to the loss of two well-loved actors in recent months, Paul Walker and Philip Seymour Hoffman, but the show had a different tone to it this year in my opinion. It was almost as if there was an unstated sense of awareness and respect as to how brief life can be ... death eventually claims each one of us, both the common man and the super famous as well.
It seems fitting to close tonight's post with some words from what I considered to be one of the best acceptance speeches of all time. After winning the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Jerad Leto spoke some words that touched not only my heart, but the hearts of millions around the world as well. Well done, Mr. Leto, well done.
"In 1971, Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she managed to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she’s here tonight. And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream.
"And this for the 36 million people who have lost the battle to AIDS and to those of you out there who have ever felt injustice because of who you are or who you love, tonight I stand here in front of the world with you and for you. Thank you so much and goodnight."
1 comment:
Thanks for your positive words! Not all were so kind to Jerod and I felt his speech was magnificent as well. Perfect in pitch and tone. Frankly, those who have criticized him are being self-centered and that's unfortunate as it minimizes everything he and the film attempt to do.
Post a Comment