Oscar interviewer Billy Porter’s tux gown got things off to a zany start.
The rock band Queen fronted by Adam Lambert -- he’s been touring with them for six years -- got the 91st Academy Awards off to a high energy start. They instantly had the crowd on their feet and kept them there throughout the entire medley.
The comedy trio of Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler proved that the Oscars don’t need an official host (“We’re not your hosts!”) if you have three hilarious women taking shots at the audience. Chadwick Boseman, Sam Elliott and Bradley Cooper were three targets.
Presenters Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry kept the laughs coming when they came on stage with outfits making fun of “The Favourite” and “Mary Poppins Returns." Henry had on an oversized munchkin suit and crazy large white glasses while McCarthy’s gown was strewn with bunnies (Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne kept 18 live bunnies in her bedroom).
Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney (from Cleveland) got the nod for best hair and makeup for “Vice.” They proceeded to give the most raggedy-ass acceptance speech in Oscar history, sharing notes from several pieces if wrinkled paper and talking over each other.
Best actress Olivia Colman gave one of the most loopy and sweetly endearing speeches. She was at once stunned, off-the-cuff and sweetly grateful. She won the crowd over instantly.
The duet of the night was performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. They did the hit song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born” and had the audience in tears.
Spike Lee and his team of writers won a statue for Best Developed Screenplay. Lee, in his purple suit, bounded up onstage and leaped into the arms of friend and actor Samuel L. Jackson. He then gave a speech reminding everyone that the 2020 presidential election is right around the corner and that we need to get on the right side of history and “do the right thing.”
Like clockwork, President Trump tweeted the next morning saying Lee was “being racist to your president.”
Rami Malek won for Best Actor for his performance as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” He then promptly fell off the stage. (He was fine.)
As I predicted, “Green Book” won Best Picture and everybody went to the Vanity Fair after party and had a grand time.
