Tom Shales calls last night "one of the best, and certainly most stimulating, Oscar shows in years."

I dissent. The clothes were drab, the speeches lame. Who cares what these people think about the war? I'd love for someone to explain to me why Nicole Kidman's views about foreign policy should be any more interesting or compelling to me than my mailman's.

If I ever win the Best Actress Oscar (I'd be wearing something tasteful in navy -- oh c'mon, you've thought about it too), I'd like to think that I'd graciously thank the people who helped me turn in my great performance and get off the stage.

An interesting study of people perceiving things differently: A lefty guest at my party thought that "somone" was booing during Michael Moore's anti-war diatribe. My own perception, and that of this article, was that the boos "filled the theater." Anyway, Moore is a monstrous blowhard, and I would find him odious whatever his political persuasion. At least he's a counter-example to the proposition that you have to be attractive to succeed in Hollywood.