Oscars

I have to say, having to stay up until 5.30am in order to watch the Oscar broadcast because I am located in the land of Pom actually improved the experience, for reasons ineffable. Kudos to the excellent Mr Gilman for polishing off the better part of a bottle of Gordan's gin - a man after my own heart.

Huge Action is a creepy, silly man, which makes him pretty much the perfect host for the train-wreck indulgences of Oscar night. Watching his jokes fall lower than the grosses for Australia was perversely entertaining.

Highlights of the morning though:

The charming Japanese guy who won for Best Animated Short and made the following speech (approximately) in broken English: "Thank you, academy. Thank you, production crew. Thank you, pencil. Thank you, wife. Domo arigato, Mr Roboto." Best. Speech. Ever.

Penelope Cruz thanking Bigas Luna for giving her her big break, Pedro Almodovar for being awesome, and Woody Allen for writing such wonderful roles for women. Word.

Steve Martin to co-host, Tina Fey: "Do not fall in love with me."

Danny Boyle's huge smile every time someone in his crew won for Slumdog Millionaire. Patchy though his back catalogue may be, Boyle just seems like such a totally lovely guy.

The Curious Case for Benny Crapshack only winning a few choice technicals (which it richly deserved) out of its 13 nominations because in most other regards, that movie was pants.

Seth Rogen and James Franco getting stoned and laughing their way through watching The Reader. Oscar comedy that is actually funny = aberration that makes me happy.

Pioneering a new drink that's a cross between a gin'n'tonic and a gimlet, and naming it the git. Gits are delicious.

Phillipe Petit from the wicked-bad Man On Wire thanking Werner Herzog for the coin he gave him, then making it disappear. Now WATCH MAN ON WIRE, FOOL!

A R Rahmen winning Best Score, running back on stage directly to sing 'Jai Ho' in the Best Songs Medley, then promptly winning Best Song. Awesome. Dude is cool, man.

Travesty that it was that Mickey Rourke lost out to that over-acting, earnest, irritating prick Sean Penn, I like Rourke's glib acceptance of not having an Oscar: "You can't eat it, you can't fuck it, and it won't get you into Heaven." Nicely put.

An excellent morning's entertainment. Salut!